Dr. Sharon Blackie, an award-winning writer and expert in psychology, mythology, and ecology, discusses the vital connection between women and their ancestral wisdom. She emphasizes the importance of reclaiming feminine narratives to combat the hollow feeling of success within patriarchal systems. With stories of powerful female figures in folklore and the environmental wisdom they embody, Sharon argues for a shift towards earth-based living and creativity. She highlights the role of older women as powerful change-makers, advocating for their voices to be heard.
Reconnecting with mythology and storytelling empowers women to reclaim their narratives and confront modern challenges effectively.
Acknowledging historical injustices can foster community among women, countering the patriarchal fear that undermines collaboration and support.
Deep dives
Empowering Women Through Reconnection with Their Stories
Women in Western cultures have historically lost control of their narratives, which has diminished their access to wisdom and agency. Reconnecting with these narratives, particularly through mythology and storytelling, can reverse this trend and empower women to address contemporary challenges, including environmental issues. This reconnection not only provides a means to recover lost identities but also highlights the collaborative potential between women in Western cultures and their indigenous counterparts. By embracing and understanding these stories as vital to their existence, women can reclaim their power and take on new roles as guardians of both tradition and the earth.
The Impact of Patriarchy on Women's Roles
The cultural narrative shaped by patriarchy has instilled a fear of authority in women, stemming from historical experiences like the witch trials, where women were targeted for defying male domination. This created an environment of distrust among women, causing them to betray one another in a bid for survival within a patriarchal society. Such narratives perpetuate a mindset that discourages risk-taking and collaborative ventures among women in business. By recognizing these historical injustices and their impact, women can begin to unravel the fear and foster a sense of community and support among themselves.
The Importance of Reclaiming Feminine Qualities
Feminine qualities often emphasize cyclical, community-oriented approaches, which can contrast sharply with the individualistic and growth-driven frameworks of patriarchy. Many women feel hollow when they achieve success within these patriarchal structures, as they often require a disregard for natural rhythms and an embrace of relentless productivity. By shifting focus from traditional definitions of success to more nurturing and intuitive practices, women can cultivate a deeper connection with themselves and the environment. This re-rooting process allows women to harness their unique strengths, leading to more meaningful contributions to both society and the planet.
Dr. Sharon Blackie Sharon is an award-winning writer, an internationally recognized teacher whose work sits at the interface of psychology, mythology, and ecology. She specialises as a therapist in narrative storytelling and creative imagination, and clinical hypnotherapy. Sharon’s work is focused on the relevance of myth, fairy tales, and folk traditions to the personal, cultural and environmental problems we face today.
“The natural world holds wisdom for all of us.” - Sharon Blackie
I’m so excited to have Sharon on the show for this International Women’s Day series because we are discussing how women can harness the wisdom of folk tales in how we approach the problems that we face in the modern world. We explore the importance of reclaiming our feminine natures and why when women achieve success in the patriarchal wasteland, it can make us feel hollow or unbalanced. Sharon shares her research into why women have a need to align with the seasons and the moon and connect with our need to listen to a more earthy, bodied wisdom that rejects the masculine need for constant outward achievement.
“There is a witch wound that that has followed us through the centuries that makes us a little bit fearful.” - Sharon Blackie
Episode Highlights:
The importance that we as women reconnect with our stories and ancestral wisdom
The cultural narrative that we grow up with as women in the Western world and how it has subconsciously damaged how we interact with others in business
Why women need a different approach that encompasses more of the qualities that we think of as feminine
Why women are more aligned with the post-heroic story that focuses on community and contraction
What we can do to take back and root ourselves within our precious ancestral sources of wisdom
Sharon’s insights on how women in the second half of life can move forward and share their skills despite modern society wanting them to quietly disappear
International Women’s Day Insight:
“There are feminine qualities, which clearly women embody in spades, which are a slower, deeper, embodied wisdom.” - Sharon Blackie
We need to harness the power of connecting with ancient feminine wisdom traditionally rooted in the earth. Recognising that feminine energy allows us a success that aligns more fully with nature’s rhythms will enable us to reject patriarchal norms and embrace our energy and power and use it to make changes in the world