Women Who Run With the Wolves Playlist

Sometimes reading the book isn't enough. During this recurring blog segment, Book Interrupted members share songs that made their playlist and why.

This playlist was inspired by the book Women Who Run With the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estés, PhD. Listen to the full Spotify playlist here or watch it here on YouTube.

What's on your playlist?

Rise by Katy Perry

Sarah:

“There is a very personal reason I picked this song and there is a story that goes along with it. As Book Interrupted listeners know my book pick for the 2021 season was Women who Run with the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estes. The book ignited the creative spark of Book Interrupted, but the stories also send you inward into the realm of personal and spiritual growth. Some of these stories reminded me of some of my dark nights of the soul and the growth that came from it.

This song helped me through a miscarriage that almost broke me. My first two pregnancies were healthy but during this one, I was working a lot and running myself down. I had just finished the CHFA, which is the biggest health food trade show in Canada. It's three days and a lot of work before, during and after. Many of our team had to leave early to catch flights to return home or for a big meeting that was happening the next day (Monday), so it was up to only a handful of us to take down the show. I pushed myself physically and knew it by the time I drove the hour home. The next morning, I woke up to bleeding. I was rushed to a maternity hospital and my midwife was called. I was told after a day in the hospital the baby wasn’t alive and that I would have to wait for my body to catch up. They sent me home and on the way there I went into labour. It physically, mentally, and emotional devastated me. I felt incredibly guilty, as though I chose my work over my family, my baby. My doctor referred me to a maternity social worker, and I worked with her to be in a better place. My husband and I already had a goal to one day move to Senegal, but after that experience I decided I was getting off this “crazy train” of trying to balance work and family. There is no balance in my opinion because you are just running until you brake. If you are doing family and work well, then you’re cutting selfcare in all forms, be it sleep, recreation, friendships, showers, or any other interest. You start telling yourself that getting a mocha at the Starbucks drive thru on your way home is selfcare, or getting your hair cut, or listening to a podcast on your commute. No one can keep that up and maintain a happy life (once again, in my opinion). You’re just trying to get to the next thing, the next day, the next month, the next year. So, we started to be more serious about moving to a place that puts people, community, and family before profits and how we could make that dream happen sooner.”

Hopeless Wanderer by Mumford & Sons

Kara:

“I chose this song for the wild women playlist because of that banjo!! It's brilliant. The sound of it makes my skin tingle and heart flutter - it feels like it frees a part of me when I hear the banjo. And that's how reading this book made me feel at times: the wild, wise, wandering woman in me finding the woods and learning to "love the sky I'm under."”

Sissy That Walk by RuPaul

Lindsay:

“And if I fly, or if I fall

Least I can say, I gave it all”

“I love this song and the message behind it. Don’t worry about what other people think, run with the wolves, and give it all.”

Sweet Mary by Chris Velan

Meredith:

I love this song. It features a wild woman that touched countless people in her life, and taught them about love.

Savage by Megan Thee Stallion feat. Beyonce

Lia:

“I chose this song because 1 it is AMAZING! It has this raunchy rad female empowerment boss bitch sound. It couldn’t be more wild woman.”

Ladies First by Queen Latifah

Kim:

“This was a woman power book and that is a woman power song. ‘Nuff said.”