Princes, Frogs and Ugly Sisters; The Healing Power of the Grimm Brothers' Tales by Dr. Allan Hunter will be published by Findhorn Press in August.
BEEN KISSING FROGS…
HERE’S TEN STEPS TO FINDING YOUR PRINCE OR PRINCESS…
Finding the partner of your dreams isn’t that difficult. The Grimm brothers’ fairy tales contain a wealth of useful guidance, but only if you read the original stories and forget the Disney movies version. Once you cut through the misunderstandings that our society has held onto for so long there is some real wisdom we can all benefit from.
1. Don’t put up with second best. The Princess in ‘The Frog King’ does not kiss the frog. She tries to kill it. That’s not in the Disney version. It’s only when she says that a frog is not what she wants that she shows any self-respect, and allows the frog to be who he fully could be. If you don’t want frogs in your life, demand better. Ask for what you really want.
2. Go out there and be seen. If Cinderella hadn’t taken herself to the ball, the Prince would never have known she existed. She’s just one of several tales that show the Princess displaying real courage.
3. Be courageous. Don’t wait for a fairy godmother to save you. Cinderella didn’t stay at home, she escaped the house and went to the ball without any help from a fairy godmother. She decided to take her opportunity, defy her stepmother, and go. And she went three times. Sometimes we have to defy convention.
4. Be kind to others, no matter how poor they seem. All the heroes of the Grimm tales are kind to others. The Princess in ‘Brother and Sister’ is kind to animals, Snow White looks after the dwarfs, The Princess in ‘The Skillful Huntsman’ feeds the poor. As they do so they grow their compassion – and so become more worthy of love.
5. Be prepared to learn with your partner about the way the relationship will unfold. That’s exactly what happens in ‘The Two Kings’ Children’, and ‘Faithful John’. Their experiences draw them closer.
6. Watch out for those who don’t want you to be yourself, or who want to destroy you. Snow White’s stepmother doesn’t want her to be more beautiful than she is herself, and so tries to kill her. Rapunzel’s stepmother wants to keep her locked up forever. Neither succeeds. Family can sometimes hold us back that way.
7. You will be tested along the way. Every Grimm hero or heroine is tested, and there is a reason for this. We learn from being tested, and we grow stronger. Remember, everything is a test, to see if you can remain centered. If you can’t be centered in who you are it will be very hard to love any one else.
8. Accept that you’ll be afraid sometimes. Cinderella went to the ball three times and ran away three times, but this let her know that she really felt strongly for the Prince. Fear has its uses, just don’t let it stop you from beginning.
9. Be prepared to be vulnerable. ‘The story of the Youth Who went forth to Learn what Fear was’ shows us a fearless young man who can’t fall in love until he realizes that it takes more than just physical courage to have a successful relationship. Being vulnerable requires real emotional courage. That’s what we see in ‘The Donkey’ and in ‘Hans the Hedgehog’, and in so many other tales.
10. Remember, a Princess or a king is just a label Grimm uses to indicate that someone has a large soul and true potential. We can all become the King or Queen of our own emotional life, but only if we decide to take charge of it.
All this wisdom, and much more besides, is available to you if you read the best of the Grimm Brother’s tales in their original form, and if you take the time to understand them. Everything we commonly call psychology is there – and each tale will show you how to deal with the things that prevent you from being happy.
That’s why you need the expert guidance provided by Princes, Frogs, and Ugly Sisters; The Healing Power of the Grimm Brothers’ Tales by Dr. Allan Hunter.