AWAKENING GAIA'S BEAUTY
through Suzanne Lie
Once upon a time in a far away land, Mother Earth and Father Sky lived happily with all the inhabitants of their joint Kingdom. Their joy could only be enhanced by the birth of their beloved daughter.
At her birthing and naming celebration, the Fairy Godmothers of Wisdom, Power, and Love, came to bless the babe. Each Godmother gave the infant a special gift.
Fairy Godmother Wisdom gave Beauty the gift of thoughts that were free of Self Doubt. However, just before Fairy Godmother Love was to bestow her gift onto Beauty, a dark cloud crossed over the Sun and the glorious banquet room became filled with darkness.
Then, from the very core of the gloom, the forgotten Fairy Godmother, Fear, arose. It was, of course, easy to forget Fear, because no one enjoyed her company.
"Good Day," crackled the harsh voice of Fear.
"I see that an invitation did not arrive at my abode. I, however, have eyes and ears throughout your Kingdom. Thus I learned of this grand celebration. Knowing that you would not purposely exclude me, I have come to give MY gift to the Princess Beauty.”
Everyone in the palace was silenced by terror…
The Queen rushed to the infant's crib but found that she could not come closer than a few feet from the sleeping Babe. Fear laughed a wicked laugh.
"Does my presence hinder your ability to protect your child?"
Suddenly, the Queen discovered that she was mute. Everyone, even the three other Fairy Godmothers, was frozen in position. It was as if TIME had stopped. Only, the Fairy Godmother, Fear, could move! And - she was quickly advancing towards the infant's crib. The mute Queen gasped in terror.
"Do not worry, Dear Queen, I shall not harm your daughter!
“I only wish to give her my gift," smirked Fairy Godmother FEAR.
"My dear Beauty," cooed the wicked Godmother, "enjoy your youth, for, on your sixteenth birthday, you shall prick your finger on a spinning wheel and DIE!"
Fairy Godmother Fear cackled her evil laugh, as she spun herself into a vortex of darkness, and disappeared from the great hall. As the light came back into the room, everyone awoke from their stupor of terror.
The Queen rushed to the now crying infant and held her close to her bosom. "No, No, NO" sobbed the Queen. "How can my Beauty die?"
"Wait," spoke Fairy Godmother LOVE.
"I have not, yet, given the Princess MY gift! Perhaps I can ease Fear's terrible curse."
The grateful Queen, placed the infant back in her crib to receive Love's blessing. As the Fairy Godmother Love approached the crib, the infant instantly ceased her crying and starred into the light of Fairy Godmother’s Love's eyes.
"My dear one," spoke the Fairy Godmother Truth. “I cannot change Fear’s entire curse on you, but I can lessen its severity. When you prick your finger, you shall NOT die. Instead, dear Beauty, you will fall into a deep sleep to be awakened only by the “Kiss of TRUTH.”
Of course, every spinning wheel in the land was burned to prevent Fear's evil prediction. However, on the exact day of her sixteenth birthday, Beauty followed her "instincts" to climb up a long narrow stairway without a single "doubt" in her mind and pricked her finger on the awaiting needle.
Beauty's last thought as she fell off into a deep sleep was of how much she had loved her life and how much she would miss it. The sorrow that Fear's prediction came true was more than the kingdom could bear, and the three Fairy Godmothers mercifully put the entire kingdom into a deep sleep until Truth's arrival.
The story of Mother Earth, Father Sky, and their daughter Beauty quickly spread to the surrounding lands. Following the tale was Fear. The story had, of course, been amplified in the telling. Beauty, along with her entire kingdom, was now believed to be dead. The Fairy Godmother Fear had made sure that this alteration in the tale had taken place.
All who heard this tale ran into their homes and barred their doors against the evil darkness of Fear. All, that is, except one. He was a prince from a distant land, and his name was Truth.
"I do not believe that Beauty is dead," he said. "I believe that Beauty is just asleep, and I shall be the one to awaken her!"
Prince Truth had no idea how he could even find the princess, much less awaken her. However, he knew that he was Powerful and had the inherent Wisdom to seize whatever opportunity came his way.
Therefore, he decided that he would make the journey to that distant land of Mother Earth and Father Sky. Along the way, he told everyone how he would rescue Beauty. Gradually, the Prince's great confidence began to ease the hearts of the many that were afraid. These people chose to follow Truth to assist him in his rescue of Beauty.
However, even though many followed Truth to the Castle, few could enter the fearful brambles that now engulfed the entire Castle. In fact, for the final few feet through the brambles, Prince Truth was alone.
Worse yet, as Prince Truth cleared the bramble bushes, Fairy Godmother Fear awaited him to fill his mind with images of all that had ever frightened him. For a moment Truth faltered in the face of his own fear.
But then, he remembered that Beauty needed him to rescue her, and he knew and he knew that could NOT allow ANY harm to happen to his Beloved Beauty, High Priestess of the world that he had always cherished. It was then that the Prince realized that he was not just rescuing one person, as this person held the gifts of Wisdom, Power, and Love.
With the Wisdom of this realization, the Prince gained the Power to banish all Fear from the land forever—he hoped. Now nothing lay between Prince Truth and Princes Beauty. The Prince rushed to her bedside, pulled her into his arms, and gave Beauty his Kiss of Love.
I would like to say that Beauty instantly responded to Truth's love, and she rode off with him on his white horse. However, this was not the case. The Princess, as well as her entire kingdom, had been asleep for a very long time. Therefore, when Beauty first awoke, she did not think of Truth's kiss.
Her first thought upon awakening was how she had followed her "instincts" into the tower without a shred of "doubt" and touched the very needle that she had been warned against her entire life.
Beauty's instincts told her that Truth loved her, but she had learned to doubt herself. If she could not trust herself, how could she trust the Prince? After all, she had forced the entire kingdom to suffer a long sleep. How could SHE deserve the love of Truth?
"He must want something from me," she mused out loud.
"I want nothing, dear Beauty.” The Prince proclaimed. “My love for you is unconditional!"
"Then," the Princess queried, "will you love me if I don't go with you?"
Will you love me when I am old and not so beautiful?"
And will you love me even if I love another?"
Now, these questions were very difficult for Prince Truth, and he found that he could not find an instant reply.
"You see," continued Beauty, "This sleep and the brambles that you say you have parted for me, have offered me protection for many years. Why should I release this protection just because you, a total stranger, have asked me to? I cannot trust my instincts for they have led me astray before."
"Dear Beauty,” pleaded the Prince, “I understand what you say. But I have traveled far to offer you, my Love."
"How can I accept your Love when everyone around me sleeps?” replied the Princess. “How can I abandon all that I have known just because you say there is something better?"
The Prince now understood Beauty's plight.
"Come dear Beauty," spoke Prince Truth, "You and I shall awaken your entire kingdom together. Let us begin with the King and Queen."
"Hmm," thought Beauty, "Perhaps Truth's love is Unconditional."
However, before she could be sure, the Princess would need to heal her own self-doubt, so that she could again trust her instincts. After all, everyone had seemed to love her for her entire life, but no one was able to protect her from the curse of Fear.
Truth and Beauty then went throughout the castle awaking everyone from the slumber that had protected them from the pain of Fear's curse. Many awoke with the same misgivings as the Princess had, and it was many years before the entire kingdom was free from Fear's curse.
By then, Truth and Beauty had learned to unconditionally trust and love each other. Beauty had to learn through experience that Truth's love was Unconditional, and Truth had learned that Beauty was not someone to seek and rescue, but someone to listen to and protect.
You see, Beauty could not find her own Wisdom, Power, and Love until she had personally confronted her OWN fears. Truth could awaken her, but she could only accept his love when she could love herself.
The moral is, the sleeping SELF within you may not want to be rescued, at least not at first. Until you are willing to enter the kingdom of your inner child and awaken each subject from its long, fearful sleep, your child may not be able to accept your "Unconditional Love."
In other words, if you want your inner child to trust you, YOU must earn it.
(AND, if you want your planet to be beautiful, you must LOVE it and CARE for it!)