Dearest dancing monks, artists, and pilgrims,
This coming Thursday is the Feast of the Assumption which is a day set aside to honor the archetype of Mary as Queen. She has been given the titles of Queen of Heaven, of Angels, and of Saints and her sovereignty is a gift and inspiration to us all.
I will be leading a mini-retreat with singer and retreat leader Nóirín Ní Riain on calling on the sacred feminine in times of unravelling. We will explore Mary as Mother of the Keen, an Irish tradition of imagining Mary as the one who gifted the Irish people with that ancient song of lament. We will also call on Mary as Untier of Knots and as Queen of Heaven.
Here is a short reflection on Mary as Untier of Knots from my book Birthing the Holy:
Untier of Knots: She Who Loosens Constriction
The knots which Mary can untie include any struggles or challenges in our lives for which we are at an impasse and have no solution. These might be knots in our communication with loves ones, addiction, illness, fear over loss of security, and more.
It is said that Mary unties the knot of sin. We tend to resist the language of sin in modern culture. Perhaps we might think of it as the places which bind us to unhealthy patterns, habits, and ways of being it might help illuminate how we participate in its power.
Knots are problems or struggles we have which don’t seem to have any solution. You know when you try to unknot a thread or a cord of some kind, and you only make it worse.
These might be relationship or work challenges, addiction issues, mental health challenges, anxiety over life and the state of the world. Anything which constricts us and our capacity for joyfulness.
These might be the places in our lives where we know we need to make a hard decision because we are deeply unhappy, but we can’t see the way out.
The more we knot things, the harder they become to undo them. It is like when we tell a lie to cover something up, and then have to tell a whole series of lies to sustain the original one, it becomes harder and harder to return to the truth.
This aspect of Mary reveals her as healer who helps us to overcome inner divisions of body, mind, soul, heart, and spirit. Healing does not necessarily mean curing. We might have an illness which does not get better, but through our process of healing, we discover some wisdom and grace in the experience which allows us to have some peace and ease in the midst of unknowing and pain. Often it is through a mature acceptance of our wounds that we become healers of others ourselves.
The Wounded Healer, which Henri Nouwen writes beautifully about, points to the way that our own inner Healer is broken open through our woundedness. We each carry the great wounds of life, but some of us will become victimized by them and let them ultimately tear us apart. While some of us will slowly find empowerment and a call to be in service to others. We may resist our wounds, but the ancient stories tell us the wound is where the jewels are hidden. Wounding can become a process of initiation into a way of being which honors the wounds of human life and approaches with reverence and gentleness, creates spaces where the wounds are made welcome.
We often seek outside sources for our healing journeys. Ultimately we must turn within and ask for support. We can call upon the wisdom of Mary, the Untier of Knots.
Join Nóirín Ní Riain and me for our retreat this Thursday, Calling on the Sacred Feminine for Times of Unravelling. You are also invited to join us for Tea with the Abbess on Friday, August 16th. This will be a free, informal gathering here we will begin with some centering and meditation, then we will look at the upcoming programs and resources, followed by time for sharing and questions.
With great and growing love,
Christine
Christine Valters Paintner, OblSB, PhD, REACE
P.S. In honor of St Clare of Assisi’s feast day today, August 11th, we posted a short reflection with creative inspiration and a prayer. Join our Sustainers Circle at the lowest tier and receive posts like this several times per month in addition to joining our monthly centering prayer and contemplative prayer services.
Mary Icon Block Print by Kreg Yingst
