Goddess #atozblogchallenge

Carl Jung talks about archetypes as patterns that repeat. A friend on Facebook poses this question this week:

"Have you ever noticed, most futuristic movies have a woman leader? In which most of these movies portray a dystopian future for us all!"

It has caused me to think about archetypes. And a book I read a few years ago called, "When God Was a Woman" by Merlin Stone. (I highly recommend it.)

Before Christ, before history, the belief is that the goddess ruled. She didn't rule in a dualistic or opposing way to god. She ruled as a mother. As a nurturer. As a creator. (I always questioned how god was the creator when women were created to have babies.) In the matriarchal society, the children belonged to the mother. Inheritances passed through the female. That makes so much more sense... because the female keeps the children, the property, the control of the family unit. And the society supports one another.

When a tribal band of desert dwellers came into their land, they took control by force. They split families up, sending them into other parts of the countryside and the men of these invading nations dominated the women, raped them, impregnated them and forced the goddess underground. They tore down the places of worship and called them an abomination. They twisted the feminine into something evil. Patriarchy took over.

All of this has me thinking... If life is about patterns, archetypes, characters that we see replayed over and again throughout history, maybe these movies are a foretelling of a time to come when the goddess re-emerges and life comes under the rule of matriarchy once again.

I believe in the rise of the goddess culture. Again, I don't believe the intent is to oppose men, but it is not compatible with patriarchy. Goddess culture, to me, is the encouragement to use your voice and tell your story, to write your own rules and to live by them, to live and dwell in peace and to allow others to do the same.

The Letter F #atozblogchallenge

F is for…

Fear and freedom.

They kind of go hand in hand.

They also are closely aligned with faith.

Once upon a time, when I was a "good woman", when I conformed to my community’s standards, before I painted my door purple and cut my hair and threw away all my skirts… I was fearful. The thing that kept me so controlled and anxious was my faith. My beliefs were very patriarchal and male driven. As a woman, I was to be silent, subservient and submissive. Being a strong and “bossy” female, I was accused of being controlling. I was only trying to help everyone to conform as well I did. However, all I was really doing was keeping up appearances.

When my faith began to crumble due to failing to stand up to scrutiny, I began to feel a freedom, as I never had. When the threat of hell and the fear of “God’s” disapproval began to diminish, I realized I was a good person without that threat. I was a moral and kind and generous person. Nothing about me had changed. But the weight of the fear and shame began to lift.

Faith, for me, is about creating a lifestyle of peace, meditation and ritual. I have touchstones in my life that help me to travel through the year. I take time, when I am able, to recognize and slow down for times, like the new and full moon.  I like to light a fire, play music, maybe dance, set intentions and reflect on what just passed or what is to come.