“You are no chicks, you are eagles!” (Yogi Bhajan)

Actually, I wanted to publish a recipe this week. I had one in the pipeline already, with pictures shooted and recipe testing done. But then International Women’s Day came along. And it got me thinking about being a woman in this time. So the recipe has to wait until next week!

I always liked being a girl and later a woman. I grew up surrounded by loving, strong, intelligent and sensual women (the photo above shows a typical childhood situation with my mother in the middle, family friends and “little me” at the bottom right). This situation was natural for me, but today I know that it was a privilege. Because it was easy for me to feel comfortable in my own skin and to accept myself. This may lead me to believe that equality is already quite advanced and that everything is fine. If there wasn’t this tiny sting, that pricks me every now and then and asks me: is that really so?

At this point I don’t really want to talk to you about quotas for women or about business bosses who don’t hire women, nor about “Me too”. I would like to talk about how we as individuals can contribute to creating the basis for an equal, free and loving atmosphere for ourselves and other women and ultimately for all human beings.

The beginning, the middle and the end of humanity

In the yogic tradition, women are seen as the center of society, which shapes “the beginning, the middle and the end of mankind”. My teacher Yogi Bhajan therefore attached particular importance to empowering women and preparing them for this important role. I love his appeal to us women: “You are no chicks, you are eagles!” because it reminds us that we are more than gossip, more than our looks, and more than the small and small of our everyday lives. We may not be aware of it, but we influence others through our behavior, our words and our energy. We don’t just live for ourselves, we also live for others. For our children, our partners, our families, our friends and colleagues. This means that we have to take responsibility and rise above our little selves again and again. What can we do to grow beyond ourselves? Meditate. Being still, listening to the voice of our intuition. Criticizing less (including ourselves). Not saying anything about others that we wouldn’t tell them to their faces. Appreciating other women. Supporting other women and holding space for each other.

Dissolving the hurt of the past

We are the children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren of women who grew up in a world where they were worth less than men. We carry this memory in our DNA. And we will carry it until we use our consciousness to gradually dissolve the hurt. To do this it’s important to notice when our behavior doesn’t fit the situation. We keep our mouth shut even though we know something is wrong? We hold back even though the situation requires us to show up? We are betraying ourselves to please others? We see ourselves as victims and give the power away to other people?

I believe that we have subconsciously inherited certain behaviors and can resolve them only by being very conscious. If we don’t want to do this for our own sake, then at least for our children, our families and for everyone who comes after us.

Women do not come from Venus and men do not come from Mars

Theories that show the differences between the sexes are good for a laugh. Explaining our behaviors with the help of Stone Age theories (man goes hunting, woman sits in the cave and looks after the children) may be entertaining, but it doesn’t do anything for the creation of an equal society. Women do not come from Venus and men do not come from Mars. We all come from the same place: a woman’s belly. We’re all made of the same material. We all walk the same path from birth to life to death. We are all part of a greater energy that has no gender and that is eternal. We have more in common than that we are different. So let’s finally stop emphasizing our differences and instead strengthen what we have in common.

Blonde jokes and “woman at the wheel” anecdotes belong in the bin

Dear men, I know you think it’s just a joke, but please: stop sending each other misogynistic jokes on WhatsApp! Because even if it is only for entertainment and you are actually loving partners, fathers, sons, friends and colleagues, you are still feeding an energy that makes women look bad. And that’s really not worthy of you and the women you love.

Only together we are strong

Dear women, do not think that it serves equality when you band together among other women, stereotypisizing men when talking about them. Because only with men by our side can we be the change we have always waited for. Only together do we form the community that is known as humanity. Only together we are strong. Because only when we stop making each other small or blaming each other on a small scale can we change something on a large scale, namely in the executive suite, in society, in politics, in relationships and in the family. Then we can start to stand up for one another and support girls and women. We can live for one another and release sleeping forces that make a dance of the sexes possible, which is ultimately a dance of souls that are finally allowed to unite.

An inner fast

Let us use the period of fasting to become more aware of where we maintain old stereotypes, where we belittle ourselves or other women, where we want to critizise the appearance of another woman, where we think “typically men” (or “typically woman”) or pass on anti-women or anti-men jokes. I firmly believe that in the small we can lay the foundation for the great and that we have more power to change our world than we are aware of. So let’s consciously close the gender gap. Lets support each other the best we can. And lets become a loving, nourishing and supporting community of people.

And now my question for you: what are your thoughts on this post? What can we do in order to level the way to a world of equality? I look forward to reading from you. Please leave a comment below this post.