An ‘Empowered Woman’ Part 1

            The term ‘Empowered woman’ has its roots [somewhere] in a feminist movement that is no longer really relevant in today's society.  In fact, the term ‘feminist’ rarely comes up in conversations any more. ‘Feminist’ conjures up images of suffragettes, 1940s to 1960s activists and protesters,fighting for political and social reform on behalf of oppressed women.

            Their courageous fight for social justice and equality paved the way for future generations of women. They will always be remembered and honoured.

The Empowerment of Women in Legislation and Policy making
            The expression ‘Empowerment of Women’ is the nomenclature used today to cover gender equality reform, or ‘the stage when both men and women realize their full potential’ (Women’s Empowerment: Measuring the Global Gender Gap 2005 (http://www.dpi.org/lang-en/resources/details.php?page=233). During the last thirty years there has been a growing public recognition that empowering women would increase social, economic and political equality. However, progress has been slow as empowering women tackles the very heart of our patriarchal society
And the statistics remain depressing.

• In the Western World, only 2% of the bosses of Fortune 500 companies and five of those in the FTSE 100 stock market index are women.
• Women make up less than 13% of board members in America (The Economist 30/2009. http://www.economist.com/node/15174418).
• In the top 101 US companies’ women comprise just 15% of executive committee members and only 7%26 in European top 101 companies.
• In Asia the figure is only 3%’ (WOMENOMICS 101 Survey 2010).
• More than 50% of the companies in the S&P 100 have no female representation in their highest paid executive positions. (http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Corporate-Womens-Road-Less-Traveled&id=6318116)
• Apple, Intel, Exxon and Citigroup are among the major American companies that have no women on their Executive Committee.(Karen Keller http://www.karen-keller.com.)

The More Compelling Component to the term ‘Empowerment of Women'

If only.......

Dear God and the Universe,
I am writing to you to complain about the laws [and rules] of the Universe and spirituality that we are all trying to live by. I realise that perhaps, it is not heavenly correct to question Your motives, methods and procedures. However, I am having a hard time keeping up and I am seriously questioning what Your point is? Or is there even a point? 

Let’s start with the fundamental law that says to ‘let go and trust in the Universe and/or God, don’t question how, just let the Universe deliver’.

This law is impossible to follow and so right from the start we are trying to attain the impossible. No one can really achieve that state of mind. You will always have the advantage on this one since; no one knows what it is we are supposed to trust;we do not know what You are thinking or what you want or what Your expectations of us are. And by the way, it would really help if You can send out some clues as to what exactly is the ‘higher purpose’ or the ‘higher good’? There are some very conflicting and confused suppositions going around.

So we spend alot of time second guessing and hoping we are on the right track; and if by chance, something works for someone, then that person is propelled overnight to spiritual or life coach status. They write books, hold workshops and give the rest of us a glimmer of hope that we too can get there (wherever there is), if only we can do what they did. Ironically, in most cases it is exactly what we have been doing all along anyway.

Surviving the cataclysmic shift

Everyone lives life by their own set of rules, usually based on their own perceptions and preconceived beliefs. The stronger ones amongst us manage to convince or bend the rest of us to their way of thinking……and this pattern is repeated in all aspects of life from our personal lives to our professional ones. 

Some years ago, workshops began springing up everywhere, that divided employees into 2 categories, 'leaders or followers', and taught them how to make the most of the role they identify with, in order to contribute to the success of the company. Added to those 2 categories, should be one for 'impartial' people,a category for those who opt to take a back seat. 

The propensity to take a ‘back seat’ or ‘sit on the fence’ and watch, from a safe distance, as life unfolds around us, is sadly becoming the more popular option for many of us. Of course, from that distance, there is no responsibility or accountability if anything goes wrong. Neither does this behaviour allow for a ‘live and let live’ mentality; on the contrary, it almost seems that by choosing to be impartial, one is automatically awarded the right to remotely point, blame and criticise the rest of us who actually are out there participating in life.

On the anniversary of 9/11.

‘’Some Thoughts on...September 11, 2001’’

(Written on September 13^th 2001)

by Luciana Cousin

In time of tragedy and sorrow, You are our only hope
With "Dear G-d" on our lips we enforce our faith
Although for a lot of us, perhaps, we've left it too late,
Sometimes I wonder if You feel despair at the evil we create
The doomed paths we take.... through our arrogance and hate.

Our collective prayers are whispered in Your ears,
We silently call out to You in the middle of the night
We plead with You inside our heads, through our tears
Negotiating, bartering, putting up a fight.
Trying so hard to keep You in our heart and sight.

When no answers are forthcoming, no miraculous transmissions,
We turn on You, asking if You've given up, forgotten us.
We arrogantly tell You what we want, or else…
We stamp our feet, shout and cuss
Whining and crying out "Why me"

Patiently, it seems, You take our drivel, accepting of our ways.
Your unconditional love delivers us from evil time and again
In the midst of this tragedy, You hold on to our hands
Through a mother’s tears, through another's pain, and
For one brief moment through the unity of man.

Through Your goodness and love we will survive
Through Your protection we will thrive
And as we slowly change our ways
We may even make You proud of us some day.

Does Everything Happen For A Reason?

The end of a relationship, either a personal or professional one, is always rough; it drains the emotional part of you. You question your self-worth and self-esteem. Time is spent in trying to figure out where the fault lies, where and why it went wrong. All this can be very time consuming and definitely counterproductive.

The 21^st century Gurus (‘The Secret’ advocates, Spiritual Life Coaches, etc) tell us that we draw these negative situations and wrong people to ourselves; it seems we supposedly transmit our ‘negative’ thoughts out to the universe and the universe responds, instantly, or so it seems, by sending us harsh and complicated situations. Which in most cases cause immense devastation and loss. Apparently,the Universe does this for our greater good (who knew?). 

So that we can learn and grow spiritually; and therefore, according to the people who promote this stuff, we are exactly in the situation(s) we should be in. So, somehow, through a random thought, we in fact ordered these situations from the universe. …Seriously?