International Women’s Day, Finding Balance
I am writing this article on the brink of another International Women’s Day, contemplating my personal empowerment journey and the current state of the world. I spent January traveling into the heart of Africa where the need for balance and feminine leadership energy is a stark reality. Not for the planet, for us. Having spent time observing the incredible eco-system that exists in the South African bush and learning ancient animal communication techniques with the White Lions I realise that we are the only species alive that doesn’t truly appreciate the importance of balance.
Our communities and cultures propagate patriarchal decisions and development that are detrimental to our awareness and evolution. Idealisms of success are based on masculine energies, utilised to ensure self preservation and promotion. Not the connectivity, collaboration and nurturing creativity that comes with a focus on both ourselves and others. The balance of yin and yang, both masculine and feminine.
I witnessed an incredible moment while in the bush, where two lionesses had taken down and killed a female zebra. It was a mother and her four foals were braying in complete distress, unable to leave. The lionesses demonstrated unbelievable compassion to the foals, allowing them to come close and seemingly to grieve and pay their respects. They sat patiently without touching the carcass as the foals took turns and found the courage to move close to their fallen mother. At any time the lionesses could have killed the foals, ensuring they could feed later.
Eventually one of the lionesses gently chased the zebra away as a pack of Jackals were circling them and it was as if they were saying ‘come on now, that’s enough, its time to move on’. The final demonstration of compassion was when one of the lionesses chased the jackals away from the foals and waited until they were all out of sight before signalling that both she and the other lioness could finally begin to feast.
I have been vegetarian my entire life and yet found the experience humbling rather than distasteful. The lions took only what they needed and did so with great respect and compassion for the traumatised foals, protecting them from additional suffering and danger. The zebra demonstrated deep love and great courage in their grief and also the importance of family and connectivity.
This is the natural order of things and epitomises balance. Survival of self and awareness of and compassion for others.
This International Women’s Day I will be celebrating everything that it means to be feminine and focusing on creating change in humanity towards inclusivity and equality, regardless of gender. My purpose is to bring back the feminine in all of us, knowing that this solution driven focus will naturally and effortlessly ensure the empowerment of women and ultimately of everyone.
To do this we are launching two significant global projects focused on providing opportunities for women to become more empowered and to step into authentic feminine leadership. Shine Online is a virtual version of our flagship empowerment journey and will help us to fund programmes and projects for women in countries of conflict. Solstice is an invite only senior leadership experience for female entrepreneurs and CEO’s. The focus for Solstice is to create a network of top level leaders able to future proof our world through collaboration and supportive competition.
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