Women Who Run with the Wolves
Fifth Chapter: The Skeleton Woman
Sunday, September 7, 2025, 11:30am MST
In this session, we dive into Chapter 5 of Women Who Run with the Wolves, where Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estés shares the myth of Skeleton Woman—a bone-deep tale of love, loss, and the cyclical nature of intimacy. This story reminds us that for love to truly thrive, it must pass through the phases of life, death, and renewal. The Skeleton Woman, dragged from the depths, is not a monster—but the very embodiment of the sacred feminine who teaches us to stay, to feel, to surrender. As we explore this chapter, we’ll reflect on what it means to untangle the bones of love, shed illusion, and offer the heartbeat of vulnerability to ourselves and others. Together, we honor the courage it takes to stay with the full process of love—not just the beginning, but the breaking open, and the rebirth
Reflection Questions
The Folktale of The Skeleton Woman
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What have you been taught—consciously or unconsciously—about love and permanence?
– How has this shaped your expectations in relationships? -
Where have you tried to run from the ‘death’ phase in love—whether it’s change, loss, or emotional nakedness?
– What was the cost of running? -
The fisherman in the story represents someone who initially recoils from vulnerability.
– Where in your life are you being invited to stay instead of flee? -
Skeleton Woman is feared at first but ultimately reveals herself as sacred and life-giving.
– What parts of yourself or your history have you exiled that may actually hold power and healing? -
Love, to be whole, requires we offer not just our beauty but also our bones.
– What does it mean for you to be truly seen—marrow and all? -
When have you experienced the 'return to life'—a rekindling of love or creative spirit after a period of emotional winter?
– What helped restore you?