Noun :
A female God or deity
A woman of extraordinary beauty or charm
A greatly admired or adored woman
The possible list of definitions goes on outside the Collin’s version, from the Celts to the Egyptions Humankind has worshipped that beyond our world, it would take a Phd level of study and beyond to explore the power these Deities, both Men & Women have held over civilisations for Millennia.
Now imagine any Man in your life saying ‘I’m just off to do a course on discovering my Inner God, I might even call up the power of Odin whilst I’m there’
Just let that one sit, even if your not a self confessed feminist as I am, it might raise an eyebrow.
I have attended many a class or workshop where the idea of tapping into your inner Goddess has presented itself , in some ways its a light hearted way to explore the idea of something all female and powerful, ethereal & transcendent.
After all my inner Goddess can represent anything she truly wants to, right?!
And yet, we are usually instructed how to imagine a Goddess (insert the name of one here), we are told what she’s wearing, what she thinks, we are often reminded of her Beauty & appearance, what she represents. In other words ‘here’s a non human I think you should take wisdom from & put complete faith into’ even if she was created by and for a God (btw she might even come from a faith you don’t belong to, know nothing about & possibly represents a Religion that continues in some areas to suppress living women and their real voices, but I digress).
But as long as we are calling on these Deities with our true self and focussing on our Chakras staying in balance then good things will happen, now forgive me, I do not mean to sound flippant, I have been taught by extraordinary women with a depth & knowledge that has been inspirational and compelling but these women speak to me precisely because they are real, scarred, passionate & human, I can take my journey to my Mat but more importantly, what do I do with the information, who can I help with it?
Not a single individual I’ve taught has ever been anything other than unique so why blindly risk our sense of self on one defined scripture or dogma.
In her book ‘Skill in Action’ Michelle Cassanda Johnson explains how ‘Spiritual bypassing perpetuates the idea that the belief “we are one” is enough to create a reality where we are treated equally and as one. It is not’
When we place our beliefs and time on something solely dependant on believing something enough I truly feel there is a tendancy to absent ourselves from the work on the ground, the real world.
By far the women around me & the Men too help me try to better understand the human experience, my experience as a white, working class born woman is unique to my story but the truth is another woman’s is her own.
I don’t need to turn to the Gods when I have the Stories & words of women here present ready to share them, women before me, unseen, unheard women have laid an often blood stained path for me, these are the women who’s stories I get inspired by & learn from, they energise me, they empower me & they tell me that whatever I look like, whatever size, colour or body I’m born into It will be a battle but that I was born with the skills to thrive.
That I’m Enough, that deafness & trauma & grief are not to be overcome but rather observed and acknowledged as life.
Your past is part of your individual tapestry, its not a place for judgement, shame or self harm, it contains lessons to carry you strongly forward & if you need a Deity to do that then take what you need with love and respect, for me, I’ll keep reading the words of pioneers, keep talking to beautifully fierce women living around me for their words are where true power lies, for that to resonate we need only believe in ourselves.
For these reasons only my Husband need believe I’m a Goddess & indeed treat me like one but that’s strictly between you & I dear reader.
Love, light & Fierce Beauty.
Suzy xxx
