LIFE LESSONS

11 Rumi, Maya and Clarissa Quotes that Will Change Your Life

They might help you rewild your soul and open your heart too

Quotes are ideal for inspiration. They feed me and I use them to rewild my soul. To change my life. To become a better person. My favorite quotes come from three sources: Rumi, Maya Angelou, and Clarissa Pinkola Estes.

Let me walk you through my 11 favorite ones. Why 11? It’s the number for new beginnings. And I wish that for all of us.

Rumi was a 13th-century Persian poet. An Islamic Scholar and a Sufi Mystic. He inspires many people across the globe. Including me.

Maya Angelou was an American poet and a civil rights activist. She has been with me ever since I was a teenager when I read her biography ‘I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings’. She was a daredevil of a woman who did things I’d never dream of doing. But oh, my, was she wise! I’m so glad she has accompanied me on my life journey ever since.

Clarissa Pinkola Estes has been with me since my teenage years as well. I didn’t know back then why I should rewild my soul. But I did read some quotes from her. And they made me feel so feminine. And daring. And alive! Later in life, I personified her wild woman once during a personal development workshop. What a life-changing experience that was! It feels like coming home to find my feminine ways to do stuff.

Ready? Here we go.

#1

“Does my sexiness upset you Does it come as a surprise That I dance like I’ve got diamonds At the meeting of my thighs?” — Maya Angelou in the poem “Still I rise”

My life has always been very rational. A bit masculine, I guess. I always worked in male business environments, adapting to what was ‘the norm’. Pleasing others more than myself.

I can’t say I really knew what I was missing until I found it. And then it was like a volcano erupting. Making my life fertile like never before!

My productivity flourished. I made space in my mind and my life so new things could emerge. I focused better on my work. And my love life? Well, let’s say, it brought big fun, limitless lust, and purifying love!

I finally found out what it means to be a woman. To be sexy! To be creative like mad! To be alive in everything I do! And use all that to create the better world I’m dreaming of.

Takeaway

Don’t limit yourself anymore. Stop pleasing. Stop consuming. Start creating. And get rid of your feelings of shame and guilt. You have better things to do with your energy!

#2

“What I tell about ‘me’ I tell about you The walls between us long ago burned down This voice seizing me is your voice Burning to speak to us of us.” — Jalal-ud-Din Rumi from A Year of Rumi

Rewilding our soul means that we realize as humans that we are part of nature. Not living in nature. Not ruling over nature. But really part of nature. Playing our wise role to birth the new world together.

In the years of learning about me, I realized that everything is a mirror for us. I see anger? It’s the anger I’m feeling inside myself. I see love? It’s the unconditional love I give to others. I see sadness? It’s the sadness I have not yet healed in myself.

I needed to go beyond rationality to get there. I needed to find my heart and my soul again. And this quote from Rumi reflects that perfectly.

We are one.

Takeaway

Stop taking things personally. It’s not about you. It’s the other person mirroring himself. Giving love is rather easy. Open your heart and see the other for who she really is. Insecure, just like you. You can show compassion. And to feel really part of nature, start connecting to Gaia. You can even do it in a concrete city.

#3 + #4

“Go out in the woods, go out. If you don’t go out in the woods nothing will ever happen and your life will never begin.” ― Clarissa Pinkola Estés in Women Who Run With the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype

“I love to see a young girl go out and grab the world by the lapels. Life’s a bitch. You’ve got to go out and kick ass.” ― Maya Angelou

I have always been an overthinker. I had to have the whole picture clear in my head before I dared to do something. I was a perfectionist and it was a stumbling block in my life.

At first, I learned how to become a bit less perfectionist and embrace speed next to quality. It helped me a lot in my management jobs to get things done and make better progress. But then I discovered my real flow. The inside-out way of doing stuff. My own, unique feminine way.

Clarissa is right. And Maya is too. In psychology, ‘in the woods’ means to dare go inside the chaos and feel. In the woods is where magic can be found. Where we can observe the chaotic nature and find a way out. Cut our own, unique paths out of the tangled trees and shrubs.

And yes, life’s a bitch. But you have to face her and deal with her in order to get on. For a great part of my life, I have asked myself: What do I want? What do I really want? The answer didn’t come. Until I went into the woods. Until I started to do what made my heart sing. And my journey began for real.

Takeaway

Start. Do something. If you don’t know what, listen to your heart. And follow her tune. Do you like music? Play! Do you like to write? Write! Do you like to make art? Paint or practice your photography. And, always wise advice: Put your hands in the soil and build an edible garden.

It doesn’t matter what you create as long as you get out of consumption and distraction mode and start creating.

#5

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel” — Maya Angelou

Hard to confess, but I’ve been a kind of a know-it-all. People felt small when I started talking about my big theories. What did I know? In hindsight? Nothing! I was a book-lover. A copier of others. And only when my world had collapsed and I really started to think with my heart, did it all change.

Now I let others talk first. I listen. And I observe. And I learn new things every day. Not knowing is swell! I can recommend it to anyone.

And my connections? They flourish. I approach people at our connecting interest. All the rest of my so-called knowledge is bullsh*t. Not relevant. I won’t impress anymore. I don’t need to. I live my calm, lovely life in the literal woods and that’s enough. I am enough. Nothing to prove anymore.

Takeaway

Stop trying to convince others. Inspire instead. Connect to people where they are instead of forcing them to look where you are. When you get the hang of inspiring, you’ll never want it any differently.

#6

“I hope you will go out and let stories, that is life, happen to you, and that you will work with these stories… water them with your blood and tears and your laughter till they bloom, till you yourself burst into bloom.” ― Clarissa Pinkola Estés

Stories are our downfall and our savior. Two sides of a medal. I told myself many stories and they were triggering negative feelings in me. There was the story of how I felt so unhappy in my youth with the accompanying pain in my stomach. There was the story of not having children. There was the story of being ugly.

They were real stories. And they got stuck in my mind after a certain episode of life. I felt them every time I looked in the mirror. Or when some smell or sound or color triggered me.

And they made me feel worthless. Not worthy of love. Not good enough.

I healed those stories. Replaced them with other stories. Valuable stories. It took blood and tears and laughter to get there. It took time. But it was the best time spent. Ever!

And now I feel the blooming stories within me. The germinating ones. The regenerative ones that will help me heal others. Stories are life.

Takeaway

Forget all the limiting stories that are holding you back. Replace them with new, positive stories about yourself. And as soon as you’ve managed to enter the positive spiral, there’s no turning back. You’ve healed your past. And can go on living the rest of your life in calmness, adventure, and happiness.

#7

“We need much less than we think we need” — Maya Angelou

When I started my work on sustainability in 2011, I didn’t know how to achieve progress. Where are we going as a planet? As humanity? How do we go into the great transition? I had no clue!

But after a lot of learning and doing, I found out that what works for me best, is to make my life super simple. I stopped buying stuff. Cleared away the mess in my head, my wardrobe, and my digital files. I started living without baggage. And without shame and guilt. It’s a waste of energy.

It sometimes takes me far out of my comfort zone. My current Dutch home is a caravan in nature. In South Africa, I learned how to overcome my fear. And in Indonesia, I learned how to live without a shower. Out of my comfort zone, I learn best.

My vision is clear. But we have to walk the path from the current, broken world to the ideal place. And that path is full of hurdles. I can never do it perfectly because the broken world doesn’t allow me. The two places are still too far apart.

But I’m convinced that out of our comfort zones, we will find out how we can create vibrant economies without mass tourism. Without pollution. In balance with the planetary boundaries. And then the journey has become a destination.

Takeaway

Make your life simple. Get rid of excess stuff. Don’t buy any new stuff, and go for experiences instead. Declutter your digital life and embrace the edge of your comfort zone. Outside your comfort zone, you will grow. And don’t let others tell you how to do that. You are your own best guru.

#8

“This Fire I crackle in is You I burn as You, burning away myself… Mad lucidities! Triumphs without sound! Don’t look for me; I am not here.” — Jalal-ud-Din Rumi in A Year of Rumi

Ah, the fire. I’ve been rewilding my soul with the psychological landscapes. And the desert is the first one of those. I make space in my mind and my life, so the magic can enter more easily. The magic needed for conscious manifestation.

And in the desert, I am fire-woman. A bit mad. Knowing my personal uniqueness inside and out. Feeding her just the way she needs to be fed. By dancing wildly. And floating calmly on the surface of the swimming pool. Literally. I love floating on the water!

The fire in me makes me a bit like a cactus. Prickly. Witty. With a clear, truthful tongue. Not hurting others, but not pleasing either. I’m intense and immense. But I can be withdrawn as well.

So that’s what I do. I’m a fire-woman in the desert of my soul. And I vary that with being in the woods, in the oceans and rivers, on the mountains, and in the grasslands. Feeling all. And sharing in appropriate doses.

Takeaway

Dare to be all of you. Know yourself intimately. Make space in your mind with meditation or any other tool you know. Don’t care how it looks. You’re not on this planet to please others. You are meant to live your own best life. Go out and find this life.

#9

“You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have” — Maya Angelou

Maya, how right you are. I have been making my stories on Medium now for one-and-a-half years. Nearly two hundred stories later, they flow better than ever.

Their quality is increasing. Their metaphors are becoming more original. Their success rate is on a steep rise. Not bad for a non-native speaker. But it took practice. Doing. Experimenting. And perseverance.

But now, with every story and social media post, my waterfall is becoming more and more abundant. I just love how this manifestation thingy works.

Takeaway

Be creative in everything you do. Have fun. Laugh. And be amazed at the waterfall growing.

#10

“Beauty harsher than a thousand suns Broke into my house, asked ‘How is your heart?’ His robe of glory trailed the floor; I said ‘Pick up your robe; the house is floored with blood’” — Jalal-ud-Din Rumi in A Year of Rumi

Beauty has always been a thing for me. I have felt ugly ever since my inflamed skin started to haunt me in my teens. It didn’t pass until I learned to relax far in my 40s. Stopped being tense. But the image of the ugly self I saw at 15 didn’t go away.

Rational thinking has nothing to do with this. It’s about unconsciously feeling it. Recently, I have forced myself to become comfortable with my own image. I’ve now recorded my first little film for YouTube. An invitation to a webinar for my project with the Healthy Building Network. Uncomfortable. But a start. And I’ll persevere.

All the while, I’m reminding myself that beauty is not the state of my skin. Or my drooping eyelids. Nor my backside or my old hands. Beauty is what fires me from the inside. It shines out. I know. But it’ll take some more practice… Can you be a little patient with me, please?

Takeaway

All progress is done in little steps. Be patient with yourself. We all have our pitfalls. And we are the only ones to overcome them by practicing. Do it.

#11

“When you get, give. When you learn, teach” — Maya Angelou

Reciprocity is what is needed so badly! It is the number one rule in nature. Maya got it nearly right. For me, it works the other way. When I give, I get from somewhere. When I teach, I learn so much.

But it’s also about giving back. So I take action. I volunteer on an organic farm because Mother Nature gives me so many wonderful experiences. I need to give back. And then, in return, I receive products from the farm. Healthy food.

It’s a constant giving and receiving. Never too much giving or I’ll lose myself. Never too much taking or I’ll wear out others and the planet. It’s a constant balance.

And don’t worry if you’re not perfect at it (yet). It’s just as Maya says: “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better”.

Simple, isn’t it?

Takeaway

Life is meant to be lived in reciprocity. We give and we receive. We teach and we learn. With other people and with Gaia. We’ll design our business models in such a way that we give back for the resources we take. And create value with it all. Great! Don’t you think?

More Inspiration?

That’s it for now. If you like it and want more, just tell me in the comments. There’s much more where these came from. The well of wisdom brought to us by Rumi, Maya, and Clarissa is nearly endless! I’ll share the nourishment with you gladly. Just ask.

And do you want to learn? Don’t hesitate to reach out for a connecting talk. I don’t do courses, but I do have one-on-one conversations with people who like to implement Nature’s wisdom into their daily lives, abundant businesses, and wise governments. The first one is just for connecting. Free. Then we’ll see if you want more and if I have time to give it.

If you want to connect, you can find me in my food forest, admiring the pollinating bees. Or via LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Vocal, Pinterest, ManyStories, Quora, Patreon, and my website.

A gift to my sisters on this platform. Trista Selma Elisabeth Amy Michele Keno Rebecca Rebecca Dennett Zelam Dew Tree Agnes Agnes Jenine Adelia Kaia Yael Maria CR Annelise Nicole Caroline Melissa Charlotte Gurpreet Lanu Aurora Annick Neha Noma Thank you for shining your lights!

© Désirée Driesenaar