This might seem an odd statement coming from a feminist.
My assertion is based on the observance that when we 'take up a fight' we take that attitude of conflict into our minds and our bodies...inducing stress. This approach doesn't serve anyone.
I'm not advocating the other extreme where we do nothing in the face of injustice as passivity engenders helplessness which is equally debilitating.
So what's the option when faced with a culture that devalues and exploits the feminine as a marketable commodity?
In a word, healing. Why?
Patriarchy is a societal paradigm where the masculine holds authority and dominion over the feminine.
This goes beyond physical gender since we each have a feminine and masculine side, regardless of our gender identity or sexual preference since everything in existence is comprised of both feminine and masculine energy.
When we understand this, we stop seeing patriarchy as an external gender war and see it as a need for balance internally and externally.
Patriarchy is ultimately the cultural result of a distorted perception that considers masculine values, perspectives and constructs superior to those of the feminine. This deep seated belief exists in both men and women.
Since neuroscience concludes 95% of our behaviour is the result of our subconscious beliefs. for patriarchy to exist, the majority of us must still hold this dysfunctional belief within our subconscious, despite our conscious intent to consider all things equal.
5 Signs Your Inner Patriarch is Running the Show
•You burn out by spending more time taking action in an effort to be productive rather than spending equal time resting and reflecting to integrate your experiences
•You work 'for the money' rather than doing something you genuinely enjoy so it drains your energy and isn't aligned with your core values
•You tend to seek knowledge from external authority figures that is evidence-based rather than attuning to your own intuitive guidance & experiential wisdom
•You see time as linear and fear death as the end point rather than viewing time as cyclic on the understanding that all energy is eternal but simply changes form
•You invest more time and energy maintaining your external appearance than you do on personal growth
Taking Responsibility for Your Inner Patriarch
Fortunately it is possible to update our subconscious beliefs just as one might upgrade computer software that's outmoded. Subconscious healing modalities to explore include hypnotherapy, neurolinguistics programming and theta healing.
Addressing Patriarchy From a Feminine Perspective
The feminine sees everything in existence as being interconnected. So what we heal in ourselves, we heal in the whole. This is illustrated in the parable of The Rainmaker where a village is experiencing drought despite many rain dances being performed, all of which have been unsuccessful. Finally a rainmaker comes who meditates for 3 days and on the fourth day it rains. The villagers ask him his secret and he replies, 'When there is imbalance externally all I can do is create balance internally on the understanding that I am a reflection of the whole.'
Our challenge is to therefore stop feeing powerless by blaming the enemy outside and instead take our personal power back by addressing the wounded part within us that ascribes to this belief we've been conditioned to think is true. This approach supports our feminine side as it's motivated by self-love rather than fear or anger.
5 Ways to Heal Patriarchy by Supporting Your Feminine Side
•Spend time in nature on a regular basis to reconnect with the perceptions of your inner self
•Learn to identify how the natural cycles influence your moods, psyche and energy levels so you can harness the ebb and flow rather than working against it
•Respond from the heart by practicing acceptance to avoid becoming overly-judgmental of yourself and others
•Prioritise self-care activities that nurture and help sustain your output
•Seek strength and support by participating in community-based events rather than being stoic and not allowing others to see your vulnerabilities
Tanishka latest book, Goddess Wisdom is now available in bookstores worldwide. For more info about her work go to: http://themoonwoman.com/