Jen Baranovic

Honoring the Sacred Wild Jen Baranovic

After an upheaval, we may find ourselves at a point in time where our old narratives about who we are, what we like, or what we do no longer fit, but new ones haven't yet been created. It is in this achingly empty space that we must make a choice: we can retract to a "safe" version of ourselves, or we can step into the unknown to discover who we now are... and deliberately craft who we become. When the layers of relational identity are stripped away, the real work of knowing yourself can begin. This evocative collection of poems is a reflection on recreating identity in the aftermath of emotional trauma, rediscovering the resilient wild self at our core that remains when relationships, homes, and the comforts of routines abruptly change. It is a journal derived from the incremental, raw exploration of Self, other, and nature without expectation. It is an examination of the seasons of selfhood we undergo: stillness, abundance, illusion, disruption. Growth of the self is never a straight line. The oscillation between seeking security by indulging nostalgias and ruminating on old chapters of life preoccupies the psyche, and creates a container for the small, safe version of us. It is only by honoring our sacred wild selves that we can escape to the bliss of the untethered freedom to examine and create our identities anew by undertaking bold adventures of the heart and mind.