Mindful Soul Center, MAR & APR 2021; Volume 2, Issue No. 2

owt eussi owt emulov

MARCH / APRIL 2021

MINDFUL SOUL CENTER bi-monthly magazine

PINK IS THE NEW BLACK DEJA DREWIT'S SELF-CARE CORNER

GRL PWR WHAT IS THAT?

ART ACTIVIST BARBIE

FIGHTING FOR YOUR LIFE

JUST BE MEDITATION

GODDESS A R T & A S A N A BABY O' BABY

GUNAS FOR GAIA

NOT THAT BABY FOOD FOR YOUR WELLBEING

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Mindful Soul Center VOLUME TWO, ISSUE TWO | MARCH APRIL 2021

Mindful news

Soul

and

health, healing,

Center

information

wellness

and

self-care,

magazine on

all

your

spiritual yoga,

features favorite

topics

like

meditation,

gardening and even food.

Editor: Amy Adams Editorial Assistant: Ruxandra Badulescu Mascot: Princess Kiki

Contributors: Deja Osbourne of Deja Drewit Christine Boyd Miller, PhD Helen Sanchez of Tanagui

Contact us for advertising rates, corrections and other matters via email: hello@themindfulsoulcenter.com

https://themindfulsoulcenter.com

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Cover art by Sandro Botticelli, a detail from the Birth of Venus

Editor's Letter Dear Readers,

It's tiring to have only a single month to celebrate women and women's history and the same with black history month too in February. But it's what we got, so I am embracing it. This issue of the magazine celebrates women stepping into their power, and we take a moment to consider some of the atrocities against them. There is mention of the imbalances that create deadly circumstances for women and their defining characteristics.

The problems won't be solved here, but a glimmer of light will be shone upon the darkness through awareness.

There are inspirational passages and quotes shared for contemplation, there are vagina pants and vulvas, and the iconic Barbie takes us on an adventure in art. The aged goddess in art shows us her sagging breasts and wrinkles. Goddess pose is examined and twisted into a spider.

Plus,

our contributors share their expertise and continue to inspire us. Deja Osbourne the self-care expert and artist shares her picks for us from her Personal Power card deck. We peer into the isms with Helen Sanchez, and Christine Boyd Miller takes us on a journey with her experience in The Yoga Diaries. There's a lot to take in and explore in this issue.

Thanks for being here and, thank you to all the people, including you Dear Reader,

for

making

this

magazine

possible.

Send

me

your

comments,

letters, opinions, and corrections to amy@themindfulsoulcenter.com. You can also send voicemail messages to me from the website.

Here's a final thought: Humans are ugly, weird, and beautiful. They are simple and complex and often resistant to change. Most of us harbour some

fear

that

makes

change

hard.

But

change

comes.

The

winds

of

change are always blowing. Let's help direct them towards a world where we can transcend labels by practising tolerance, compassion, kindness, and empathy.

Namaste!

Amy Adams Founder & Editor,

Mindful Soul Center

@themindfulsoulcenter 5

CONTENTS March/April 2021 | Volume 2, Issue 2

SPINNING THE GODDESS A spider was a goddess or a goddess was a horse? A look at goddess pose and how it can transform into a spider or be a horse.

O' BABY BABY! NO, NOT THAT ONE! Helen Sanchez addresses the proverbial elephant in the room with a look at how women's careers are impacted by the very fact that women have the 'ability' to have babies.

SELF-CARE CORNER WITH DEJA Artist Deja Osbourne of Dejadrewit shares her monthly picks from her empowering card decks. Get inspired!

AGED & OTHER GODDESSES In this piece we look at goddesses from around the world, including aged goddesses! Part one of an ongoing series.

GUNAS FOR GAIA

GRL PWR WOMEN FIGHTING FOR THEIR LIVES

Christine Boyd Miller walks us through the interplay of the Gunas, a Sanskrit term that describe the 3 attributes that emerge from the matter principle (Prakriti.)

Why should any of this be happening in the first place - women are fighting for their lives.

ART ACTIVIST BARBIE

INCREASE YOUR WELLBEING

This Barbie isn't just boobs and a body that can't support itself. No! Art activist Barbie makes her own statements in this piece on women and art.

Feed your body and your mind when you learn about foods to increase your psychological well being.

JANELLE MONAE’S VAGINA TROUSERS

WHY WOMEN SHOULD NOT...

A look back at an old publication.

6

Embracing womenhood and vaginas, singer Janelle Monae let's it all hand out.

MASTHEAD, EDITOR'S LETTER, AND CONTENTS INSPIRATION & CONTEMPLATION

4, 5, 6, 7

15, 27, 35, 37, 41, 49, 58, 77, 82

MEDITATION: JUST BE

51

MSC RECOMMENDS

POETRY: UNSATISFIED

46

WHAT IS THAT?

FUNDRAISING: FOR DOGS

12

a poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox FEATURES CONTRIBUTORS 07

56-57

24

FEATURES CONTRIBUTORS Christine Boyd Miller, PhD Christine is a California mountain mama transplanted from the East coast. In The Yoga Diaries

she explores the obstacles & challenges she

faces as she learns new yoga poses, explores new ideas and attempts to maintain benefits

a &

regular joys

practice.

too!

When

Needless

she's

not

to

say

writing

that

or

she

spends her time frolicking in the redwoods with her son,

The Yoga Diaries

shares

practicing

yoga,

the she

hula hooping,

cooking, and helping her husband tend to their garden and bees.

Visit her website: https://happyhippyhoops.com

Deja Osbourne Deja is an artist, an oracle deck creator and owner of DejaDrewit. Born in Russia and raised in NY, she now lives in California. As a young girl, Deja experienced bullying and as a result developed social anxiety. Drawing was her escape. As she healed she knew that she wanted to inspire and help people through her art but wasn't quite sure how. From 2005 until 2013, she worked as a graphic artist and designer in the fashion industry.

Deja's Self-Care Corner

She left to raise a new baby and discovered a way to use her art to help others

and

started

to

create

oracle

decks.

Check

out

her

Self-Care

Corner.

Visit her website: https://dejadrewit.com

Helen Sanchez Helen Sanchez is the founder of Tanagui LLC, a career consultancy that helps women over 40 find valuable meaningful work. She is a graduate of the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC). With over forty years of experience working in recruiting, she continues her studies at the College of New Jersey with a double major in Women and Gender Studies and African American Studies. She received the Alice Paul Award

Peering into the 'isms'

for Activism and is a member of the Honor Society in Women & Gender Studies.

Visit her website: https://tanagui.com

7

MEET ARTACTIVISTBARBIE

In praise of Artemisia Gentileschi. Author provided

THE FEARLESS FUNNY FEMINIST TAKING ON A WHITE MALE ART WORLD

By Sarah Williamson 8

You

may

be

surprised

to

learn

that

Barbie

–

lollipop-headed cultural icon and instrument of female shackles blonde

oppression of to

the

–

has

thrown

patriarchy’s

become

a

off

archetypal

feminist

art

the

dumb

warrior

blasting the hallowed halls of the world’s great art institutions. But it’s true.

Say

hello

to

ArtActivistBarbie

(AAB),

whose

modus operandi is small signs, big questions and a fabulous wardrobe. With her inviting call to arms, “Refuse to be the muse!” this fierce

continued on next page

new incarnation of Barbie is helping to challenge

art

worldwide women

galleries

about

and

and

their

other

museums

woeful

minorities

lack in

of

their

collections, and reluctance to consider the female gaze.

Thousands enjoying

follow

her

creative

art

playful

and

and

did

she

she

issues

So,

find

ask about

in

many

where

did

from

and

come

those

carries

and

which

inequalities

ArtActivistBarbie

creations

Twitter,

disruption

raise

the

collections.

where

on

interventions

questions gender

her

off

couture

with

such

panache?

I

use

the

arts

to

inequality

and

social

research

the

use

explore

of

issues

injustice,

objects

and

of

and the

potential of museums and galleries to be

places

which

can

educate

for

change. In 2018, I decided to do this using the most famous doll in Western culture:

Barbie.

I

took

a

group

of

students to my local art gallery, gave them all a Barbie doll and asked them to

“hack”

the

gallery

by

intervening

and posing their doll with commentary

In praise of Artemisia Gentileschi. Author provided

on a placard.

By subverting Barbie’s bland stereo-type of femininity and employing her idealised beauty and unrealistic figure, we were able to draw attention lightly to serious gender issues in a way that was both humourous and thought-provoking.

It was a great success and had a big impact on both my students and gallery visitors.

Afterwards, I realised I had found the perfect way to engage a wide range of people in gender politics. And so, ArtActivistBarbie was born.

The problem with art Many famous art galleries and museums, particularly those with historical collections, offer a very singular, male-dominated view of the art world. The artworks regarded as historically most important present the world through a male perspective – the “male gaze."

In the 1980s art activists, Guerrilla Girls started to draw attention to this extreme male bias and gender discrimination in the art world, successfully protesting in the US. With smart, cutting messages delivered via large-scale billboard works, the Guerilla Girls sought to name

and

shame

the

art

world

for

its

unapologetic

disregard

for

women

and

other

minorities in art.

continued on next page 9

Now, ArtActivistBarbie is, in turn, revealing the practices of galleries and museums and their

displays

of

male-commissioned,

male-produced

and

male-collected

works

of

art

which represent centuries of male power, privilege and domination. It’s important and necessary work because art galleries and museums are trusted and influential places that play a part in shaping our identities, our sense of self and our sense of possibility. It is only right that they demonstrate more balance by reflecting the lives and experience of women, ethnic minorities and other under-represented groups.

ArtActivistBarbie’s motto. Author provided

This is how we do it ArtActivistBarbie reports on her activism through Twitter. In April 2020 alone, the account reached

1.9

million

impressions.

Her

main

line

of

enquiry,

“Where

are

all

the

female

artists?” is highlighted through a series of staged “events”. One of AAB’s first public interventions was to point out the 2,300 works by men and 21 works by women in the National Gallery in London. AAB aims not only to highlight such gender gap statistics but also their societal and historical context, challenging the reasons, biases and prejudices behind them.

The

Barbies

are

artfully

arranged

to

echo

artworks,

sometimes

in

parody

but

also

in

homage to female artists or to celebrate the positive representation of women. Curatorial labels, wall texts and statements are questioned, challenged and often mocked.

10

The visual aesthetic of the work is important and AAB’s wardrobe is much admired on Twitter. She wears vintage pieces lovingly made for my own Barbie in the 1970s by my mother. At 93 she can longer make the pieces, so my sister has taken up the couture mantle for AAB. Drawing on the perceived Barbie glamour aesthetic, the clothes declare that interest in style does not preclude feminism or activism.

The reaction of gallery visitors has been

hugely

encouraging.

positive

Young

and

women

spot

her in a crowded room, delighted by

the

always heard

feminist take

messages

photographs.

groups

discussing

I

and have

gender

issues not only in art but also in wider talk

society.

about

the

Sometimes work

to

people

complete

strangers next to them. Many are surprised, shocked even, by AAB’s placards.

Some

express

their

thanks. There are varied reactions from

gallery

observe

staff

approvingly,

too.

Some

some

call

security.

Keeping up pressure

Not amused, but 45,000+ responses on Twitter and looking fabulous. Author provided

There are promising signs of change. In March 2019, the National Gallery in London posted a video on its website stating it had become increas-ingly concerned about the gender gap in art history and wanted to respond to growing pressure from social media about women and their collection.

In April, art critic Waldemar Januszczak tweeted that ArtActivistBarbie had been filling his timeline with complaints that his Sunday Times History of Art poster (which AAB tweeted as “His Story of Art”) did not include enough women artists. “Mea culpa. It’s a fair point,” he replied, and profiled ten women artists “as partial recompense”.

In early May, the London’s National Portrait Gallery announced the creation of a new post titled, Curator: Missing Narratives on Women, to fill the gaps in their collection. And now, ArtActivistBarbie has been asked to guest curate an exhibition in the north of England. The voices are growing and big art institutions are realising they can no longer blame history.

It’s time to redress the balance. Stylishly, of course.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Sarah Williamson is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Education and Professional Development at the University of Huddersfield, specialising in arts-based pedagogy and arts-based enquiry. Sarah researches the aesthetic construction of knowledge and the transformative value and impact of the arts in professional education. She publishes, presents and exhibits in the field of arts, society and education.

Find ArtActivistBarbie on Twitter @BarbieReports is feminist activist work created by Sarah to explore the potential of social media for gender social justice.

This article was originally published on-line by The Conversation and is available here under a Creative Commons license

11

$10 USD from item sold will go towards the purchase of items listed below to help 16 rescued dogs to be cared and provided for the rest of their lives. When you support this effort you get something in return knowing you are helping the dogs and a cozy t-shirt or cute tote bag. 15 of the 16 dogs are over 8 years old. One is only 3 and was dumped on the side of the road with 2 other pups. Because this shelter exists they have shelter, food, volunteers who pet them and visit

them

daily.

This

is

privately

funded.

All

Fundra ising E ffort For ev ery tsh tote y ou pu irt or $10 g oes to rchase aid th e dog sh elter

dogs

were rescued from the street or dire situations.

Current needs for the shelter at this time: Due to COVID, we no longer receive the leftovers from a school that donated uneaten scraps of food from student's lunch plates. We need food for all the dogs.

A water pump to bring water onto the property.

If we can get the pump installed we will be able to have fresh water for the dogs year round and we will no longer need to refill the plastic water bins that freeze during the winter so they are only good for approximately 8 months per year.

Special food Lourde is allergic to most dog foods. He cannot eat the same foods that are given to all the other dogs.

New roofing is needed over some of the dogs compartments. Some Medication for Big Rex who has a skin condition and Tigruta who is very old.

A solar powered motion detector light to help protect the premises (no electricity on the property)

12

leak and need immediate repair.

The Mindful Soul Center Fundraising Effort for dogs When you buy a t-shirt or tote $10 from each sale goes to help the rescued dogs.

MAKES A GREAT GIFT & SUPPORTS RESCUED DOGS

Women's Tank

Tote Bag 13" $20 16" $25

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$30 Triblend T

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Click on any of the images below to visit the site and purchase a cozy t-shirt, tank-top or tote bag.

13

QUIT TORMENTING YOURSELF WITH THE IDEA THAT YOU'RE NOT ENOUGH YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL 15

women have been fighting for their lives all around the world in more ways than one

17

Six deaths every hour: The report of the Canadian Femicide Observatory for Justice and Accountability notes that around the world, every hour, six women are killed by men they know. Femicide, or the killing of women because they are women, is underpinned by patriarchal ideologies that define how women should comport themselves. This ideology, grounded in the belief that men own women and that women need to be controlled, is also at the heart of gender inequities.

SOURCE: theconversation.com Remembering everyday violence against women and girls on Dec. 6 an article by Yasmin Jiwani published in theconversation

According to the results of the National Survey of Adolescents, 8% of the sample (n=4,023) reported having been victims of sexual assault.

74% of these sexual assault victims indicated that they had been assaulted by someone they knew well, 32% were friends, 21% were family members, 23% were strangers. Nearly 31% of these sexual assaults occurred in the victim’s home or in the victim’s neighborhood (24%), another 15% occurred at the victim’s school.

SOURCE: SAFEBAE.ORG Kilpatrick, D.G., Saunders, B.E., and Smith, D.W. (2003). Youth Victimization: Prevalence and Implications. Washington, D.C.: National Institute of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice

Every year thousands of women in Pakistan face some form of violence, ranging from acid attacks, to sexual assault, to kidnapping, rape or murder, often in the name of honour. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, an independent watchdog, stated in its annual report of 2019 that “despite legislation enacted to protect and promote women’s rights in recent years, violence against women has escalated.

SOURCE: reuters Reuters information published in Dawn.com's article Child bride to elite police, the film focusing on women pioneers

Even though child marriage is declining globally, there are still 12 million girls married in childhood each year, and the global number of women alive today who were married before 18 is estimated at 650 million.

SOURCE: https://www.letgirlsdream.org/ 18

Femicide or feminicide

The intentional killing of women or girls because they are female.

19

Qandeel Baloch Deepshika Godara Saba Qaiser Rekia Boyd Tanisha Anderson Daisy Coleman Audrie Pott Chanel Miller and thousands more It's true, not all the women's stories are of women being murdered by men because they are women. We don't need to put everyone in neat little categories - we need to stop labeling people and besides, you don't need to pull the trigger or plunge a knife into someone to kill their soul.

There is not always justice and some survived too.

20

Fouzia Azeem1

aka Qandeel Baloch

Born: March 1990 and Died: 15 July 2016 (aged 26) Cause of death: Homicide by asphyxia Fouzia Azeeml was popularly known as Qandeel Baloch. She was an independent woman who modelled and acted during the period of 2013–2016 and is known as Pakistan's first female social media celebrity influencer. She was murdered by her brother who proclaimed that he did it out of honour. Her parents wanted their son held accountable.

Deepshika Godara

Born: 1982 and Died: 13 December 2014 (aged 32) Cause of death: Homicide by asphyxia and stabbing Deepshika Godara was a career woman and mother that married through an arrangement. She suffered abuse from her husband and was ultimately murdered by him even though they were apart. Her attacker committed suicide, leaving their only child without parents.

Saba Qaiser

Born: March 1990 she did not die, she survived (aged 19), Cause of near-death: Shot in the head for "honour" Saba Qaiser is one of two on this list who is alive today. Her father and uncle kidnapped her and shot her in the head before dumping her body in the river. They claimed their actions were out of honour. She survived. Her father and uncle were released from prison. for marrying for love without family consent. A Girl in a River is a documentary that tells her story.

Rekia Boyd

Born 1990 and Died 21 March 2012 (aged 22) Cause of death: Shot in the head.

Rekia Boyd was shot in the back of the head by police officer Dante Servin who intentionally shot at her and her friends. Even though the judge acknowledged that he committed first-degree murder, he remains free.

Visit this page where you'll find some of the stories available as podcasts or links https://bit.ly/women-fighting-for-their-lives

21

Tanisha Anderson

Born: 1977 and Died: 13 November 2014 (aged 37) Cause of death: Homicide by restraint Tanisha Anderson was violently restrained by police near her home, whilst her brother watched. She died. According to the coroner's report, this was an act of homicide - “sudden death in association with physical restraint in a prone position in association with ischemic heart disease and bipolar disorder with agitation.”

Daisy Coleman

Born 30 March 1997 and Died 4 August 2020 (aged 23) Cause of death: Suicide Daisy Coleman after being raped in high school, shamed publicly, and victim-blamed her life was a living hell. Her house was burnt down to the ground for speaking up. She founded SAFEBAE to help others. In August of 2020, she ended her own life by suicide. Her work continues. Like Audrie who's story is below, her story was a part of the documentary, Audrie and Daisy.

Audrie Pott

Born 27 May 1997 and Died 12 September 2012 (15 years old) Cause of death: Suicide by hanging Audrie Pott was raped by three boys that she knew, who also shared photos of her marked nude body. Nude pictures of her were posted online with accompanying bullying. She ended her own life by suicide eight days later. Her story became known worldwide through the documentary, Audrie and Daisy.

Chanel Miller

Born 12 June 1992 and survived her rapist was caught in the act and chased off by two passerbys, attacked in 2015 and survived (aged 22) Chanel Miller was raped near a dumpster and her attacker was caught by two grad students who were passing by. Although the rapist was found guilty of the crime - his time was minimal. He wasn't a body in this, he was an identity with a "future." Chanel Miller wrote a memoir about this story because she wants you to know her name.

Visit this page where you'll find some of the stories available as podcasts or links

22

https://bit.ly/women-fighting-for-their-lives

Misogyny Moral philosophy professor Kate Manne in her book Down Girl, argues that the definition of misogyny goes deeper than the hate or hostility that misogynist men feel towards most women. Misogyny is instead about controlling, policing, punishing, and exiling the bad women who challenge male dominance. It rewards the status quo, singling out other women to serve as warnings punishing those who are out of order. It also includes the whole of "social systems or environments where women face hostility and hatred because they are women in a man's world — a historical patriarchy."

Read an interview with Kate Manne on Vox here: http://bit.ly/misogyny-kate-manne

Patriarchy Patriarchy is a social system where men take and hold primary power in leadership roles, control property, and predominate in roles of social privilege; entitlement used to one's personal benefit or the detriment of others with groups advantaged based on a variety of factors and, in this case, gender. Patriarchy has manifested itself in the social, legal, political, religious, and economic systems and organizations across cultures worldwide. Most contemporary societies are patriarchal even through their constitutions and, laws do not always explicitly define themselves to be so.

The Wounded Male Ego Dr Vijay Nagaswami, author, psychiatrist and relationship consultant brings the male wounded ego into focus in an article in The Hindu. He tells us that in a patriarchal society, unwarranted attention given to the male child creates challenges in relationships even in the 21st century. When asked, Why are male egos fragile? he says: “Any ego that derives itself from the perceived superiority of one gender over the other is bound to be incomplete and fragile. The mere fact of being born a male cannot be the primary parameter to derive one’s sense of self-worth. Also, the object of the male ego is to establish dominance over the female ego. When masculinity alone is used to establish dominance and control, it’s bound to be fragile, since it’s incomplete." https://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/society/The-big-fat-male-ego/article16876419.ece

MEN HELPING WOMEN RESOURCES FOR MEN Share these resources with the men in your life.

National Organization for Men Against Sexism (NOMAS) 1-720-466-3882 www.nomas.org A Call to Men 1-917-922-6738 www.acalltomen.org Men Can Stop Rape 1-202-265-6530 www.mencanstoprape.org Men Stopping Violence1-866-717-9317 www.menstoppingviolence.org SOURCE: https://womencountusa.org/resources

23

What is that?

Honour Killing aka Shame Killing Honour killing is also known as Shame killing. It is a global phenomenon and is not restricted to narrow religious

beliefs

aggression

and

as

some

violence

suspected.

towards

This

women

act

and

of

girls

crosses all races, creeds and cultures. At the root of this

practice

egos,

and

are

misogyny,

misguided

patriarchy,

notions,

wounded

particularly

the

objectification and perceived ownership of women.

Murder is not the only form of honour crime, other crimes such as acid attacks, abduction, mutilations, and beatings occur; in 2010 the UK police recorded at least not

2,823

such

allowed

to

crimes.

(source: BBC)

defend

themselves

Women even

are

when

suspicion is cast upon them.

Women's advocacy groups

Honour killings are sometimes public to warn others

suspect

that

more

than

and are often very vicious; Known methods include stoning,

stabbing,

hanging,

throat

shooting,

and

beating,

slashing,

strangulation.

burning, lethal They

beheading,

acid

can

attacks,

also

20,000

women

are

killed

worldwide each year.

include

forced suicides so no one can be held accountable and prosecuted for murder.

There are loopholes in the laws in some countries

Shame or honour killings

that make it easier to get away with murder but not in all. In 2016, Pakistan repealed the loophole which allowed the perpetrators of honour killings to avoid punishment from

by

another

seeking

family

forgiveness

member

and

for

thus

the be

crime legally

pardoned. Whilst it hasn't stopped these killings, it is easier to convict the perpetrators of these crimes.

However, not all countries have laws on the books to convict these murderers or existing laws do little to deter this behaviour.

Although the United Nations estimates that 5,000 women and girls are murdered each year in honour killings, women's advocacy groups suspect that more than 20,000 women are killed worldwide each year.

Shame or honour killings are reported worldwide with most in Middle Eastern and South Asian countries.

However, you can add countries like Australia, Brazil, Canada,

Italy,

Sweden,

Syria,

Uganda,

the

United

Kingdom, and the United States, to the list of places these crimes occur.

24

are reported worldwide.

WHAT IS THAT? HONOUR KILLING AKA SHAME KILLING (CONTINUED) Here is what is listed as the reasons or sometimes reported as the causes:

divorce or separation refusal to enter an arranged, child, or forced marriage

Another

being in a relationship outside of

woman - the victim of rape - is when a family may

religious or culturally accepted norms

attempt

premarital sex - even between two

woman or girl to marry their rapist. If this is not

consenting adults

possible, they will force her to marry another man

extramarital sex

who is part of the extended family of the rapist.

being a victim of rape or sexual

The woman or girl has no choice but to accept the

assault - see note below.

marriage

wearing 'inappropriate' clothing

perpetrator is expected to cooperate and provide

engaging in non-heterosexual

a groom for the woman.

vicious

to

way

restore

or

be

to

its

levy

punishment

'honour'

killed.

The

by

on

forcing

family

of

a

a

the

relations inappropriate gender expression

Even our language is problematic when we say that the reasons or cause of honour killings is divorce, unfaithfulness, etc. The triggers are not reasons and they stem from a complex ideology embedded in male privilege and culture. It is NOT any of the items on the list. It begins with people that hold hate in their hearts, and an idea embedded in the culture that has outlived its usefulness patriarchy.

Final Notes: We could probably include many of the thousands of women who are murdered by men they know in Europe and the United States each year in these numbers even though that don't fall into the strictest definition of honour killings. Still, the core reasons are similar enough the murders are the result of societal attitudes that see women’s lives as the property of men. Women are murdered because

of

jealousy,

control,

'inappropriate'

attire,

etc.

The

only

primary

difference

is

that

in

Western culture it is often referred to as intimate partner homicide.

Big systemic problems.

These are big topics, big systemic problems across cultures around the world that need awareness and action.

We have to be aware of the unconscious biases and cultural norms that sustain these

behaviours and attitudes. Today, we are aware.

We the women.

Let us not become overburdened with despair - with crippling sadness and hopelessness by our own compassionate hearts when we listen to and read these stories of flesh and blood women. The women who had or still have their own sense of themselves embodying their dreams, goals, desires, and sense of purpose. They are us, and we are them.

We must remember this -

Do not be dismayed by the brokenness of the world … the broken world waits in darkness for the light that is you. - L.R. Knost

Click here to listen to and watch some of the women's stories. If you are reading this visit https://bit.ly/women-fighting-for-their-lives

25

India’s top judge is facing calls to resign after asking an accused rapist whether he would marry his schoolgirl victim to avoid jail.

Chief Justice Sharad Arvind Bobde told an accused rapist at a hearing: “If you want to marry (her), we can help you. If not, you lose your job and go to jail.”

Bobde’s comments sparked a furore and prompted women’s rights activists to circulate an open letter calling for his resignation, which has secured more than 5,200 signatures, campaigner Vani Subramanian said on Wednesday. According to the letter, the man is accused of stalking, tying up, gagging and repeatedly raping the girl four years ago before threatening to douse her in petrol, set her alight and have her brother killed.

“By suggesting that this rapist marry the victim-survivor, you, the Chief Justice of India, sought to condemn the victim-survivor to a lifetime of rape at the hands of the tormentor who drove her to attempt suicide,” the letter said.

(source: Aljazeera.com)

March 3rd 2021

Girl’s beheading in India spurs calls for ‘honour killings’ law.

Man in Uttar Pradesh beheads 17-year old teenage daughter and carries severed head to police station, in yet another case of so-called ‘honour killing’.

Justice is a goddess, a feminine energy, a protector goddess in a world still dominated with male energy.

“He

said

he

saw

his

daughter

in

a

compromising position with a man and he beheaded

her

in

a

fit

of

rage,”

Anurag

Vats, the police superintendent of Hardoi district

in

northern

Uttar

Pradesh

state,

told the Thomson Reuters Foundation on Thursday. “He has confessed to his crime,” he said.

Images of the man carrying the girl’s head were

shared

reigniting campaigners honour

widely

on

demands for

killings

to

a

social

from

specific

help

law

protect

media,

women’s against

potential

victims and improve police investigations.

(source: Aljazeera.com)

March 5th 2021

26

I stand in my own power now, the questions of permission that I used to choke on for my every meal now dead in a fallen heap, and when they tell me that I will fall, I nod. I will fall, I reply, and my words are a whisper my words are a howl I will fall , I say, and the tumbling will be all my own. The skinned palms and oozing knees are holy wounds, stigmata of my She. I will catch my own spilled blood, and not a drop will be wasted.

an excerpt fromBeth Morey's Night Cycles: Poetry for a Dark Night of the Soul

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loud

we

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and,

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Are to

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compliment

criticizing

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Learning to surrender and detach is not easy but, it is powerful. When things don’t seem to go the way we want, sometimes the best thing we can do is just let go and surrender. Take the day off, meditate, go do something fun. Allow the Universe to help you. Sometimes we just need time off before we get clarity. We are not meant to constantly do do do and work work work. Our bodies are designed to have periods of rest when we are open to receive information or help from others.

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34

sav e

s

i r p sih

T

!f h e lesr

n

c

e

ss

35

36

I personally have a cunt. Sometimes it's 'flaps' or 'twat', but most of the time, it's my cunt. Cunt is a proper, old, historic, strong word. I like that my fire escape also doubles up as the most potent swearword in the English language.

Yeah. That's how powerful it is, guys. If I tell you what I've got down there, old ladies and clerics might faint. I like how shocked people are when you say 'cunt'.

It's like I have a nuclear bomb in my pants, or a tiger, or a gun.

Caitlin Moran

How to Be a Woman 37

BLACK

K N IS Y P

W

E NE H T

By Victoria Anderson

JANELLE MONAE’S VAGINA TROUSERS When I settled down to write this article about Janelle Monae’s

music

video

“Pynk”

and

her

famous

vagina

trousers, I was in a cafe – seated next to a collection of board games, some tired pot plants, and an art history book I’d never seen before. It was Feminine Beauty, by Kenneth Clarke.

Back in the early nineties, when I was a student of fine art, I

was

lucky

enough

to

be

taught

by

the

feminist

art

historian Griselda Pollock. Take it from me that Clarke’s writing was not held up as an example for us students to follow. In fact, his work could justly be described as the anti-text of my visual arts education. So I’d never seen

38

continued on next page

Feminine Beauty. Predictably, it’s a gushing rhapsody on what Clarke thinks

is

women’s

primary

function

–

that

is,

to

be

beautiful

–

alongside a collection of plates of peachy-looking white women as painted/sculpted/photographed by white men. (Okay, there are one or two ancient Egyptians in there too.)

By contrast, “Pynk” is emphatically not a peachy re-rendering of Western

conceptions

of

white

female

beauty,

or

even

“the

male

gaze” – a phrase I would happily never hear again. It is four minutes of Monae and a group of black female dancers (including actress Tessa Thompson) frolicking in the desert wearing enormous, pink, apparently vulva-shaped trousers designed by Duran Lantink.

While the lyrics peel off a list of all the reasons why pink is the new black, the video constructs for us an unusually rich, feminine paradigm. It reclaims, among other things: the colour pink as a deeply powerful feminine symbol; the vagina as a universal place of origin (we see underpants with the words “Great Cosmic Mother” printed on the front).

Pynk is where all of it starts The

dominant

narrative

in

modern

Western

society

has

been

the

same

as

that

illustrated by Clarke’s book on Feminine Beauty. Women exist as objects to be seen and done to, rather than active agents in their own right. In popular culture, the black woman’s backside has been fetishised as an object of mute and even contemptible spectacle, certainly since the rise of commercial hip hop in the 1980s, and dating at least as far back as Sarah Baartman – aka The Hottentot Venus – in the early 1800s.

More recently, the “black bottom” has been weirdly appropriated by Kim Kardashian at one extreme and Miley Cyrus at the other. In Monae’s video, black women’s bottoms are presented playfully as something both for and about black women, as she and Thompson alternately rise from an undulating sea of upturned backsides.

https://janellemonae.lnk.to/dirtycomputer

continued on next page

https://youtu.be/PaYvlVR_BEc

39

For Sigmund Freud (whom I love, by the way), the female sex organs are a space of absence, a hole – even a wound. According to patriarchal models, symbolic female power is alarming – not because of the fear that women might take over the world (although, yes, that too) – but because the hole of a woman’s sex challenges the male with symbolic loss of the penis. For Freud, fear of castration was the cornerstone of human neurosis. But, somewhat as Courtney

Love’s

band

Hole

did

25

years

ago,

Monae’s

Pynk

explores

the

question of the hole not as a lack or a wound, but as a locus of profound depth, mystery and origin. More of a whole, than a hole. In the song’s lyrics, “pynk” is “the holes of your heart”, “the folds of your brain”, “beyond forest and thighs” as well as “the secrets you hide”. At one point, Thompson’s head appears in the gap between Monae’s voluminous trouser legs.

Pynk and black If I had a criticism of the #MeToo agenda, it is that it repeats the narrative it seeks to disrupt, by casting women as perpetual victims and men as irredeemable predators. What is unexpectedly powerful about Pynk is that it claims archetypal feminine energy as one that is not defined by victimhood -– or, indeed, by any relationship to men.

The opening sequence shows Monae’s pink cadillac pulling into view on a desert background, surely a reference

to

Russ

Meyer’s

1965

cult

film

Faster

Pussycat, Kill, Kill – a surreal tale of Cadillac-driving, homicidal women in the desert. While Monae’s video does not endorse man-slaying as a matter of course, it does subtly reclaim the iconography of powerful women

from

Meyer’s

sexploitation

genre,

where

torpedo-breasted superwomen serve as mascots of patriarchal fear and fantasy. In Pynk, nobody needs to

die;

but

we

do

see

Monae

kickboxing

a

giant

phallic punchbag into submission.

This

week

I

am

mindful

of

Beyoncé’s

Coachella

performance,

which

has

been

widely

praised. Maybe it’s just me, but I can never get past the fact that Beyoncé seemingly uses signifiers of whiteness – specifically that long blonde hair, like a Botticelli Venus – to elevate herself by comparison with her dancers (and before that, her fellow band members in Destiny’s Child). In 1992, well before Destiny’s Child was even an embryo, bell hooks pointed out in her essay Selling Hot Pussy that black female performers frequently need to go blonde and leonine in order to crossover into the mainstream. The happy ending to this story, however, is that Monae’s hair is both voluminous and black……and I don’t just mean the stuff on her head.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Victoria Anderson Interests in digital cultures, psychoanalysis, narrative (especially, but not only, folklore and myth) and the intersections between all of these things; race, class, gender and other questions of disenfranchisement.

Increasingly involved with prison reform and rehabilitation, prisoner stories and use of/access to digital media. Coauthor of WINGS - a prison odyssey (www.cellmemory.org/wings) and founder of Cell Memory. This article was originally published on-line by The Conversation and is available here under a Creative Commons license.

40

If a woman loves her own body, she doesn't grudge what other women do with theirs; if she loves femaleness, she champions its rights...

The force of female desire would be so great that society would truly have to reckon with what women want, in bed and in the world.

- Naomi Wolf 41

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O BABY BABY....

NOT THAT BABY Written by Helen Sanchez

A young woman who is building her professional career and knocking-it-out-of-the-park day after day still has one hurdle to overcome that is both irrelevant to her professionally and unacceptable personally, and it is hers alone. Scrutiny and bias exist simply because she can become a mother.Statistics from a 2018 Equality and Human Rights Commission S report

show

that

women

are

judged

and

evaluated

based

on

their

potential

role

as

mothers. The report shows that:

36% of private-sector employers agree that it is acceptable to ask women about plans to have children in the future during the recruitment process 59% of employers agree that a woman should have to disclose whether she is pregnant 46% of employers agree that it is reasonable to ask women if they have young children 44% agree that women should work for an organization for at least a year before deciding to start a family One-third believe that women who become pregnant and new mothers in work are generally less interested in career progression as compared to other employees

43

As a mother who returned to work shortly

attitudes by making false assumptions that

after each of my children were born and as a

by becoming mothers women are distracted

woman who was always interested in career

and less committed to their careers. These

progression,

are

I

find

the

report

results

just

that,

appalling and so incredibly discriminatory.

assumptions

MEN AND FATHERHOOD

constructed

recruited for a position was questioned on whether he intended to start a family? I am confident the answer would be never. When the

being

at

having fact,

last an

a

time age

young

according

published

a

man

of

a

by

judged

on

a

family

or

Again,

never.

In

starting

family? to

was

fifteen-year

the

study

University

of

Massachusetts, when men become fathers, their

earnings

increase

by

an

average

of

6%, and women's hourly wages are reduced by

4%.

So

enhance

starting

their

a

family

for

consideration

are

based

on

stereotypes

These

old

socially

about

women's

and men’s roles in child-rearing. Women in

When is the last time you think a man being

was

assumptions.

men

for

can

higher

compensation and the promotion track in

all careers have proven that they continue to

be

committed

their

work

and

are

perfectly capable of being both successful moms and successful career women at the same time.

Recently, the pandemic has brought to light how

imbalanced

domestic

are in two-parent homes.

responsibilities For women now

working from home, the burden has become immense become

as

a

attending location. forced

their

part

of

school

career home in

Although

to

working

their work..

to

adjust

model,

to

responsibilities

life

the

with

same

businesses the

they

idea

have

physical

have

of

not

children

a

been

remote

made

any

major effort to understand what this means

ONLY WOMEN ARE RESPONSIBLE

to female employees with children. .

How

As shown in a 2020 Gallup poll, the division

do

businesses

penalizing

44

women,

justify

not

just

their for

behavior becoming

of

labor

in

the

United

traditional

States

still

stereotypes

leans

mothers but also for the fact that they can

toward

become mothers? Employers justify these

women are more likely than men to take

where

care of the household and the children. Flexibility has always been a key component that allows

women

to

be

successful

both

professionally

and

personally.

And

women

have

stepped up when necessary. Despite a woman's ability to get a job done and do it well, there have often been just too many areas of pandemic life that are pulling her apart. So as a result, are women going backwards in the workplace? When this is over will women find it hard to come back? If history is evidence then yes, women will continue to struggle and be denied a level playing field.

WORKING ON YOUR OWN BEHALF So, what can women do on their own behalf? As always, the burden lies with women to take control as best they can. Following are steps that you can take to address motherhood and address the motherhood penalty all women experience.

Always keep abreast of current trends in your industry. Attend webinars or take online training

as

much

as

possible.

And

always

keep

your

resume

updated

with

current

information on your training and skills. Whether you are returning to the workforce or seeking a new opportunity you must represent yourself in the best possible light on your resume.

If you are returning to the workforce address any time away from your career openly and honestly and remember to focus on the transferable skills you acquired while away.

Look for professional womens' groups in your field where you can find support and mentors.

Research companies to ensure any positions you are considering are with organizations that support women.

If you are currently employed and being considered for promotion be sure to document your achievements, evaluate what type of flexibility you may need if you accept the position, and present this to your boss.

If you are a young woman who has not started a family as yet always be proactive and map out your professional plans and goals. Although this is not something that men need to do, be prepared to make clear how strong your commitment to your career is and how much thought you have put into your career.

As history has shown us and as seen today, women must always work harder and longer to be

successful.

Where

men

benefit

from

so

many

workplace

attitudes,

women

have

to

overcome them. By being aware of all we have individually achieved and by being honest about our individual needs, we can work toward proving that motherhood itself or the possibility of motherhood does not impede women from making significant professional contributions and being very successful in their careers.

Helen helps women over 40 find valuable meaningful work. Visit her website: tanagui.com

45

The bird flies home to its young; The flower folds its leaves about an opening bud; And in my neighbour's house there is the cry of a child.

I close my window that I need not hear.

She is mine, and she is very beautiful: And in her heart there is no evil thought.

There is even love in her heart Love of life, love of joy, love of this fair world, And love of me (or love of my love for her); Yet she will never consent to bear me a child.

And when I speak of it she weeps, Always she weeps, saying: 'Do I not bring joy enough into your life?

Are you not satisfied with me and my love, As I am satisfied with you?

Never would I urge you to some great peril To please my whim; yet ever so you urge me, Urge me to risk my happiness - yea, life itself So lightly do you hold me.' And then she weeps, Always she weeps, until I kiss away her tears And soothe her with sweet lies, saying I am content.

Then she goes singing through the house like some bright bird Preening her wings, making herself all beautiful, Perching upon my knee, and pecking at my lips With little kisses. So again love's ship The years Goes sailing forth upon a portless sea, From nowhere unto nowhere; and it takes Are passing by us. We will yet be old Who now are young. And all the man in me Or brings no cargoes to enrich the world.

Cries for the reproduction of myself Through her I love. Why, love and youth like ours Could populate with gods and goddesses This great, green earth, and give the race new types Were it made fruitful! Often I can see, As in a vision, desolate old age And loneliness descending on us two, And nowhere in the world, nowhere beyond the Earth, An American author Fruit of my loins and of her womb to feed and poet. Her best Our hungry hearts. To me it seems known work was More sorrowful than sitting by small graves Poems of Passion. Her And wetting sad-eyed pansies with our tears. most enduring work was Solitude which contains the lines: "Laugh, and the world laughs with you; Weep, and you weep alone."

Her auto-biography, The Worlds and I, was published in 1918, a year before her death.

46

The bird flies home to its young; The flower folds its leaves about an opening bud; And in my neighbour's house there is the cry of a child.

I close my window that I need not hear.

47

Why Women Should Not Vote (c. 1917) From the National Woman Suffrage Publishing Company

All the books pages are blank.

48

Some days I am more wolf than woman, and I am still learning how to stop apologizing for my wild. a quotation by author and poet Nikita Gill

49

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52

GUNAS FOR GAIA written by Christine Boyd Miller, PhD

In yoga philosophy, the gunas are constantly fluctuating energies existent throughout the universe and therefore in each of us. These energies flow through all of nature and are inherent to our very state of being, influencing our reactions to everything and everyone around us. There are three constantly intertwining and changing components of the Gunas: tamas (inert), rajas (active), and sattva (harmony). These three parts work together confluently and drift back and forth, together and apart. How we react to any stimuli or experience depends on which energy force is more profound at that moment.

Tamas is the heavy, thick, grounded energy within us. It is a slow vibration. We react to stimuli with stillness, lethargy, and depression on the darker side of the spectrum. On the lighter side, tamas is where we find stability, deep reflection, and rest. In nature, the tamas would be organic matter decomposing as it settles back into the Earth, resting and slowly nourishing the soil to prepare it for new life. Tamas is the soft lullaby of the moon.

Rajas is the frenetic, passionate, fiery energy we carry. It moves at a fast vibration. This is the energy that feeds anxiety, agitation, multitasking, and overexertion. It also feeds motivation, enthusiasm, creativity, and movement. An example of rajas in nature would be the inertia of seeds germinating and springing forth from the soil, reaching for the bright morning sun.

Sattva is the calm, conscious space that balances the tamas and rajas. It is the space where we find truth and harmony in ourselves. Sattva is where our slow and fast energies meet in complement to each other. We need this balance in ourselves the same way the Earth needs the slow decomposing matter to nourish the soil so that very soil can bring forth new life, which will again become the soil. Sattva is the sun and the moon dancing in tandem, shrinking the winter days and stretching them out in the summertime, meeting reliably at equinox again and again.

53

It helps me to visualize the gunas as a seesaw with tamas and rajas sitting on either side.

Sattva is the fulcrum or the centered balance point. The goal is to keep the seesaw flat but, maybe allow tamas and rajas to reach in and hold hands, play, and interact in a gentle fluid dance. The rise and fall of each side of the seesaw depend on the strength or weight of each energy and the forces that exhaust or enliven those energies. Sometimes the seesaw moves slowly and peacefully. Other times, tamas or rajas compete for control and push too hard off the ground. One energy might gain more strength than the other so, the seesaw stays at full tilt. Fortunately, the fulcrum can only accommodate this movement so far, as it stops one side before the other can go flying infinitely, out to space.

I’ve been exploring different ways to slow my seesaw and bring its balance closer to the center. Stretching, diet, sleep, and self-care all help maintain a sattvic balance. That can feel like an overwhelming list sometimes though. My yoga therapist suggested I begin simply with breathing. The yogic practice of regulating one’s breath is called pranayama.

Prana, in Sanskrit, means life energy and, Yama means control. Focusing on the movement of one’s breath and practicing intentional inhales and exhales can be equally calming or energizing.

A series of slow, soothing breaths helps balance the rajas. My personal favorite is alternate nostril breathing when I’m anxious, unfocused, or in a hurry. I close my right nostril gently with my right thumb as I breathe out and back in through my left nostril. Then, with either my middle or ring finger of the same hand, I close the left nostril as I release my thumb to breathe out and in with the right nostril. I take turns breathing out and in on each side. Even just a few breaths slowly bring my insides to a calm place.

54

Likewise, when I feel overwhelmed by grief or heaviness I might try a Kapalabhati - skullshining breath - which includes inhaling slowly and deeply and then letting out the exhale in short rapid pulses. This is a vitalizing, energizing breath that helps to balance the heavy, slow tamas energy. Breathing doesn’t resolve grief or sadness, but it does help me find space around these feelings and release their control.

With physical yoga practice, also called Asana, one finds balance through focused posture and movement. This doesn’t necessarily mean I have to attend an entire yoga class to benefit from asana practice. Asana can be as simple as stopping where I am, at the moment, and doing a Sun Salutation to wake up my rajas a bit or curling into a Child’s Pose to calm it down.

Meditation is another useful tool for balancing the gunas. I’ve been practicing metta or lovingkindness, meditation lately, meaning that I meditate on my own worthiness of love, kindness, health, and happiness. Then I focus my intentions on that same benevolence toward other people, some who I love purely and others against whom I harbor resentment. Using this incredible meditative tool, I can see myself as a complete being, every bit as deserving of love as I believe anybody else is; as the very earth is worthy. If I love and cherish the Earth, then I have to love and cherish myself because I am of the Earth just as any part of my body is of me.

This knowledge is centering and encourages sattva because it is realized in purity and truth.

These energetic forces constantly function and fluctuate within us and in the context of our relationships with other people and nature. I’m finding that the better I understand and acknowledge the truth, love, and light in me, the more I can control my seesaw and connection with the Earth. I envision my tamas and rajas, each having both feet on the ground, swaying up and down ever so gently from tip-toe back to heel, up to tip-toe, back down, never leaving the Earth of which I am part.

Finding my own balance, sattva is an offering of peace to the Earth. The turbulent energetic forces of imbalance are not mine alone to carry. I am in mother nature. She is in me. She is the cycle of life and I am part of that cycle. Inward and outward I breathe; balance in me, balance in all beings, balance in mother nature.

55

MUSIC

TMSC RECoMMENDS BLAK MADEEN LET THE GOOD GET EVEN HTTPS://BIT.LY/MOTHER-MAIDEN-CRONE

Blak Madeen's new release Let the Good Get Even is now

out.

Support

artists

and

buy

their

music.

Old

school style Boston grooves are new again.

JORDEN REYNES MOTHER MAIDEN [CRONE] EP HTTPS://BIT.LY/MOTHER-MAIDEN-CRONE

Jorden Reynes is a storyteller and musician. Click on the

EP

name

above

to

listen

to

her

music

and

support her work. You can hear her commentary on one aspect of her Mother Maiden Crone project on our website here.

PODCASTS

INVISIBILIA Unseeable forces control human behavior and shape

our

ideas,

beliefs,

and

assumptions.

Invisibilia — Latin for invisible things — fuses narrative

storytelling

with

science

that

will

make you see your own life differently.

TERRIBLE THANKS FOR ASKING Terrible,

thanks

for

asking,

hosted

by

Nora

McInerney, gets real and talks about life - in all its ugly and beautiful glory.

GUIDED MEDITATION 21 BLESSING FROM THE DIVINE FEMININE HTTPS://BIT.LY/DIVINE-FEMININE-MEDITATION

Glenda Cedarleaf guides you on this meditative journey with 21 blessings of the Divine Feminine. It is a gentle reminder that this nurturing presence is

always

healing.

56

available.

Embody

this

compassionate

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THE WILD UNKNOWN ANIMAL SPIRIT DECK WITH

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Kim Krans

BOOKS & CARDS

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THE LONGEVITY BOOK THE SCIENCE OF AGING, THE BIOLOGY OF STRENGTH, AND THE PRIVILEGE OF TIME

Sandra Bark & Cameron Diaz

When you purchase these products using the links on this page, you are supporting the Mindful Soul Center. Amazon gives us a small referral fee with no cost to you.

57

THE

AGELESS

WOMAN

This compilation of information is for the ageless woman; maiden, mother, crone. You'll find a variety

of

resources

including

sections

on

aging

which

include

becoming

a

crone

and

my

own

experience of menopause (menopause infographic download), several podcast episodes, and videos - a mini-hub of information for the ageless woman. Some of the things you'll find in this 'hub' are:

A

two-part

interview

with

Rachel

Dutton

a

women's

health

expert.

She

shares

a

depth

of

information that was so vast the interview was broken into 2 parts. We discuss PMS, PCOS, infertility, postpartum depression, what's "normal" for a woman, oestrogen dominance, hormone balancing, the 4th trimester of pregnancy, charting your period and its benefits.

A video of spoken word poet & visual artist Robin Reynolds, speaking her poem: Middle-Aged White Women Goddess Energy Standing In Your Power, Persephone And Demeter An interview with Susan Rodway-Hall on Happy Hormones, Yoga, Menopause and Perimenopause A Ted-ed Video on the changes that happen physically to the body during pregnancy.

You can access all of these in one place simply visit our 'Vault" here:

https://bit.ly/the-ageless-woman

58

FASCINATING SOMETIMES AGED FEMALE ANCESTORAL FIGURES

Our entire history is filled with gods and goddesses that populate our myths and stories to help us make sense of life. Exploring goddesses and telling their stories of course can't simply be done in an article in a magazine. But we can at least get acquainted with some of them here as a jumping off point for more specific in-depth explorations. In fact you can read the story of Persephone aka Kore in a previous issue or listen to a podcast on the story here.

59

’otua fefine

Female figure known as ’otua fefine Early 19th century Ivory figures were venerated as sacred objects in the Ha’apai Islands of Tonga. This whale ivory figurine sculpture is one of sixteen female figures surviving in the world from this time (1868) and place. Almost exclusively female, the figurines are referred to as known as ’otua fefine, a term used to describe prominent female ancestors who were venerated as divine beings. Although the ivory used is from whales, Polynesian islanders did not hunt whales.

Instead, when there were strandings on the reef. Sacred objects were kept with other sacred objects in specially constructed fiber god houses which acted as small shrines and taken out to be used in ceremonies. They served as the 'hollow bone' or channels a vessel or vaka through which the spirits of the ancestral gods could pass. Worn on ceremonial occasions chiefly by women as either as single pendants or as an element of a larger necklace.

Background image of the Humpback whales of Tonga with Roderick Eime from Australia - Majestic Whale Encounters, photo credit: Brandon Cole (CC2.0) courtesy of www.majesticwhaleencounters.com 60

61

Gr e e n

a r a T

From a Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita, a Perfection of Wisdom Manuscript

early 12th century, India (Bengal) or Bangladesh

A sacred image of Green Tara, holding a blue lotus, making the gesture of granting boons. Two female attendants are shown on either side of her. One attendant holds a ritual weapon known as a vajra. A vajra is also known as a Dorje and symbolizes a diamond's indestructibility and the irresistible force of a thunderbolt. The other attendant is Mahakali, and she holds a flaying knife and a ritual bowl known as a kapala or an adorned skullcup.

62

Mahadevi the Great Goddess ca. 1725 Bikaner, Rajasthan, India Background photo is by Dev Ubc of The Laxmi Niwas Palace, Bikaner, Rajasthan (cc4) In this twenty-armed form, Mahadevi - the mother goddess, holds an array of weapons affiliating her with all the male gods. This iconography also associates her with Durga, the slayer of the buffalo demon Mahisha. Ultimately powerful and creative, Mahadevi is understood by her devotees as the true reality in the universe. As she was the protector deity of the ruling household of Bikaner, this representation would have had special significance for the court.Bikaner is a city in the north Indian state of Rajasthan, east of the border with Pakistan. Surrounded by the Thar Desert, the city is known for the 16th-century Junagarh Fort, a large complex of ornate buildings and halls. Nearby, the Karni Mata Temple is home to many rats considered sacred by Hindu devotees.

63

64

Dhumavati

Lithograph of an aged goddess c. 1875–80, India, Calcutta A Mahavidya, Dhumavati is one from a group of ten Tantric goddesses of Hinduism. Portrayed as an aged woman of profound wisdom her long hair frames her face, and the all-seeing third eye is prominent on her forehead. She represents the fearsome aspect of Devi, the Supreme Goddess, she holds and can reveal the ultimate knowledge of the universe which is beyond the illusory realms of the material world. She is associated with the crows shown here with her and funerary grounds.

65

Mami Wata Mami Wata's name has more than one meaning and she adapts to a regions local beliefs and evolves with the time.

Commonly thought to be a single entity, the name Mami Wata has been applied to several African water deity traditions across various cultures and can be gender fluid. Although "Mami Wata" can refer to both male and female deities, mostly they are thought of as feminine and usually take on a female form in artistic representations.

The existence and spiritual importance of Mami Wata is deeply rooted in the ancient tradition and mythology of the coastal southeastern Nigerians (Efik, Ibibio, Igbo, Bahumono and Annang people). Mami Wata often carries expensive baubles such as combs, mirrors, and watches.

Mami Wata is often described as a mermaid-like figure, with a woman's upper body (often nude) and the hindquarters of a fish or serpent. In other tales, Mami Wata is fully human in appearance - though never human. A large snake as a symbol of divination and divinity often accompanies her, wrapping itself around her and laying its head between her breasts. Other times, she may try to pass as completely human, wandering busy markets or patronising bars. The complexities are too great for this brief introduction to Mami Wata here, but if you haven't met her before then I'm glad you were introduced to her here.

Sculpture of the African water deity Mami Wata 1950s. Nigeria (Igbo) Minneapolis Institute of Art 66

Aged Goddess Aged woman, probably a goddess 664–30 B.C., Late Period–Ptolemaic Period Represented as an aged woman with sagging breasts the figure is stooping and uses a cane for support. She was probably a goddess since the broken surface on the top of the head indicates this figure wore a crown.

67

Goddess Taweret Statuette of the Goddess Taweret 332–30 B.C.,Ptolemaic Period The goddess Taweret is known as to protect pregnant women, especially during childbirth. An ominous figure she is meant to frighten away demons and other deadly creatures. Her features combine the attributes of four different species: human, hippopotamus, crocodile, and lion. Her hand rests on the sa sign, a hieroglyph that means protection.

The sun god Amun-Re was conceived of as having multiple divine mothers, and by this later period in Egyptian history, Taweret and the other hippopotamus goddesses were included in this body of solar mothers. Taweret was worshipped in both secular and sacred settings.

68

Astarte Goddess: Astarte Greek: Aphrodite Roman: Venus Etruscan: Turan Mesopotamian: Ishtar Sumerian: Inanna

Greek: Aphrodite Faience statuette 334–30 B.C. Egyptian, Ptolemaic

Furniture plaque carved in relief with a “woman at the window” ca. 9th–8th century B.C., Assyrian Furniture plaque carved in relief with a “woman at the window,” ca. 9th–8th century B.C., AssyrianFound in Arslan Tash and other sites in Mesopotamia and the Levant, this rectangular plaque is one of several variations of the “woman at the window” theme. The head of a female wears a cloth headband, sometimes adorned with jewels known as a diadem and loop earrings. She is surrounded on three sides by a frame and below her four columns. This plaque can be attributed to the South Syrian style which is a combination of North Syrian [the woman’s large, round face, large ears, small mouth and receding chin] and Phoenician [the short Egyptian-style wig] elements. There is no conclusive interpretation of whom these plaques were meant to represent, however, some scholars associate them with the Levantine goddess Astarte.

69

Isis-Aphrodite

Figure of Isis-Aphrodite 2nd century A.D., Roman Period Isis-Aphrodite, a form of the great goddess Isis highlights the fertility aspects associated with Aphrodite who was concerned with marriage, childbirth and with rebirth. Shown here with intricate accessories that include the calathos a the crown of Egyptian Greco-Roman divinities.

Dating technology puts this piece in the Roman period, estimated at AD 150.

Aphrodite Terracotta disk with Aphrodite riding on a swan 4th century B.C. , Greek Aphrodite was sometimes depicted with a swan, a symbol of good health, music, divination, and grace. In Roman times, Ovid and Horace in their works referred to the goddess in her chariot drawn through the air by swans.

70

71

SPINNING THE GODDESS INTO A SPIDER written by Amy Adams

Goddess pose aka Utkata Konasana is a standing pose. It is a pose of confidence, strength, and power. In it, we are forced to take up space. Taking up space is something often contrary to what is expected from girls and women. We spread our legs and squat, our legs grounded and strong. The shape and position remind me of fertility, the act of birth and even primitive figures in art. At the same time, as we embody the goddess and practice this pose, we open our hearts with our arms spread and muscles of the back engaged. These things together are a kind of juxtaposition of strength and vulnerability.

You can enter into the pose in a variety of ways; following a standing wide-legged forward fold turning your feet or from a mountain pose widening your stance by stepping one leg to the side and turning your feet outwards. It’s a pose that is part of the moon salutation sequence too. There are several hand variations too, such as cactus arms, Anjali mudra (prayer hands), extended arms with the hasta mudra, etc.

You can also revolve the pose. There are a lot of possibilities and, some are shown here in images. Your yoga teacher can guide you with specifics on them as well. One variation that isn’t too common is the spider pose and, that’s what we’ll focus on here.

SPIDER POSE Spider pose is one way to challenge yourself and try new things since variation moves the pose from beginner to intermediate level. Spider pose doesn’t have a formal name in Sanskrit, but just like other yoga poses, it has impact and benefits to various muscles and can be included in yoga sequences.

The spider itself has a deep symbolic meaning. One of the most common themes is the grandmother spider celebrated in indigenous cultures in North America and elsewhere.

Spiders weave intricate webs, spinning and creating something from seemingly nothing. Weaving is traditionally considered women’s work and, we see this metaphor in play in the stories of the Fates in Greek mythology - weaving and cutting the threads to life. As the guardian of languages and the alphabet, the spider communicates with us sharing her knowledge and wisdom, spider - a female energy teaches the younger generations how to weave their way through life.

72

The spider’s body is unlike an insect’s - having a two-section body instead of three like an insect. The double circles take on mystical symbolism. Together the body forms the shape of the number 8 from which represents the two-dimensional symbol of infinity. The past and the future, the physical and the spiritual are all woven together. The artist Louise Bourgeois, explored the theme of the spider mother in her later life with her work called Maman.

Like the spider stories of the past, Maman symbolizes the strength of her own mother, mixed with the metaphors of spinning, weaving, nurture and protection - something we all need in a complex and uncertain world. Maman was birthed from her imagination during the late 90s when she was in her 80s. The original sculpture is more than nine metres or thirty feet high and made from steel and marble. Six bronze sculptures were cast from it and are installed at various locations around the world. She says this about the spider: The Spider is an ode to my mother. She was my best friend. Like a spider, my mother was a weaver. My family was in the business of tapestry restoration, and my mother was in charge of the workshop. Like spiders, my mother was very clever.

Spiders are friendly presences that eat mosquitoes. We know that mosquitoes spread diseases and are therefore unwanted.

So, spiders are helpful and protective, just like my mother.

— Louise Bourgeois

73

GODDESS POSE: HOW TO AND ITS BENEFITS From Tadasana aka mountain pose, turn your whole body right to face the long edge of the mat. Come into a wide leg stance, pointing your toes outward from 45 to 60 degrees and towards the corners of the long edge of the mat. Bend your knees squat down, dropping your hips to knee height. Keep the thighs parallel to the ground, your spine erect slightly tucking in the tailbone. Gaze forward. Keep the crown of the head lengthening upwards as you extend your arms out to the sides at shoulder-height with your palms facing down. Then, spiral your thumbs up toward the ceiling, so your palms face forward. Bend your elbows and point your fingertips toward the ceiling; your upper arms and forearms should be at a 90-degree angle. Keep your knees in line with your toes. Soften your shoulders. Hold for 3 to 10 breaths.

Send the breath to the lower abdomen, contract the abdominal muscles and release, do this at your own pace.

Frequently practised in hip opening sequences, this pose helps boost energy in the body and builds confidence. The practice of goddess pose as part of a prenatal yoga sequence helps to widen the uterus and prepare for delivery during pregnancy. Goddess pose benefits the following muscles: Lower back, hamstrings, hips, knees, pelvic floor and quadriceps.

74

MOVING INTO SPIDER POSE FROM GODDESS POSE From goddess pose, fold forward. Allow your arms to drop down to the ground and raise your heels from the ground.

Cross your arms in front of you letting the backs of your hands rest on the ground, with your palms facing upward.

Touch the tips of your forefingers and thumbs together. Hold for 3-10 breaths.

Spider pose benefits the following muscle groups: Arms and Shoulders Lower Back Middle Back Upper Back Core (Abs) Feet and Ankles Hamstrings Hips Knees Neck Pelvic Quadriceps

FINAL THOUGHTS Spiders are associated with the feminine principle, so this variation of the pose seems apropos. Spiders are associated with the waxing and waning of the moon a feminine symbol. They are very agile, and even though they instil fear in many, most are timid, their bodies delicate and fragile. How will you embrace your inner goddess and express it outwardly? What might you consider as you wrap and twist your body into a spider pose?

75

76

She did not know yet how sometimes people keep parts of themselves hidden and secret, sometimes wicked and unkind parts, but often brave or wild or colorful parts, cunning or powerful or even marvelous, beautiful parts, just locked up away at the bottom of their hearts. They do this because they are afraid of the world and of being stared at, or relied upon to do feats of bravery or boldness.

And all of those brave and wild and cunning and marvelous and beautiful parts they hid away and left in the dark to grow strange mushrooms— and yes, sometimes those wicked and unkind parts, too—end up in their shadow. an excerpt from Catherynne M. Valente's The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland & Led the Revels There 77

FIVE TYPES OF FOOD TO INCREASE YOUR PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING by: Megan Lee and Joanne Bradbury

We

all

good

know

for

eating

our

decrease

physical

our

diabetes,

“healthy”

risk

cancer,

health of

food and

is

can

developing

obesity

and

heart

disease. What is not as well known is that eating healthy food is also good for

our

decrease

mental our

health

risk

of

and

can

depression

and

anxiety.

at an alarming rate and therapies and medications

cost

$US2.5

trillion

dollars a year globally.

There is now evidence dietary changes decrease

the

development

of

mental health issues and alleviate this growing

burden.

guidelines

Australia’s

recommend

clinical

addressing

diet when treating depression.

Recently

there

advances

addressing

certain

foods

have

have

on

been the

major

influence

psychological

well-being. Increasing these nutrients could not only increase personal wellbeing but could also decrease the cost of mental health issues all around the world.

78

One way to increase psychological well-being is by fuelling

brain

cells

correctly

through

the

carbohydrates in our food. Complex carbohydrates are

sugars

within

made

fibre

and

up

of

large

starch.

molecules

They

are

contained

found

in

fruit,

vegetables, and whole grains and are beneficial for brain health as they release glucose slowly into our system. This helps stabilise our mood.

Mental health disorders are increasing

can

COMPLEX CARBOHYDRATES

COMPLEX CARBOHYDRATES (CONTINUED) Simple

carbohydrates

rapidly

increase

and

found

in

decrease

sugary feelings

snacks of

and

drinks

happiness

and

create

sugar

produce

a

highs

negative

and

lows

effect

on

that our

psychological well-being.

We often use these types of sugary foods to comfort us when we’re feeling down. But this can create an addiction-like response in the brain, similar to illicit drugs that increase mood for the short term but have negative long-term effects.

Increasing intake of complex carbohydrates and decreasing sugary drinks and snacks could be the first step in increased happiness and well-being.

ANTIOXIDANTS Oxidation

is

a

normal

process

our

cells

carry out to function. Oxidation produces energy

for

Unfortunately,

our

body

and

brain.

this

process

also

creates

oxidative stress and more of this happens in the brain than in any other part of the body.

Chemicals that promote happiness in the brain such as dopamine and serotonin are reduced

due

to

oxidation

and

this

can

contribute to a decrease in mental health.

Antioxidants

found

in

brightly

coloured

foods such as fruit and vegetables act as a

defence

against

oxidative

stress

and

inflammation in the brain and body.

Antioxidants damage cause

also,

and

cell

repair

scavenge

damage

free

in

the

oxidative

radicals brain.

that

Eating

more antioxidant-rich foods can increase the feel-good chemicals in our brain and heighten mood.

OMEGA 3 Omega

3

are

polyunsaturated

fatty

acids that are involved in the process of converting food into energy. They are

important

brain

and

the

feel-good

for

the

health

communication

chemicals

of

the

of

its

dopamine,

serotonin and norepinephrine.

Omega

3

fatty

acids

are

commonly

found in oily fish, nuts, seeds, leafy vegetables,

eggs,

and

in

grass-fed

meats. Omega 3 has been found to increase brain functioning, can slow down and

the

progression

may

improve

of

dementia

symptoms

of

depression.

continued

79

OMEGA-3 (CONTINUED) Omega 3 are essential nutrients that are not readily produced by the body and can only be found in the foods we eat, so it’s imperative we include more foods high in omega 3 in our everyday diet.

B VITAMINS B

vitamins

play

production chemicals

of

a

large

our

role

brain’s

serotonin

and

in

the

happiness

dopamine

and

can be found in green vegetables, beans, bananas,

and

vitamins

B6,

have

beetroot.

B12

been

and

known

depression

and

High

amounts

folate

to

too

in

the

protect low

of

diet

against

amounts

to

increase the severity of symptoms.

Vitamin

B

reduced

deficiency production

can

result

of

happiness

in

chemicals in our brain and can lead to the onset mental

of

low

health

Increasing

B

mood

that

could

issues

over

a

vitamins

in

long

our

lead

to

period.

diet

could

increase the production of the feel-good chemicals

in

our

brain

which

promotes

happiness and well-being.

PREBIOTICS AND PROBIOTICS The

trillions

of

good

and

bad bacteria living in our tummies our

mood,

brain

also

influence

behaviour

health.

messengers

and

Chemical

produced

in

our stomach influence our emotions, our

appetite

reactions

to

and

stressful

situations.

Prebiotics and probiotics found in yoghurt, cheese and fermented foods such as kombucha, sauerkraut and kimchi work on the same pathways in the brain as antidepressant medications and studies have found they might have similar effects.

Prebiotics and Probiotics have been found to suppress immune reactions in the body, reduce inflammation in the brain, decrease depressed and anxious states and elevate happy emotions.

Incorporating these foods into our diet will not only increase our physical health but will have beneficial

effects

on

our

mental

health,

including

reducing

our

risk

of

disorders

such

as

depression and anxiety.

Written by: Megan Lee, Academic Tutor and Lecturer, Southern Cross University and Joanne Bradbury Lecturer in Evidence Based Health Care, Southern Cross University This article was originally published on-line by The Conversation and is available here under a Creative Commons license

80

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.

We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?

Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine...And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

- Marianne Williamson -

[the] MINDFUL SOUL CENTER

PODCAST WHAT MATTERS MOST? Let me know what topics matter most to you. What are your struggles and challenges? Record your message here or shoot me an email here. amy@themindfulsoulcenter.com

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RECORD YOUR MESSAGE SHARE YOUR STORIES & ASK QUESTIONS Answer a call for stories from one of our episodes or recommend a guest for an interview, tell us a story or let us know what topics are important to you. It's so easy, simply visit the website and on the tab on the right you can leave a voice recording.

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