Rumpelstiltskin tells us that those feelings of tenderness and vulnerability make possible the transformational energy that takes the straw of our lives and turns it into great wealth. The story lets us see that Rumpelstiltskin only appears after the weaver’s daughter has given up hope and begins to cry. Look at where in your life this mysterious and creative energy has shown up.
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Look Into The Rumpelstiltskin Mirror
This story is a map for you to navigate experiences where you felt betrayed or put into an impossible situation where something was expected of you that you could not do or be. Look at the weaver’s daughter and be open to seeing yourself. Spend some time writing about those experiences using the weaver’s daughter as a model.
- How does it feel to be demanded upon and even have yourself put at risk?
- Are you willing to find compassion for that tender, vulnerable self that is sometimes at the mercy of a foolish father?
The influence of the king is key in this tale. He provides the pressure that makes it a life or death situation. The weaver’s daughter would never have been driven to despair without the king’s threat. This is just like some of the stories you may have about yourself.
- Where in your own life does this king energy of ultimatums or pressure show up, and how has it motivated you?
Look for and find the king within you who doesn’t value your life unless it’s able to transform something ordinary into something extraordinary.
- What part of you feels like you only deserve to live if you can make mountains of wealth?
- How have you felt when some part of you or someone else only found you valuable if you produced what they wanted you to?
Think back to moments of frustration, hopelessness, and grief. This is the path to feeling compassion for yourself and others. It is somewhat common in our society to disdain the vulnerable. Even as we may want to help them and sometimes feel sorry for them, we really never want to be them. Identify the stories you have about yourself when you were at the effect of others and felt vulnerable.
- Do you use words of kindness and compassion toward yourself?
- Are you able to accept that everyone is vulnerable and at the mercy of outer influences at some time in their lives?
- What have you discovered about yourself when you allow those feelings to be acknowledged?
Rumpelstiltskin tells us that those feelings of tenderness and vulnerability make possible the transformational energy that takes the straw of our lives and turns it into great wealth. The story lets us see that Rumpelstiltskin only appears after the weaver’s daughter has given up hope and begins to cry. Look at where in your life this mysterious and creative energy has shown up.
- What times in your life have you felt tender and vulnerable?
- What transformative energy appeared in those moments?
- What were you willing to give up to it to produce the gold?
Coming Heart to Heart with your vulnerability, grief, and transformation are essential as you step into your place as the queen of your life.
- Are you conscious of the times where the straw of your life has been spun into gold?
- Look back and identify the wealth that has come to you through your experiences of vulnerability and grief.
Becoming queen of your life means that you take authority and power over the conditions of your life. It doesn’t matter if you are a man, a woman, or non-binary; you can step into this sovereign place within yourself. From here, you give birth to the art that is your life. At some point, you will come face-to-face with that mysterious, transformative energy that made all of this possible. At that moment, you will be asked to pay what you owe.
As with the queen in the story, you, too, will be offered the chance to keep your child. You will do this by naming the part of you that came to your aid in your greatest time of need. It’s pretty easy to think of Rumpelstiltskin as the bad guy in this story. He’s strange, he appears greedy, and he wants to steal a child. Yet, the truth is that without him, no treasure is possible.
He is the most important ingredient in the story. In fact, without him, you would have died long ago. If you feel like you are ready to step into your place as the queen of your life and name this powerful friend, this story can help. Let it be a mirror in which you discover yourself.
- Invite the characters to join you in a conversation filled with curiosity and a willingness to see yourself and your life in a new way.
As you travel within your inner landscape, drawing upon the story of Rumpelstilskin as your guide, look for the signs that Love lies beneath even the painful or unpleasing parts of yourself and your life. While Rumpelstilskin’s magical ability to spin straw into gold may never quite be explained, you can trust that if you spend time with your grief and fear, you too will receive the wealth of your life.