“Women’s Stuff”

I’m not comfortable talking about all that “women’s stuff” when it’s wrapped in a spiritual context. Women’s right to equal pay, no problem, I’ll freely voice my opinion. My thought on the role of the sacred feminine . . . mostly silence, except around a few select friends. Perhaps it’s because there isn’t much academic authority given to the subject compared to the more entrenched religions (i.e. religions with a male figurehead). My spiritual life is largely private anyway, which is a cultural thing, you just don’t talk about it. I had no idea my mother was essentially an atheist—didn’t even know that word existed until Sam Harris came along. My hubby’s family who hails from the West Coast openly debate religion (they are Evangelicals, the hubby is atheist); often religion just naturally infuses their language. Being a born and raised Nova Scotian, this is a real head-scratcher—I had never encountered that before, and it is sometimes uncomfortable for me (I resort to the “smile and nod” method and hope it passes).

I wrote an article that is supposed to be published in the fall issue of Crone’s about my relationship with my mother and my slow and subtle transformation into accepting a more feminine approach to life. On the surface, I probably seem very traditional, but the energy and motivation behind those actions are not. Instead of favoring one over the other, I am trying to accept both the masculine and the feminine.

What draws me to the world’s mystical traditions is that there is no separation of these two energies. The divine can be, essentially, ambiguous, or two halves of a whole in divine union. There is a long and rich history which satisfies my academic hunger (the realm of the intellect traditionally seen as masculine), but they are equally experiential, personal, and intuitive (traditionally seen as feminine).

I encounter a lot of thinking from spiritual women writers about the return of the feminine aspect into our universal consciousness and the eventual return to balance. I find myself torn between the feeling of hope that yes this is true and how much of this is wishful thinking—that I’m just seeing the signs I want see. After all, those with other perspectives are seeing the signs they want to see of a very different future. All these differences make life frustrating (sometimes seemingly unbearable and hopeless), but also more colorful and interesting—and sometimes downright hilarious (“They’re can’t be serious!”). It is inspiring when interfaith dialogue bridges the gap and finds a common language, such as the following daily meditation I received in my inbox this morning from Richard Rohr, founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation:

THE MATERNAL FACE OF GOD

All this “women-stuff” is not only important; it is half of conversion, half of salvation, half of wholeness, half of God’s work of art. I believe this mystery is imaged in the Woman of the twelfth chapter of the Apocalypse: “pregnant, and in labor, crying aloud in the pangs of childbirth. . . .and finally escaping into the desert until her time” (Revelation 12:1-6).

Could this be the time? It is always the time! The world is tired of Pentagons and pyramids, empires and corporations that only abort God’s child. This women-stuff is very important, and it has always been important; more than this white male priest ever imagined or desired! My God was too small and too male. Much that the feminists have said is very prophetic and necessary for the Church and the world. It is time for the woman to come out of her desert refuge and for the men to welcome her.

Adapted from The Maternal Face of God (available as part of On Transformation: Collected Talks, Volume 1 (CD))