The Age of Women

“Women are the first environment. We are privileged to be the doorway to life. At the breast of women, the generations are nourished and sustained. From the bodies of women flow the relationship of those generations to both society and to the natural world. In this way is the Earth our mother, the old people said. In this way, we as women are Earth.” ~ Katsi Cook

I came across this very profound statement by midwife, Katsi Cook, and it started the wheels of thought turning in my head. There’s a lot of wisdom held in those sixty-four words, however, I’m only going to focus on a very small part of it.

Katsi Cook’s statement speaks volumes about self-care, when it comes to women. From the day we come into this world as female children, we are born with a great amount of power and responsibility. You see, we have been tasked with ushering in the future generations, and teaching them the ways of the spiritual and natural world.

As women, we have a duty and responsibility to all the women who will come after us. This is especially important for new mothers, or even those who hope to become mothers one day. The world as we know it no longer recognizes the power and authority of women. Regaining power and control begins with the following mindset (popular word for internal belief):

I AM POWERFULLY WORTHY OF ALL THINGS GREAT AND SMALL.

Over my lifetime, I learned something that I am going to share with you now: women are the heart and soul of every family, community, nation, and indeed the world. Upon our creation, we were emblazoned with the ability to empathize and express compassion, even unto ourselves.  Think about that for a moment.

I follow the Nicole Phillips’ Kindness is Contagious blog, Dr. Susan Mathison’s Positively Beautiful blog, and Cris Linnares like a puppy dog follows a child. Why? Because, these women got it going on, and even inspirers need a little inspiration sometimes. Each of them has traveled seemingly very different paths in life, yet has met in the Age of Women.

What has any of that to do with the Katsi Cook statement? We are the birthers of the nations. If we ourselves are sick, what will we birth, but more sickness and dysfunction? As the birthers, we need to care for ourselves and ensure that we are strong and healthy, starting from the inside.

This is the Age of Women where:

• No longer will we stand by and watch as our daughters are over-sexualized in the media to the point of eating disorders and self-hatred.

• No longer will we accept verbal or physical beat-downs of our daughters by other girls, to the point of suicide.

• No longer will we accept or condone the verbal and physical abuse propagated and condoned by weak men, to the point of demoralization.

• No longer will we self-talk ourselves into doubt and fear, to the point of subjugation.

We are the women of the world. We are the birthers of nations and the mother of men. We are the future of the world; and in that there is much power and authority.

Welcome to the Age of Women.

Shine a Light Through an Open Door

The heart of the world beats in the breast of every man. The door to the world is attached to the heart, and once opened it can never again be closed. The world is filled with a vibrant fabric of cultures and traditions that have survived the millennia. Through war and conflict, natural disasters, and the march of progress the fabric of culture is becoming tattered and frayed at the edges. Nonetheless, the original culture of man survives in its natural state. In spite of our differences, barriers, and lack of understanding the culture of love survives.

We all have our histories in the world from the beginning of our ancestral lines to this day in which we live. These histories overlap and intertwine with one another, attaching to the heart that beats ferociously in the universe. We work each day to survive in a world that seems to be overcome with greed, selfish desires, and the need to acquire and have more. The headlines scream of atrocities that the human mind can scarcely comprehend, as they have since the beginning of the written word. Yet, underneath it all, there is a steady beat that fills the human being, which cannot be vanquished even by the darkest of evils that have plagued the population of the Earth. It is the heart of the world. The heart that allows us, as one race, to overcome all that has been, and all that will be. It is said that Love conquers all, and I hold that as a truth in life.

I have spent the majority of my life in one place where the world had not entered in until the last of the twentieth century. It was when the world seeped into my existence that I was able to open my heart and shine a light through an open door. I began meeting more people from all over the world in my own backyard. Some of these people were only to be in my life for a short while, and others have become long-time friends. The secret to the world is held within ourselves. It is the ability to see another as a human being not unlike ourselves. It is the ability to give and receive love, which transcends all barriers.

Please visit the above video on youtube for links to Ven Tribe and other information regarding the makers of this video, which is the sole property of Lindsey Stirling.

Monday Musings: The Great Library of Alnae ~ The Butterfly Fields

The Great Library at the College of Alnae is everything I have dreamed and more. From a distance, the library is a magnificent building opulently decorated with all that is the world, and perhaps not of the world. Upon first sight, I shrank away from the grotesque carvings which beheld the visages of those that haunt the dreams of small children. Great winged creatures ascend the outer walls as though they have found their way out of the Land of Eternal Flames and seek to devour all that lies in their path. Crouched in an eternal vigil on the stone ledges are seated small creatures that seem to elude to a warning that forewarns of danger. My heart nearly leapt from chest to throat at the thought the one who rules over all the Land of Eternal Flames should dwell in this place of beauty and fright. Yet atop the dome of the building at the four directions stand enormous men in long robes of alabaster. They reach to the sky as though they have descended there from and alighted upon this glorious structure. Great trumpets extend in each direction at the lips of these winged men as though the clarion call shall sound at a moment’s notice. It is the most wonderful and frightening place I have ever laid eyes upon.

It has been weeks since my arrival in Alnae and I have yet to see the inside of the library. As I compose my message to Annalicia, my heart can barely be contained within the walls of my flesh as I shall have my first encounter at the library this very day. Oh what a glorious day it is! To my surprise and dismay, Richard has insisted upon accompanying me to the library. How dare he interlope upon one of the most treasured moments of my entire life? However, he is a Lord and I a commoner. I cannot refuse. At the doors of the library I must pause to catch my breath. The doors stand between great marble columns. My fingers taste the coolness of the column as I ascend the stairs to my greatest dream. Brilliant prisms cascade into the main room of the library under the dome of thick quartz crystal. I turn about in the midst of the rainbow speckles as though they were the butterflies in the meadow of The Butterfly Fields. In each of the corners of the room are grand staircases carved of dark wood with such intricate detail it could only be the work of a master woodcrafter. Where? Where do these grand staircases lead, and what wonders do they hide in the rooms above?

Great tapestries hang upon the walls intermingled with the portraits of Kings and Queens of old, accented by the armor of their men at arms who seem to stand sentry at the ready to defend still. Unlike the library of Johnsport, which is naught more than a single room of the Library of Alnae, the tables are constructed of polished stone, some inlaid with precious jewels. Whether it is I stand in a library or museum, I cannot decide. Despite my initial fear of the exterior, I know well many a precious hour shall be spent within these walls. There is naught in all the world that could possibly hold the source of all things as the Great Library. I shall begin my quest with the book of which Richard has chosen for me, it is the book from the people of the Great Pyramids. I cannot say the title of the book entices me so, but Richard insists it holds all the secrets of the world and so I shall begin with The Book of the Dead.

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I hope you have enjoyed another sneak peak into The Butterfly Fields. The Great Library of the College of Alnae is based on a conglomeration of interesting buidlings throughout the world. Pictured above is 1.) Town Hall in Munich Germany, and 2.) a staircase in Pele Castle in Romania. Click here for more pictures of interesting buildings in the world.

Sunday Conversations: Merry Christmas Around the World

Irish

Nollaig Shona le mo theaghlach agus lena chairde. Bealtaine bhfianaise na Spéartha a bheith in éineacht leat i gcónaí. Bealtaine Dia teacht i gcónaí agat cá bhfuil tú, agus a bheith sásta é a cruinniú idir é agus an leat. Is féidir do bhliain nua a líonadh le sonas grá, agus áthas!

Welsh
Nadolig Llawen i fy nheulu a ffrindiau. Mai ngoleuni'r Heavens fod gyda chwi yn wastad. Mai Duw bob amser yn dod o hyd i chi ble ydych chi a boed yn cyfarfod yn hapus rhwng Ef a thi. Efallai y bydd eich blwyddyn newydd yn cael ei lenwi â, hapusrwydd cariad a llawenydd.


Swedish
God jul till min familj och vänner. Kan bakgrund av himlen vara med dig alltid. Må Gud alltid hitta dig var du är och oavsett om det är ett lyckligt möte mellan han och dig. Må din nya året fyllas med kärlek, lycka och glädje.

Dutch
Merry Christmas aan mijn familie en vrienden. Moge het licht van de hemelen altijd bij je. Moge God altijd vinden waar je bent en of het nu een gelukkige ontmoeting tussen Hij en thee. Moge uw nieuwe jaar worden gevuld met liefde, geluk en vreugde.

German
Frohe Weihnachten an meine Familie und Freunde. Möge das Licht des Himmels sei allezeit mit euch. Möge Gott dich immer finden, wo du bist und sei es ein gelungenes Treffen zwischen ihm und dir. Möge dein neues Jahr mit viel Liebe, Glück und Freude erfüllt sein.

Finnish
Hyvää joulua perheeni ja ystäväni. Toukokuu valossa taivaan kanssanne aina. Jumala aina löytää missä olet ja olla se onnellinen tapaaminen Hän ja sinun. Olkoon uusi vuosi täynnä rakkautta, onnea ja iloa.

Norwegian
God jul til min familie og venner. Måtte lyset fra himmelen være med deg alltid. Må Gud alltid finne deg hvor du er og bli det et lykkelig møte mellom han og deg. Måtte din nye året bli fylt med kjærlighet, lykke og glede.

Danish
Glædelig jul til min familie og venner. Må lyset af Heavens være med dig altid. Må Gud altid finde dig, hvor du er, og hvad enten det er et lykkeligt møde mellem Han og dig. Må jeres nye år være fyldt med kærlighed, lykke og glæde.

Slovak
Veselé Vianoce moja rodina a priatelia. Môže byť s ohľadom na nebesá, vždy s Vami. Boh mája vždy zistíte, kde ste, a nech už je to šťastné stretnutie medzi ním a tebou. Môže si na Nový rok bude plný lásky, šťastia a radosti.

Spanish
Feliz Navidad a mi familia y amigos. Que la luz de los cielos estén siempre con vosotros. Que Dios siempre te averiguar dónde se encuentra y sea un feliz encuentro entre él y yo. Que tu nuevo año sea lleno de amor, felicidad y alegría.

English
Merry Christmas to my family and friends. May the light of the Heavens be with you always. May God always find you where you are and be it a happy meeting between He and thee. May your new year be filled with love, happiness and joy.