MatriTalks 8
WOMEN
AND MEN
Questions
& Answers
with
Han Marie Stiekema Sermes
Q. Some people warned me to
come to you. They said you are the founder of a "feminist religion". Please,
your comments.
A. There is nothing wrong with
feminism. The best analysis of society often comes from feminists. Other feminists on the
other hand, have totally given in to the temptations of status and money. The waiting is
for a new generation.
Q. What does this mean with
regard to your own initiative?
A. First of all, this is not MY
initiative. I had no preconceived ideas at all. Suddenly, the Great Mother interfered with
my life, "forcing me" to pursue a spiritual Path, eventually leading to becoming
Her Servant/Messenger.
Q. Does that make much
difference?
A. Of course it does. It is the
difference between authentic spirituality and a self-created one. The former takes place
as a direct interference of the Ultimate Itself, while the latter is the result of the
projections of one's own needs.
Q. Indeed a promising opening
statement.
A. There is one example of how
you get into trouble. F.i. certain groups worship the "goddess". Central to
their philosophy is the threefold Moon-goddess. Her characteristics are the result of
women projecting their life cycle into what they consider to be their deity. Hence, the
Moon-goddess has three aspects: the crescent moon, the full moon and the decreasing moon,
all corresponding with a phase in the life of women. The reason for doing so, is that it
serves the need of empowering themselves as women.
Q. The latter, which you don't
oppose, I presume?
A. Of course not! The issue
here is, if this has something to do with spirituality.
Q. Now I remember the symbol.
Isn't it a full moon in the center, accompanied with two "incomplete moons" on
either side?
A. Correct. The irony is, that
by using their own needs as a starting point, rather than Reality itself, they are missing
the point, even to their own disadvantage. Being obsessed by their own life cycles, they
forgot to realize, that the moon doesn't have three aspects, but four. To make it worse:
they forgot about the most important moon phase, which is the new moon. The new or black
moon represents the Great Mother, Who in the goddess- movement doesn't play a
(significant) role, while in Reality, She is where it is all about. The other aspects are
only secondary. So by projecting, you miss the most important issue, even that of your own
religion!
Q. What you want to say is,
that "your" initiative is based on a different principle?
A. A system based on projection
of your own needs is always limited. It serves your need for identification. In this case,
it serves the need of women to empower themselves (which in itself is a very positive
thing). Although men are also involved, such an approach is always excluding other people.
This is not according to Reality. Reality is inclusive, it is not the result of the
projection of personal needs. It doesn't ascend, it descends.
Q. You mean It is revealing
Itself to people.
A. It interferes with one's
personal life in such a way, that it is putting everything upside down, rather than
complying with the aims of a self-projected life. Once the Ultimate has revealed Itself,
you will recognize that it is All-Embracing. It includes everything and everybody equally.
It is the basic principle of every genuine religion, including the Great Mother Tradition.
Q. Because this is What Reality
Is?
A. You say it. The beginning of
a New Tradition is always such, that Reality Reveals Itself to people, saying "I Am
It", I have come to liberate e.g. rescue you. Rather than being concerned about
particular needs only, the Ultimate is taking care of every need, without exception.
Q. Well, this so far. What is
the relationship to the topic of today: "women and men?"
A. There is a great confusion
about the role of both women and men. It is related to the time of transition between
disintegration of the culture on the one hand and the dawn of a New Era, on the other. We
could talk about three major issues through which men and women could change their feeling
about themselves and each other, e.g. redefine their behavior in order to creatively
adjust to the new circumstances.
Q. I feel, that the roles of
people are increasingly prescribed from the outside. In particular advertisement is
determining behavior a great deal.
A. That's right. There is a
unprecedented "Gleichschaltung"* going on. People are about to loose their
identities. Obviously, it is something which causes lots of concern. Therefore, the first
important thing is to offer people a new model of personality, a creative foundation
through which they will be able to restore their self-respect, their joy of life and to
optimize their relationships.
* German word for
"homogenization".
Q. I personally feel, that the
model of androgyny, as developed by C.G. Jung could contribute a lot in this regard....
A. ....In which women possess a
masculine aspect ("animus") and men a feminine one ("anima"). The aim
is to integrate them. Yes, this is a good starting point indeed. However, something has to
be added to it. Apart from "sub-personalities" like anima and animus, the human
mind consists a.o. of awareness as the Divine Spark as well. It is our True Self, our new
Identity from the very first moment of awakening. The mind thus consists of three major
faculties, all having a creative interaction among each other. I call it androgyny+
(plus), androgyny with a surplus value.
Q. Why is that?
A. Deep within, from the
perspective of your True Self, you are neither a man nor a woman. Your true Identity is
something neutral, something beyond the sex roles. Awareness is the center, while your
gender aspects e.g. roles are on the periphery. Because of your inner distance toward
yourself, your relationship with yourself becomes very flexible. You may play with your
sex roles, behavior e.g. feelings. The roles are not fixed anymore.
Q. Finally we've got our
liberation?
A. You have to see this in the
context of a society disintegrating. What meant freedom to you only a short while ago, now
turns out to be a nightmare of loosing all orientation. Hence, the widely praised (and
misused) concept of "freedom" proves to be a very relative one. In fact, the
need is for more structure, with which people can identify.
Q. Please, go on.
A. The second platform, on
which men and women could redefine their roles, is that of A New World View. The above
mentioned approach is one from within, while this is from without. It is the realm of
values and norms, which has to become transformed as well. It is an area, in which people
feel totally disoriented. They have lost their grip on life, desperately searching for a
new meaning. What we offer is a set of values and norms based on "A Feminine World
View". It includes a.o. wholeness, interconnectedness, sustainability, compassion,
care, inclusiveness, solidarity, friendship, love and justice.
Q. Please, go on.
A. This means, that gender is
not only defined through a private sex role, but also through the World View, with which
you are identifying yourself. In fact, it doesn't matter so much, whether "you are a
man or a woman". Decisive is, which set of values you cherish. What is the value of
personal freedom, if you are using that freedom to identify yourself with a World View
based on greed, egoism, competition, individualism, (collective) self-addiction,
materialism and indifference? Or worse?
Q. That's exactly the
situation we are in collectively, I am afraid.
A. In order to make it concrete
for people, above principles have to be translated into the actual situation. Our
contribution emphasizes the roles of men and women in the community. Our point of
view is, that "society" and "community" are two different things.
Unfortunately these two things have been always mixed up. With the consequence, that the
only way women could pursue a career was (is) in "society". "Society"
however, is the common denominator of the rat race of greed, competition and exploitation.
Q. Less and less women want to
be part of it.
A. It would be very beneficial
to them to realize, that their strength, talents and challenges and therefore their
mission don't lie in "society", but in the community. Women after all, are
embodying life, they represent the substance of it, hence, they should be the center of
the space, people are actually living in. This includes, that women in particular should
be occupying core e.g. power positions. Emphasizing matrilinearity for example could
contribute to this. In fact, society itself is moving toward that direction already. The
media f.i., talk about the "Caribbean model", in which women reclaim their
position as being central, occupying a decisive role in (shared) education, mutual
assistance, community affairs, finances and in determining the kind of relationships they
prefer to have. Something we would favor.
Q. What will be the position of
men is this regard?
A. The position of men is more
vulnerable compared to that of women*. They are much less rooted in life, depending almost
entirely on their position, power and status in society. That's why they subsequently
stubbornly stick to the latter. However, this proves to be a bubble from the first moment
society starts disintegrating. Hence, it is the men who are facing the greatest trouble
nowadays. This poses a great threat to society as a whole.
* Some think surrendering to the
Mother will further weaken men. The opposite is true though. Men dedicated to the Mother
can more easily break loose from dependency relationships with actual women. Selfless
devotion, dedication to serving the Whole, on the other hand empowers men.
Q. The feminists would not care
about their fate.
A. This is very short-sighted
indeed. Society cannot function without the two sexes cooperating. Men have to rediscover
their true mission in life. First they have to rebuilt their personality. They may do this
by becoming aware, as previously described, while subsequently embracing their femininity
("anima"). Secondly, they should identify themselves with a Feminine World View,
acknowledging the failure of the "patriarchal experiment" as a suicidal system,
based on greed, egoism, exploitation and injustice. Eventually, they should implement
their new experience into a concrete role in society. Which to our opinion is that of
service, selflessness and self-sacrifice. The mission of men lies in serving the Whole. In
doing so, he will achieve his highest goal. Which still may include occupying important
positions. What is making the difference is, that he will dedicate his life (and his
position) to the Whole, rather than using it for egoistic purposes.
Q. The Mother will be happy.
A. In former days the King
received his mandate from the Great Mother.
May these glorious days be
returning!
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