Where Do We Stand As A Humanity, And As Individuals?

I have never considered myself a “feminist” because it is not a question to me that men and women are equal. Not in physical measurements, but within our species, we balance one another out. We cannot survive without the other, for it takes both to continue on. Yet I believe that women are overdue for recognition as the sacred, dynamic, intelligent creatures that we are. In the United States, we have been taught to not think much about the persecution of women elsewhere, and our cries of the mistreatment of women are often blanketed by the exploitation of ourselves. And it is our right to express ourselves however we desire! But in our own liberation, we mustn't ignore the suppression of women still occurring today. We cannot stand in our righteousness and not move forward. The men in power who view our freedom as a threat to their existence must be swayed through reason. We cannot just swing the pendulum all the way to the other side. We must find common ground. In order for them to not fear our power, but embrace it, we must be an example of honorable femininity; divine strength and nurturance to the vitality of our species. Women are so much more than that, and thankfully we live in a time where it is possible to do almost anything, but we have to first remember where we all come from. This is what I see being eroded more and more, despite our immaculate advancements.

I am not here to bash any religion or culture, but I believe we need to address the archaic elephant in the room. There are still many places in the world where women are not allowed to show their bodies, faces, or even hair. Anywhere that people are not free to live as they desire, I see as a wound that is due to fester. Human beings, and all life on Earth, come into existence innately free, and any being who disagrees is a plague on any chance of peace on this planet. The Iranian government is committing massive human rights atrocities against its own citizens, laughably for the claim of morality. I say laughably, because it is too grotesque to take seriously. They are killing (mostly young) people for protesting against women's forced envelopment and cruel punishment over mild disobedience. I am not going to pretend this is an issue I am well-educated on. Mainstream media does not provide accurate information, and the Iranian government is working to cover it up as well, so there is immense confusion and propaganda. But this is nothing new, and I believe these issues need to be discussed by all of us, on a regular basis, until these circumstances no longer exist.

Obviously this isn't the only country harming its own citizens, which is why this is a personal and global issue. This is a humanity crisis, and anyone who wants our existence to continue should care about these topics. Even if we feel hopeless, nothing will ever change until we collaborate against the powers that want to suppress us. Everything matters. Everything is relevant. Anything they do that is harmful must be brought to light, so that we may all see who they really are. And to recognize that they only have the power that we give them. When we give in to what they want, when we justify their actions and demands, we are only helping them to hold us back so that they can remain overpowering to us. It is a cycle that most governments have been winning for centuries. When are we going to open our eyes and see that it is our responsibility, each and every single one of us, to participate in healing our humanity?

There is no excuse any longer. So many of us have lived such comfortable lives that we've forgotten where we all came from. Even if we've survived our own atrocities and traumas, we've become complacent to anyone telling us how we are supposed to live. Comfort is an illusion of freedom. Any time we submit to them, “for the greater good,” we are being deceived; we relinquish our authority for someone else to tell us what is “right”. We are only free when we choose to be free. And with our freedom, it is our duty to help others reclaim their birthright as well. Otherwise, what is the point? Otherwise, then it is just us sitting up above the others, further perpetuating the uneven scales. When we choose to be free, we behold our own power, which is capable of uplifting all others as well. But it takes great momentum, and unfortunately, many of us are not willing to stand up, even for our own lives and wellbeing.

I am exhausted of listening to so many Westerners complain about how unfair life is. My life became so much more beautiful once I finally accepted that life is hard...for every single one of us! Yes, we are living beings on this planet, which is also a living entity that provides us every resource that we need. Who ever got to live here without having to survive? Only now, thanks to our eons of predecessors, have we moved away from “survival” and into a state of thriving. Yet many of us have not recognized this fact. How have they indoctrinated us so deeply, so easily, that we all of a sudden – this is a very new phenomenon, within the most recent generations – think that we aren't responsible for our own lives?! Our ancestors had to work for every shred of material they ever possessed. They had to find fibers and make their own clothes, find and prepare all of their own food, find and gather their own water, make fires just to stay warm, create their own shelters, travel by foot, wait for days/weeks/months just to get information from elsewhere, et cetera. They had to do everything to get anything, and knew nothing about safety and security. We have become so weak, so miserable; so disconnected from the essence of life itself. We have it so fucking good here, yet our citizens take it for granted, and beg the government to remain in control of their own lives and provide everything “for free”.

Of course there are problems within our own government. But who is responsible for fixing the issues? We are. I do not want the future to continue as it has been. It is time for all of us, collectively, but first individually, to revolutionize the way we live. To be conscious of the way we consume. To be aware of the suffering of others, and stand up for those who are being held back. To demand humility from the powers that be. To stop voting for “lesser evil”, as it is still evil! If that is what you choose, then how could it ever get better? We must become responsible for each and every choice that we make! Build an understanding of what we consume and where it comes from. Do you trust the companies that you literally support with the dollars you've earned? Is your income created from a source that you truly value? Are you waking up each day with the intention of having a positive impact on the world and those around you, or are you “just trying to get by,” unconscious of your actions and their effects? Or, perhaps, are you adding negativity to the world around you? Our energy is magnetic and compounding. The world can never change unless we do. Life can never get better for others until we choose to make it better for ourselves.

We must each choose to be the good, which only then can the goodness be perpetuated. This has to include acknowledging the pain and sadness that still exists all around us. We cannot hide behind only what the media wants us to know. We cannot pretend that environments, creatures, and especially humans are not being mistreated and harmed. There are solutions to all of these horrors, but that requires looking at them, speaking about them, engaging with them. It involves transparency and honesty; exposing the HUMANS that are causing the harm, and not allowing them to continue to. We must choose to be responsible for holding the people we put in power accountable, and take away their power when they are found to be pernicious. We cannot just check a box and then let it be. We cannot avoid conversations because they make us feel uncomfortable. Gruesome things happen on this Earth every single day, and avoiding these truths prolongs such circumstances. This is how it IS this way. We've allowed the narratives to be the popular opinion because most of us don't want to be bothered by reality. When is it going to be enough? When will each one of us be ready to end our own cycles of abuse and avoidance?