In Praise of the Eternal Feminine Spirit

In December of 2003 my dear friend and confidante, Dr. Gerri Leigh, passed on. She was a woman of honesty and integrity who could make your soul sing and your spirit soar. When she left this plane of existence I realized that sometimes, in our search for the sacred, we miss that which is well within our grasp. The feminine spirit is with us each and every day, manifesting in our mothers, sisters, friends and in every woman we are blessed to cross paths with. I have always found a purity of the soul within women.

Dr.Gerri Leigh was a parapsychologist, author, inventor, astrologist and much more. She was a breath of spirit that illuminated my life. She wrote to me via email everyday for over two years until her passing. Free from inhibition and bristling with insight, she was instrumental in my spiritual evolution. As a television personality, as well as a print and radio star, her words have assisted the spiritual development of countless souls. She was, and will always be, a divine beauty and transcendent vision that I wear as a talisman of health and well being.

The Eternal Feminine Spirit
There is a sacred dimension to all women. Each offers an unique perspective and mystical sensibility. I have been surrounded by women throughout my life. My mother is one of eleven - nine of them being girls. I began my life in my grandmother's home surrounded by my mother and her sisters. Added to my mother, aunts and grandmother, I have two sisters, no brothers, and the majority of my friends have always been female.

Women have always played an important part in my life and my spiritual evolution. Like ‘Sacred Mother Earth’ they give us life, nurture us and provide us with wisdom and guidance. Women have a special connection to the earth and to nature. Their roots are ancient and they speak a sacred language. Every woman is a goddess and should be loved, honored and respected. If we celebrate the sacred feminine we honor the spirit and embrace the soul.

Kate Green in her book ‘The Hundredth Woman’, reveals how women nourish our inner strength. Her novel is a marvelous tapestry of love and purity which acknowledges the feminine face of god. ‘The Hundredth Woman’ is a beautiful jewel, a metaphysical adventure which activates the higher self. Kate is yet another of the precious and amazing women I have been blessed to cross paths with in my life. Her book is positive and inspirational, a testament to the generosity of spirit that women possess. It is a vital and uplifting contribution to the spiritual landscape.

We live in a male-dominated, patriarchal society and if we are to survive, we must use feminine wisdom to balance to our troubled planet. We need to facilitate a return to caring that is an major aspect to the feminine spirit. The empowerment of women would increase our humanity and begin a process of nurturing and healing. Men need to embrace their feminine side as this will bring them to a more personal relationship with their spirit and soul.

The sacred female nurtures that which sustains all life. She is our divine mother and a vessel of ancient wisdom. From Aphrodite, to Athena and Lilith, humankind has throughout history embraced and celebrated the goddess in her many manifestations. If we look within to our feminine spirit we can see a vision of growth and well being. By honoring the true power of women we create a soul directed energy which nurtures and heals. When we respect the innate feminine wisdom that all women possess we give ourselves the courage to transform both ourselves and our environment.

Inspirational Women
A big part of a Shaman's journey is to not only look within one's soul, but also to explore one's own family and history. When people say to me "Have you had a hard life?" I invariably reply "No, I haven’t, let me tell you about my sister.”:

Wendy is the middle child of three and is a constant source of pride and inspiration to us all. She gives me, and all who know her, a reason for hope as her positive life transformation is nothing short of miraculous. She was born premature in 1967, barely weighing in at two pounds. It is a miracle she survived as her twin brother, who was not as fortunate, passed away shortly after birth. She is, by blood, my cousin, but by spirit she is my sister, my muse, and my friend. Her birth mother already had more than a few children, while my parents only had me; so we took her home from the hospital. Her situation at birth, and our dysfunction as a family, are part of a never-ending story of struggle and triumph over adversity.


We grew up encompassed by the darkness created by living with alcoholism. From our parents to our aunts, uncles and cousins, it was always a cross we had to bear. Wendy is a woman of warmth and passion who, through all her struggles, has managed to preserve the beauty of her soul. She married young; and, with the birth of her first child, was diagnosed as diabetic. Her condition is now severe enough that she is on the 'pump' to cleanse her blood. Previous to that, for many years, she was taking five or six needles worth of insulin a day. Aside from her diabetes she also has a floating kidney, a skin disease and numerous other complications from diabetes. Through all this she has maintained a ‘Pollyanna’ outlook, always seeing the bright and good side of life.

Wendy’s first marriage was a troubled one and she departed from that relationship with a two-year-old child and a two-week-old baby. As a single mother and a diabetic her life is more of a struggle than most could imagine. She has, with wisdom and grace, built a great life for her children.

There is, in fact, more to her story than her illness and marital problems. One of her blood sisters died of a drug overdose, her niece was murdered, and a cousin committed suicide - a cousin she was very close to. All these momentous events have taken their toll, yet her spirit remains strong and she has remarried and built a beautiful environment for her children to grow up in.

Wendy has built a life for her children that is truly a song worth singing. I honor her every day for what she has accomplished. She is a hidden treasure of female spirituality, with dauntless courage and an unswerving devotion to her husband and children - she continues to enlighten and enrich the lives of all those around her. She is my sister, my friend, my inspiration and ‘I Love Her’! Her uniqueness of self, and triumph over seemingly insurmountable odds is a testament to the strength of the feminine spirit. She is a refreshingly honest woman who speaks simple truths. She is forever a part of who I am, and her focused reverie makes me appreciate the sacredness in everyday life.

Every woman I have met in my life has provided me with a meaningful personal experience that has touched me to my very soul. To explore the divine is to explore the feminine. There are many more women who have inspired me on my spiritual and shamanic journey. Here are but a few : Mamere, Am, my sister Laurie, Teresa, Drea, Colette, Janice, Dr. Gerri Leigh and Buffalo Bear Walks With Wolves. All these women are mysterious and beautiful souls who dance to the universal rhythm of life.

Finally, in the pantheon of women who have influenced me is my wife, Karen. There is not enough space here to do justice to the major contribution she has played in my life. Karen is a woman of beauty and intelligence who fills me with love and never ceases to impress and amaze me. I am blessed to have her in my life. Her strength, courage and intelligence inspire me daily.

Conclusion
Life is a sacred journey, if we are to triumph over adversity we must begin by embracing and honoring the feminine spirit. Celebrate your mothers, sisters, and all the women who grace your lives. Women are the key to our evolutionary journey, they are a precious gift overflowing from God. A spiritual awakening is within our reach. Through reality and revelation we can illuminate our path with the glow of Sacred Mother Earth thereby ensuring a positive future for generations to come.

Recommended Reading:


Goddess Meditations / Barbara Ardinger

The Goddess Path / Patricia Monaghan

A Woman's Journey to God / Joan Borysenko

When God was a Woman / Merlin Stone

The Hundredth Woman / Kate Green

The Spiral Dance / Starhawk

May the Sun warm your Heart, The Moon light your Path and Sacred Mother Earth embrace and protect you always.

~ The Ancient One With Heart Of Buffalo Journeys With Spirit Of White Wolf ~
© 2004 Micheal Teal