THE SACRED WOMAN by Mare Cromwell

This poem is about the “Sacred Feminine”…

It emerged the winter of 2014 in the process of writing my third book, The Great Mother Bible. It is excerpted from the book.

The poem is actually an adaptation of a similar poem written about the Divine Masculine or “The New Macho” found here, written by Boysen Hodgson.

I was experimenting with the notion the Sacred Feminine and Divine Masculine were essentially the same as some have shared with me. So I looked at what Boysen wrote and thought his poem did need tweaking to address the Sacred Feminine, as I interpret the Sacred Feminine to be in the more ‘evolved’ women I know, and aspire to be.

So that was the genesis of this poem. May each of us as women learn to step into this way of being sacred. Lordy knows, our Earth needs us to do this now.

Artwork by Tamara Adams

The Sacred Woman

She cleans up after herself and others,

but if they can clean up after themselves, she gently and firmly informs them

 of this.
She helps to heal our planet, Earth Mother, in community with her sisters,

brothers, children and elders.
She is a role model for young women and all who seek her company and counsel.
She is compassionately honest and wisely optimistic,

for she knows her compassion and wisdom can heal on all levels.

She holds herself accountable and humble.
She knows what she feels.
She’s always known how to cry and loves her tears for what they teach her, and how

they heal her and allow her to be a more healing presence for others.
She knows how to rage without hurting others and is aware of how powerful her

rage can be and how it can terrify others.
She knows how to fear and how to keep moving.
She seeks self-mastery.

She has let go of her childish ‘good-girl’ syndrome and her shame.
She feels guilty when she's done something wrong.
She is kind to all, including the four-leggeds, winged ones, finned ones and more.
She teaches others how to be kind.
She says she's sorry.

She stopped blaming men or her parents or women for her pain years ago.
She stopped letting her defenses ruin her relationships.
She stopped letting her insecurities, rage and trust issues run her life.
She has enough self-respect to tell the truth, and the wisdom to do it

compassionately and as clearly as she can so the listener can understand,

when the listener is ready to hear it.
She creates intimacy and trust with her actions.
She has women she trusts and turns to for support. And men.
She knows how to roll with it, and be very resourceful.
She knows how to make it happen and will, using her graces, wiles, and wisdom.
She is disciplined and flexible.
She knows how to listen from the core of her being, her heart, her soul, and

how to offer a hand or a hug. And when to just be present, close by.

She’s not afraid to get dirty as that has been her work, always.
She’s ready to confront her own limitations.
She has high expectations for herself and for those she connects with.
Her life is service and she knows she can pay the bills while living a life in service.
She knows she is an individual and yet the community is the most important thing

to serve—the children, the elders, the men, the wounded…

She knows that all are wounded on some level even if they are not conscious of it.

Including herself.
She knows that we are all one.
She knows she is an animal and a part of nature.
She knows she was born as spirit and has honored her connection to something greater all her adult life.

She knows the only authentic power she can and should have is that over her

shadow self and her children when they need compassionate

direction.

She knows the true wisdom lies in circles, councils, water droplets, ripples and

energy. And neither straight lines, nor hierarchies, have ever had a place in

Universal Law.

She knows the future generations are dependent upon her actions.
She works to co-create communities where all are respected and valued, including

the four-leggeds, two-leggeds, winged ones, finned ones and all.
She holds the sacred space in the home so all who walk in the door are welcomed,

fed and offered healing, directly or indirectly.

She lives her higher purpose.
She loves with deep compassion and understanding.
She laughs and celebrates the silliness in life and embraces each and every

Sacred moment with love.

She knows Balance is the ultimate wise path.

~

(This is the Sacred Feminine - the woman helping to mid-wife the New World being birthed at this time - a re-definition of femininity for the 21st century. By no means is this list complete. You are welcome to come and add your thoughts…)

 

Mare Cromwell is an award-winning author, plant intuitive, sacred gardener, and former worm herder. She has studied for eighteen years with Native American medicine people and sits on The World Council for Wisdom Gatherings. Her most recent book is 'Messages from Mother: Earth Mother.' Her first book is: 'If I Gave You God’s Phone Number: Searching for Spirituality in America'. She calls Western Maryland home and thinks Sacred Silliness absolutely ranks. She is currently working on her third book 'The Great Mother Bible'. You may connect with Mare through her Messages From Mother website here, her book press here, or her For The Earth blog here.

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