“Women, Courage and Being a Shakti Sage”
I heard back from many of you that you are having an edgy time with the word power. Women’s and girl’s empowerment workshops are flourishing, with great results, yet I am hearing back that the notion of “power with” and “coming from one’s place of power” can easily feel difficult or harsh or uncomfortable when doing this in relationships.
So, here is a review of my designed “shakti sage” qualities. Foundational shakti sage qualities are power and wisdom, infused with the following secondary qualities: courage, fire, boldness in one’s uniqueness, balanced by unconditional love, integrity and gentleness. I believe that being powerful requires exhibiting on-going gentle courage in daily life.
This week, I would like to discuss courage further, not the kind of hero courage that is exhibited with dramatic feats but a kind of quiet and sustainable courage. Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, who coined the phrase, “well behaved women seldom make history”, was in fact speaking about well behaved normal women who in the course of their regular daily, non extraordinary lives, exhibit exceptional gentle courage by refusing to be pulled into the cultural drift of complacency.
This may show up as refusing to participate in gossip; as refusing to participate in racist, ageist or sexist jokes, this may show up as refusing to be seduced into relating to one another on the basis of looks, clothes, weight, victimhood, social status or heaven forbid what husbands do (if you have them).
It takes courage and skill to see a good friend and acknowledge her for who she is, not her looks, her new haircut, her new car or clothes. It also takes courage and skill to accept that acknowledgement. You might be asking, well, what is wrong with paying a compliment and it is a great question. I would say, nothing is wrong with paying a compliment, but when one’s life foundation is based on the external, rather than the internal and this becomes a life pattern, that becomes a problem.
Play around with this during the week, you wonderful luscious shakti sages.
Self-care Enchantments:
1. Become an observer of your interactions and conversations, how do you participate or not in overt or subtle gossip, “social statusing”, “I’m better than youing”?
2. What would it look like for you to exhibit gentle courage in your life? Add your comments in to the powblog.
3. Which woman/women do you know who have showed amazing gentle courage?
Namaste,
Zoey
Zoey Ryan
life & business coach for women
inspiration * clarity * wisdom * enchantment
http://zoeyryan.com
604-323-3700
“Coaching for your heart & soul & the heart and soul of your business”
Ah, the fire within. Has been a very intense and emotional time for many of us Goddesses these past few weeks with both of the Eclipses and the New and Full Moons.
With respect to the fire aspect that Zoey is writing about, the anger that has been surfacing for so many is simply the need to release this fiery energy and, like it or not, many of us have a very hard time identifying with this aspect of the Divine Feminine.
Fire is cleansing, purifying, a great opener and most definitely creative. And this is the aspect of “FIRE” that is calling to us all. We are all being guided to release this fiery energy in creative and loving ways. Like the Phoenix rising from the ashes, I encourage you all to rise up and shine the light from deep with the Fire of your Soul.
Katrice,
Thank you so much for adding this wisdom. Yes, it is a rising up to shine!
namaste,
Zoey