WOMEN RISING
An
enormous volcano is erupting, the rumblings of which are heard by those, whose
ears are open. A monumental change is happening at this very moment on our
entire planet. The power of love is unleashing a tremendous force, it’s
momentum is building and is unstoppable, taking hold of those who are ready to
break through to change our course.
Like a mighty tidal wave, women and
girls are rising up all around the world, in a magnitude never seen before
throughout history. She is standing at the bow, courageously turning the ship
for the sake of all life.
This river is growing every day, our
voices are speaking out on behalf of our ancestors, children to come after us,
all the creatures, the earth, girls and women and the well being of the people
of many cultures, traditions, ages and colors.
Women are standing up for the sacred in
life and the preciousness of all beings. Girls are stepping forward, not
waiting anymore for the grown ups, boldly creating a new legacy for us all.
The feminine is on fire, stepping forth,
leading us into a new dawn for humanity and our beautiful earth. Women are
empowering each other, reclaiming our dignity, value and sovereignty. We are
claiming our power so long oppressed, our love kept small far too long, our
beauty- in all shapes she walks. We come bearing our inherent connectedness
with the source and ancient wisdom that is so needed now, but had been suppressed
and doubted, in fear. Even, if we are shaking in our boots and high heels,
masses of women, whether in the huts of Africa, in the furthest reaches in
India, here in Santa Cruz- literally everywhere women are gathering and rising.
They are taking the lead in creating the change so needed in a world, that is
dangerously on the edge and has fallen out of alignment with the truth of
life.
Change has come. Women are birthing a
way of living based on connectedness, respect and care. We are dedicated to the
wholeness of life, and working tirelessly toward ending the enormous of
suffering present today. For centuries, patriarchal structures have dominated
the world, creating this extreme situation we are facing on the planet, which
affects each person, plant and animal in every part of the world. Spirituality
and religion has often pointed toward transcendence, the formless, emptiness,
heaven, and a distant god ruling, but left out the feminine. It left out
connection, immanence and interdependence, the divine in form- found in the
smallest pebble, in the silent growing of majestic trees, in your body and the
face of humanity. The old structures, based solely on hunger for power,
autonomy, competition, control and other maladies, divorced from the feminine
and separated from life, have led us to where we are today.
This
era is ending now. The Dalai Lama and wise elders have recently said: It is the
women who will lead the change in the world. Women are bringing forth a new
way- or is it an ancient one, we have always known deep down, arising from the
heart of life itself?
This
powerful movement is not a fight against men, nor is it the establishment of a
new matriarchy. Nor is it about women being better than men, for we all have
the same worth in the eyes of creation. It is far vaster and all encompassing.
There is a paradigm shift happening for both men and women. Women are asked to
step up and come forward with their voices and gifts. Men are called to support
women and the causes that are in benefit to life, with all their might. Some
men already are.
This
is not about a lonesome heroine journey, but women leading the change together,
hand in hand in cooperation, not in competition. Nor is it about women to
become hardened and forcing our way, some have taken on this coat to reach the
ladder of success in a male oriented business world. Nor has sleeping beauty
time to wait for prince charming to rescue her, for she is waking by the kiss
of life and a greater calling, in which she has an important part to play.
Sex
trafficking of children, mainly girls even as young as 4, is one of the biggest
and fastest growing industries around the world. We are joining to end the
worst horror and crime of our times, that is expressing the extent and severity
of ignorance and disconnect from life itself. The earth is ravished, poisoned
and polluted. Women are making a stand on behalf of nature and many men are
helping to find new ways of how we can live in a sane and sustainable way.
Nature is not a disposable commodity, it needs to be respected and cared for.
So are girls and every living being. All are worth more than money, greed,
control and possessions. Yet, in many places of the world girls have less value
and do not even receive education, thereby being trapped in a cycle of poverty,
forced into child marriage, sex slavery and used for cheap labor. Women, still
to this day with the same qualifications and skills, receive less pay than a
man in the USA. The amount of single mothers, who are living below the poverty
line is staggering. Mothers are often considered as worth less than a high
earning CEO, who goes home after the work is done. Yet, hers is a 24 hour job,
no pay and no recognition usually comes her way. Women are still being raped as
a normal practice, especially by military and in war torn lands- like she is a
sex object to be taken, used and then thrown away. In the western world alone,
one out of 4 girls are molested or raped, before reaching adulthood. Almost
every second girl in the US is on a diet before she turns 20, hating her body,
because beauty is defined by a male and sex oriented media market. The sacredness
of the feminine, the woman as a human being has been violated, degraded, used,
dismissed, devalued, oppressed, treated like a disposable object, and
destroyed. It is one of the biggest issues we are facing in the world. How we
have treated women, is the same as what we have done toward the earth. This is
how we have related to life itself far too long. It is ending, now. The turning
is happening with each one of us.
I was inspired by the recent event of
“One Billion Rising” to end violence against women and girls, that happened in
205 countries around the world on Valentines Day- what a powerful sign of a new
time! The tide is rising and reached the masses now. We can uproot the causes
of this suffering, restore balance and honor what is sacred, become truly human
and work together toward the flourishing of all life. Each beneficial act,
however little or big, makes a difference and is needed now: By creating
equality, by valuing girls and women, by stopping actions like sex trafficking,
by speaking up on behalf of those who are more vulnerable like children,
elders, animals, by caring for nature, by healing what was broken, by an
embodied spirituality and a responsible way of living….by hearing and
empowering women to lead us forward now, by all of us standing together hand in
hand- for real love. We have a choice to be part of this revolution. Many
already have answered the calling -and more are joining in every single day.
Come c'moi, get on your horse and ride with all of us- this one is for LIFE!
