Clarissa Pinkola Estés ― How To Silence a Woman: Retrieving Her Voice

From one of my longtime treasured teachers, 

Clarissa Pinkola Estés. Bless the fierce 

wisdom keepers and truth-tellers.

May they inspire us all.

― Molly

 

Dear Brave Souls... Onward in full love and fierce intent, purified of hatred and rage.

ONWARD
NO RETREAT: 
For We Are A Decent, Loving People

HOW TO SILENCE A WOMAN: 
RETRIEVING HER VOICE

This poem was originally written in response to seeing the voices of women and those of and from the 'underclass'— people from my own heritage groups being ever at the bottom of the power chain--

And like many many other souls—enduring decades of suppression of opportunities to speak out against many kinds of social and spiritual injustice, in so many aspects of our institutionalized culture, particularly.

It was not safe to be a full human ... in far too many ways. Truths were demeaned, mocked, twisted into whatever served those in power, not patient Lady Justice with her scales to weigh, and her blindfolded eyes.

Across time, the truths of those raped, cheated, forced, enslaved were purposely diverted and not heard, not respected. It was not possible in those times to organize as it is SO possible to do so today...

Yet/ And...

Cycles Return: Once again these words are for any soul, any group that has been marginalized against their wills, any individual and group that must deal with others speaking about them/ against them instead of for them.

The words here are meant as muscle for any group or individual who has been unfairly prevented having their words weighed justly, and instead -- guns of degradation pulled out to distort women's words to make them seem crazy, forgetful, phantasmagoric... all truth subverted by those with power over all. No equal playing field.

Especially for those who continue to hold Wise Love as their North Star, despite others attempting to lure, mislead, seduce, threaten, rage, mock that they ought not.

Be not afraid; It is not that greater forces are with us. It is that we walk with Greater.

HOW TO SILENCE A WOMAN: 
RETRIEVING HER VOICE

When someone says, "We’re saying the same thing."
Say, “We are not saying the same thing.”

When someone says, "Don’t question, just have faith”
Say, “I am questioning vato, and I have supreme faith in what I think."

When someone says, “Don't defy my authority.”
Say, “There is a higher authority that I follow.”

When someone says, "Your ideas are seductive."
Say, “No, my ideas are not seductive, they are substantial.”

When someone says, “Your ideas are dangerous”
Say, Yes, my ideas are dangerous, and why are you 
so afraid hombre o mujer ?

When it is said, “It's just not done.”
Say. “It will be done.”

When it is said, "It is immature"
Say, “All life begins small and must be allowed to grow.”

When it is said, “It's not well thought out.”
Say, “It is well thought out.”

When they say, "You're over-reacting.”
Say, “You're under-reacting vato.”

When they say, “You're being emotional.”
Say, “Of course I have well placed emotions, and by the way,
what happened to yours?”

When they say, “You're not making any sense.”
Say, “I don't make sense, I am the sense.”

When they say, “I can't undtand you when you're crying.”
Say. “Make no mistake, I can weep and be fierce at the same time.”

When they say, “I cant understand you when you're being so angry.”
Say. “You couldn't hear me when I was being nice, sweet or silent, either.”

When someone says, “You're missing the point.”
Say, “I'm not missing the point, but you seem to be missing my point— 
What are you so afraid of?”

When someone says, "You are breaking the rules.”
Say, “Yes, I am breaking the rules.”

When someone says, “That's not practical.”
Say, “It's practically a done deal, thank you very much.”

When it is said, “No one will do it, believe you, follow it.”
Say, “I will do it, I will believe in it, and in time, the world may well follow it.”

When it is said, "No one wants to listen to that.” 
Say, “I know you have a hard time listening to that.”

When it is said, "It's a closed system, you cant change it.”
Say, “I'm going to knock twice and if there is no answer, 
then I am going to blow the doors off that system and it will change.

When it is said, “They'll ignore you.”
Say, “They won't ignore me and the 100s of thousands who stand with me.

When they say, "It's already been done.”
Say, “It's not been done well enough.”

When they say, "It's not time yet."
Say “It's way past time.”

When they say, “It’s not the right day, right month, right year.”
Tell them, “The right year was last year,
and the right month was last month,
and the right day was yesterday,
and you’re running behind schedule vato,
and what in the name of God and all that is holy
are you going to do about it?”

When they say, “Who do you think you are?”—
tell them who you are...
and don't hold back.

When they say, “I put up with it, you'll have to put up with it too.”

Say, “No, no,no,no.”

When they say, “I've suffered a long time and you'll have to suffer too.”

Say, “No, no, no,no.”

When they say, “You're an incorrigible, 
defiant, hard to get along with, 
unreasonable woman,

Say, “Yes, yes, yes, yes,

and I have worse news for you yet—

We are teaching our daughters,
our mothers, 
and our sisters...

We are teaching our sons 
our fathers, 
and our brothers

to be

just

like

us.

-------------------------
You know, this comes with so much love to you as ever and always,
dr.e

  Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estes