An article went viral last week that brought me out of my nursing cocoon. Something that has been there for me… but I haven’t been able to put my finger on it.
It’s called “I Need to Talk to Spiritual Women About White Supremacy.” Did you see it yet?
I loved Layla’s personal story and strong voice, but it was this paragraph in particular that caught my attention:
FLEB (Female Lifestyle Empowerment Brand) is complicit in upholding white patriarchal supremacy.
FLEB focuses on the empowerment of the individual, rather than the collective. And if it does focus on the collective, it’s often focused on a very narrow view of who that collective is (which as you’ve guessed it, is usually white women). FLEB casually uses the hard-earned language of activism and revolution to sell empowerment to those who already hold a lot of privilege in this world.
This landed on a deep level after hearing a similar comment from Dr. Shefali at the Chopra Center when she said that women uphold the patriarchy.
It’s true. If we stay silent, we uphold white patriarchal supremacy.
I say, ENOUGH.
So what are we going to do about it?
It’s time for us to rise up as individual leaders and raise our voices. But the real impact will happen when we come together as a united sisterhood.
One of my heroines, Leymah Gbowee, stopped the war in Liberia and won the Nobel Peace Prize by raising her individual voice and collectively standing together in a circle of sisterhood.
The two go hand in hand.
I’m not interested in being a FLEB. I’m committed to being the example of feminine leadership. And feminine leadership, sisterhood and circle go hand in hand.
Our motto this year feels more relevant than ever after Charlotteville and Barcelona: EVERY woman rises. NO sister left behind.
What if we really, truly committed to that statement?
What would the world look like if ALL women accepted one another as their sister despite their differences of age, race, creed or sexual preference?
For us to create change, we must change the model. Instead of fighting against something, fight for something. Take another path, the path of changing from the inside out.
And so instead of fighting against patriarchy and white supremacy, I say we choose circle with one another.
I believe this is the greatest difference we can make. The more that we accept other women and stop the cattiness, competition, backstabbing and comparison, the more that energy will ripple out into the world. The more we hear…the more we understand – TRULY understand one another, the more this compassion will ripple out into the world.
So sister, we’ve got some work to do.
Right now, most women join a circle based on who they identify with, AKA “my tribe.” This perpetuates the cycle with more division and separation as women circle with women who are the same as them.
What if we begin to create circles of true diversity?
What if we choose to circle with those who are seemingly different than us with a curiosity to discover what we have in common?
What if we open our hearts to ALL people, not just those we feel most safe with because they look like us, act like us, seem like us?
True sisterhood occurs when women seek to understand and connect with ALL women from EVERY walk of life. We must all put down our swords and shields and lean in together in circle despite our differences.
The healing shifts from individual wounding to collective wounding as we address ALL of what really keeps us separate. Circle creates an opportunity for conversations around racism and economic disparity, and all other forms of division for true healing and empowerment.
This is the direction I’m shifting into: diversifying Sistership Circles from those of primarily women of white privilege to becoming more reflective of the entire human rainbow.
I need your help. My work is to train women in circle leadership … so I need women like you to raise their hand to lead these circles.
At the beginning of the year, I sent out an email saying that this was the year for women to step into leadership and start circles.
I mean that more than ever as we’re approaching the final quarter of the year.
I’m on a mission to contribute to 1 million circles existing on the planet and if you have felt the call to lead one of them, we urgently need you NOW.
There is no prior experience or training that you need to lead a circle. We teach you all that you need to know, give you the space to practice so you feel confident, and give you a step by step roadmap to follow.
You simply need a big heart full of passion, a desire for connection, and a soul calling. It’s inexplicable for most women who get into this work; it simply comes from a mysterious knowing deep within.
A mentor once told me that most people live in a “someday, one day conversation” that never happens. So they go through their life wishing instead of taking action, and getting the same stinking results over and over again.
Let’s make 2017 the year that you finally have the breakthrough and put your circle on the map. It’s time to stop putting it off and take action with Sistership Circle’s supportive loving sisterhood, experienced mentorship, and powerful accountability.
You have no idea how many women are feeling disconnected and helpless, and are literally WAITING for you to make that announcement. Yes, women need YOU!
If you feel a strong tug on your heart to lead and empower women, becoming a Sistership Circle Facilitator is one of the best ways out there for you to feel fulfilled in your purpose while making a nice supplemental income.
If you are a leader, emerging leader or want to become a leader, we have a certification program that will give you the confidence, structure and tools to get started.
Join our How to Lead Circle Program for Level 1 Certification.
