Fiery Muse Dorothy Walters
Dorothy Walters was one of the most inspiring women I have ever known. An extraordinarily gifted San Francisco poet, she recently passed away at the age of 93. She was writing and publishing right into her final years. Her life was filled with acts of quiet courage that made her a truly inspiring woman. She began by taking a Ph.D. in English at a time when women were not encouraged to enter higher education. As a university professor in the 1970s she helped to found one of the first women’s studies programs in the United States and co-edited one of the first anthologies of poetry written by women. Dorothy also took it upon herself to mentor women whose education had been interrupted – often by starting families – and who wanted to return to university. Today women’s studies programs are so common, women’s literature so widely praised, and mothers in classrooms so much the norm that it is hard for us to realize how revolutionary Dorothy’s actions were at the time and how much opposition there was to them.
But Dorothy never let a little opposition stop her. Realizing early on that she was a Lesbian, she had the courage to embrace this lifestyle long before it had gained any kind of acceptance. And then in 1981 (as if she hadn’t dealt with enough challenges!) she experienced a major spontaneous awakening of kundalini-shakti. During the many years of transformation and spiritual unfolding that have followed, Dorothy was led by the promptings of her inner guru rather than any external guide or teacher. She has written about this spiritual journey with exceptional candor and moving honesty in her book, Unmasking the Rose, A Record of a Kundalini Initiation (Hampton Roads). Insights into this journey can also be found in a collection of her remarkable poetry, Marrow of Flame, Poems of the Spiritual Journey (Hohm Press). Dorothy now devotes much of her time to helping others undergoing spiritual transformation, with special attention to those experiencing awakening kundalini.
For Dorothy, the act of writing is itself a spiritual exercise. She says, “In my view, we are now undergoing planetary evolution of consciousness, a shift of indescribable importance which brings great hope into these most difficult times. Poetry can help achieve this remarkable transition.”
Increasing the Creative Inspiration in Your Life
Dorothy gets inspiration from her inner spiritual experiences, from nature and music, and from reading the work of poets such as Rumi and Mary Oliver an d ancient spiritual texts, especially those of the Kashmiri Shaivite tradition. When asked what suggestions she might have for others who want to increase the creative inspiration in their lives, she says, “Do whatever works best for you to awaken your creative impulse: meditation, movement, reflection, reading, going into nature, dancing, being with friends, whatever makes your feel alive, joyous, filled with energy. Or, if you are working with the shadow side, then honor your feelings of pain and grief fully in what you write. Capture the spirit of the moment in what you create, whether you are touching on your deepest levels or describing something smaller, closer to home. Write or create what your inner self needs to express at that time, whether of joy or pain or humor or reflection….Don’t worry about recognition and rewards. Take risks. Be true to yourself and maintain your connection to source. Above all else, be authentic.
A Cloth of Fine Gold
You may think
that first lit flame
was the ultimate blaze,
the holy fire revealed.
What do you know
of furnaces?
This is a sun that returns
again and again, refining, igniting
pouring your spirit
through a cloth of delicate gold
until all dross is taken
and you are sweet as
clarified butter
in god’s mouth.
Photo Credit: Cheryl-Anne Miller