Women are very powerful beings

[Sarahpaula]

Hi. I am really into spirituality, and I read a lot of spiritual books. Many of these books say the same thing.

That the general reason why men are so abusive to women in this generation, is because women are in fact far, far more powerful than men, and men are afraid of how powerful women are.

This is why men spend a lot of time trying to make women feel inferior, and to forget their own power.

Men have implemented many tricks to make women forget their power by

1. Starting religions which told women that they were inferior,
2. Making science very dominant and male energy-based, making women forget their important spiritual powers and powers of intuition
3. By disrespecting childbirth.
4. by shaming menstruation, telling women it is dirty, when actually menstruation is a very important spiritual, physical and mental time for women.
5. By degrading women in porn
6. By keeping women out of politics.
7. by shaming women if they do not have children. So that most women still focus primarily on child rearing.

Men have done all these things to make women forget who you really are: you are incredibly powerful beings.

Remember how powerful you are as a woman, and all of those systems of abuse will begin to change.
When one woman remembers how powerful she is, it will help all women to be freer in the future.

What's your AIBU ?

What are you asking if you are unreasonable or not on?

This seems like the kind of thing you'd tell a child "oh they're just jealous of you".

Or how you sell a cult I suppose..

I disagree and how is that spiritual?

Yanbu, I think women are more powerful than they realise, but as we take on the roles that society expects us too, we forget how important we actually are.

I don't think we are more important than men but that we are equal, I believe for example that my husband felt very jealous of the bond I had with my daughter but I always tried to help him be involved. We all have pride and can learn from each other, sadly this doesn't always happen.

I think you need to get out more.

Powerful in what way? Superior to men in what way? We give birth, which OK is vital and also makes us very vulnerable for a few months at a time. For that reason I would say taking care of women, at least during their fertile years, is more important for the survival of the species than taking care of men. Outside of that we have different, balancing attributes. If only we could work as a team instead of turning the whole thing into a contest the world would be a much happier place. But that's true of all unnecessary conflicts - sexism, racism, ageism, classism... play nice, everybody!

As for menstruation being "powerful" - no, just no. I'm so glad I'm too old to undergo it any more. It may be Nature's way of cleansing etc etc but that doesn't mean it's something to celebrate any more than it's something to abhor. It just happens, with more impact on some than on others. It's not effin' spiritual, it's physical and that's an end to it as far as I'm concerned.

... because you don't need so many men engaged in reproduction for it to be successful in species propagation, I mean. Not that men's health doesn't matter!

This is the worst of the new age movement.

Menstruation is just a pain in the arse.

You’re talking tosh, mate.

Periods aren’t special and powerful, they’re a natural and frequently inconvenient part of life. Can’t wait to be done with them.

@AuntieMarys

Menstruation is just a pain in the arse.

The lower abdomen and back.

You are being ridiculous.

I'm not spiritual, I'm realistic. The reason men treat us like shit is because they can, and the reason women's rights are being rolled back is because men can get what they want without them. The "nice" "liberal" "choicey-choice" middle classes have no idea how the lower classes live and have betrayed lower class women at every turn.

You might be better putting this under the 'Unexplained' board OP if you want to discuss it with other likeminded people...

Hmm. I think the response are a bit harsh.

I do agree that I have myself at times been in awe of the powerful abilities of the female body.

My conclusion about being able to create, nurture and give birth to a whole complete new person is that it is pretty magical.
(Yes, I know 'just' Nature doing its humble thing - but I also find that astonishing in its hopefulness and power).

So yes, it is cool to be a woman. And I actually do think there is something in the OP's actual point here - that patriarchal suppression of women is driven by a perceived need to neutralise or control/harness that female power.

One has to be careful, though, not to demonise 'the other side', and conclude 'men bad women good and men even worse because they are just jealous of our power'. ...

Because that's too simplistic. And some arguments are so important that being simplistic isn't an option.

As for menstruation - it's both a gift and a trial, in my opinion. It's a very tangible example of the physical vulnerability and strength of women. Ultimately it signals the death of a potential person, in the unfertilised egg, but the surge of hope with the next month, and the next potential life.

Yes it's a conveyor belt. But still pretty awesome.

@Shakespearsister

I think you need to get out more.

Are you serious? Mumsnet is full of women always 'bursting into tears' and 'having a little cry'.

How's that Wicker Man coming along OP?

Nah the reason men can be shit to women is they can - society is patriarchal and uses it to keep us in our place and restrict our freedom

We aren’t powerful we are human and deserve to be treated equally

@lunalulu

Hmm. I think the response are a bit harsh.

I do agree that I have myself at times been in awe of the powerful abilities of the female body.

My conclusion about being able to create, nurture and give birth to a whole complete new person is that it is pretty magical.
(Yes, I know 'just' Nature doing its humble thing - but I also find that astonishing in its hopefulness and power).

So yes, it is cool to be a woman. And I actually do think there is something in the OP's actual point here - that patriarchal suppression of women is driven by a perceived need to neutralise or control/harness that female power.

One has to be careful, though, not to demonise 'the other side', and conclude 'men bad women good and men even worse because they are just jealous of our power'. ...

Because that's too simplistic. And some arguments are so important that being simplistic isn't an option.

As for menstruation - it's both a gift and a trial, in my opinion. It's a very tangible example of the physical vulnerability and strength of women. Ultimately it signals the death of a potential person, in the unfertilised egg, but the surge of hope with the next month, and the next potential life.

Yes it's a conveyor belt. But still pretty awesome.

I'm very very wary about ascribing women's "power" to their ability to have children. Not only is it a kick in the teeth for women who struggle to conceive, but we also have a long history of women being prized for just that, and it didn't serve us well. And given we will all lose that ability if we live long enough, it just feeds into the idea that women have a sell-by date.

I’m not remotely “spiritual” and the whole concept fills me with horror.

But I don’t disagree with your fundamental premises. Men have used these tools to oppress women for millennia.

Disagree on menstruation which I struggle to find anything positive about.

I wish women were more (or rather, equally) powerful than (to) men. But they aren't and that is quite evident in the centuries of oppression. Even today:
Gender pay gap.
Many times more likely to be a victim of violence or murder from their own partner.
Underrepresented in senior/leadership positions.
Over burdened with wifework.
Expected by society to take your husband's name on marriage, like a chattel "because it's tradition".
Childbirth and raising children frequently undervalued, by partners and society.
Faced with slurs and swear words pertaining to the disgust and disregard men have for women: bitch, cow, dog, cunt.
The prevalence of porn focused on male pleasure and the use of women as commodities.

Just a few thoughts. There are more ... I wish there weren't!

I don't understand why the op is being given a hard time. I'm not in the least bit spiritual but it's quite an interesting theory and not entirely without merit.

It's no secret that there's a patriarchy, but how did that occur and why? The points the op listed are ways in which men disempower women.

My take is that men have a physical power over women due to strength and size and have exploited that for millennia to control women...

I'm sure a woman struggling with infertility and without periods might think menstruation was a positive thing