Her

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Sweet Honey, by K Kendall
Sweet Honey, by K Kendall

Thirty-seven years ago today, 11/11, I held her in my arms for the first time. She came into life, I became a mother.  It was a day that changed me forever.

Holding her in my arms for the first time, I knew a love I’d never even comprehended prior to that moment. A love completely unconditional. A love that would deepen over the years as she grew into womanhood, left home, married, became a mother, and handled life’s challenges and graces with such strength and courage.

Sitting here writing this post, I can’t begin to put into words the depth of this love for my daughters, I have two, and their children. It is completely unconditional. While in my day-to-day life I may do things in very conditional ways, not always showing up in the moment in a way that reflects this unconditional love, the limitless depth of the love in my heart is always here.

Four years ago, I was sitting in an ashram in India. Amma’s ashram. I was sitting in meditation while Amma gave darshan. Long lines of people would show up every day she was at home in her ashram, when she wasn’t touring the world giving hugs. Sitting in her love-filled temple, I was profoundly moved. My eyes came upon an Indian woman and her small child. They were sitting across from me, on the other side of the temple. She was holding him in her arms while he slept. She looked like the Madonna with child. A beautiful light surrounded them, a light not visible with my eyes, but wholly visible with my heart.

In that moment, this memory of the moments I became a mother, and the love that filled my heart for my babies, once again flooded my consciousness. This time, though, it wasn’t inside me, it surrounded me. It held me. It was me, and I was it. This love was so deep, so full, so rich that everything in my awareness was bathed in love.

Sitting here, writing this post, I feel it once again. This love. This universal motherhood consciousness that Amma speaks of. It is in us all. We are all bathed in it. Women and men, whether parents or not, are all universal mothers to all the world’s children.

Thirty-seven years ago, I was seventeen. I knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that I was meant to give birth to this child. I knew it in a place within me that was ancient and wise, a place that knows what I am here to do. As a young mother, I drew upon a strength and wisdom that flowed from this ancient place, a fountain of wisdom and love. I drew upon the sacred feminine consciousness within me, within my body, within my heart.

I certainly was far from a perfect mother. Far from it. Yet, something deeper flowed through my imperfect actions. Something unconditional infused my ways of loving conditionally.

This female intelligence, this wisdom, strength and knowing, runs through all women. We know what is right for our souls. We know what is right for our bodies. We know what is right for our children. When we are in touch with this wisdom, we know.

I knew this was right for me, for my soul and the soul of my daughter from some deep place within me. No one else could make this choice but me. It was the right choice for me, and that says nothing about what is right for any other woman.

So much that has been done through the structure and paradigm of patriarchy has clouded and obscured our female intelligence, our feminine ways of knowing. We’ve been cut off from the sacred feminine. We’ve been led to believe She is not here, that we can’t trust our own knowing and wisdom. She has been kept down in the dark. Yet, don’t let that fool you for a moment. This female intelligence has always been here. She is now rising into the light, up into consciousness.

She is living and breathing inside you right now. Somewhere you know this, even if you can’t quite yet trust Her.

Open to Her. Receive Her. Remember Her in your cells. Let Her bring forth your tears of grief for having lost touch with Her. Let Her bring forth this universal wisdom within you, so that you may shower your own heart and body with Her love. For Her love is your love, Her wisdom is your wisdom, Her ferocity is your ferocity.

Happy Birthday, beautiful daughter, wise woman.

And, you?

I’d love to hear about your female intelligence. What you know. What you see. What you feel. We all learn by knowing what another woman knows of her own experience.

image by K. Kendall, licensed under CC2.0


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20 Replies to “Her”

  1. Almost two decades ago, I read a book called ‘Circle of Stones’ by Judith Duerk. In it, I was presented with the Feminine as powerful, grounding, wise, magical, loving and nurturing ~ all new perspectives for me, at that time.

    I think of that book often – and am slowly evolving into one who could sit in the circle, ready to BE and to give and to love for others to come. I feel your belief Julie – that a shift is taking place and wonders of the Feminine, Her, is ready to be experienced, honoured and respected once again.

    Happy Birthday to your daughter – and thank you for this wisdom.

    (Here’s a link to a new edition of the book I mentioned: http://www.amazon.com/Circle-Stones-Journey-Herself-Circles/dp/1880913364)

    1. Sally,
      This is one of my treasured books. Yes, She is coming, and She comes through us. I’ll sit in a circle with you, any time dear.
      love,
      Julie

  2. I love what you write, always. This one spoke to me personally because I came to it right after reading a comment that my own daughter left on a blog post many months ago where it was followed by a comment by you. Circles of women leading back to each other, that’s how the Divine Feminine helps us find each other, and ourselves. In that spirit, here is another woman of wisdom whose talk I just finished listening to, just before I was led here. Happy Birthday, dear Mother and Daughter.

    Brene Brown, speaking at TEDX Texas: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4Qm9cGRub0&feature=player_embedded

  3. and now, here, i spill more tears. tears of recognition of that Feminine Intelligence that can’t always be explained or articulated satisfactorily, and that’s okay cause, really, it’s a Knowledge that needs no defense, just practice and embodiment. i spill tears for this gathering of women – whether the circles be digital or in a coffee shop or in a kitchen – who come together in the name of all that’s good and cherished. i spill tears applauding the tremendous, unbelievable courage of the 17 year old you, courage that could only be born in pure unadulterated love. i spill tears wanting to shelter the 17 year old you from clucking tongues and slitted eyes. and mostly, i spill tears bathing you and your daughter in love, Feminine Love. as sally said, happy birthday daughter and mother.

  4. You: Open to Her. Receive Her. Remember Her in your cells. Let Her bring forth your tears of grief for having lost touch with Her. Let Her bring forth this universal wisdom within you, so that you may shower your own heart and body with Her love. For Her love is your love, Her wisdom is your wisdom, Her ferocity is your ferocity.

    Me: amen.

  5. Julie – I’ve been waiting to have a moment to come here and read. The moment wasn’t appearing so I created one. You inspire me. I am awed by you. Now even more so. I am grateful for you – for all you do and are, for all you have given me of your time, your spirit, your words. Thank you.

    1. Alana,
      Thanks for creating the moment to come and visit. Thank you for your generous words. We are women, sharing our stories, writing our lives, so that we can all come to know what is emerging through us. I can truly say the same of you, that I’m awed by you and inspired by you…awed by your strength, wisdom and capacity to feel the depths of life.
      Thank you, dear sister.
      Love,
      Julie

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  7. Julie,
    I came across this retro-post on Facebook last weekend and it stopped my in my tracks. You eloquently describe many of my foundational beliefs I strive to build my coaching business. The infinite and fierce power of mother love. It connects us all. What are the possibilities if we could access this love for ourselves as women and moms world wide? The feminine wisdom available to us as mothers right in our hearts. Forget books and magazine articles and mommy movements, what does your heart tell you in this moment is best for your child and for you as mom? We have all the answers and they are different for each one of us. I wrote this Authentic Mother’s Manifesto I’d like to share with you. http://www.annepillsburycoaching.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/MANIFESTO_ART21.pdf. It’s my souls work since coming to coaching almost tow years ago. The road of motherhood is as varied as the mothers who walk it. I look forward to seeing you at Amy Kessel’s retreat.

    1. THank you for your comment, Anne. You came across the retro-post, I came across your retro-comment. How perfect!
      Your work is beautiful. I loved our time at Amy’s retreat. Love to you.

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