Coming Home Hi,
This is Barbara Murray Lane.
I'd like to share a story with you,
Written many years ago by a group of six women who worked with me monthly for a year.
This story describes their journey of coming home to themselves by reconnecting to their lost inner child,
Rediscovering their heart's original path,
And reclaiming forgotten treasures.
I hope this story offers you support and inspiration wherever you are on your journey.
LAUGHTER So,
Beginning.
Settling into a position that feels comfortable and restful for your body.
Then focusing on your breath,
With this breath in and this breath out.
Allowing this to calm and soothe any restless parts.
And so,
The story begins as many stories often do.
Once upon a time,
There were six young girls between the ages of eight and nine who were inseparable.
They were beautiful young beings.
All had a natural curiosity about the mystery of the world,
As girls often do at this age.
As a group,
They especially liked to play and imagine in their secret garden,
Which they found one day.
Tucked away behind overgrown hedges and aged trees that tented the top.
A small opening covered by vines and shrubs,
Parted for them as they approached.
Delighted,
It became a home.
Each girl child had special gifts that they openly shared with each other in the safety of their garden's home.
They each felt a connection to their hearts.
The beauty and the magic of the earth and trusting intuitively the path ahead of them.
That always seemed to lead to their secret and magical garden.
A special home for all of them.
Lou believed in the magic of fairies and the little people like so many before her.
Ava's magic was in drawing and weaving a story.
While Christina and Karen knew of the earth magic held deep within plants and animals.
Kristen held great magic in the power and beauty of her body that she expressed through dance and movement.
While Carol had a magic gift for offering kindness and compassion to all beings.
All had a great magic in their innate wisdom and knowledge undeveloped and untarnished at their young age.
As it happens over the years,
The girls grew into women.
Beautiful and loving as you would expect.
Though over time they lost touch with each other and sadly themselves.
They got distracted and busy in their grown up lives.
Doubt and worry replaced their special gifts.
Fear also showed up.
They visited the garden less and less.
Sometimes even having trouble finding the opening.
So their garden unattended,
Became run down,
Overrun with weeds,
A proper mess.
Soon debris was scattered here and there.
Covering up much of the beauty and magic of the original garden.
It became neglected and abandoned over time.
Special gifts and treasures were replaced by safety,
Security and certainty.
The women found themselves attending to gardens that belonged to others.
Their lives seemed full enough and they were mostly satisfied.
But Kristen often felt discouraged and lost when she took a moment of stillness.
And her body seemed to hunger for more.
While Karen and Carol felt like they had betrayed and abandoned some aspects of themselves.
Often longing for something just out of reach.
Lou often felt lonely even when surrounded by her family.
While Ava felt exhausted and overwhelmed trying to please others.
A great sadness enveloped Christina.
Feeling disconnected from the plants and animals that she loved.
They managed along in their lives,
But each one often felt an emptiness in their heart space.
Their imaginations felt dulled and they felt estranged from Earth's mystery and magic.
Often in the middle of the night when sleep eluded them,
They felt a tug from deep inside.
An inner whispering voice.
And if they really paid attention,
A sorrowful longing bubbled to the surface with such anguish it took their breath away.
Then one night,
As it happens in stories like this,
All the stars aligned.
In their separate places of sleeping,
They all heard the same quiet,
Urgent voice repeating this mantra.
Trust your heart.
Come find me in our magical secret garden.
I have been waiting for you.
Change can happen.
And so bravely pushing through their fear of the unknown and trusting this inner summons,
They rose from slumbered states.
By the light of the full moon,
Each one left the coziness and safety of their homes and journeyed out into the night to once again find the path that would lead them back to their special garden in their original home.
Together they met at the opening of the garden and smiled cautiously to one another.
Struggling,
They pushed through overgrown vines,
Thorns scratching their arms.
But the opening gradually gave way.
Holding hands,
They entered the garden of their childhood.
Greeted immediately by their nine-year-old selves who had waited patiently for their return.
A joyous reunion with much laughing and hugging sparkles them magic once again.
And then all together they began the hard work of digging into and attending to their magical neglected garden.
What a mess greeted them.
Within for so many years,
The garden looked forlorn and dispirited.
If a garden can be described in such a way.
Taking strength in their numbers and their renewed connection.
They began by first removing the debris.
And the weeds and overgrowth.
Eventually they were rewarded by rediscovering lost treasures and gifts underneath it all.
Embracing these with bittersweet tears.
As if by magic,
Lou remembered her love of fairies.
Christina and Karen joyously remembered the earth's magic.
And Ava,
Her love of drawing and storytelling.
Kristen,
The power of her body through dance.
And Carol,
Her gift of kindness and compassion.
And the most precious gifts of all,
Reconnecting to their lost and forgotten nine-year-old girl child.
And the beautiful landscapes of their gardens.
Filled each of their hearts once again.
Sweeping away exhaustion,
Sadness,
Loneliness,
Doubt,
Worry and fear.
As the moon moved across the sky,
They vowed to nourish,
Honor and celebrate this long lost garden of theirs.
Cultivating the magical gifts of their original path.
Coupled with cherishing the earth and nourishing their innate wisdom and knowledge.
That comes with being a woman who knows all aspects of herself.
And more and more.
With gratitude and blessing,
They took their leave,
Knowing they would return over and over and over again.
Laughter.
