A friend asked me yesterday who in history I'd consider a Warrior; Boudicca and MLK jr. came to mind pretty quick. A warrior is someone who defends and protects, someone who puts the community and its' needs above their own. A warrior is someone who, though they may have a family of their own, puts the community and their family on the same level of commitment and dedication, instead of family above community. On the bus on the way to work here I realized how teaching and wanting to practise as a doula fit in with the Warrior I'm slowly uncovering and trying to be; my inner Warrior looks to protect the health, wellbeing and rights of women and children. She is a Warrior with a specific focus, to protect those who are marginalized and disadvantaged by their sex and their age, and especially who cannot defend themselves.
Teaching puts me in a place to do that, though my students may see me as a tool of their opression. I'm not entirely interested in simply teaching my students how to write essays or figure out the area of a square; I want to teach them to be self-confident and know their own Self, to be true to that person, when they figure out who that person is. I want to work to make sure the kids in my class remember me fondly for helping them grow as people, not just pass tests.
When it comes to the doula practise, this is also protective; as a labouring mother's advocate and helper I can help her have the labour and delivery she wants, not one forced on her by doctors and nurses who want to see her labour go by quickly so they can free up a bed. Hopefully by becoming a doula and doing what they do, I can make a woman's labour and delivery more enjoyable, more of an empowering experience, more of a sacred experience, than simply a hospital procedure. Having a doula and/or midwife present also protects the unborn because it helps to reduce instances of c-sections and other usually unecessary interventions.
I suppose reading about Artemis has influenced my psyche more than I realized; more than anything do I want to follow in her wild and graceful footsteps.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Princess KickAss~Warrior Musings
The other day, while getting ready for a friend's wedding, Gabe called me "Princess" while I was getting all fancied up. I later told a different friend that I was secretly thrilled about it, and of course he asked, why secretly?
I thought about it for a moment before replying that the princess archetype has always been one of helplessness, impossible beauty, grace and kindness. I like some of the individual Disney princesses, but I hate what they've done with them as merchandise. My friend pointed out that not all princesses are like that, that there have been a few who have kicked some serious ass, like Fiona from Shrek, Kida from Atlantis and in real history, Boudicca. He then dubbed me Princess Kickass, and I kinda like it. ^__^
Reminding myself of history's warriors, both male and female, might be a good place to start, and surrounding myself with thier stories and images wouldn't be a bad place to go either. But what counts as a Warrior? I try to remember what I read in Amanda's journal but I can't quite; someone who puts the needs and safety of their community above their own self and needs, even above that of their own family. I'll have to go back and look it up, maybe post the comment here for future reference.
I thought about it for a moment before replying that the princess archetype has always been one of helplessness, impossible beauty, grace and kindness. I like some of the individual Disney princesses, but I hate what they've done with them as merchandise. My friend pointed out that not all princesses are like that, that there have been a few who have kicked some serious ass, like Fiona from Shrek, Kida from Atlantis and in real history, Boudicca. He then dubbed me Princess Kickass, and I kinda like it. ^__^
Reminding myself of history's warriors, both male and female, might be a good place to start, and surrounding myself with thier stories and images wouldn't be a bad place to go either. But what counts as a Warrior? I try to remember what I read in Amanda's journal but I can't quite; someone who puts the needs and safety of their community above their own self and needs, even above that of their own family. I'll have to go back and look it up, maybe post the comment here for future reference.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Continuing a theme
I've missed out on some "I'm grateful for"s so here goes:
The sunny hot weather we've been having
the rain
balloons
sleep
coffee
kites
and
cats
Also, a friend has dubbed me and my Warrior self Princes KickAss, which I rather like. :)
The sunny hot weather we've been having
the rain
balloons
sleep
coffee
kites
and
cats
Also, a friend has dubbed me and my Warrior self Princes KickAss, which I rather like. :)
Monday, August 10, 2009
The Book of Night with Moon
Back when I was in highschool I discovered this little gem of a book by Diane Duane. Written from a cat's perspective it's witty and captivating. Within the books pages I found several passages that really resonate with me and have since I first read them. My first inkling of the Warrior is in there, a side of myself, a face, that I'm seeking to reveal. The concept of All-In and the Warrior go hand in hand, but I'm still figuring out how to join them together. I don't think being a teacher is going to be it, but it's a step in the right direction.
From page 12: The Meditation
"I will meet the cruel and the cowardly today, liars and the envious, the uncaring and unknowing: they will be all around. But their numbers and their carelessness do not mean I have to be like them. For my own part, I know my job; my comission comes from Those Who Are. My paw raised is Their paw on the neck of the Serpent, now and always."
From pg 52:
"In Life's name, and for Life's sake, I assert that I will employ the Art that is Its gift in Life's service alone. I will guard growth and ease pain. I will fight to preserve what grows and lives in its own way: nor will I change any creature unless its growth and life, or that of the system of which it is a part, are threatened. To these ends, in the practise of my Art, I will ever put aside fear for courage, and death for life, when it is fit to do so-looking always toward the Heart of Time, where all our sundered times are one, and all our myriad worlds lie whole, in That from Which they proceeded."
From 242:
"Why bother?" Arhu burst out. "It wont make a difference! It wont stop the way things are!"
"It will," Rhiow said. "Someday...though noone knows when. This IS the Fight, the battle under the Tree. Don't you see that? The Old Tom fought it once, and died fighting, and came back with the Queen's help and won it after he'd already lost. ALL these fights are the Fight. Stand back, do nothing, and you ARE the Old Serpent. And it's easy to do that here." She looked around at the place full of hurrying people, most of them studiously ignoring each other. "Here especially. Humans kill each other in the street every day for money, or food, or just for fun...The habit of doing nothing or of cruelty, believing the worst about ourselves, gets hard to break. You meet People like that every day. It's in the Meditation: ask the Whisperer. But you don't have to be the way THEY are. [...]"
From page 12: The Meditation
"I will meet the cruel and the cowardly today, liars and the envious, the uncaring and unknowing: they will be all around. But their numbers and their carelessness do not mean I have to be like them. For my own part, I know my job; my comission comes from Those Who Are. My paw raised is Their paw on the neck of the Serpent, now and always."
From pg 52:
"In Life's name, and for Life's sake, I assert that I will employ the Art that is Its gift in Life's service alone. I will guard growth and ease pain. I will fight to preserve what grows and lives in its own way: nor will I change any creature unless its growth and life, or that of the system of which it is a part, are threatened. To these ends, in the practise of my Art, I will ever put aside fear for courage, and death for life, when it is fit to do so-looking always toward the Heart of Time, where all our sundered times are one, and all our myriad worlds lie whole, in That from Which they proceeded."
From 242:
"Why bother?" Arhu burst out. "It wont make a difference! It wont stop the way things are!"
"It will," Rhiow said. "Someday...though noone knows when. This IS the Fight, the battle under the Tree. Don't you see that? The Old Tom fought it once, and died fighting, and came back with the Queen's help and won it after he'd already lost. ALL these fights are the Fight. Stand back, do nothing, and you ARE the Old Serpent. And it's easy to do that here." She looked around at the place full of hurrying people, most of them studiously ignoring each other. "Here especially. Humans kill each other in the street every day for money, or food, or just for fun...The habit of doing nothing or of cruelty, believing the worst about ourselves, gets hard to break. You meet People like that every day. It's in the Meditation: ask the Whisperer. But you don't have to be the way THEY are. [...]"
Grateful for generosity
The thought just came to me, as I was playing with Gabe and some toys, that I am very grateful for all the help that the hubby and I have recieved over the past few years from family; if it wasn't for his parents we wouldn't have this beautiful house. If my mom hadn't come by nearly every day for the first six weeks of Gabe's life I'm not sure I would've made it. If my Aunt C hadn't given us soooo much baby stuff (crib/bed, clothes, dresser) we wouldn't have had it and would have had to use our very limited funds to buy it. Gabe is STILL wearing clothes that Aunt C gave us years ago that her boys have grown out of. Our change table and some other great toys came from our friends. Gabe's toybox/coffee table was a gift from DH's mom and dad. So is the kitchen table. My home is filled with things that people have given us freely and for that I will always be grateful.
Friday, August 7, 2009
Grateful for RPGs
I am grateful for D&D, Paizo's Pathfinder and online text-based RPGs that allow me to avoid reality while still interacting with my friends.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Grateful for my country
I'm grateful I live in Canada where school shootings and other seemingly random violence is rare(er) than many many other places in the world, where the LGBTQ community is free to marry whomever they choose, where healthcare is either free or downright cheap and where there is so much natural beauty and power.
Oh Canada!
Our home and native land
true patriot love, with all thy son's command
with glowing hearts we see thee rise
the True North strong and free!
Far and wide Oh Canada we stand on guard for thee
God keep our land glorious and free
Oh Canada we stand on guard for thee
Oh Canada we stand on guard for thee!
Oh Canada!
Our home and native land
true patriot love, with all thy son's command
with glowing hearts we see thee rise
the True North strong and free!
Far and wide Oh Canada we stand on guard for thee
God keep our land glorious and free
Oh Canada we stand on guard for thee
Oh Canada we stand on guard for thee!
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
I am grateful...
Today I want to make mention of someone who's been instrumental the past couple of years to my physical and mental/emotional health and wellbeing; my doula Katie. I will be eternally grateful to her for her patience and understanding, her gentleness and her strength during my loooooong and difficult labour with Gabe and for her support during my PPD afterwards. We kept in touch and last summer when I was battling with myself over my abortion and hating my body SO MUCH for getting pregnant, her bellydance class allowed me to find a way to accept my body again, to treat it kindly, to nourish and strengthen it. Again, Katie's patience and understanding were instrumental to my continuing clumsy attempts to find grace in something I felt was broken. I didn't feel guilty or dirty or broken when I danced; I felt graceful and beautiful, even sensual. If Katie hadn't been the instructor I don't think I would have gone and I don't want to think about where I'd be today without her.
Monday, August 3, 2009
The Gratitude Project
At ChildWild the blogger there is participating in the Gratitude Project, (http://childwild.com/2009/08/02/gratitude-project/), the plan is to write something she's grateful for between First Harvest and the Fall Equinox. It sounds like a nice idea and she encouraged her readers to play along so I shall. Focusing on the positive is going to be important over the next six weeks as I move to Tbay and get started on teacher's college.
Ok, so something I'm grateful for, day 1: I'm grateful for the wind because yesterday it let Gabe and I go out and fly a kite together for the very first time, and he even flew it a few times all by himself. He was amazed and laughed, pointed and shrieked the whole time, and had a good time just running around the big empty school yard fields while I had my turns.
Ok, so something I'm grateful for, day 1: I'm grateful for the wind because yesterday it let Gabe and I go out and fly a kite together for the very first time, and he even flew it a few times all by himself. He was amazed and laughed, pointed and shrieked the whole time, and had a good time just running around the big empty school yard fields while I had my turns.
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