When I was a little girl about seven years old, I read a story from one of the encyclopedia children’s books that has stayed with me all these years. I have used it twice in talks that I have given as part of some classes I’ve taken.
The story (as I remembered it) was about a little princess who wasn’t very nice. She was snobby and unfriendly and wouldn’t have anything to do with other children. Her parents died and, in their will, they stated that in order for her to inherit the kingdom and live in the luxury she was accustomed to…she had to go out into the town square and perform three somersaults with all of the townspeople watching. She was horrified at the thought of doing such a vile thing but her desire for her luxurious life won over and she did it. She went out into the town square with everyone watching she performed the first somersault. I even remember the illustrations and words of her doing the next one with her “pantaloons” showing and her face all red. As she completed the third and final somersault, something magical happened. Her guard came down and all the people of the town reached out to embrace her and love her. She became “real” as I like to say.
The first time I used this story as a reference was in 1998 when I was 39 years old. I attended a seven-day seminar, led by Jack Canfield, co-author of the Chicken Soup Book series, in Santa Barbara, California. We were told that at the end of the week, we were each going to give a 10-minute talk in front of our peers and would be critiqued as well. I had no idea what the week would bring but I knew it was going to life changing. I admit that I thought I was going to be sitting listening to him speak all week and though we did listen to him speak, it was so much more. At the end of the week, I gave my talk, and it went something like this. When I was a little girl. I read this story about a little princess…I told the story and then went on to say… “When I arrived this week, I thought I was going to be listening to Jack Canfield speak all week. Little did I know that it was going to be 50% participation in vulnerable exercises! That was my first somersault. Next came the day that we were told we would be participating in an exercise where an arrow would be held to the soft part of our throats, and we would lunge forward snapping the arrow. I couldn’t imagine in all my life that I could do that, but I did it and did it successfully! That was my second somersault. And now here I am doing something scary and vulnerable, something I never thought possible. I am giving a talk in front of my peers at a Jack Canfield seminar. This is my third and final somersault. Thank you for the opportunity to share my story with you today.” My talk was very well received. I even remember one of the comments. One guy said that he was so engrossed in my story that he looked to see if I was wearing pants as he thought I was going to do somersaults lol.
The second time I used the story was in 2015 when I attended some classes at a spiritual center in Newport Beach, California. They were each about 13 weeks long and we were told at the beginning that we would each be sharing some sort of project of our choice in the final class. At the end of the first class, I chose to do something that I was good at, I made my favorite cake with an under-the-sea design complete with pearl-dusted white chocolate shells. One of the gals, Niina, sang a song acapella. She was not a singer and had never sung in front of people before. I remember feeling small and jealous because I saw her as brave and courageous and I had played it safe by doing something I had done hundreds of times. I vowed that at the end of the second class, I would do something that stretched me. I didn’t give it much thought until we were reminded that the last class was in a couple of weeks. I remember sitting in my apartment and asking in my mind “What should I do for my project?”. Instantly I heard…” You will do three somersaults”. “Ummm, no”, I said. “That’s ridiculous!”, I argued. “I can’t do three somersaults!!! I’m 55 years old and I haven’t done a somersault in 50 years!” “You will do the somersaults”, the voice said. I sat there stunned. I knew in my heart that I had to do this even if I failed, I had to attempt it. I called my friend Molly and told her what I was going to do and asked her if she would spot me as I didn’t know if I could really do this or not. She asked if I wanted to have her come over and practice with me and I declined saying that I had to do it live without knowing if I could do it or not. The evening of the projects came. I arrived with my yoga mat and pillow and when it was my turn, I shared this…
My Class Project:
At the end of the foundations class….I didn’t allow my creativity to come out. I played it safe and created a beautiful cake but also one that I’ve done hundreds of times. I did it to impress and make myself feel good and I’m not saying it was the wrong thing to do at the time but now it’s time to do something different. I was very impressed that Niina took a big risk and did something she had never done before……I just realized what a big difference.
When I was a little girl I remember laughing and playing at school and home. I played on the rings at school and got calluses on my hands and I walked on my toes and made my family squeal and I did somersaults easily and effortlessly.
And then….the pain came….and I stopped playing. I stopped laughing. I became serious and worked really hard constantly at being perfect so I wouldn’t get hurt. I protected myself every way I possibly could and I found numerous ways of numbing myself to not feel because feeling…well feeling….I just couldn’t bear to feel because I equated feeling with pain.
I escaped at home… I didn’t go out and play anymore. I didn’t have friends. I read, overate, learned to cook, sew, decorate cakes, etc. all good things that I’m grateful for today but ….well you know.
I punished myself by overeating….just enough so I could feel bad but never enough so you could see it.
As I got older, I found more sophisticated ways of self-loathing and sabotage.
I chose safety.
I turned to being a workaholic, perfectionist, and yes at times alcohol. I used all the ways that I could continue to look good on the outside….all in an attempt to free myself from the flame of being alive.
But…the flame …though at times faint….would often grow out of control and anger would rage and burn. I would erupt…then try again to extinguish the fire.
I would keep it under control and on and on…
When I first came to class last fall. ….. I said my greatest fear was to wake up when I’m 80 and realize I had never lived. I’ve not been living much so
I remember a story that I read when I was about seven years old about a little princess. She had become full of pride and was a snob and not very nice. She didn’t associate with people and was critical and judgmental. Her parents died unexpectedly and left her a great gift in their will. You see …they knew what she needed (kinda like Source lol).
She was used to living in luxury and having everything she wanted but her position and great wealth had also become her prison and she didn’t even know it.
Her parents will stated that in order for her to inherit the kingdom and all that came with it, she had to go out into the street among the people and with everyone watching do 3 somersaults.
She didn’t want to …that would be embarrassing …humiliating …but the alternative was not an option.
So…. She decided to do it.
The people of the town gathered and the little princess went out where the mattresses were lined up.. she put her head down and awkwardly did the first somersault….pantaloons flying….she did the second somersault, and something began to stir on the inside of her…. only one more to go….she put her head down and did the 3rd and final somersault…
And…something magical happened.
The crowds cheered and ran to embrace her and she felt one with them and embraced them and life right back. All the walls she had so carefully built came down and she got her life back and she lived among the people of the kingdom, and she lived happily ever after.
So tonight ….with no practice because that would defeat the purpose….I am performing my 3 somersaults.
From there, I set out my yoga mat and pillow and with Molly standing by and my heart pounding, I put my head down and pushed off with my feet and did my first somersault in 50 years, then my second, and finally my third. I stood up and jumped up and down. It was a magical evening I will never forget.
Now for the manifestation story:
As you can see, this story is very meaningful to me. I’ve wished a b’zillion times that I could reread the story. Over the years I have searched many times to find the story. I’ve googled dozens of titles in every which way I could think of. I’ve looked and looked for the name of the books and encyclopedias that I thought I remembered reading it in, with no success. I can’t begin to tell you the countless times I’ve searched. Then one day last June, I was enjoying a few hours exploring the town of Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. I perused through all the gift shops and antique stores. I had 15 minutes left on my parking meter and there was one more antique store on the corner, I had just enough time to go in and take a peek. I remember that I walked to the left and around the back and just as I was headed toward the door I glanced over to my left and there it was, a single volume, Volume 7 I believe, of Collier’s Junior Classics. I knew instantly that I had found it. It felt like the most natural thing in the world. All the years of looking, searching, and wishing were over. It wasn’t in that particular volume, so I went back to the house I was staying at and found the full 10-volume set for $52.00 on Amazon. In about three days the books arrived and there it was in Volume 2. It is called The Million Dollar Somersaults. I read the story and cried my heart out. I felt so loved and cared for by God-Universe-Source. That It cared enough for me to guide me in such a serendipitous way to give me something I had longed for all these many years, is an indescribable feeling. I hope you can see why this story is one of my favorites. 😊 Oh and, I didn’t have the story quite right but the gist of it is still the same.