Women, Leadership & Creation
Yesterday was international women's day. One day, of the 365, where we buy women flowers (usually picked by other women under less than ideal circumstances) and, to me, condescendingly pat them in the back for being born female. Then, we move on to our business-as-usual world where women function as mere commodities and second-hand citizens (if that) of a well-established, predetermined and unmistakenly authoritative patriarchal world.
Truth is, patriarchal belief systems, ideologies and cultures have systematically and systemically suppressed, violated and killed all things feminine, be it emotionally, spiritually and even physically, for thousands of decades and throughout countless cultures worldwide.
Women, in an effort to fit in to and prove themselves worthy in a "man's world", have historically surrendered their uniqueness and femininity. They have tried to morph themselves to fit into a constricting, air-tight box, as predetermined by some external "other" male power authority (be it God, government, marriage, medicine, law, business, science, feminism, capitalism, activism, even language...really, pick any culturally significant institution, as they all operate within the very same tiny box. Ah, isn't that the immense power of it, though?!)
For me, this prevalent and damaging mindset has ended years ago. I have no need and no desire to any longer "prove" myself to anyone but me. I listen to my evolving truth and I trust my own experience.
Today, I know that as woman, I am creator of my own life. The only validation I require to lead is that of my own intuition. I trust that we are designed to embrace that which has been a threat to patriarchy (note, not men) for tens of centuries and thousands of cultures worldwide: our ability to lead from our unique and intuitive femininity. Our ability to create from a space that is internally driven. If this were the way we lived our life, then it would mean that we would have rendered external institutions such as religion and government (note, not spirituality and community) absolutely obsolete.
What would that world look like? How would it function? Can you even imagine it?! ...for that is the first step to creation.
I know, for certain, a new world cannot be birthed from the confines of the current paradigm. We can, and we have, through hundreds of years of "fighting" the powers that be for rights etc. (aka within the box), improved life circumstances for some, whoever happens to be, as one of my professors put it, "the political flavor of the week", while many more are being increasingly systematically oppressed, dismissed and displaced (climate refugees, anyone?!). From where I stand, it is crystal clear: Creation of an empowered way of life simply cannot happen from within the confines of the box. To birth a new world, we need to create from a different paradigm, an internally driven one that renders the current externally referenced one obsolete. I think I've heard some smart white science guy say something to that effect, once (which, surely, validates my point, doesn't it?!).
I believe that only then would we be able to live, truly, in peace.
...but, I am not holding my breath.
Though I am, deeply breathing.
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I am aware that, because everything is connected to everything and is a part of it all, my thoughts today are, in part, triggered by my listening to the Boundless LeaderSelf audio material by Louise LeBrun. A powerful conversation, indeed. In the words of Louise herself...
