October Women Issue
Before bragging about the quality of this issue, I need to give credit where credit is due—to our senior editor, Carrie Gross man, who took the lead on this edition. Credit for the careful thought and attention that went into the variety of articles on the subject of women belongs to Carrie.
We have stories ranging from the wisdom of women, to women and ritual, to breast health. We’ve included stories about the creativity that is borne out of the pelvic level and about sexual anorexia. Hilary Hart has offered a piece titled “Bodies of Power: Women’s Roles in the Regeneration of Earth,” while Michaela Haas penned “The Dakini Principle: How Female Messengers of Wisdom Inspire Meditators Today.”
Our first feature is by Sally Kempton, titled “Shakti: Awakening the Power of the Goddess”; it’s terrific. Special thanks to Paul Heussenstamm, who contributed his gorgeous illustrations.
The second feature is my interview with Marianne Williamson. Any one who has experienced Marianne’s books or talks knows there’s never a dull moment. Her scope of knowledge is vast. I had fun asking her to bore in on some of the differences she perceives between the sexes. And while she often reminds us of our sameness at the spiritual level, there’s no denying the (sometimes maddening) differences on the material plane. As she put it, “Men are majoring in masculine and minoring in feminine, while women are majoring in feminine and minoring in masculine.” And therein lies a delicious difference.
Most significantly, when asking Marianne about her Sister Giant initiative, which encourages women to take their spirituality into the world to help make a difference, I asked if she herself had thought about running for office. It turns out she has and asked that we look for an announcement later this month.
It felt like we were on the verge of an important scoop. Of course, if she does decide to seek office, it won’t be to play into the entrenched money-power game; it will be to confront it head on. It won’t be easy for an alternative spiritual feminist to carve an independent path in government, but nor was it easy for abolitionists or suffragettes. If any one has the smarts and guts to fight for what’s right, it’s Marianne. She does have a good friend in Oprah. Recall that it was Oprah who helped catapult Marianne into national recognition in 1992. We wish them both Godspeed now; more to follow on Marianne.com.
There are lots of wonderful events coming up this month. Bioneers and the Science and Nonduality Conference are perennials, but also Wah! is having her famous Healing Concert at Urban Flow Yoga. Deva Premal and Miten are performing at Scottish Rite in Oakland, while Hardly Strictly Bluegrass takes over Golden Gate Park. The SF Giants are out, but the Oakland A’s are in the hunt.
Next month, for our 39th anniversary issue, we’re attempting a new theme—humor. If there’s something we should know, don’t hesitate to reach out. In December-January we’ll compile our Healthy, Wealthy, and Wise Holiday edition.
As ever, please show your appreciation for this free community magazine by supporting our advertisers—the best.
In Gratitude to Woman-kind,
ROB SIDON, PUBLISHER AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF