WOMEN: Stagnation, Passion and Self-Discovery

In reflection of the last year, one of the most meaningful discussions we had on the Women's Inspiration BLOG is this post on stagnation, passion and self-discovery. What I loved about it is that it generated different perspectives across the world, so I share it again, coming back to this place all of us seeing this topic with another year's growth...

It seems the whole world needs renewal. It is such a strong calling, particularly at this turbulent time in history and this time of year. Oh, perfect life! What is it we are seeking?

A while back, I wrote about my first experience of being asked this question in a piece called Women: Perfect Life:

"The dimensions of my life and my dreams have the perpetual newness of spring. First a blossoming...then in beauty of it finest hour, a new bud forms to awaken my world with a new color not yet seen before, once again delighting the day with the promise of more to come--- more to learn---more to accomplish---more to give to those who touch my life---more to become myself."

GOING A STEP FARTHER ...
I received a wonderful comment and contribution from Clair Schraeder. She invites us to take our thinking a step farther in her inspiring writing on stagnation and passion. I share it here:

Thoughts on Stagnation and Passion by Claire Schraeder
I live in the UK where we have winter. We have days and sometimes weeks of amorphous greyness and/or cold. This is a time of hibernation and withdrawal when people keep indoors, and yet even in January when the appearance is that everything is dead, there is much burgeoning beneath. New life is generating in the earth and the snowdrops and crocii even manage to push their shoots through the impacted earth. There is the celtic festival of Imbolc that recognises and celebrates this.

My point is that in apparent stagnation, important work is going on. There is a spark of life. Even to name a state stagnation is to recognise the spark - the desire to bring momentum and change.

In mythology this is classically represented by the goddess descending to the underworld and re emerging in the spring. It is interesting to me that the ancients recognised this as an aspect of the feminine, which is why too the feminine is represented in the ying yang by the colour black. Women have this capacity to go within and trawl jewels from the depths. Hades the god of the underworld is also keeper of the wealth of the earth - jewels and crystals of immense beauty.

This represents no problem for many women, but for the woman leader who is required to be performing at optimum levels at all times it is tough.

One of the things that I have learnt to do is on those stagnant days when I might be tempted to judge myself, I hold back from pushing. I use the time to nurture ideas, I know that the embers of passion are in potentia, and it is almost certain that I will wake up one morning and will be ready for action, able to be go out ino the world with energy and enthusiasm. When I do that the experience is effortless fueled by the days when the flames of passion have burned softly.

Thank you, Claire, for inviting us to expand our thinking!

What ways will you apply these insights in your life?

How will you recognize the rebirth taking place even in times you may feel stagnant?

Debbe

Debbe Kennedy
Founder, Global Dialogue Center

Visit Women in the Lead at the Global Dialogue Center.

Read other writings by Claire Schraeder on her blog at http://movesblog.wordpress.com

Comments

[Claire Schrader]

Dear Debbe
Thank you for your generosity in posting my comment on your blog and I apologise for the length of time it has taken me to respond - due to the death of a dear friend which took me off my usual track.

Such generosity demonstrates to me the core aspect of feminine leadership - of inclusion which brings more of everything to everyone - and which you model so well. All power to you.

Claire Schrader

[Debbe Kennedy]

Dear Claire,
Sorry to hear of your loss. I'm sure it was very difficult.

Thanks for your nice note. It was my pleasure to share your message ... actually even shared the essence of receiving it and the wisdom in it with a group last week. So you wrote it at the perfect time.

We all have so much to share and teach one another, yes?

Debbe