Women’s Bone Wisdom

Knowledge is only rumor until it lives in the bones.

…The Asaro Tribe

Recently, after a period of prayerful discernment, I made a conscious decision that when my earthly life is complete I wish to have my physical body buried rather than cremated. It’s been interesting to share my decision with a few family members and friends. Choosing burial versus cremation, as it’s been reflected to me, is considered to be a rather “old school” way of dealing with the disposal of earthly remains…the body and the bones.

I have always been fascinated by books and documentaries exploring archaeological findings from ancient cultures. Bones, artifacts, personal mementos, sacred objects and other discoveries buried in various locations and the associated cultural rituals, offer glimpses into life in other times and places.

Last month I visited the cemetery a few minutes from my home where many of my family members, including my parents, maternal grand parents, great grandparents, and aunts and uncles are buried. My great grandfather purchased a dozen “family” burial plots, one hundred years ago when the cemetery was first established. Three plots remain. I spent the afternoon making my burial arrangements and it was humbling, visceral, and sacred experience.

I have discerned that I will note my final wishes with the invitation for friends and family members to add meaningful mementos to my casket. Currently, I’m in the process of stitching my “Story Scroll” a hand-stitched, appliqued, three foot long scroll made of linen, complete with images from various moments throughout my life. This will be placed in my hands with my childhood Rosary when I’m buried.

My vision of all of this is that one day in the distant future, perhaps an archaeologist or someone digging in their garden will discover my remains and have a grand time sorting through my bones and all the treasures within my coffin that will have survived the test of time. Perhaps their curiosity and imagination will be inspired to contemplate the meaning of what they discover.

You may be reading this and thinking that my desire for this sort of final gesture and farewell to life is rather macabre or nonsensical. I understand, however, my “old school” decision feels very right to me. A benefit to my discernment process while making my plan for my earthly remains has been the inspiration to contemplate the spiritual context of my bones.

My contemplation has led me to believe that our bones contain not only DNA, the map of our genetic herstory and patterns of our inherited traits, but also our bones contain the energy and marrow of our embodied wisdom…the wisdom of our life experiences.

Inspired by my recent inner exploration I feel called to share the wisdom of my bones through a video series of excerpts curated from my forty-year journal writing practice. These excerpts will include: personal stories, poetry, dreams, collages, creative and spiritual practices, and mystical insights. Beginning in May, I am offering a new online course, Bone Wisdom. I invite you to join me and to begin to contemplate your embodiment of bone wisdom, gathered from your lifetime of experiences and sacred moments. Let’s excavate and cultivate our bone wisdom together…