It was a privilege to meet Aunty Sharyn Bird on Thursday night – she was sharing her story and talking about the initiative Bir’a Women’s Healing Ministry she has started up that: raises awareness about abuse (emotional, domestic and sexual), encourages survivors to speak out, and gathers support for survivors .
It’s not for me to try and tell anyone else’s story but if there’s an opportunity for you to hear Aunty Sharyn (or participate in a yarning circle yourself!) I would encourage you to take it. A visual representation of her story told in a painting (left)
I have been drawn to the way in the gospels Jesus’ touch heals but then he “hears her whole truth” [Mark 5:33] and she is healed again. There is more than one layer to our healing.
What role can/does truth-telling and story-sharing have in our healing and wellbeing?
We need people willing to ask us our story; safe space to tell it; someone to listen. Our wholeness (being healed and whole – all we were created to be) is tied up with being known, heard, understood…
How do we make/take time for this?
Aunty Sharyn held such a space – generosity in that – and a lot of compassion.
You can read more about Bir’a below and make a gift to support their work through Jisas Wantaim ref: BiraWomen.
The session put me in mind of the Cheryl Lawrie poem “This is my Body” from Easter – how might we engage in our own re-membering and bringing it about for others?
What do our re-membered selves look like?
What is one thing you could do right now to go from where you are now towards the ‘whole and healed’ version of you?
itellyouarise 