I had been planning this post for days and then the Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe vs. Wade was handed down, cementing the sentiments I was contemplating; the power and physical, emotional, and spiritual oppression of the Patriarchy.

The Marriam-Webster dictionary defines “patriarchy” as:

“social organization marked by the supremacy of the father in the clan or family, the legal dependence of wives and children, and the reckoning of descent and inheritance in the male line.

broadly: control by men of a disproportionately large share of power”

Though the primary definition above seems to contain the patriarchy within the “clan or family” domain, the “broader” definition indicates the male dominated Patriarchy is absolutely present in all aspects of life; social, political, and religious/spiritual. Men are disproportionately represented in the Board Room, Legislative bodies, and in the Leadership of our Faith Traditions. And, of course, closer to home, in many Faith Traditions, men are designated as “heads of the household”. Some Faith Traditions suggest that women are not capable of having their own spiritual experiences independent of a man’s leadership.

The wounds that result from these inequities are deep and because the origins are so old, the wounds can be explained away in tradition. Let’s take a good long hard look at these inequities and the wounding they inflict on such a huge percent of the population. We must recognize that we are perpetuating wounds in many of our traditional, millennia old perspectives.

So God created [hu]mankind in [God’s] own image,
in the image of God [God] created them;
male and female [God] created them.

I don’t see a hierarchy implied in this story. I don’t see a greater proportion of the image of God being given to the male version of humanity. We all come from the same creator and are equally loved, valued, and gifted to express our humanity, which is our unique expression of the image of God.

God bless us all, every one!

Of all the pressures that lead to Spiritual Wounding, the desire, even the need, to belong may be fundamental to all wounds. When aspects of our “True Self” come up against expectations of the spiritual tradition and its teachings, there comes the point of deciding, do you stay true to yourself, or do you conform and deny some aspect of you in order to belong to this group?   These points of decision may relate to your sexuality, how you express your spirituality, your self-will, your curious mind, and more.

Not everyone responds in the same way. Some find ways to belong without conforming or giving up parts of themselves. They are more able to stay true to themselves.

And others decide that the only way to belong it to conform. When you conform those aspects of your True Self that don’t quite synch up with the group, may become labelled as wrong or bad, so you hide them. Then you may begin to feel shame or guilt for being who you are. And, even if at some point you choose to disconnect from that group, the shame and guilt will likely persist.

Bringing those feelings into the open is the first step to healing. Discovering that you are not alone in this dynamic is also helpful.

Healing From Spiritual Wounds is a place where you will find others who, like you, are looking for healing from the wounds of shame and guilt. There is a place where you are welcome and invited to be your True Self again. No shame, no guilt, no new criteria for you to accept. You deserve to be all of you again. Together we will walk the path that leads to healing and wholeness.