I come from a strong Matriarch Family. I have girl power undertone like my black hair has red undertones (right, no I am not a natural blonde). My 94 year-old grandmother, whom I often refer to as “La Grande” gave me Seven Beautiful Aunts I silently call Goddesses. If you know me, personally, you know I am a Wonder Woman Fan. Why her? Simply surmised that I find Wonder Woman more relatable. She is often referred to as “the spirit of truth”, Goddess of Love and War (perhaps born an Aries makes me foolishly believe in myself as such). Could it also be because she is Amazonian and I come from the mystical wonders of Peru? Does it matter? Her essence of tribal circuitry and jointly raised by her mother and aunt (in my case, aunts) have given me a similar foundation of wisdom and strength in a very peculiar form of feminine power. She embodies a wide range of extraordinary skills in tactics, hunting, and combat much of what I felt I had to embrace at the age of 21 when I was blessed with child. Actually carrying child felt like I channeled the Virgin Mary, you know single, unwed mother (ok not so virgin and most certainly not carrying the Messiah.) However if you know my son, he is quite the advocate for human kindness, and most certainly a child of God . . . but aren’t we all?
Back to Wonder Woman, when I became a single mother, I truly felt I needed to develop skills and tactics to hunt and gather for my son. Obviously in a very modern, real world, I shall add. Which leads me to have both, a sense of celebration and responsibility to curtsy to the Licious and Fabulosa Women reading my choice of words, as you too embrace International Woman’s Day.
What motivates me? Perhaps it is the sole act that (1) I am Woman; never mind the fact that (2) I am actually of Peruvian descent. Yesterday, in honor of Women’s International Day, Barbie unveiled 17 new dolls of inspiring women. This reminded me of my Peruvian Barbie I own and once again I had validation of my roots. When I bought that doll, I was 28 years old and I hadn’t even embraced my Inca Healing Goddess ways. However, she represented to me my roots, my heritage, and my essence. Today, looking at my doll she reminded me of my soul evolution and what path I embraced towards my calling and validating my dedication to empower women to be the best versions of themselves. This resonated deep within my bones all the way to the core of my being, which I felt an urge to shout: You, Us, We!
International Woman’s Day is a time to honor the extraordinary women in our lives who have helped pave the way of progress. There are many women, celebrities and way showers from Maya Angelou to Oprah Winfrey, Madonna to Meryl Streep, Louise L. Hayes to Marianne Williamson … we all know them, right? (You don’t? Look them up Girl!)
However, I want to call you out and remind you of the women that shaped YOU! I am talking about the woman that inspired you to be where you are in this moment. This can get tricky because it could be the woman who hurt you in such a way that you were inspired to never be her! Yet better. If your life was perfect, then lucky you! So then you have big shoes to fill right? You are inspired to be JUST LIKE HER! Or perhaps it was not an older woman but a peer that shaped you in such a way like a co-worker, a room mate, or a friend-enemy. I know this is definitely not how you thought my story would mold into. You were thinking I was going to walk you down some yellow brick road and click your heels into Kansas . . . but if I did that, would I leave you inspired to take a good look at your life and find Meaning? Purpose? Essence?
I want to be clear that you matter. That despite how we appear in public, we have a story that holds a journey, that nothing is perfect and that it shapes us to be amazing. And yes! Being imperfect in every way not the Mary Poppins way. Being female is the silver lining, the perk! Our innate ability for retrospect. It is a very much form of feminine power.
So back to my roots! I feel like there are eight parts to me that make me a whole, because I have been given the gift of strong Matriarch role models which has its pros and cons (don’t be fooled, the grass is ALWAYS greener on the other side!) That makes me value each woman I have the honor to get to know, embrace, and see as the perfect element of beauty, wisdom, and form of feminine power. We have much to explore in this time of positive change from the #MeToo movement to the achievement of true gender equality in our society.
Hence my commitment to host the Red Tent Lady Code for women. A platform of Sisterhood, Community, and Wisdom to sustain this transition of right relationship with ourselves so that we are walking on a more solid foundation and not second guessing our decisions. I mean let’s keep it real, we are women so we will always second guess our decisions, because there are always three parts to our essence and then several multi-personalities underneath those parts called layers (remember that some men AND WOMEN call us psycho bitches) and truth be told we can be that at a certain time of the month, but all for a good reason! Right? Let me help you. I can talk to all of them and give you a sense of sanity.
One particular quote I read recently was this one, “I myself have never been able to find out precisely what a feminist is. I only know that people call me a feminist whenever I express sentiments that differentiate me from a doormat.” – Rebecca West. Quotes like this that make me think about the kind of feminism I want to pierce the veil with. It’s not a woman trying to find her place in a man’s world, a man hater, or a loud, bossy, overbearing unheard frustrated form of masculine energy. Yet, I want to reveal a woman that is in right relationship with herself that can honor her cycle, her mysticism, political views and social issues with grace, dignity, and intellect.
So ladies, if you are reading this in the morning, I am raising my cup of coffee (cheers!). If you have an alcoholic beverage in your hand (it must be 5 o’clock and most certainly a happy hour for you, right?) How ever it is that you are embracing the truth of who I am and so serendipitous to find ourselves here . . .
