The Handless Maiden: A LIVE Story Council Gathering

Will you join us in the deep sylvan grove of the story woods?

The Handless Maiden has been cast as a woman's initiation story, and indeed it can be held as such, but as the story tellers say, there is a kingdom inside you, a deep, wild forest within, there is a father there too and an innocent daughter, and a dark man of the woods, a child, a pear tree and many others. All of these characters and elements mingle in the undergound river of the imaginal world, where we too swim. Don't be mistaken and think that you don't have a dark man, fallen father, or innocent daughter within... you do, and this story is for you.

Friday Sept 20th, 6:30-9:30, 15 tickets!
Saturday July 27th Salt Spring, 6:30-9:30 was so rich we're doing it again!!Black Creek Aug 3rd Informal Invite only!
Online tbd

Sliding Scale Donation $20-$50, no one turned away for lack of funds. Please register and save your spot.

We are gathering indoors around the story hearth for a LIVE Story Council with The Handless Maiden. We will participate in setting up the central hearth altar, listen to the story, and engage in story council practices.
Seating provided will be cushions on the floor, so please bring clothes you'll be comfortable in, an extra blanket / cushion, and more comfortable ligthweight, folding seating if you require.

An email will be sent to those who register with a few more details to help you prepare.

Story Council is a practice of bringing our troubles as way of a gift to the elderhood of an ancient story and in return receiving some improbable yet wholly palpable council. Join us after dinner for tea and an old tale!!

“In the universe of fairy tales, the Just often find a way to prevail, the Wicked generally receive their comeuppance — but there's more to such tales than a formula of abuse and retribution. The trials these wounded young heroes encounter illustrate the process of transformation: from youth to adulthood, from victim to hero, from a maimed state to wholeness, from passivity to action. Fairy tales are, as Ellen Steiber says, maps through the woods, trails of stones to mark the path, marks carved into trees to let us know that other women and men have been this way before.”
Terri Windling

The Handless Maiden, also known as "Silver Hands", "The Armless Maiden," "The Girl With No Hands", is a European fairy tale related to similar stories found in cultures all around the world. It is a story of dismembering and re–membering, of calamity, loss, and healing.

"We feel helpless; we are helpless. We begin wandering, either metaphorically or physically. We look for places, people, or things which can cure us. Many of us set off for wild places, just as Silvia did.”
Kim Antieau

About your host: Hi, Belinda White here, I believe the old stories, fairly tales, folklore, and myth hold essential medicine for us if we only court them in just the right ways. Writer, earth artist, nature connection mentor, and story carrier, I have been courting the mythopoetic for the past 4 years. I am thrilled to deepen my commitment to Story Carrying and have been running online and in person story council workshops this year. I have also had some powerful experiences sharing the transformative nature of the old tales at grief rituals, story telling events, and nature connection retreats these past two years. I also offer workshops in sorting our inner, personal stories, and what is dreaming us! See Renewal of Creative path and Story Catching!

I am deeply indebted to the life work and teachings of Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Robert Bly, Sharon Bkackie, Martin Shaw, Danny Deardorf, Michael Meade and many others. My work with stories and grief tending has been modelled by Randy Jones, Malidoma and Sobonfu Somé, Francis Weller, Martin Prechtel and Joanna Macy. I have learned much about the Wild Mind, Deep Nature Connection, and the emergent story among all beings from Jon Young and the 8 Sheilds, Bill Plotkin of Animus Valley, and my time at Wisdom of the Earth, Firemaker, EarthKin and Thriving Roots. There more to thank, poets, art practices, my ancestors and the council of all beings. To all these and those I have failed to mention, thank you.

Join us on the undulating back of story magic?

~ to re-member what we know in our bones
~ to receive the council of the old stories
~ to court the shadows
~ to catch the seeds and sparks of what is dreaming us.

Can't make it to this one? Stay tuned for two more dates to be announced.

Would you like to join Belinda for more Story Councils online and in person? New series and workshops announced soon!! Follow her on Eventbrite for dates of Vancouver, Duncan, Black Creek and Online Story Council tickets./ IG / Substack @TheTwiningTrail

Host or Publisher Belinda White @ The Twining Trail