Renewal & rebirth
I defaced my bible at school during a religious education class.
It was a passage I stumbled across that directed women to be excluded from activities when they were bleeding.
I had to update it and bring it out of the dark ages.
Seriously…WTF?
As if it wasn't bad enough that we had woefully and ridiculously inadequate means to deal with it, here was evidence that the bible had set women up to experience shame for our normal, healthy cycle. Grrrr.
I wondered how my actions would be marked on my Heaven entrance report.
No doubt a big red cross to match my ‘not baptised' blight.
Even though I'd been through the comprehensive Baptist School indoctrination program - the morning assemblies book ended with bible readings and hymns, the frequent Religious Education classes to espouse the messages of the New & Old Testaments, and the regular Chapel services to coincide with special occasions in the Christian calendar, I checked out and gave up on religion.
I didn't care anymore and I didn't believe any of it.
I appreciated the stories were interesting, inspiring and spoke to my core beliefs of love and inclusion, but there were too many unanswered questions, particularly for a young woman.
Where were all the women?
Why were the only roles that women played, Saintly Mothers, virgins and whores?
Why is God a man?
Why are the stories told in the bible written by men?
My relationship with religion always surfaces at key festival times.
This Easter as I was surrounded by Easter Eggs, toasted Hot Cross Buns, and reduced daylight, I reflected on my relationship with the festival.
Whilst we know Easter is a Christian festival commemorating the resurrection, and ‘rebirth’ of Jesus, it was originally a Pagan festival in the Northern Hemisphere to celebrate the Spring Equinox and the resurrection of new life that comes with Spring weather.
Rebirth was a part of the festival T W O T H O U S A N D years before Christianity! As was worshipping a female deity! Sumerian's worshipped the Goddess Inanna, who was brought back to life in Spring after she descended into the underworld throughout winter.
And the links aren't just with rebirth, the name Easter, Hot Cross Buns, Easter Eggs and the Easter Bunny all have Pagan origins.
The name Easter is thought to have derived from the pagan springtime Goddess Eostre, Hot Cross buns represent four quadrants, the four seasons and phases of the moon, and the Bunny and Eggs represent fertility that comes with Springtime.
Our society and community have forgotten these original connections to nature and the feminine, partially because we've had the full story suppressed and hidden.
Recently I began reading a book written by historian, Meggan Watterson, ‘Mary Magdalene Revealed’. In it she shares the discovery of three unpublished manuscripts of the Gospel of Mary, the First Apostle, that have been discovered over the past 130 years.
These scripts, omitted from the Bible, expand the existing Christian records to encompass a female voice, provide balance to the heavily male focused Christian story, and offer a renewed perspective of Christianity that we haven't seen yet.
For me, this offers the potential to revisit and rediscover what's been hidden and overlooked in religious scripts.
As with anything in life, there's always an opportunity for new growth and the discovery of new messages.
My perception of religion has been shaped by my experiences, and those of the prevailing voices of the time. It's one interpretation. As William Blake says, without it, we'd see what's possible. Anything can grow and emerge.
Each dawn and morning we have our own daily resurrection and rebirth from sleep. I'd love to invite you to join me for a three-day challenge Feel Good Challenge starting this Wednesday at 6.30-7am. It's your chance to be inspired to renew your relationship with your Body as you emerge from slumber each day.
Whether or not you have established a morning ritual or routine, this is a beautiful way to connect with your body, meet some incredible sisters, and develop new ways to bring life into the beginnings of your day.
There are more details below, and please feel free to email me any questions you have.
I'm also excited to share with you that Jennifer Annette and I have rebranded the Wild Beauty & Pleasure Alliance as The Alive Woman. The Feel Good Challenge is our first offering. We have a Mother's Day afternoon tea celebration coming up too, on the eve of Mother's Day. Give yourself an afternoon off and be treated to a tea ceremony and soul satisfying connection on Saturday 7th May from 2.30pm. Let me know if you'd like to come along.
There's loads of goodness sprouting all around!
