Lisa and the Green Lady

By June Reynolds

Lisa and the Green Lady chronicles the adventures of thirteen-year-old Lisa as she travels into a dream world of self-discovery, in which she encounters an assortment of colorful characters and is confronted with situations that test her resilience. While the book is sure to entertain, it is also replete with symbolism that draws upon the work of Carl Jung through the journey of the Self.

Dr. Marion Woodman, a renowned Jungian analyst, celebrates this book as, splendid work a valuable resource as an introduction to Jung.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Balboa Press
• Release date: Jan 27, 2015
• ISBN: 9781452517926

June Reynolds

June Reynolds is a longtime Jungian. In today’s frightening world, she hopes that the message in Lisa and the Green Lady might offer some insight and comfort to those who read it. Our left-brain rational mindset is a magnificent tool, but when we let that tool dominate our right-brain feeling function, disaster enters the scene. That is what is happening to us today. Without the judgment of feeling, rationality becomes destructive.   June lives in Toronto, Canada.

Book preview

Copyright © 2014 June Reynolds.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Balboa Press

A Division of Hay House

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.balboapress.com

1 [phone]

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

The author of this book does not dispense medical advice or prescribe the use of any technique as a form of treatment for physical, emotional, or medical problems without the advice of a physician, either directly or indirectly. The intent of the author is only to offer information of a general nature to help you in your quest for emotional and spiritual well-being. In the event you use any of the information in this book for yourself, which is your constitutional right, the author and the publisher assume no responsibility for your actions.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

ISBN: 978-1-4525-1791-9 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4525-1792-6 (e)

Balboa Press rev. date: 07/03/2014

Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1    Reflections

Chapter 2    The Green Lady

Chapter 3    The Island

Chapter 4    The Path

Chapter 5    The Potter

Chapter 6    A New Friend

Chapter 7    Ishtar

Chapter 8    Two Rooms

Chapter 9    Return to the Kitchen

Chapter 10    The Do-Gooders

Chapter 11    The Prince

Chapter 12    The Sacrifice

Chapter 13    The Castle

Chapter 14    Home

Introduction

L egend has it that when the gods made the human race they fell to arguing as to where to put the answers to life so that humans would have to search for them.

One god said, Let’s put the answers on top of a mountain. They will never look for them there.

Another god said, Let’s put them in the center of the earth. They will never look for them there.

No, said the others. They’ll find them right away.

Then another spoke, Let’s put them in the bottom of the sea. They will never look for them there.

Silence fell.

After a while another god spoke. We can put the answers to life within them. They will never look for them there.

And so they did that.

Dr. Marie-Louise Von Franz

The Way of the Dream

A new legend tells us that after many centuries, the gods came together once again to discuss the human situa tion.

They have certainly not found the secrets, said one god.

Nor is it likely that they ever will, said another god.

All agreed.

But then the Green Goddess came forward.

We must help them, she said. "They are ignoring the talents they have been given. Few even attempt to enter their own path. They will destroy their species and their planet. They misuse the discoveries they have made. The time has come for them to understand the secrets of their hearts. We must move among them and seek out those who truly wish to learn the secrets. And when enough of them have understood, our task will be complete.

Has the Mystery sent you this thought? one god asked.

The Green Goddess nodded. Just as we were once guided to open their eyes, we will now be guided to open their hearts.

CHAPTER 1

Reflections

L isa was standing beside the Perfect Mama’s priceless grandfather clock, in the living room of the Perfect Mama’s spotless house. She blinked rapidly to hold back her tears because the Other Mama had no sympathy for tears.

The Other Mama was perched on the very edge of the big wing chair. She was shouting at Lisa. Her eyes were angry and her elbows shot out like the wings of some wild bird.

You’re thirteen years old Lisa! Thirteen years old! You simply cannot continue this nonsense! Her rage exhausted her so that she sank back into the chair.

Instantly a new wave of anger seized the Other Mama and her body flew forward once more. "How can you do this to me?" she demanded.

Lisa continued to blink while the priceless clock ticked on peacefully, as though none of this was happening.

"You’re not listening to me! the Other Mama screeched. She flew out of the chair and shoved Lisa toward the stairway. Go to your room this minute or you’ll wish you had!"

Lisa swiftly climbed the stairs. At the top she looked back down. Perfect Mama’s eyes were wild. The Other Mama was glaring out of them. Lisa locked her bedroom door. The first thing she did was remove the horrid dress she had been made to wear that day. She put on her jeans and a top and flung herself down on her bed without removing her shoes, taking some satisfaction in this small sin. But satisfaction did not last long as she began recalling the events of this horrible day.

It had begun like so many other horrible school days. Mama had made her wear the new dress. It reminded Lisa of a baby’s dress she once saw, complete with a frilly collar and a big bowtie on the front. She just wanted to wear jeans like the other girls. Lisa protested but it was useless to argue with Mama. They’re only jealous. Mama had informed knowingly as she tugged at the collar to make it sit just right.

Lisa didn’t want them to be jealous. She wanted them to like her. She wanted to laugh with them. She wanted to talk with them about her favorite movies and the boys she liked. She just wanted to be friends.

But somehow it just never happened. Maybe she was too different? She had learned on the very first day of school that the worst thing you can be is different.

She recalled that the trouble had begun in the schoolyard with Kathleen. Kathleen was big and loud and cruel, and the others allowed her to lead them for fear she would otherwise turn on them. In her usual rough way Kathleen had yanked at Lisa’s unbuttoned jacket. When she spied the new dress with its frilly collar, she had shouted Lisa’s wearing babies’ clothes! Of course the others had to see for themselves. Lisa ran to escape them but they had chased her about the schoolyard shouting in chorus, Babies’ clothes! Babies’ clothes! Then, using their favorite name for Lisa, they continued to chase her shouting gleefully Feathers wears babies’ clothes!

When the bell rang, their devilish excitement raced into the classroom along with them. It formed itself into a little black cloud that hovered atop the blackboard behind Miss Thompson’s desk, as though it knew that eventually there would come a cue for it to burst.

Miss Thompson had made her usual demand for instant order in the classroom. Then, she had stood as she did every morning, half turned toward the blackboard with a piece of chalk poised in midair ready to record the name of any troublemaker.

The students responded to this morning ritual with varying degrees of compliance. Most watched Miss Thompson carefully. A few folded their hands obediently (the ideal way to listen, according to Miss Thompson), but some dared her punishment by giving each other little shoves.

Lisa frowned. Why doesn’t she like me? she asked herself.

Not a week had passed this year when Miss Thompson had not found it necessary to scold Lisa. You’re too dreamy Lisa. That is what’s wrong with you, Miss Thompson would reprimand in her sharp voice. I am not able to teach someone who floats out the window while I am talking.

With a sigh Lisa, recalled the events of today. Miss Thompson had started the lesson by talking about how to make shadows in paintings. While keeping her eyes on the little black cloud, Lisa had really tried to listen at first. But then, in her usual way, Lisa had started to compare sun shadows and moon shadows. Then her thoughts drifted to the little black cloud.

One part of her knew that it was not really a little black cloud. It was just her way of thinking about the atmosphere in the classroom. The others seemed not to care about it at all. But she knew that atmosphere was just as real as the blackboard and the desks and chairs.

In fact, it was even more real because it actually had an energy all its own. If everyone ignored it, at the very moment when they were most unaware, it would burst into some happening and they would all be more affected by it than by blackboards and desks and chairs. Lisa hoped it would stay where it was until