Friends

"Sweet love I'm of the age that should you pluck me

 like a flower, you must also take the garden

 from where my beauty grows 

among the tenderness of my friends"

Last night was the Harvest moon in eclipse, dark mysterious harvest orange, like a shadow of itself staring down on all of us who took the time to set out to see this phenomena. Facebook was filled with gorgeous renditions of the same image from millions of viewpoints. Like life, it can be one thing seen many different ways.

Some of us see through the eyes of science, others see the beauty, some see omens, some see blessings. Whatever it is to you is what you make it. It is a gift when you can see it, as some less fortunate, or not in the right place, or awake at the right time. 

When do we "count our blessing"? I tend to do it everyday, many times. I start with my morning prayers, then, throughout the day as I notice some uncontrolled natural beauty that stands out harsh against a sometimes unhappy world. Sometimes it is simply the sounds of two birds bickering at the feeder, or a hawk in flight across a field. Sometimes as I drive along the Gorge, the water so still it perfectly reflects the train moving along it on the Washington side. What a blessing to be able to be a witness to such color and composition. The mirror of the Syncline in the background.  

How do we find our way to understanding? My greatest lesson has been that sometimes we don't get to understand, we must learn to forgive and accept. That the more forgiving we are the more we understand. And with understanding we find our way to peace, to seeing things a different way, to not getting caught up in the illusions we create to make us different, even special. 

What makes us special? We are of the same flesh and blood as the next person. Cut us open and our heart and kidneys are in the same place as the homeless guy at the side of the rode begging for "anything will help". Our life force runs the same dark 'blood' red. Most of our brains are capable of figuring out how to survive or at least, to die trying. We are so much the same, how can we be special? 

Specialness is an illusion created by the mind to separate us from our true nature to be love.  It separates us from truth and reason. It confuses us and forces us to believe almost anything. We lose sight of what is true within us and we start to build a facade based on what we are told, what we witness, what protects us from pain. We lose our humor, our insight, our trust. We become mired in our illusions and we lose touch with ourselves and love. We are at war within ourselves.

War is not changed by  more war. It is changed by the desire for peace. The desire for peace comes from thoughts and actions that speak of continuity not combat, of understanding and commonality not differences, from finding the good of one and the good of all. Peace is not about profit it is about harmony, safety, community. It is about loving our world, loving our children, loving God/The Universe/Buddah/Allah. And if we want it we must think about it, talk about it, pray about it, teach about it, appreciate it everyday. 

"We must be the change we wish to see".

 Pick someone today and make peace with them. Whether you do it in actuality or in your mind, send them peace and love. Every step counts. Take as many as you need to keep the peace and let it grow!!

Speaking Our Truth

"Once we give up searching for approval, we often find it easier to earn respect."
-Gloria Steinem

This morning I woke early and looked out to see Mt Hood in its morning splendor, the rosy early light touching it's white snowy peak. I was grateful. I rose and grabbed my coffee and had a walk to warm myself in the early sunlight and motivate Sweetpea. 

It is a ritual, everyone has them. I go from that one to prayer and reading and then, I either get ready for work or, like today, I wonder and review my thoughts and beliefs about my life. 

Am I being true to myself? Am I being fair and loving to others? Am I forgiving? Am I allowing God's guidance to work through me? Am I in truth in all areas of my life? Am I allowing the light of God to quiet my mind and soul so that I may serve?

Lately, I have heard people say, "did you really say that?" about when I am speaking my truth, how I am feeling. At first I felt this as criticism, but on further examination I let that feeling go and asked myself the same question. Did I really say that? And I did, I said it from the truth in me without condemnation or anger or resentment. I just spoke my truth. And here is why.

If I am not speaking my truth, my experience, I am not being true to myself. I have some experience in this,yes. 

I think back to the times in my life that speaking the truth was so dangerous and fear-filled that I became less. I shrank "so that others would't feel insecure around me"-MW. For years, I downplayed my abilities as a seer as a healer as a woman with a brain. I spoke half-truths, I felt shame, resentment, anger beyond belief towards that which I did not understand. It turned my guts to mush.

 As a blossoming teen, I ripped out pockets of my dresses under the dinner table, to keep myself from screaming because I was being told what I had to say did not matter. Later on there were other vices to suppress the desire to speak my truth. Or to aid in developing the courage to speak it. I started searching for the truth in college, I wandered into nature for hours, I read psychology books, spiritual books such as "Be Here Now", barely understanding it, I joined groups, I traveled. I was searching for the truth. 

Today, I know my truth. As a human and as a woman-a Goddess, the Wise Woman that I am. I know that behavior does not define us. What we do is not who we are, I said this for years when someone would ask me, "what do you do?'. I would respond, " I work as a nurse, but it is not who I am, I am many things". Today I am true to myself.

I speak as I see it and it may not be your reality, but, it will be honest and truthful. I join the many women who are today, speaking their truth, standing for what they know to be right, for their children, for the world. And I honor them. They have honored us by their strength.

Mary Magdalene,  Joan of Arc, Queen Isabella of Spain, Queen Elizabeth I, Pocahontas, Catherine the Great, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B Anthony, Clara Barton, Marie Currie, Helen Keller, Eleanor Roosevelt, Georgia O'Keeffe, AmeliaEarhart, Mother Teresa, Rosa Parks,Babe Zaharias, Anne Frank, Jane Goodall, Gloria Steinem, Oprah, Madeline Albright, Hillary Clinton, Malala Yousafzai. All these women have and continue to work toward equality and peace. They stand in their truth against a world at war. Look them up, see how this world has been changed for the better by their truths.

 Stand in your truth. You will not be alone. 

Women and politics

"No one can make you feel inferior

without your consent"

                                                            -Eleanor Roosevelt

When I was young this quote made no sense to me. I'd never admit that back then, many things didn't make sense. It took me 50 plus years to understand that anytime someone says something critical, unkind or dis-spiriting to me, I have a choice. I can agree or disagree. And by agreeing I am choosing to become whatever it is they said. That has been a painful journey. Because I was always "so sensitive". As though it was a dis-ease, a malady, something to be ashamed of. I was a 'pollyanna'. 
No wonder some women are hard. Because being sensitive is a sign of weakness rather than a sign of womanliness. Of being feminine. Of being amazing. Yet, when we are young we were bombarded with disrespect of this gift by being called, "cry baby, weak, sensitive, thin-skinned, pathetic", words we so often hear associated with bullying today. As we get older, if we manage to sustain this gift, are responsive, and haven't become hardened by shutting down how we feel, there are  drugs that can help us to dull the beauty of  being  awake as a woman. 
The women we are forced to admire are the stoic ones, the ones that are rigid, staunch, sinless, 'wear the pants', keep their thoughts to themselves, especially in politics. 
History rarely tells the truth about the women that have impacted the world. They turned Cleopatra into a conniving hussy even though she spoke 12 languages, was educated in mathematics, economics, philosophy and astronomy and ruled Egypt for most of her adult life.
Who are your woman heroes (or sheroes) today? What rings out for you about them? Is it their intelligence, their words, their beauty, their actions? When you find yourself 'judging' another woman, are you actually seeing the real person or creating a story around what you think they should be like?

I see a lot of stuff on facebook that concerns me about how woman are viewed in politics. When you consider  that women, who have been a part of the working class for 40 or more years- raising families, working,  running households-we are barely represented in government.There are only 20 female senators to the 100 men in the Senate and in the House of Reps that number is 76 to 362 men. 

Think about that. And think about the fact that in the hands of the present and past male oriented government we have been at war everyday for most of our lives. In the history of our country we have been at war 93% of the time, that is 222 years out of 235. There have only been 21 years without war. Hmm, something to think about.
 I think it's time for a change. But maybe, I'm just too sensitive. Maybe, women are just inferior. And then again, probably NOT.

.

View from the middle

"Every woman deserves the chance

to realize her 

God-given potential"

-Hilary Rodham Clinton

Can you imagine a 20 year woman going out there today and saying these words in front  a governmental committee? I have often wondered where Hillary Clinton got her courage and strength back then? Who encouraged her to be a strong woman, who taught her that 'no' meant look again and find another way to make a difference? Who gave her the stamina to stand against the on-slot of negativity rarely spoken of for some of the crookedest politicians in our history? 

I peer out today at the world I live in and I compare it to the world I went to college in and I am hopeful as well as depressed at how the nation's view on women has changed considering the amazing women who pioneered woman's rights. I am elated that we actually have women hero's such as Eleanor Roosevelt, Amelia Earhart, Maya Angelou, even Madonna and Angelina Jolie Pitt, and Malala Yousafzai.
 Gloria Steinem, who started what is called the "feminist movement", in 1969 and  published an article that became the hallmark of feminism and the Equal Rights Amendment, got us all thinking about women as sources of strength. 

What really confuses me is why when women, who have worked hard, are highly educated, with vast experience and dedication can be so belittled by their own kindred gender. 
So many of us complain about the fact that women in positions equal to their colleague  men, are paid less. How there is an increase in domestic violence and rape against women, and still little is done for womens rights by our politicians. You know what I am talking about.
 How can women expect to see change in our nation and for the safety of our children, specifically our daughters, when men who claim to be our heros/politicians are allowing the kind of advertising that promotes near nakedness, antidepressants, women as advertisers for viagra ,and  ads for pads for women (even though old men wear them too) and so much more? We are constantly being bombarded by misogynistic ideals on TV, internet and the cover of magazines. But, we still feel the need to belittle our kindred gender. I guess the advertising is working. 
 So, I ask you my kindred gender, are you perfect? Are you capable of standing before Congress and the people for women's rights?  For equality? Do you have Faith? Are you capable of forgiveness? Are you strong enough to stand up to your abuser? 
The world will not change until you do. Congress and the politicians will not change until we, as women and kindred gender, stand and cast our votes for a better world run by multi-taskers who have experience, compassion and vision for a more peaceful and healthy world. 
"We must be the change we wish to see." Ghandi

My wish for you is that  you reach out today,

 to a women who has impacted your life

 and tell her so.