Women in the LEAD

Why Women Must Step Up To Participate In the Leadership of the World

In 1997 Jessica Tuchman Mathews wrote an article for Foreign Affairs highlighting the fact that war is not the only threat to our nation’s security and went on to look at global issues of concern to women. In her article she states that the security of the individual does not necessarily correlate with the security of their nation. She believes that “human security” emerges from conditions of daily life—food, shelter, employment, health, public safety rather than from a countries foreign relations and military strength”.

In her brilliant book, “Closing the leadership Gap: Why Women Can and Must Run the World”, Marie Wilson states that,

“Mathews hypothesis was borne out by three years of research housed at the Rockefeller Brothers Fund and was released by the Aspen Institute in 2001. Her study was titled A Woman’s’ Lens on global issues”. The study identified a number of threats to global stability, including environmental degradation, economic development, human rights and health care issues. She went on to say the both genders share “a commitment to international cooperation” women would act differently to get there. In other words females are more likely to:

• Believe that nations need to work together
• Support international programs that meet basic human needs-“a human security issue” agenda and---empower women.
• Empathisize diplomacy over military power”

Marie Wilson is the president of the White House Project. I have full respect for the work that they do to encourage and support women to enter political offices—along with their many other notable contributions to women. Maries’ book is well worth reading and I am in full agreement with her support of Jessica Tuchman Mathews’ research. We need clearly documented information on woman’s’ current thinking and beliefs to make the case for a new way to lead the world!

Maureen Simon

Woman: What Is Your True Strength?

“Women are like tea bags we don’t know out true strength unless we are in hot water”

                                                                                                            Eleanor Roosevelt

When I recently read this great quote from Eleanor Roosevelt I was both humored and concerned. I asked myself is this really true?

The first image that came to my mind was the image of a mother physically removing a car off a child that had been hit. I remember hearing an actual story of how a mothers’ strength had saved her child. The other thought that came to my mind was-- is it really true that women must find themselves in hot water in order to fully discover and express their strength?

I think not! Women have many assets that we express daily that contribute great strength and leadership in the world.  I believe that the main hindrance to women in fully showing up in the leadership of the world, business politics and the rest, is our lack of understanding and ownership of the strength, power and gifts that we actually hold. Humility is a good thing but is very important to own and use the many great gifts that are natural to us.

Notice when are you making the greatest contribution in your day or life?

Who is affected, who benefits? How?

What talents attributes or strengths are you expressing as you make these contributions?

How can you fully own and express your natural talents and gifts as women, more fully?

I am convinced that the day that we fully own and express all of who we are in the world, the world will be a far better place! Let’s not just wait for the moments that we find ourselves in hot water!!

Go for it!

Maureen Simon

How Do We Know How To Live Our Lives?

         

"Be the world so rough may I never forget the vision of my heart?

The dreams of my soul,

The creative plans and ideas that quicken my blood

And inspire my being"

                       ~ Caitlin Matthews in Celtic Devotional (1996)

                                                                   

We are offered opportunities to discover our deepest passion in life at each day of our life. We often step back timidly and choose not to trust our inner voice that is our true guide and brings us important information about next steps.  Life gives us sneak previews, small glimpses, chills up our spine, butterflies in our stomachs and feelings that help us know when we've entered that zone of passion.  Why do we run from life’s offerings and question the immense opportunities in our life?

When we sell out on fully living our life from our deepest passion, we miss the vast possibilities that are truly available to us. We limit ourselves greatly when we don't trust the inner voice that informs us daily on our life’s path by teaching us through- how we “feel”. How we “feel” is the major indication as to whether our day to day actions are in alignment with what we are meant to do and of how we are meant to live. We cannot be truly whole, unless we begin to understand the choices that we're making in our lives, and how they relate to the deepest passion that lies within the depths our souls.

Maureen Simon

In Every Being There Exists a Masculine and a Feminine Nature

“In every being there exists a masculine and a feminine nature. The masculine side reveals itself as the powers of discrimination, self-control, and exacting judgment--qualities that express or respond to reason. The feminine nature consists of feeling--love, sympathy, kindness, mercy, joy. In the ideal being, these two aspects are perfectly balanced. But if reason lacks feeling, it becomes calculating, harsh, judgmental; and if feeling lacks reason it becomes blind emotion”.   

God Talks with Aruba

                   Paramahansa Yogananda

Yesterday I had the rare opportunity to tune into Oprah at the end of my work day. She had the newly elected women President of Liberia on her show. President Johnson moved me deeply with her strength, grace, determination and clear sense of justice and respect for the advancement of Women in

Liberia

. She admitted that her new job was vast but said that she knew what she was getting into. She said that so far there have been few surprises.

Liberia

, an impoverished African country, has been ruled by dictatorship and brought to its ruination. Civil war broke out in towns and cities across the country resulting in many cities being fully destroyed. Women have been greatly abused and undervalued. President Johnson has made it her personal mission and conviction to support women to gain an education and to move into the leadership of the country. The film of

Liberia

which Oprah showed during the interview represented thousands of women marching in victory and celebration when President Johnson won the election. The President is an amazing woman who has clearly developed a strong balance of her masculine and feminine attributes. In the interview it was clear that she equally developed gifts of: powers of discrimination, self-control, exacting judgment (masculine) - along side with love, sympathy, kindness, mercy, joy (feminine).

Where do you stand in relation to the perfect balance of the masculine and feminine?

Is there a side of you that could benefit from further development or expression?

Maureen Simon

What Is Your Best Contribution?

“The three ruinations of a tribe: a lying chief, a false judge and a lecherous priest”

An Ancient Irish Triad

Truth, a sense of right and wrong and a strong clear strong spiritual connection, in my mind, make for a well l lived and guided society. Do you feel we have this level of integrity and truth in our county today? Do you feel our world leadership holds these qualities? Are most leaders leading in a manner of selflessness or full integrity?

How can we feel as though we are living in integrity if we do not feel that the leaders in our world are not?

I have recently come to realize that we can all live lives that are filled with integrity even if we, at times, feel alone. In truth, there are amazing and wonderful things taking place every day in this world and it is our responsibility to create leadership in areas where we see weakness or in authenticity.

Step out-- look around---where is the world crying for your unique and special voice and gifts? You will be amazed at how much personal power, strength and meaning that will fill your life when you make one small contribution to this world that we all call home.

Maureen Simon

Awakening To Life: New Beginnings

The month of May comes with new opportunities new beginnings. In the Celtic tradition many believe that it is a time to feel and experience a new sense of well-being in our bodies. New vigor and a life force are available to us as we move from the cold winter’s clime.  

Caitlin Matthews in her book—“The Celtic Spirit” writes. ”Every sentiment being has its own energy field or Nwyfre (something of the earth that is alive in our own bodies)….The Nwyfre rises up in the land as the summer approaches and the dormant dragons, rise from their dark earth caverns upon powerful wings.”

• Where are you currently asleep and gaining readiness to rise up from your dark cavern?
• What will be different when you fully awaken? What will you life look like?
• What do you now need to envision or create?

Enjoy the very special time of year!

Happy spring!

Maureen Simon

A Dialgoue Across Borders

“I recently visited London, and although there is a big Muslim community over there, I still felt that I was being singled out from the rest of the crowd.  People were giving me looks, especially since I was wearing the scarf (hijab).  I was shocked to find that a lot of people were simply ignoring me, as if I was invisible, they wouldn’t even look straight at me when I approached them and talked to them.. I will never forget the times I overheard passersby saying bad things about me and when I turned around they were not at all embarrassed that I had heard them, but would look at me straight in the eye with a hateful look as if challenging me… How can some people be so cruel and racist?  If I could only make them feel a tenth of the hurt they caused me then maybe they would reconsider what they are doing?  So call me naïve if you want, but I would rather live in the hope of all these barriers will one day be removed and that hatred will be gone rather than face the cruelty of racism and misconceptions.”

When I read this blog entry by Angham Amman, I was really touched.  How can we stop prejudging each other?  If a woman wears a scarf, it is by her choice.  The symbolism aligns her in Angham’s situation with her faith.  Many women across the globe choose to wear this head dress in devotion to their faith.  We cannot view her fairly in a negative way, for we do not know her. 

Recently, France banned Islamic women from wearing the head scarf in public.  This action shocked me for who can make a decision like this for an individual and how can this insensitive action benefit people who want to live peacefully in harmony with others?  Our world is at a real crossroads.  It is only when we reach out to understand each other will we truly create a harmonious and peaceful world.  All other actions and insensitive create disharmony, disrespect and eventually war.

Maureen Simon

An excerpt from “A Dialogue Across Borders” from the “Imagining Ourselves” blog of the International Museum of Women by Angham Ali Amman

The Celtic Season of Beltain Arrives

“The true man sings gladly in the bright day, sings, loudly of May – fair-aspected season.”

-John Matthews, “From the Isles of Dream”

Beltane in the Celtic calendar marks the season of summer.  The darkness turns to light, playfulness abounds and the world becomes green. In Britain and Ireland, May 1^st is May Day – a day when the may pole is gleefully danced around and celebration is in the air.  Having lived in England for many years and being born of Irish blood, this holiday lives alive in my soul.  The day also remains alive in many parts of Ireland and England.

For each of us it is an opportunity for our life to reach full expression – a time when we can invite joy and lightness in to our life.  We have long awaited the dawn to welcome summer.  The time is now.  To the Celts, the brightness of the day signified the Celtic God, Bel, known as “Shining One”.  Caitlin Matthews in her book, “Celtic spirit” refers to Bel as “the bright-faced splendor of green summer whose glad arising spreads a shiny honey of golden light over the waiting earth.  It is hard to witness this sunrise without feeling a part of it.”

What opportunities, possibilities or new beginnings can you create in your life in this very special season of Beltane?

Maureen Simon

REQUEST TO WOMEN: Put Your Fingerprint on HISTORY!

The world is calling all of us. Can you hear it? It is asking for us to take our turn---to engage ourselves in shaping and making history. In a world that has so much that is about TAKING, would you be willing to GIVE JUST A FEW MOMENTS OF TIME and YOUR PERSPECTIVE.

Recently, we started a Personal Responsibility Dialogue at the Global Dialogue Center. The first phase of it is centered around sharing your own personal perspective by answering just a few questions. When we started a few weeks ago, it took courage for the first few trailblazers to share their responses, but a few brave souls started. Since we have had a steady stream of people stopping by to contribute. Last week, we added a sampling of responses from men and women around the world. Each question now has a sampling of responses to stimulate your point of view. So before you respond, you can see what others have said about the question.

PERSONAL REQUEST OF YOU ...

Would you be willing help us by sharing your thoughts?
Go here to put your fingerprint on history:  http://www.globaldialoguecenter.com/responsibility

What it is all about...
The Personal Responsibility Dialogue is sponsored by the Center for Meaning in collaboration with the Global Dialogue Center. Its purpose is to engage citizens of the world in a meaningful conversation, exploring liberty, freedom and personal responsibility ---- cherished values for us all. Additionally, it is an exploration about the notion of a Statue of Responsibility and its far-reaching possibilities to bring the world together --- An idea, first advanced by the famed psychiatrist, Viktor Frankl, himself in the 1960s --- Holocaust survivor and author of one of the top ten books of the 20th Century, Man's Search for Meaning. This idea has become a work-in-progress, which began to take root shortly after Dr. Frankl's passing in 1997. Here is a three-minute podcast by Dr. Alex Pattakos that tells more about the idea. Listen in

I look forward to seeing WOMEN across the world demonstrating their leadership and intuitive perspectives for this important topic. I know you'll enjoy seeing what others have contributed already.

Bless you for your help!

Debbe Kennedy
Founder, Global Dialogue Center
Home of Women in the Lead

Learn more about Viktor Frankl at the Global Dialogue Center