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http://www.internationaljournalgendernatureandtransformation.org/the-international-journal-of-gender-nature-and-transformation/

 

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GENDER, NATURE & TRANSFORMATION

 

The International Journal of Gender, Nature & Transformation

Abstracts & Table of Contents

Summer-Fall edition

 

 

The first edition of IJGNT is titled “Healing gender and our world: Engaging the Sacred Feminine through nature and myth.” Given the many global crises, impacting all of life, it is a timely publication as the earth and humanity are both in crisis.

Ancient myths addressed the separation of heaven and earth as patriarchal ideology began. Both women and nature were dishonored and abused. Look where this has gotten us?  This journal is intended to heal this split as Mother Earth is a living force! The women’s movement necessitates a felt connection with nature.  If we give her our attention, nature will guide us.

Table of Contents

Changing Myths, Fairy Tales and Facts:

The Social Construction of Gender

 

Sharon Mijares, Costa Rica

 

Abstract

The social construction of gender is rapidly changing. This is obvious in changing myths and the re-versioning of old fairy tales.  Snow White, Cinderella and other fantasy feminine images have transformed. The delicate endangered princess is no longer being rescued by a prince. Instead, the new stories show women stepping forth with deep inner strength, rescuing princes and whole nations. Misbegotten ideas of feminine beauty and fear of its loss along with the willingness to destroy others for the sake of superiority has entrapped women. It perpetuates the hierarchical behaviors generally associated with patriarchy. This erroneous behavior has separated many mothers and daughters, and weakened the inherent capacity for engaging in meaningful relationship. Generations of women have been suppressed by fear of aging and losing an outer sense of worth. This has pitted women against women, caused differing agendas from one generation of feminists to the next and is a predominant theme in older myths, fairy tales, and personal narratives. The new stories have women uniting for the greater good of all. In the popular series, The Hunger Games, the heroine, Katniss, is not a princess, but rather a young woman of the village who has the power to be present with her depressed mother, sacrifice for her younger sister and to save the community in which she lives. She is at home with nature and with her own beliefs. She is free from envy and destructiveness. Such stories are indicators of a significant social reconstruction of the feminine as these conceptual images move from the archetypal into ordinary reality--creating sustainable relationships and a sustainable world.

The Need for the Resurrection of the Egyptian Feminine Spirit

 

Aliaa Rafea, Egypt

Abstract

Women who collectively use violence to terrify the public is a new phenomenon in Egypt.  This kind of behavior is against known feminine nature in general, and the Egyptian character in particular.   Egyptians led one of the most peaceful Revolutions in 2011. Two years later, they gathered peacefully in unprecedented numbers (estimated to be from 17 to30 million), asking for the ouster of then president Mohammad Morsi.  In the wake of this event, violence broke out, and women played a significant role in its continued aggravation. This paper investigates this phenomenon in the light of Jungian psychology, assuming that there is a dangerous collective disassociation of personality for women manifesting such violence. Their behavior and values fly against the mythologies’ patterns in the Egyptian heritage; whether we are talking about Ancient Egyptians stories, or Coptic and Islamic beliefs. This paper is concerned particularly by the changing behavior of women where their animus and shadow have merged.  This spirit can be contagious, influencing other women as well.  Egypt and the world are in urgent need of collective healing. An examination of the myth of Isis in her journey to restore wholeness and bring forth new life provides an ancient metaphor for a new time.

Loneliness dripped from the sky: Loss of desire in a world without Inanna

 

Cass Dalglish, United States

Abstract

The Sumerian story of the deity Inanna’s journey to the Land of No Return offers contemporary society a view of what might happen if Mother Earth continues to be ignored.  Inanna’s adventure offers two significant words for the contemplation of her wisdom – the verbs to desire and to notice.  These words offer us driving metaphors for the actions heroes of this millennium will need to pursue to keep the earth from becoming a land of no return.  This paper uses the Sumerian cuneiform text nin-me-sar-ra, written by Enheduanna in 2350 BCE, as a guide to Inanna’s heroic adventure and offers a poetic approach to the problems of disintegration caused by the lack of attention to Inanna/Mother Earth.

The Mythology of the Goddess Ama-terasu: Women's Awakening in Japan

 

Yumiko Otani, Japan

Abstract

In ancient times, Japan was called a country of “wa” which means “harmony” and “unity” in Japanese. The ancient Japanese adored the Goddess Ama-terasu-ohomikami (Ama-terasu) and respected women who created and nursed new life as the incarnation of the great power of creation. There was a long era of peace without wars at that time. As the civilization of power led by men dominated, the country changed to a society of destruction and chaos, the female energy of love, or light of life, which Ama-terasu symbolized, was totally suppressed. This is what the mythology of Iwato-biraki, Opening the Gate of the Celestial Rock, refers to. This historical myth also reveals a coded message offering a solution to what has been out of balance. Today, the sealed gate of the cave has opened and women’s awakening is becoming an immense wave spreading in Japan.

Healing Ourselves, Healing Mother Earth

Ann Smith

United States

Abstract

Before patriarchy ruled women were free to be healers; midwives, pharmacologists using plants and trees, caregivers, storytellers, gatherers, farmers and protectors of seeds and trees.  The ancient stories honored the Divine Feminine and Masculine and taught reverence for all creation.  The ancient stories were told in circle where women, men and children listened and applied the messages of wisdom to their daily lives.  During the thousands of years of patriarchy, these stories and women’s roles as healers were forbidden.  This is true even today but the stories live and are being told again in circle where more and more people are listening and rethinking their relationship to nature as part of nature.  Women are reclaiming their roles as healers, story tellers and co-creators.

Regular columns:

Gaia Awareness:  Rosa Elena Blanco, Costa Rica

Rosa works with sustainable living . Her column provides guidance for ways to live in harmony with nature.

Cindy’s Garden: Cindy Romney Payne, United States

Cindy is a master gardener. She shares her knowledge of common healthful and nutritious plants easily grown at home.

Women Creating Change:  (interview with Despina Namwembe of Uganda)

In this interview Despina shares the many ways she is helping rural women in her village.

Book Reviews:

Sacred earth: Places of peace and power. Martin Gray, Sterling Publishing Company, Inc., New York, 2007

            Jenny Eda Schipper, U.S.A.

Symbols of the goddess: Universal signs of the divine female. Clare Gibson, Saraband (Scotland), Ltd. Publisher, Glasgow, 2004

Elizabeth Reed, U.S.A.

A force such as the world has never known: Women creating change. Sharon Mijares, Aliaa Rafea & Nahid Angha. Toronto, Inanna Publications & Education.

            Nobuko Takahashi, Japan

Film Review

The book of Jane, directed & produced by Antero Alli.

            Celeste Gurevich, U.S.A.