Prince Lindworm

Introduction

A woman must marry a beast. We know this story, or or we? An ancient Norwegian wondertale, where the one that was banished comes back. "Older brothers marry first. A bride for you, before a bride for me".

But what happens to the brides? And why is it that what we ingnore gets bigger with time? 

The lindworm, a serpent, a snake, a scaly creature, is the one who has been made an outcast. Be he comes back. Again, and again. Until a woman, meets his match. This is a story which can be seen as both a femininine and a masculine tale of initiation. A tale that speak to both the masculine and feminine qualities in each of us, whatever our gender is.

This is not a children's story. It is not a Disney Beauty and the Beast tale, it is not purified and sanitised. It is a powerful one.

 "The ‘struggle’ or ‘transformation’ that a boy has to go through to become a man. But this is not about the physical process of puberty; nor is it about a “rite of passage”; or even a social-cultural initiation; it is about a psycho-spiritual transformation that can happen at any time and that can be quite upsetting and provoking." - Robert Bly, founder of the men's mythopoetic movement

Story Medicine

From the masculine perspective, the hideous facet of man is illustrated through the relationship with the hostile ‘monstrous’ twin self, which is coiled inside of himself. The twin that was discarded during childhood, and who after years comes, but not gently but fearlessly back into his life. The necessary transformation is one through alchemical magic, where the masculine might meet femine aspects. It is a difficult and painful transformation.

From the femine perspecive, it is meeting that which is fearful to gaze at. It is being rich of words and wisdom, rich of power and fearlessness. It is meeting the mostrous self in the eyes and not crumbling. It is facing a death and being reborn. A story where both the femine and masculne aspects go through deep tranasformations, in order to emerge anew. In order to emerge united.

"Behind us we have an invisible bag, and the part of us our parents don’t like...we put in the bag. We spend our life until we’re twenty deciding what parts of ourself to put into the bag, and we spend the rest of our lives trying to get them out again. Sometimes retrieving them feels impossible... The man who opens his bag at forty-five or the woman who opens her bag rightly feels fear." - Robert Bly

This story is about the process of opening that bag, where we have thrown our anger, our love, our sexuality, our wildness, our impusliveness, our needs, our feelings, our humour, our dreams. A looking in, without running away. It takes great courage to do that. Will you join me?

When we are able to listen to stories together, in community, parts of us are met that we never knew needed seeing.

Practicalities

Recording

This workshop will be recorded and sent out to all ticket holders. Recordings will be available for 30 days after the event. 

Who is this workshop for?

This workshop is for adults of all genders who are interested in the transformation aspect of their journey. You do not have to know the story before you arrive, or do any preparation. Nana will tell you the story before we explore it together.

Content of Story

This story is for an adult audience. The story will explore themes such as grief, violence and exile. The story will be told and explored sensitively. If you have been personally affected by any of the above themes, please ensure that you feel resourced and supported in order to attend in a way that allows you to remain connected with yourself and the material.

Course Content

The stories and material of the course are for personal use and growth only. Any recordings received are not be shared outide of the group. Any personal stories cannot be shared without the explicit consent of the person who shared them. The content and structure of course cannot be replicated without the facilitator's written consent.