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Dance, Words, Dance! by FSPA offers opportunity for inner work

Dance Words Dance! by Sister Marlou Ricke Book cover by Jacqueline Haag

For most of us, the thought of doing “inner work,” of excavating our spiritual and emotional selves, examining it and finding our way to truth, can seem a daunting task. It’s no surprise, then, in our society we often turn away from trusting our gut in favor of trusting the criticisms and arguments of others. But according to Sister Marlou Ricke, the answers are always there waiting inside us.

While working toward her master’s degree in expressive therapy, Sister Marlou decided her thesis would take on the challenge of helping people find their way while celebrating their inner child. The result hit store shelves in February, under the title, Dance, Words, Dance! A Celebration of Expressive Therapy in Story and Poetry Form. “It’s a collection of stories and poems that heal from within and answer problems faced,” Sister Marlou explains. “And the theme is from outer authority to inner authority with the whole sense that all of our answers are found within ourselves.”

The book is comprised of 40 original stories, fables, fairytales and poems, all written by Sister Marlou over the course of six to seven months. Sister Marlou says she’s read the book herself four or five times. “It can be read just for fun. I enjoy the stories and the poetry every time I read them, and my hope is that if I can, then other people can, too.” Sister Marlou says the book can also be used for therapy by professional therapists, spiritual directors and parents as well as clergy. Or, an individual can use it for personal therapy.

Sister Marlou Ricke, above, and as a child, right. Photo above by Emma Barth Elias; right photo courtesy of S. Marlou Ricke

“In expressive therapies, one can use stories and also poetry therapy, both of those are used in therapy with the whole idea that people can identify with these characters or with the poem in a non-threatening way, and it leads them to get in touch with their own feelings and experiences,” explains Sister Marlou. “The whole idea is to get outside of oneself what is inside, so it does not get stuck inside.” Toward that end, the book is centered on several themes. Stories focus on change, problems, searching and Christmas. The poetry focuses on people, winter, nature, pain, spring and new life. All content revolves around the central theme of outer authority to inner authority and finding answers within oneself.

The idea to create a group of stories and poems devoted to expressive therapy came over time. “As inspiration, the stories started happening, flowing. Sometimes I would have four or five different stories that were just started and they were on my computer and I had no idea how they would turn out. When they were ready to tell me, then it would happen,” Sister Marlou says. “It was very much interwoven with my own personal process at that time—when I was at that point, when I was ready—then, the story would come.”

Sister Marlou says she would gather ideas from a variety of sources. For the Christmas section of the book, Christmas cards and ornaments would sometimes inspire her. For the poetry, she had intended to pull poems from a collection of poetry she’s been working on for more than two decades. Then, disaster struck in the form of a technological meltdown, and all of the poems were gone from her computer hard drive. “I was so angry,” she says. “But, it was one of those blessings in disguise because I was to write new poetry, which I did.” Throughout the book, stories and poems are interwoven into how to use the content as an expressive therapist, or how to use it within one's self. Peppered throughout the book are original watercolor illustrations by Holly Donelson and photography by Emma Barth-Elias, as well as photographs provided by Sister Marlou.

Sister Marlou says she has received some feedback from people who’ve found the book to be helpful to them personally. One woman commented that the stories, which also appeal to children, had a strong impact on her grandson. The boy had just heard the story of Rocky Raccoon, who discovers that the fish he has eaten is a real being, like people, so he chooses not to eat fish anymore. The family was on a weekend getaway that included fishing, and during the car trip, the grandmother read the story to everyone “That changed the whole way this child thought about fish,” says Sister Marlou. The boy vowed that if he caught any fish that weekend, he would throw them back. “The stories have lessons so it’s amazing how children get it better than we do sometimes.”

Sister Marlou says although the book may appeal to children, it’s meant for the child in all of us. “It’s very much inner child work, and that’s why there’s a picture of myself as a child in the book, and I dedicate it to the inner child within everyone.”

Dance, Words, Dance! is published by Mother’s House Publishing, and the first run consisted of 100 copies, three-fourths of which have been sold. A reprint is under consideration. The book retails for $22.90 and is sold in the St. Rose Gift Shop as well as Prairie-woods Spirituality Center. People who are interested in purchasing a copy of the book may also buy directly from Sister Marlou. You can reach her by telephone at 719-599-5392 or via e-mail, mricke@juno.com.

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