Power Points: Seven Keys To Helping Women Speak Their Truth
Women are innately powerful in the ability to bring forth life onto this planet and in the many inherent gifts of the Feminine. A woman deeply anchored in her body and soul exudes a captivating feminine radiance. These powers have been shrouded in mystery and have been feared by men and women alike for a long time.
For hundreds of years, many women have been persecuted for, quite frankly, being women. This type of persecution includes social inequality; sexual assault; forced marriage; mental, emotional and physical abuse; genital mutilation; and religious doctrines that believe women to be evil or lesser than men. In some places today women are being stoned, attacked with acid, or burned for seeking basic human equality. Most women have at some point in their lives felt a sense of fear in their own personal power and fears of expressing their authentic voice.
Although there are some cultures that deeply respect and honor women, unfortunately a deep disconnection has arisen in the chain of wisdom being passed down from one generation to another, as these female qualities have been shunned and suppressed for so long.
This is a special time in the history of humanity where we are remembering a more heart-centered way of life and opening our consciousness to infinitely new realms of being. I believe we are reaching a turning point where now is actually a great time for women of the world, especially those of us who are living in less oppressive environments, to strengthen our truth-speaking skills and let our voices be heard. We have a beautiful opportunity right now to express our true selves in a way that stretches the personal and the collective norm to include a more compassionate, collaborative and loving approach to how we live instead of contributing to the silencing of women’s powerful gifts.
Without contributing our spoken truth to our family and community we limit parts of ourselves that inevitably become soul-starved, and the stagnant energy locked in the body leads to physical and emotional pain. The silencing of our nature also deprives our community of receiving our unique gifts. The world needs you to shine like the radiant stardust that you are. You are a bright, shiny, beautiful being, and expressing yourself is what you came here to do.
Here are seven powerful ways to activate your voice and express your unique soul-song into the world.
1. Be comfortable with your dark-river-flow— that part of you that is wild, messy, chaotic, ugly, raging and flowing freely. You are not meant to be the good girl all the time; the pleasing, pretty, innocent part of yourself. It’s OK to get messy and unleash your dark, shadowy side. See if you can allow your free-flowing, dark side to be accepted, loved and used wisely. This doesn’t give you permission to bestow torrents of energy upon others—so always be accountable for your actions and discerning in your expression. But know that it’s perfectly normal to be all of you. How other people feel is up to them.
2. Practice using your voice by toning, chanting, singing, laughing, humming, breath work and even crying. Go ahead and make some noise! Vocalization helps us express our feelings, emotions, thoughts, and energy to move out of the body and into the world through sound vibration. We share our consciousness and heart energy through movement and voice. It is important to keep this channel clear so that old blockages don’t hinder your innate articulation of self. Have fun with this practice as a solo adventure while you are driving, doing the dishes or taking a bath. Any mundane daily chore can become a rich playground of sound for your health, healing and amusement.
A simple technique of sounding out the vowels of the alphabet (A, E, I, O, U) is a great place to start if you are new to this. A more advanced practice would be to join that simple sounding with your intention to move energy out from different places in the body, whether it be emotional energy, physical tension, or what may feel to you like stuck or dense energy. For example, if you feel tension in the stomach you can vocalize a vowel sound like “aaaaaay” with the intention of moving anxiety, fear and tension up from that area and out through your throat. I use this very effectively to allow grief, sadness and heartache to move through the heart and chest area while soaking in a soothing, hot, candlelit bath. I exhale deeply, making the sound “ahhhhhh.”
3. Be OK with being big. When we speak our truth we step out to become visible, to be seen. This can be frightening; it brings with it the risk of confrontation, of conflict and of not knowing how our message will be received by others. When we have painful or traumatic experiences after speaking our truth we can consciously or unconsciously decide that it is safer to stay small, to fly under the radar. While there are times that warrant using your powers of invisibility, it is unbalanced to stay small all the time. You are likely to ruffle some feathers for those who have yet to integrate their power and who have a hard time celebrating their own truths. Personal growth is a natural byproduct in these situations, so be OK with being big!
4. Cultivate your courage. In order to become comfortable allowing your authentic voice to shine in any given moment, it’s helpful to practice activities that require a little courage. Try doing things that make you feel alive, excited and just a little bit afraid— but not so afraid that you become paralyzed. There is a kind of fear and anxiety that warns you to move away from something dangerous (which is a good thing), but looking for the kind of scary that feels expansive in a way that will stretch you and help you grow. You should feel exhilarated and have more energy when you are done. Say yes to giving that speech, singing at that open-mic night, sharing your art with the world, or jumping into a cold lake. Speak your truth even if your voice shakes, because you will inspire others to open their own hearts and speak their truth, too. It’s so worth it!
5. Tell stories and share your passions. Storytelling is as ancient as the stars and as old as the hills. For generations, humanity has used stories to pass on information, to weave wisdom, to deepen community bonds and to entertain. Telling your story is as much a journey of personal reflection as it is an opportunity to connect in the heart with another. In telling a story we are giving a gift; in listening, we receive one. Giving and receiving are two sides of the same coin, so there is a tremendous beauty in also becoming a good listener. Storytelling gives us an opportunity to reflect on the beauty of where we came from, where we are, and where we want to be. With stories come visions, and visions help us shape our world and create our reality. Perhaps you want to enjoy a hot cup of tea with a friend to reciprocate sharing part of your story, or your most treasured dream, or an idea you have in your heart. Sharing your art, music, projects or anything you are passionate about is another way to express your soul’s calling. If it lights you up, do it!
6. Understand the distinction between opinions and truth. Opinions are great; we all have them. But a personal truth, and universal truths, run much deeper and are authentically aligned with your deepest feelings on a soul level. Opinions and beliefs are coming more from the mind space, and truths are felt through the heart space. When you listen with your body, truths feel warm, expansive, light and loving. Untruths feel constricting, tense, cold, dark and dense. Understanding this distinction will help you discern how, when, where and what type of soul expression will support you in the best way. Sometimes this looks like saying something and sometimes it’s a selected silence; only you will know what is best for you at any given moment. A deep and profound listening to yourself is key to opening the realms of knowing and truth.
7. Let go of your agenda and focus on what you feel. Telling your story, speaking your truth, and sharing your passions are ultimately all about you. We do these things so we can learn and grow. It’s less about the destination and more about the journey, and how you feel during it. The body is intelligent and aligned with truth, and will talk to you through sensations that direct your awareness toward truth. When you focus on what you are feeling, you can direct your energy to navigate your path in a centered way as it relates to speaking your truth. Do what helps you feel safe, grounded and aware as you let your freedom fly…and be sure to have some fun! What does is it feel like for you to speak your authentic voice? Do you struggle with this? If so, what helps you open up and share? Exploring our personal answers to these questions is essential in rediscovering who we are.
