Heroine Chic- The SHEro’s Journey : IntentBlog

intent is the emerging asian consciousness giving birth to a global mind shift

Featured Posts

Heroine Chic- The SHEro’s Journey

Renee Reeser Zelnick - February 12, 2007

I wanted a pony for my twelfth birthday. Dad gave me a .22 rifle and an NRA membership.
It has been said (or argued) that there are seven, or eleven comedies and dramas, depending which school of thought you subscribe to. Unless we’re talking about a game of craps or a convenience store, I don’t agree with those numbers. I contend there is but one story-

The Hero’s Journey

I feel it is a mistake however, not to discuss the female hero, or the shero, as I prefer to call her. Let’s give the ladies some equal billing in this cosmic play. From Eden’s Eve to Dorothy in Oz to Ofelia in Pan’s Labyrinth, we gals have answered many Calls to Adventure, Initiation and Return. Writer Ursula la Guin said in “SAGA: Best New Writings on Mythology”:

“It’s sticky, because language is so male-centered that it excludes much of the feminine experience.”

The word "Heroine", is created by the traditional English suffix “ine” transforming the word Hero from the masculine, into the feminine form. It seems somewhat diminutive by definition, and therefore somewhat inappropriate. But when we take look at the “hero”, three letters, h-e-r, spell her, making up seventy-five percent of the word! And if we want to get chromosonal, I’ll point out that we all start out as double xx in the womb.

Don’t get me wrong. These days I consider myself to be more humanist than feminist. And j’adore Joseph Campbell. He made Bill Moyers tolerable. However, no matter how modern the mythmakers, the popular use of language limitations with innate boundaries of gender specific words, bind and constrict us like linguistic lingerie left on as uncomfortably long as this sentence.

Long past the June Cleaver era, women have tossed off the girdle, burned bras, begun wearing the pants and bringing home the bacon. So we could afford new bras. This socially acceptable change in fashion and economy in contemporary culture has moved women beyond the roles of mother, nurse and nun. Entering realms previously dominated by men, we vote, attend university, join the military, explore space, run corporations and/or households. Or we can marry rich in Silicone Valley. It’s easy if you come with your silicones.

As far as style goes, no one really blinks an eye when a woman dresses “masculine”. And it seems acceptable for a guy to wear a dress in an Eddie Murphy/Eddie Izzard/Hasty Pudding/Monty Python/Rocky Horror sort of way (okay- maybe the last one is kinda iffy for some), but beyond that, it is cause for calling a man’s "metrosexual" preference into question. But in actuality, every man has a feminine component in his psyche; and every woman has a masculine component in hers . Carl Jung, biological father of depth psychology, referred to these traits as the anima and animus respectively.

Maybe it’s subconscious fear of the female mysteries that hold society and some men back. Neglect of the inner feminine has had serious cultural consequences resulting in imbalance on both conscious and subconscious levels. HIS-torically ( are you picking up on a pattern here?), while “The Man” has repressed women socially and culturally, attempting to keep them subordinate and powerless he has also suppressed the useful feminine power within himself.

Stephan Larsen points out on page 132 in his book “The Mythic Imagination”, the suppression of women’s natural magic by the male priesthood. Even the very self-actualized Joseph Campbell once remarked to Maureen Murdock, author of “The Heroine’s Journey”:

"But, Maureen, women do not need to go on any journey. They're already in touch with the Feminine."

Yes, Professor Campbell, we are in touch with the feminine. But I promised myself I wouldn’t do that again after college. We women do seek our animus and a few boons as we cross the threshold into the shero’s journey. A maiden, mother or crone can easily slay a dragon or two.

Especially if she’s well armed.

I guess Joseph Campbell never met Sarah Connor or Lara Croft.

Digg this entry Add to Del.icio.us Share on Facebook Subscribe

Posted by Renee Reeser Zelnick at February 12, 2007 08:04 PM

Comments

Absolutely delightful read, and a breath of fresh air; from this blog going so "politically" inclined lately... thanks for the knowledge and the giggles...

with loving kindness,
North

1. Posted by North on February 12, 2007 08:33 PM

In Hinduism, Ardhanari or Ardhanarishvara, is an androgynous deity composed of Shiva and his consort Shakti, representing the synthesis of masculine and feminine energies. The Ardhanari form also illustrates how the female principle of God, Shakti is inseparable from the male principle of God, Shiva. Ardhanari in iconography is depicted as half-male and half-female, split down the middle.

Devi is the Sanskrit word for Goddess. She is synonymous with Shakti, the female aspect of divinity, and is conceptualized in the Shakta tradition as the driving force without which the male aspect, which represents consciousness or discrimination, is impotent.

Goddesses are an integral part of Hinduism, and the worship of goddesses is a significant aspect of Hindu religion. The number of goddesses in the ancient and the contemporary Hinduism is overwhelming, and each one of the goddess has her own mythology and history, appearance and roles, characters and attributes. Some scholars believe that all goddesses of the Hindu pantheon are different manifestations of the single super-goddess (Devi), and there are Hindu texts, myths and traditions that affirm this theory. Others believe they represent feminine aspects of a greater, unitary divine entity.

Shakti meaning force, power or energy is the Hindu concept or personification of God's female aspect, sometimes referred to as 'The Divine Mother'. Shakti represents the active, dynamic principles of feminine power.

Rajesh Sharma

2. Posted by Rajesh Sharma on February 12, 2007 10:27 PM

Dear Renee,
Good luck on your shero's journey!

Dear Rajesh,
I've been learning the Vijnana Bhairava Tantra. Are you familiar with it? It's fascinating! In this dialogue between Shiva and Shakti, Shakti asks Shiva to dispell her doubts and explain the nature of reality and Shiva replies with 112 meditation techniques.

Besides the meditation techniques which are pratical and experiential, it really touches the bhakti in me. In verse seven Devi declares, “Prasadam kuru me natha nihsesam chindhi samsayam.” (O Lord bestow grace upon me. Remove my doubts completely.) Those words can bring me to such a place of surrender and I enjoy chanting them to God.

And yet, as you said, Devi is not separate from Shiva and so why is Devi questioning? Why is she pretending ignorance and doubt? For our benefit of course - and yet it makes me ask myself, "Kristin, in what ways do you pretend ignorance and doubt?" In what ways are you denying the Shiva/Shakti within you?

Love, Kristin

3. Posted by Kristin Masterton on February 13, 2007 06:43 AM

Hi Renee,

Great stuff you wrote. No doubt you have heard about the (R)evolution and feminine resurgence and resurrection of the Goddess to bring the earth to balance.

www.i----i.org/revolution/ Or click my name below.

The wise man honors the guardian of the sacred cave, leading to the womb of mystery. It is he that blesses and adorns the cave entrance with many kisses that gains entry to it's secrets.

4. Posted by Richard Thomas on February 13, 2007 08:48 AM

Hi Kristin,

I am not familiar with "Vijnana Bhairava Tantra".

After reading your comments, I just saw the glimpse of it and enjoyed it very much.

Thanks for guiding me toward it.

Rajesh Sharma

5. Posted by Rajesh Sharma on February 14, 2007 06:22 AM

Yeah I must say I strongly agree with North........ It is nice to get someone speaking on a real topic instead of the Wave of Political drab that has just totaly overtaken this blog in the last six months. I think it should be re-named the Blog for political monsters!

(Why do I get the Impression you are a lesbian?)

LOL

Love SImon xx xx

6. Posted by Simon_Freejohn on February 14, 2007 07:42 AM

Thanks to all who commented!
Simon - what happened to "don't ask, don't tell?"
North - you Rock!
Rajesh- thanks for writing half of my hinduism term paper ( just kidding- really appreciate the info in your words :) )
Kristen- thanks so mucho- i need it!
Richard- well, aren't u the naught one!

7. Posted by ReneeRZ on February 15, 2007 07:47 PM

Ah- I'm feeling the love! eith that, or it's the merlot talking....
North- u Rock!
Richard - u r naughty!
Rajesh- Thanks for writing half my term paper on hinduism(kidding-really appreciate the info!)
Kristen- thanks so mucho!
Simon-what happened to "don't ask, don't tell'?

Hope to chat more soon-
peace!

8. Posted by ReneeRZ on February 15, 2007 07:51 PM

Thanks, Renee, for a deep yet lighter (okay, it is NOT an oxymoron!) ;) view of the balance of energies in us all .... and, no, many women are not fully in touch with the feminine, I sense it is why there are so many illnesses, as well as lacking the animus ... as we all move to find authenticity within and with our every movement in life. To find balance of empowered movement and surrender to flow in all forms.

I was visiting a dear friend recently, and her husband encouraged me to target shoot - never missed a bull's eye! Hunting? No, I just like the marksmanship. Slaying dragons in life ... I've slain quite a few, and the movement within is calling for more ...

Hey, who would have thought that old high school friends would reconnect almost 30 years later, across the country, in that same way of never losing a beat that we've had over the years?! Thanks for sharing your musings, I look forward to deepening the discussion ;) HUGS! Aileen

9. Posted by HealingFrequencies on February 16, 2007 01:13 PM

Post a comment

Thanks for signing in, . Now you can comment. (sign out)

(If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)

Thanks for signing in, . Now you can comment. (sign out)

(If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)

Featured Posts

Heroine Chic- The SHEro’s Journey

Comments

Post a comment

Recent Posts

Recent Comments

Categories