It’s true we really are! Starting with the spring energy of Brigid on the Ist February, firing us up as new ideas and projects begin to germinate but allowing us to be still in the winter and let things take their course, as the brave little snowdrops flower.She is honoured on first Monday in February, as St.Brigid, matron saint of Republic of Ireland , as of 2 years ago and a reimagined strong female figure for the modern world.
I took part in a wonderful Brigid/ Imbolc ceremony held online by Elena Riu www.elenariu.co.uk. Elena is a pianist, yoga teacher and advocate of Menstuality teaching
Elena’s fun info packed guidebook My Dear Period takes us through the ages from Cleopatra to Taylor Swift – yes they all had/ have periods too and aims to help young women and girls make friends with their bodies and understand the changes that will happen and how by knowing our bodies and ourselves we can be empowered and claim our monthly cycle as a way to deep self knowledge.
I held a Brigid/ Imbolc Circle on Sunday 2nd February to honour the goddess of the spring and ourselves as we release old patterns in our lives that no longer serve us and usher in new dreams, projects, ways of being. We all made Brigid Dollie’s from twigs and herbs, which can then be hung outside our homes to represent the new spring start.
I must thank Julia and Tessa for their tremendously encouraging and step by step workshop on Circle Holding for giving me the tools and the confidence to hold my first circle. Check out their website for workshops and courses www.circleholding.org and their companion book that really does hold your hand every step of the way.
And how about having your very own goddess art piece – see Bird Goddess below made by the talented Rachael Dickens www.rachaeldickens.co.uk
BE INSPIRED
Being inspired is everywhere from listening to the amazing Monique Roffey, award winning author, talking about her latest thrilling feminist revolution of a book Passiontide at www.favershamliteraryfestival.org and being called to action against violence to women and girls and singing along with The Figureheads – female sea shanty singers who opened a fortnight of International Womens’s Exhibition at www.beachcreative.org
Good Being A Girl is back on the road with lots of amazing new feminist gifts as we celebrate International Women’s Day and a year of festivals that raise the roof and honour and celebrate womankind
2025 We are all Goddesses
First up is Kent’s Power of Women Restival https://www.powthanet.com/ where the central theme is rest. Rest is the Protest. Dive into activities and events during March that are a declaration of self-worth
MUST READ BOOKS
Crow Moon by Lucy Pearce is the latest transformative book by the founder and creative director of www.womancraftpublishing.com .First visioned during lockdown as Lucy experienced a chance encounter with a flock of murmurating crows in her local wood in Ireland.This led to a powerful initiation and way back to the heart of ourselves.
Strikingly illustrated in black and white by Lucy, with contributions from other women, healers and artists, all midlife women who have also been called by the magic of crows at decisive moments of their lives, an agent of change.
For all those like myself who may have missed looking up and seeing; once you do they are everywhere guiding us and presenting us with magic moments as they swirl and caw
A Bookshop of One’s Own by Jane Cholmeley is a love letter to the creation of The Silver Moon Bookshop, champion of women writers and feminists that used to be on Charing Cross Road in London.How a group of women set out to change the world during the Thatcherite era, defying the odds to become one of the biggest women’s bookshops in Europe. Alice Walker, Audre Lorde were amongst many who came to do signings !
Jane doesn’t sugar coat anything and tells as it was ,a hard slog to get it up and running and funded and then the difficult balance of feminism, politics and business. Jane offers a slice of social history from a true feminist and lesbian icon at the heart of the Women’s Liberation Movement full of so may funny moments , love and honesty
And a great YA recommendation is The Agency for a Scandal by Laura Wood which mixes romance and an underground feminist group who help women in need in 1870’s London.Society girl Isobel who’s family have fallen on hard times is recruited to the Aviary to help women against powerful men.Its historical setting manages to show how things have changed but not so much…Full of a diverse group of empowering characters forging paths through the patriarchy of the day. The second in the series – A Season for Scandal is just out!
MUST SEE EXHIBITION
https://www.smb.museum/en/exhibitions/detail/flow-the-exhibition-on-menstruation/
2022
It’s been growing steadily over the last few years us speaking about Menopause, hearing it on the radio, celebrity women campaigning in and outside parliament to allow women the support they need at this time.
This time, Menopause ,is a physical transition, equivalent to puberty and involving the same rollercoaster of hormones and rewiring. But it’s not a medical condition, it’s a natural transformation into a time of great power, when we can be fully ourselves without compromise. It can prompt us to make monumental changes in our lives and become awakened to our true purpose in this next phase of our lives. Sound anything like the old woman myths we’ve all been brought up with ?Put down those knitting needles ( guerilla crochet art work excepted!) and listen to what you really want to do now.
Alexandra Pope and Sjanie Hugo Wurlitzer have been holding courses for some years to encourage women and girls to recognise the power and positivity in our Menstrual cycles , to track our own cycles and see those times we have the need to be out there and the times we need to retreat and be still and listen to what is next and how we can awaken more to our callings and right action. www.redschool.net
So it is no surprise that the definitive book about the true nature of Menopause – Wise Power – is out now!
It is the wise women coming back from the woods to tell us how to travel through this exciting time. Truly revelational!
Check out their course due to start https://www.redschool.net/wise-power-retreat
Other inspiring books also out this year on this second half of life is Sharon Blackie’s magnificently named Hagitude – which looks at the old woman archetypes and how they relate to this phase in our lives and how we can smash through the patriarchal intepretations of the witches in the woods
Embracing the positive title Second Spring Kate Codrington’s book gives us a self-care guide to menopause full of humour, honesty, whichever route you choose to take https://www.katecodrington.co.uk/
Finally bravo to Davina McCall for highlighting her own experiences of Menopause in the public arena and producing a roadmap with the help of Dr Naomi Potter, to help us negotiate this next important phase – she freely admits it has given new purpose to her own life
There feels like a shift going on , even with the horror of war, violence against women in Iran and around the world, here too in the UK. Women and men are standing up to be heard despite the danger to themselves – to say enough is enough – we will be heard, seen and be the change we want to see. Courage calls for courage