Monthly Archives: July 2016

Examples of Spiritually Empowered Women…

When Osho (formally Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh) was asked why we don’t hear of many women being enlightened, he replied: “Exactly the same number of women attain to enlightenment as men, but they don't fuss about it as much as men – that's all. They don't advertise it as much as men. They enjoy it.

“That is how woman, the feminine being, is. Man enjoys talking about his enlightenment more than enlightenment itself. He is interested in how many people have come to know that he has become enlightened. Women are not worried. They are not worried at all. If it has happened they enjoy it, they nourish it deep inside. It becomes a pregnancy. They live with it; they don't talk about it. That's why you don't know many names. Only a few names are known and those are of women who had some quality of man in them, that's why you know. Otherwise you would not have known them.”

One such enlightened woman was Sri Anandamayi Ma

Examples of Empowered Women

She was born in 1896 in Kheora, a small village in Bengal, now Bangladesh. Her birth name was Nirmala Sundari Devi and she was “realized” (awakened, enlightened) from birth. From all outer appearances she had a normal childhood, but even from this early age, she saw only with a divine vision. Her parents arranged a marriage for her in the traditional way, but her husband quickly recognized she was not an ordinary woman. Their marriage was never consummated and he later became her devotee. She was eventually named Anandamayi Ma, the bliss-bestowing mother. Though she never wrote or even gave spiritual discourses, she did answer questions and such talks were transcribed and compiled into several books. Her words have a loving, compelling, and very powerful quality about them.

Four  other Female Spiritual Teachers who were and still can be of service to aspiring seekers are:

***Sarada Devi – Endearingly known as "Holy Mother," Sri Sarada Devi (1853-1920) was the wife of Sri Ramakrishna. During the lifetime of Ramakrishna, Sarada Devi’s modesty meant she kept a very low profile. But she was a great spiritual personality herself and she came to play an important role in leading the Ramakrishna movement after the death of Ramakrishna. On account of her immaculate purity, extraordinary forbearance, selfless service, unconditional love, wisdom and spiritual illumination, Swami Vivekananda regarded Sri Sarada Devi as the ideal for women in the modern age.

***The Mother – The Mother was born in Paris, France as Mirra Alfassa on 21 February 1878. From an early age she displayed a remarkable interest in spirituality. In 1926 that Mira Richards became universally known as the Mother. This reflected her spiritual consciousness which was a manifestation of the Divine Mother. Sri Aurobindo also entrusted the whole of the Ashram organization to the Mother. The Mother entered her mahasamadhi in 1973 at the age of 95, three days after her passing her body was placed in the Samadhi alongside Sri Aurobindo.

***Mirabai – (also known as Meera) was born in 1504 A.D. at Chaukari village in Merta District of Rajasthan. As a young child Mirabai would spend her time playing with a small image of Krishna. Nobody understood her infatuation. But to Mirabai this doll was a living embodiment of Krishna. From an early age Mirabai dedicated her life to the worship and praise of her beloved Krishna. However, depsite her life of intense devotion,  she faced great difficulties from her family who didn’t respect the amount of time she would spend in devotion to Krishna. Mirabai was a born poetess. She expressed in a beautiful style her intense and deep love of God. She composed hundreds of poems in a simple, unpretentious style. They are full of vivacity and feelings. No poetess in the history of India enjoys a greater respect than Meera. Her poems have gained a unique popularity and are sung by the rich and the poor alike, even to this day. She spent her life dancing In trance and singing the attributes of her Beloved Krishna. Mirabai left this mortal world in 1550 to be united with her beloved Krishna. She was a great Hindu woman saint and will always be remembered.

***Peace Pilgrim – Peace Pilgrim was an extraordinary woman who spent several decades of her life walking across North America with her simple message of peace. Her simple message she always carried with her was: “This is the way of peace: overcome evil with good, and falsehood with truth, and hatred with love.” Peace Pilgrim was born in around 1908 on a New Jersey farm. Friends say she was a popular and bright young girl but there was no indication she would make the transition to be a saintly pilgrim. Peace Pilgrim would walk throughout the day only stopping for food when this was offered. Often she did not get proper shelter but she kept maintained a calm and serene approach to even the most difficult of situations. She touched the lives of many, inspiring others to consider what they could do to find inner peace within side themselves. Throughout her life Peace Pilgrim had remarkably good health. A feature she attributed to a plain and simple vegetarian diet and living in harmony with the world. Peace Pilgrim died in July 1981 when she was killed instantaneously in a car collision. Peace Pilgrim called death a glorious transition to a freer life.

***Pema Chodron – Beloved Buddhist teacher, author, nun and mother, Pema Chodron has inspired millions of people from around the world who have been touched by her example and message of practicing peace in these turbulent times. The Pema Chodron Foundation is dedicated to preserving and sharing Pema’s inspiration and teachings in order that they might help us all awaken wisdom and compassion in ourselves and the world around us. Born: July 14, 1936 (age 80), New York City, NY. Pema continues to be the resident teacher at Gampo Abbey, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, the first Tibetan monastery for Westerners.

Rae Indigo is ERYT 500

Spiritually Empowered Women…

Women all around the world are beginning to realize that being spiritually connected is their key to happiness and abundance. As they connect to Spirit, they listen and trust, and begin to realize their true value. When connected to Spirit, they find that magic happens and prosperity flows.

Women are spearheading our future. And spiritual women are leading the way. They’re "tapped in" and they’re using their innate gifts to serve the world. Spiritually empowered women aren’t concerned with getting ahead at the detriment of others. They won't do jobs or perform services just for the money.

Neither can they take unconscious advantage of the Earth's natural resources and her inhabitants. That was the old way. The new way is feminine. It is full of collaboration, community, creativity, fostering, nurturing and supporting one another.

Spiritually Empowered Women

So, you may wonder, how do women become spiritually empowered? The answers are simple…

They think less and feel more:

They realize their body always knows the truth. They tap their femininity, intuition, softness, gut feelings and embody their nurturing essence. They use tools like yoga and meditation to move their awareness from their head to their heart. They also nurture themselves with massages, hot baths, and eat healthy meals.

Within their body is where the deepest part of their essence abides. And the freer they feel to trust themselves the more they develop the courage the change themselves and to change and serve others.

They start where they are at:

They don’t wait until they finish the next course, or book, or work their way up to a six figure income. Spiritually empowered women begin living their dream life, now. They question that little voice that says “you’re not ready yet.” They instinctively know that if they don't love what they do, no amount of money will make them love it.

Each spiritually empowered woman has a unique purpose here on earth. That purpose becomes their passion and their service to the world. They do what they love, and they do it NOW! They are fully aware that the world needs the gifts that only they have. This enables them to raise their energetic vibration through living in alignment and balance with their Spirit.

They commit themselves to remaining mindful and to live with awareness:

They remain open, willing, tolerant and forgiving. They set intentions daily that re-affirm their deepest commitment to living a spiritually infused life. By creating daily rituals they reinforce and ignite their spirit. They familiarize themselves with their innermost thoughts and beliefs; those separate from their family, friends or partner. They challenge their fearful and limited beliefs, consciously releasing the past.

They create a sense of community:

By aligning with like-minded souls who nurture, inspire, encourage, support, they are able to remain accountable. They may join a women's circle or brainstorming group. They might attend community events at a yoga studio. They learn to uplift and empower other women. Spiritually empowered women see other women's success and beauty as proof of their own potential.

They are bold and take risks:

Spiritually empowered women are not afraid to step out of their comfort zone. They don't feel the need to wait to be praised, discovered, or validated by another. They don't worry about what other people think. Oftentimes they don’t follow another’s path but instead clear their own path by walking it courageously.

Spiritually empowered women strive to be living fully in the present moment. They have learned to love themselves without judgment or undue criticism. They surrender their desires and thoughts and reunite with the love essence that is always within. They share, serve, and smile and the Universe rewards them for it.

Rae Indigo is ERYT 500

Coping With Past Friends Who Have Turned Against You…

There are downsides to some friendships and the potential exists for a friend to back-stab or betray you. When this happens, it may feel like the end of the world, especially if this they were someone who you might have turned to in the past during times of need. Part of coping with friends who have turned against you will require that you compassionately pay attention to your own emotions as well as closely considering the status of your current relationship with that person and moving forward accordingly. You can simultaneously learn how to care for your hurt feelings and handle a disloyal friend, too.

First acknowledge the pain of disloyalty. While you’re acknowledging the hurt feelings, remember you are the only one with the power to control how you react. Perhaps this person is now treating you a certain way with the hope that you will react in a big way. So, it is far better to take a step back and reflect on how you are feeling, instead of reacting or “acting out.”

Take time to reflect. Just as some romantic relationships become broken, friendships can also fall apart. Take a break to think about any major choices like considering if it's worth it to directly confront these friends. You may find that you calm down after a few days, or you may find that during the break you are much better off without these friends.

Coping With Past Friends Who Have Turned Against You

Consider starting a journal. Writing down the experience and your thoughts and feelings associated with it can be incredibly freeing and empowering. You may even come up with some good ideas as to how you want to deal with the aftermath of a friend's betrayal.

Practice self-care on a regular basis. All too often we’ll put our own feelings on the back burner to avoid feeling bad ourselves. When someone steals from you or talks behind your back it is easy to beat yourself up over ever allowing them the chance to use you.

Focus on being the bigger person. Don’t entertain the urge to get revenge or hold grudges. Try to forgive those that do you wrong, if only so you don’t have to carry the burden of anger. You may feel like you are letting the other person off too easy if you let go of the anger and move on, but this is usually not the case. Holding onto the anger hurts you first and foremost. And, more often than not, the person you are angry with has already moved on. You’ll take back your power when you become the bigger person and resist reacting in a vengeful way.

If they tried to damage your reputation, then, it might be time for damage control. Do what you can to rectify any negative statements which had been made about you. Share your side of the story to whoever the negativity was spread to. While it is still up to the other party to make up their conclusion, at least you’ll have had the chance to say your piece in the situation, rather than just leaving things hanging.

Rae Indigo is ERYT 500