“There were no religious images in the churches or synagogues of our childhood that celebrated the birthing powers of women.
According to religion’s myths, the world was brought into being by a male God, and woman was created from man. This reversal of biological process went unchallenged. Most of us didn’t even notice the absence of the mother. Although we may not have been consciously aware of her absence in bible stories and sermons, her absence was absorbed into our being. And its painful influence was intensified as we observed the design of our parents’ relationship and the treatment of our mothers by our fathers and brothers.
Our families mirrored the hierarchical reality of the heavens. In a society that worships a male God, the father’s life is more valuable than the mother’s. The activities of a man’s life are more vital and necessary than the mother’s intimate connections with the origins of life. The father is God.”
― Patricia Lynn Reilly
“And you will be like God”
Watercolor, gouache, graphite, colored pencil, and collage on Arches paper. Liz Darling 2014.
I want you to think for a moment what it would be like growing up with a religon or in a society that didn’t say women were unclean or cursed but encouraged them to celebrate the gateway of life between their legs and their fertility? That instead of telling you that Humanity came from Adam’s rib, we actually came out of a womb.
Imagine growing up in a culture that didn’t shame women’s normal and healthy bodily functions such as menstruation. Imagine a society that didn’t shame or harrass women for say– breastfeeding in public. How would that influence how you saw yourself and your body and the body of the women around you? Imagine if mothers were seen as valuable and respected? Imagine if menstruation and birth weren’t viewed as merely physical or degraded and shamed?
Imagine if women weren’t blamed for being victims of sexual violence?
Imagine if women weren’t dehumanised for their normal bodily functioning?
Imagine if men were encouraged to show tears and vulnerability?
Imagine if we taught girls growing up that during the time of bleeding women’s ability to dream, have profound altered states of consciousness is stronger than any other time? Imagine if we taught women that their menstrual time was a window into a deep time of self awareness? Imagine if we taught women that these monthly cycles were a gift and a montly barometer into our general health, emotional and spiritual wellbeing?