Labor of Women

A Labor of Women: Re-Birthing a New World

(Revisiting the Women’s Movement)

Portions published in Vision Magazine (April 2002).

Whatever affects one segment of the human population, affects the entire human family and the body of earth--for we are all connected, intimately related.

Given women’s innate ability to support and bear life, we have the inherent potential to create positive relationships. This creativity can birth conscientious relational communities—while creating a healthier and safer world.

In 1997 a petition circled our globe, co-sponsored by Women’s organizations from countries around the world addressed to the "Governments of the World seated at the United Nations General Assembly." The message preceding the signatures read:

We are horrified at the levels of violence witnessed during this century and that women and children are the primary victims of war and poverty. On behalf of society at large, we, the undersigned women of the world, demand that annually, for the next five years, at least five percent of national military expenditures be redirected to health, education and employment programs. By doing so, one half billion dollars a day would be released worldwide for programs to improve living standards.

We also demand that war, like slavery, colonialism, and apartheid, be de-legitimized as an acceptable form of social behavior, and that governments and civil society together develop new institutions that do not resort to violence for the settlement of disputes.

Together, we commit ourselves, as half of the world’s population, to use our power to ensure that these demands, which will promote international peace and security, are met through legislation and action. We resolve that we will inaugurate a new century that rejects warfare and promotes well being, justice and human rights.

Many had attended the Beijing conference on women’s rights to discuss historical and present gender imbalance. They held the vision that women can shape significant and positive world change for the human family.

Each decade has brought us further to realization of feminine potential. A little over a century ago (in the US) women were not allowed to own property, receive inheritance, vote. We now need to support sisters around the globe. These women influence the future--for they are mothers.

During the 80s and 90s women’s groups formed to support one another in development and healing. These were significant movements as women lacked a felt sense of their own identity, resulting in mistrust and envy of other women. Women’s circles helped ground and deepen our identity and our unity with one another.

Our first step is one of evoking and honoring a felt and grounded sense of the feminine. Many of our mothers lacked a strong feminine identity and accepted being "second-best." Given a few thousand years of modeling "it’s in our bones." A limited self-valuation often manifests in competition, jealousy and self-critical inner voices. Many women "default" to this position when something goes wrong. Far too many women do not know how to extend their presence and walk assuredly--knowing their value.

Secondly, we need to participate in intimate groups with other women to affirm and ground the feminine. In indigenous cultures, the influence of leadership comes with age and experience. Women’s circles follow this model and leadership is not an all-dominating force. The wise woman (a position earned by experience, age and wisdom) guides the ritual space, empowers group members and enables the community to flourish. Rituals honoring life passages, successes and nature all help us ground in our bodies and relate at a deeper level.

Statistically the numbers attending or having attended women’s circles is small. This group work still needs to be encouraged. In Circle of Stones, Judith Duerk (1989) asks,

How might your life have been different if there had been a place for you, a place of women? A place where other women, somewhat older, had reached out to help you as you rooted yourself in the earth of the ancient feminine...A place where there was a deep understanding of the ways of women to nurture you in every season of your life. A place of women to help you measure your own stature...to help you prepare and know when you were ready.

A place where, after the fires were lighted, and the drumming, and the silence, you would claim, finally in your Naming, as you spoke slowly into that silence, that the time had come, full circle, for you, also, to reach out...reach out as younger women entered into that place...reach out to help them prepare as they struck root in that same timeless earth. How might your life be different?

In this second year of the new millennium this work has greater meaning for it can prepare us for the third step of feminine development—healing our human family and restoring our planet to rightful balance.

We need to support one another to enter into co-leadership roles in all of life’s endeavors—especially affecting policies that make a difference in our world. Men need the guidance of women to assure that harmful and environmentally intrusive acts, including war, cease.

An extreme example of the male psyche lacking feminine balance was given by the Taliban. The male was dominant and uninfluenced by the inner and outer feminine.

The archetypal male has been predominantly a hunter, conqueror, warrior, and protector. Turn on CNN and listen to the news! This pattern is the dominant response. We have a few thousand years establishing patterned behaviors – men need women’s active support to develop a transformed understanding of what being a "protector of life" means.

In my chapter, "Tales of the Goddess: Healing Metaphors for Women" (in Modern Psychology and Ancient Wisdom, Fall 2002, Haworth Press); I share the following event. I was enrolled in a creative writing class at Matthew Fox’s Institute of Culture and Creation Spirituality in 1990. We were given the assignment of finding a piece of wood, leaf, bush, etc., and writing as though we were that expression of nature. I decided I wanted to speak for Mother Earth. I waited till the following morning. The words flowed without pre-thought,

You walk upon my paths and acknowledge my beauty

But you do not know my power--

The power that can push forth mountain peaks

and open valleys for oceans to fill.

I paused to await the next words as the earthquake began. The epicenter was at the location of the college in the area of highway 13 (and no harm took place). This message acknowledged woman’s beauty and affirmed her power.

Women are needed co-leaders in the work of creating relational changes in all of life’s expressions: art, science, religion and politics. This other half of the human race (the 50%) needs to step forward and to extend our presence into the decision making policies that effect the well-being of the human family, future of our planet--and all life.

Sharon G. Mijares, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and founder of Life Development Coaching. For more information, call (760) 436-3518.