Page Three

'Page Three' - there's every chance that if you grew up in England you can't read these words without thinking of a young woman in nothing but her knickers on the third page of one of our national newspapers. If you haven't yet signed the petition asking for this to stop you can sign it here. I find the human body incredibly beautiful and am a great fan of the nude in art, but to me a naked girl in a newspaper - there for the titillation of the readers and in no way 'news' - is the tip of a pornographic iceberg that objectifies women and insults men.

Women are suffering more violence around the world than most of us can bear to think about, according to a recent article violence against women is an 'extensive human rights abuse' with one in every three women within the EU reporting some sort of physical or sexual abuse and one in every ten having experience sexual violence.

There are many, many ways to attempt to help the situation if you feel called to do so.  This one is local to me.  'Page three' made me feel sad and angry in equal parts and I couldn't ignore what came up for me.  

So (big breath, change of tack) - I would like to offer you a different kind of salutation to the feminine.

The ancient feminine, the wild feminine, the crone face in the rock.

The spring maiden, the mother of all or the crone of wisdom.  I offer you my reverence and my unashamed love for 'all that is'.  Both the feminine

And the masculine.

And especially their union and balance.

And my heartfelt wish that you and I and all of us can find our way to this balance.

So may it be.