(drawing from 1990)
When I was 8 years old, I fell in love with Unicorns.
It was after I saw the film “The Last Unicorn” (by author/screenwriter Peter S. Beagle) and I could not stop thinking about the story and the mythology.
Though I was already a lover of fairytales, the Unicorn in Beagle’s story had an incredible resonance for me. She represented Truth, Immortality and Beauty at a time when I felt the world was about Deception, Violence and Ugliness.
Also, I loved the story’s sophisticated theme of ‘those who can see beyond appearances’… those who can recognize someone for the magical being that they truly are…
This concept was particularly important to me since I felt so unseen and misunderstood in my childhood and youth.
The other theme that touched me deeply was about taking the noblest action possible. The lead characters all made difficult moral choices that were based on honoring their integrity even if it involved the sacrifice of certain dreams and desires.
With these principles percolating in my heart, I found myself drawing the form of the Unicorn repeatedly, trying to capture her exquisite grace.
Every time I sat down to draw the unicorn, I felt a very unique sense of peace and focus. It was truly a Zen-like practice at a time when life was very tumultuous and painful.
In certain Chinese philosophies, drawing and painting are considered forms of Chi Gong (chi = life force and gong = practice). Many Chinese artists are known to live long lives, with their artistic practice attributed as a key factor in their longevity and health. I can attest that whenever I was drawing, my breath was calm, my body was grounded and my mind was still.
The drawing shown above was done when I was 16. After drawing them for 8 years, it was the last drawing I ever did of a Unicorn.
(You could say it was my “last unicorn”.)
Shortly after I stopped drawing unicorns, I started working on healing my traumatized self.
Yet in my subconscious, the spirit of the Unicorn continued to work its magic on me.
love
You see, since childhood, I had clung onto any form of magic I could find, be it from my own imagination, books or films.
This magic was important because it was the only protection for a romantic heart!
For me, the Unicorn represented something utterly magical that could be seen and made real only if you dared to dream and believe in it.
She lives in the realm of unconquerable beauty where dreamers tread.
And because I’d already walked the path of Ugliness long enough to know where it was leading, I decided to give my full dedication to the path of Beauty.
Since my previous trajectory only guaranteed more pain, giving my life to this experiment was a risk worth taking .
Over the decades, this devotion to Beauty completely transformed my thoughts, my feelings, my body and my entire reality.
My heart became full of love again: for myself and for all of humanity.
Every day, the beauty that is at the core of this universe continues to astound and enchant me.
But the elegance in Peter Beagle’s tale of the Last Unicorn was the early catalyst.
The story’s nobility enthralled me even in my darkest childhood hours and the following thought brought me recurring solace:
If another human being could conceive of such beauty, I must not be alone with a dreamer’s heart…
love
Over time, I have experienced the truth of this vision. At their core, every person has a beautiful heart full of wondrous dreams.
As children and as adults, we need to nurture this mystical heart and try to open it if it is ever closed from fear or trauma.
May the Alchemy of Beauty touch your life and initiate your dreams even when others cannot see the Unicorn in the room.
love
A letter for Sir Peter S. Beagle:
Dearest beloved soul,
I bow to you with deep appreciation and infinite love.
The incredible enchantment that you brought to life in “The Last Unicorn” was medicine for my childhood heart and later became a key aspect of my life purpose.
With this one story alone, you have made a huge difference in my life.
It enthralled me even in my darkest hours of childhood and now I help other dreamers create magical adulthoods by nurturing their nobility and enchantment.
May all beings discover that Happiness is not a mythical place but a real destination and a true home!
To honor this life path, I designed a Unicorn tattoo in 2008 and have it on my arm as a permanent symbol of what is beautiful and noble.
For me, it will always represent what we can make real in our lifetimes, if our hearts remain devoted and we hold our dreams sacred.
Thank you forever for creating this story… I hope our paths will cross so that I can share this reverence for your wondrous work and spirit.
Waves of love and magic to you,
xox little woo
Note: In November 2013, I met Peter Beagle and gave him this letter as I shared how much his work meant to me.
When we exchanged a long hug, I traveled back to my 8 year old self to let her know that in the future, I would meet my childhood hero.
My inner child cried tears of joy. It is a dream come true…
