Who am I right now… I am a fledgling bird preparing her wings for flight out of yet another nest, an 85-year old woman who’s not done writing yet, a baby born into so much love his heart actually beats louder just to say, “me too. I love you too.” a man who walks through desert after desert and still follows truth like a sword that was placed early in his heart, a 65-year old dog who never stopped learning... Read more
What I am noticing right now about the role of women in the world is that it is being taken seriously as the solution to the economic, ecological and social crises of today. A new study released this September on violence against women conducted over four decades and in 70 countries reveals the mobilization of feminist movements is more important for change than the wealth of nations, left-wing political parties, or the number of women politicians. The book Half the... Read more
Metaphor and Everyday Life: Our Maple Tree Because of the power of its metaphor, I have written before about the maple tree that stands next to our apartment building. Nearly three years ago, this tree suffered the loss of many branches and limbs in the fierce winds of a rare September New York City tornado. Indeed, at first the tree appeared so badly damaged that we thought all was lost. Yet the tree surgeons from the city worked tirelessly to... Read more
What am I noticing right now… …about the rising tide of women’s leadership? …about women reclaiming their spiritual power? …about your own spiritual journey? …about the role of women in the world? This question is so timely for me, as I have been chosen by WorldPulse to become an editorial mentor to a woman from an oppressive country. The purpose of the WorldPulse effort is to assist women who have stories to tell of problems still besieging women. The campaign... Read more
Dear beautiful women, Spring is FINALLY in the air. Phew! (Sorry, I’m in New York…) And as buds and new life appears, so we start to see things. We start to look around us again, we dig in corners, we ferret out all of the junk we were sitting on during those dark days. And we notice. So the question this month is: What are you noticing right now… …about the rising tide of women’s leadership? …about... Read more
As custodians of life, our families, our communities, the earth, we know the awe of responsibility. But how do we listen to the real need – both in ourselves and in life? For many years I have listened to women tell stories about their lives. Women who share dreams they have at night, and images that arise in meditation or while engaged in some daily task like washing dishes. I believe these stories and wisdom have to do with a language... Read more
When Ayeja sings it makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. She is always modest, reminding us that she never got trained, and fretting that she “doesn’t even read music”. But as someone who had the spirit trained right out of her, I look at Ayeja and I see the freedom I never had, the freedom I am still reaching for. I hear the voice of a natural, honest-to-God angel. She isn’t looking for praise or success or for the glory of being listened to. She’s just got the spirit and she wants to let you know it. She wants you to feel it too. That’s Mother-Work too. Read more
When I was part of an Episcopal Women to Women trip to Jerusalem, we went to a chapel called Dominus Flevit on the western slope of the Mount of Olives just across the KidronValley from Jerusalem. The church designed in the shape of a teardrop has a picture window overlooking the city and at the foot of the altar is a mosaic of a mother hen gathering her chicks under her wings recalling Christ’s words “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that... Read more
Here at Women of Spirit and Faith we are all about weaving connections… So…one of our lovely young leaders, Ayesha Mattu hosts a blog called “Love InshAllah: The Secret Love Lives of American Muslim Women” (also the title of her extraordinary book). This month Love InshAllah reviews a beautiful collection of poetry from poet, mother and rabbi, Rachel Barenblat. In Waiting To Unfold Rabbi Barenblat documents her pregnancy and the first year of her son’s life through her powerful voice, unfurling the jubilations and challenges of... Read more
I married young in order to have somewhere to shelter my siblings, as we came from parents whose parenting consisted in religion-prescribed punishment. The matriarch whom I chose as my mother-in law was happy to include me and my family under her huge heart and in her powerful arms. Tragically, she was taken by cancer before the birth of her first grandchild, a girl. During her dying, my husband was also dying; his manhood was dependent on his mother’s strength.... Read more
Voices of Women of Spirit and Faith
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In