Women Spiritual Warriors

I have recently been reading numerous books written by and primarily about women. Some of these books are: Ya Ya’s in Bloom (Rebecca Wells), Lit (Mary Karr), The Secret Life of Bees (Sue Monk Kidd), The Glass Castle (Jeannette Walls), The Mermaid Chair (Kidd), Like Water for Chocolate (Laura Esquivel), Committed (Elizabeth Gilbert) and the one that's currently got me under it's spell, Traveling with Pomegranates (Sue Monk Kidd & Ann Kidd Taylor). Four of these are memoirs/non-fiction and the rest are fiction.

I can’t quite explain my recent longing (almost an obsession really) to read books specifically written by women. Something has been calling me to seek out women’s voices and I believe this all started for me back in January when I began a 15 week women’s Spiritual Journey’s course. That class completed changed my view on what it truly means to be a woman. I now consider myself to be somewhat of a feminist, but not feminist in the man hating sense. On the contrary, I like and respect men and think they are capable of brilliant insights and amazing books. After all, Tom Robbins is at the top of my favorite authors list...plus I'm married to a wonderful man.

Anyways, I believe that everyone has the capacity to be a wonderful human being. Even more importantly, I don’t see one gender above the other. I also don’t see any races above any others. Or while we’re at it, any social classes above any others.  I believe that we are all created equal, regardless of our sex, gender, social class, race or any other factor that someone may use to deem your worth. Considering this, one might say that I should then be reading books by all races, all sexes, and from all cultures. This is a good point and a few of the books I've read fit into that description. The Glass Castle is a memoir based on Jeanette Wall's dirt poor childhood, while Laura Esquivel writes about life in Mexico. However, I would like to expand even more my somewhat limited worldview as a white, lower middle class, American female and discover what the world is like for everyone else. What shapes their realities? What are their daily struggles? What inspires them? What connects them to the divine? What makes them laugh?

One of the women authors who I’ve fallen in love with is Laura Esquivel, who is from Mexico. Reading her books has exposed me to specific parts of that culture, especially in regards to what it is like for the women. This has been eye-opening as well as humbling. Her writing is very spiritual (more so in her other book, The Law of Love) and I’m a little ashamed to say that I was slightly surprised at first by how much I resonated with her writing….to think that a Mexican woman could write such deeply spiritual words and passages which seemed to speak directly to my heart. Almost as soon as I had this thought I realized how racist and narrow minded I was being. Of course, a Mexican woman could have similar thoughts as me and other women across the world! We are all connected and no matter where we live, we all long for something similar. Maybe we call it different names and have different means of getting to it, but ultimately we all just want to feel loved and at a peace with ourselves, the world around us, and our divine source.

I think this is what has called me to read these specific books by these specific women. They are all on spiritual quests of different kinds, they are all warriors in some way and their writing reflects this. They all embody the woman I, as well as many other women, are striving to become; independent, spiritual, adventurous, creative, funny and deeply in touch with their soul’s longing and purpose. When I look at it this way, I understand more clearly why I am being called to read these books and what they are trying to convey to me. I am stepping into the consciousness of divine female power and wisdom. I am eternally grateful that these women have put their soul's longings into words and shared them with the world.