Woman on Earth:
A Way about Her

By Kyrai Antares

The other day I came across an article that consisted of an interview with Judy Swamp—the wife of a Mohawk chief. The Parabola interview beautifully captured the modern Native American way of life. Even more interesting, however, was the more subtle message that seeped into me as I read the words and absorbed the emotional tone of Judy Swamp. More than the specifics of what she said, the easy and graceful way about her captured me. When asked about Mohawk women, Swamp stated, “It is not that we’ve been liberated. It’s just that we’ve always had rights.”

This statement, and the tone behind it, quickened something in me. I began to see that this idea of liberation (freedom from something) implies that those characteristics and attributes that are inherently feminine can somehow be possessed, incarcerated, and granted by some “other” (“other” usually projected onto males). Something can only be liberated if it has been imprisoned. It might be more accurate to say it has been forgotten.

Helen Luke (1980) writes that there is a biological difference between man and woman that is not to be ignored, but to be discriminated and celebrated. “It does not stop with the body, but implies an equally fundamental difference of psychic nature.” Males have their own unique specialties and strengths, as do females. Power for females lies in looking more deeply into the roots of the feminine and consciously becoming Woman on Earth. Each woman unique in her lifedance, and each connected to the source of all women.

The answer to equality in value is not to be found in standards of external achievement. The grace of woman cannot be defined in terms of the masculine. We must reach deep inside to those places that commune with the archetypal, ancient wisdom of Woman—and live life from there. This is the subtle grace that I absorbed from the Judy Swamp interview. She was living her unique expression of Woman on Earth. She did not need permission to do so, it was alive in her being.

How can we achieve this comfort and strength in womanhood in modern America, where it is “normal” to simply absorb and pass on conditioned ideas about woman rather than do work to discover our own unique contribution to the fabric of universal womanhood?

Many of us know the pain that comes along with adopting limiting ideas of woman, and would like to offer a more functional option to our daughters and sisters. The only way to know about woman is to travel to the source—the archetypal nature of Woman. Helen Luke calls this numinous force “the perennial truth of the feminine way” (1980, p. 12). As we reach higher to live our own struggles and triumphs as modern women, we can also dig deeper and seek guidance from this perennial Woman. This guidance assists in reforming the inner image of Woman that shapes our lives as women.

This new form of feminism is a tremendous paradigm shift. It can be difficult to know where to begin reforming the image of woman that influences our experience as Woman on Earth. A simple place to start the process is setting aside some quiet time to relax, go deeper into yourself, and consider the following questions:

What does it mean to be a woman?

What is special about being a woman?

What ideas about womanhood would I like to alter or shed?

In what areas of my womanhood do I desire more fullness and vitality?

Who are some powerful women in my life?

Because women are naturally communal, weaving a women’s web of power is a wonderful addition to this deep exploration into the nature of woman. Connect with women around you. Ask them to answer these questions. Discuss your responses. Feed the idea of a true feminism every day. Journal about woman, watch films that focus on women, read more about women, and record your dreams. It may seem unfamiliar at first, but the more you engage in communication with Woman, the more you will remember your true femininity, and develop your own version of Woman on Earth.

Kyrai Antares is the author of Finding a Break in the Clouds and Eating Disorders as a Messenger from the Soul. She is pursuing an M.A. in Depth Psychology with an emphasis on Women’s Mysteries. More information: www.findingabreakintheclouds.com or kyrai@sbcglobal.net.