Oil on Canvas: "She Who Dreams the Flowers"

To quote Montserrat, artist of the above work in her writings about The Sisterhood:

"Our civilization distorts the beauty and power of Woman by defining "beautiful" as a magazine centerfold, and "power" as the force to control and dominate others.

It is my wish to help reclaim and heal the essence of Woman by portraying her beauty and power in a Sacred Way.
(Sacred: regarded with reverence)

As women come out of our distrust and separation from one another, we find that in spite of the diversity of every aspect of our lives, on a deep, heartfelt level we share our greatest needs and concerns.

We find that no woman wants to live in a world of violence and abuse. No woman wants an unsafe, insecure place for her children, and her children's children. No woman wants the air to be unbreathable, the water to be undrinkable, the Earth unlivable. Women want to be heard and respected when they say "NO" to the things that compromise our integrity. Women want to walk in balance and equality with our male counterparts. All women want to feel whole and healthy and able to laugh with joy every day of our lives"
-Montserrat
**********

I was hoping that sharing this here would encourage discovery and support of Sacred Feminine aspects for women AND men here in this forum. Especially considering how we receive the benefits of Cannabis mostly through the female side of the plant.

I am a medical user, medical caregiver for my husband (brain and spine injury), grower and I have begun to help take care of other sick people by providing cannabis and formulating edibles as well these past few years. I am scared and unsure so often about how to do things right, how to protect myself as it's not yet allowed to talk about these things with our physician.

I started to come here after OG went down to continue learn at the feet of those who know about how to care for and utilize the plant, the different capabilities, how to live with it and it's use in general. It was so thrilling to see a "Women's Forum" with the stated goal to be a safe and healing place to come for discussion and fellowship.

After awhile, I found it hurtful and disheartening to see the assaults of foulness and disrespect, so I quit the forum and this site. I am no prude or anything, I just get tired of wasting time, sorting around the same old "punk junk".

Well, that wasn't the right thing to do because there is really so much good here. So I came back and thought to ask if there are other people here who feel like this too.

I also think it is remarkable to see how Cannabis is being brought out of the shadow of ignorant and violent suppression to take it's rightful place as a powerful healing force in the world. It seems to me a mirror of the process of progress women and the men who we love and love us have made in the last 100 years.

Men and Women are separate but equal parts of the whole. There is no Sacred Masculine without the Sacred Feminine. If one side is crippled the whole is lessened.

So, this is my .02 (OK $1.99, I talk too much sometimes)

What do you think?

Hey, Rose

I don't know exactly what you are trying to get across, but I do know that I support the women of IC one hundred and ten percent.

I feel you ladies should be able to have a forum and discuss whatever your hearts feel without having to be demeaned by chauvenistic men that disgrace my sex with their antics.

And welcome to ICmag, Rose....I dont know what i is...but you remind me of a member who has left IC recently.

[Storm Crow]

Rose, the word you so carefully avoided is GODDESS! Say it out loud! Goddess! Goddess is, Goddess was, Goddess will be forever!

You are totally right about the imbalance in today's world. Women are demeaned, denigrated and disposable in this male dominated society. Female circumcision, bride burnings, lower wages, human trafficking -a girl (16) was offered recently as payment for a gambling debt - it's a man's world...and LOOK at it! Could women do as badly?

The Minangkabau (https://www.sas.upenn.edu/~psanday/egginature.html )and the Musuo ( https://www.bookrags.com/Mosuo ) are STILL matriarchal in nature- both are peaceful cultures, stressing peace, co-operation and art. (Research them and see what it's like to be in a non-male dominated society.) Rape is all but unknown- the last male Minangkabau to commit rape was some 20 years ago- and it's still talked about! Can your community say the same? Matriarchy is not patriarchy in skirts- the whole mindset is different.

So you say- well not in the USA! Women aren't oppressed here! Then why don't women earn as much as men. Look at the proportion of male to female CEOs. Why hasn't there been a female president, or even Vice-President? Why is Viagra available on many health plans, while birth control isn't? Women get a lower quality of health care when they have heart attacks. We aren't bought and sold any more, in this country, at least- but neither are we equal to men. - Granny

HerbalHitman-thanks, I guess I went the long way around the barn to say "let's work together here".

Storm Crow, Goddess? Sure!

I tried to speak in general terms, but my personal frame of reference is gender neutral. I believe that the feminine aspects of life giving, loving, nurturing, healing, care and love should be embraced by men and women together.

Yes things are better than they were for women in the world but there is still lots of room for improvement. There are little girls and women murdered physically and spiritually everyday. I think our sons are abused by this set up too, that's why I think we need to work together.

So, to be the Devil's Advocate here:
For what it's worth in 35 years of working in the corporate environment, I was horrified to find some of the worst bigots I encountered were women. There are many "ol Iron Tits" and "Barbies" who enforce the status quo because they think they then have the upper hand somehow. In my opinion this bigotry isn't always gender specific even though it appears that way on the surface. Where alot of the atrocities you mention occur, women are too often the facilitators. Blind and mindless commitment to tradition and ignorance is the enemy, IMO.

(hey C- too "prissy", really?)

[mrwags]

A wise man once said Women Rule The World they let men walk in front but they hold on to the end of the leash. I am a wise man Rose




My Penny
Mr.Wags

[Babbabud]

In the Same Mind

If you are of the same mind as Nichiren, you must be a Bodhisattva of the Earth. And since you are a Bodhisattva of the Earth, there is not the slightest doubt that you have been a disciple of the Buddha from the remotest past. The Yujutsu chapter states, "I have taught these people since the remotest past." There should be no discrimination among those who propagate the five characters of Myoho-renge-kyo in the Latter Day of the Law, be they men or women. Were they not Bodhisattvas of the Earth, they could not chant the daimoku.
Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

Veneri impudicae; cultus femina

[genkisan]

This thread hits the nail on the head, bigtime.

I truely believe that most of the major flaws in the present paradigm come from the fact that it is a male dominated one, designed and protected by men, for the sole purpose of weilding power and hoarding resources. The lack of female influence on the direction of our species is what has gotten us into this fucking mess.

And before you just sit back and call me a wingnut on that last idea, just keep in mind......women don't rape. And in matriarchal societies, men don't rape either.

Our species is threatened by the wanton rape of our Mother, the Earth....that is a direct result of an imbalance in the shared responsiblility for the direction and survival of our species, and the dominance of exploitative patriarchal philosophy. The rape of the Earth is being conducted by small peckered men with enormous ego issues....always has. Just small-minded and small cocked men trying to make up for the biological reality that males are really just a life support system for a pair of testes.....feh.

I personally try to avoid emotionally loaded words like "Godess" and "Sacred" when talking about these issues......while I might concur with them, they add alot of stigma into the debate/arguement which makes it very hard for many folks to see past. All they see is "feminiod crazies" and they turn off any brain they may have.


My wife sez I am a feminist....I prefer to call myself a humanist.

Good morning,
Well, am working on learning about the terms you used, Babbabud, I don't know much about Buddha's teachings, but I am going to find out.

Pyrex, is that a Latin phrase?

Mr Wags, I like what you said. Neat mental picture too...
"pull toy!" (hee hee)

Genkisan, I agree...I guess I was really blessed to have the father I did. Although a country boy/redneck he NEVER limited us girls with anything resembling bigotry or sexism. He taught us anything we wanted to know about as well as how to defend ourselves. I am very capable and if I don't know how to do something, I know how to find out. I was so amazed to see how the world was when I got out in it.

I disagree that women don't rape. There are women that really are evil. Having a "Va Jay Jay" doesn't make a person nice. Rape is about power not sexuality.

I will agree about the stigmas on different labels like Sacred, Godess, Christian. If I give out my "label" then people assume how I should be. Some will even say I can't do things or act a certain way because that's not how a (label) behaves.

It's true that having a penis has been a license for destructive behavior for a very long time. I think it is noteworthy that there seems to be a trend that the smaller the penis, the bigger the mess and viciousness. BUT, women bought into it. Yes violence and oppression was and is used. There is no excuse today though, we have the resources to come out of it and reclaim our rights as well as responsibilities. I don't want my sons and grandsons to be robotic "Ken" dolls, money machines or mindless soldiers. I want them to be able to fully "become" what they are created for.

Our planet is just about to do a big house cleaning in my opinion. I think this warming is the beginning of the compost pile heating up. (now who is the wing nut?) All this filth is going to be cooked off and the soil and air renewed. We can manage it so we survive ....or not.

So that's my cup of tea THIS morning, thanks for the good teachings.

I don't like getting into the business of saying "women are sacred" because I liken it too much to the current trend in society that objectifies women as things of beauty.

I just look at it as:

We are all human. We all are amazing things of wonder whether male or female. One gender is no more "sacred" or "beautiful" than the other. We're just living. We all deserve the same level of rights.