I have written my draft for the introduction assembly that will be held when Susan and I arrive on campus and I wanted to share with you.........
As a Family Nurse Practitioner, I work with women daily, and one of my first questions to each woman
I see is, "What are you passionate about?"  Typically, the question takes them by surprise.  While they understand that they are seeking help for feeling vaguely-or specifically-"out of balance", they are typically unaware that their true search is for their innate female power, for the wisdom and energy to trust their instincts-and their bodies-and to move through the world with confidence.

Let me start by giving you some history of who I am.........Like many other women of my generation, I spent my early years in awe of my father and his wonderful capacity to think and act clearly and approach life in a rational way.  My father was a particularly charismatic speaker and very involved in the business world.  I looked at him as the ultimate example of how to live.  My mother, a quiet woman, deferred to my father in his directives and his wishes and I recognized early on that her model was not one I wanted to emulate.

From observing my father, I believed that power and self-worth were the result of one's capacity to set goals and to move forward through life proactively.  I only felt good about myself and life when I had accomplished every single thing on my "to do" list. (Talk about an exercise in futility)!!!!!! It certainly never entered my mind that the experience of simply being might have value in and of itself.

We have all been raised in cultures immersed in the patriarchal values of hierarchy, linearity, logic, quantification, judgement, measurement, intellectualism and criticism.  The "female" qualities of nurture, cultivation, nourishment, conscious surrender, collaboration, sensuality, beauty and playfulness have, for tens of thousands of years, been relegated to diminished and degraded regard.  Is it any wonder then, that I daily hear women complain of stiff backs, tight muscles and pain in their shoulders.  These women have typically lost the ability to play and to be spontaneous, to laugh and enjoy life's ridiculousness.

Decades ago, after recognizing how I was allowing myself to be subjugated by the limits of my own
patriarchal beliefs, I began on a committed exploration of my unconscious limitations.  I worked with therapists, did bodywork and attended experiential work-shops that allowed me to observe my traumas and pain without judgement, and thereby heal.  Even though this work is, of course, ongoing, it has nevertheless permanently expanded what I call my "perceptual lens".  As a result, I've grown ever more willing to trust myself and take risks.

In essence, what I begun to do was trust the feminine face of power-my instincts and my embracing
nature.  The female aspect of power recognizes the bonds, the connections among all things-emotional and physical, cosmic and material, creative and enduring.  It regards surrender to a higher power as an act of strength NOT something you do at the end of a war you engaged in.

I understand today that my long history of personal and professional work has prepared me for what I am doing at this moment as I stand before you.  Being present at SIAS University and facilitating for the World Academy For the Future of Women is no accident.  I understand that I am here as part of my own mission of self fulfillment as much as my desire to be of service to my sisters around the globe.  I recognize that this is where I am supposed to be.

In nuring school I especially loved the experience of learning  to guide women through childbirth.  While I never went into obstetrics, per se, I feel that each day in my work I am acting as a midwife in helping women to give birth to what already lives within them-their innate power and wisdom.  Often, women may not be ready to deliver themselves into their full being, and I then recognize that my place is to patiently wait as they go through their labor called LIFE.

I consider all of us here today to be midwives, assisting the planet to give birth to its new evolution based not on acquisition, domination and judgement, but on creativity, nurturance and shared passion.  In this process lies the basic question asked by each of us, each and every day....HOW DO WE BEST ARE FOR OURSELVES while contributing to our families, our community and our world?  Although I don't stand here today and have the answers, what might be more relevant at this time are the questions that we
need to ask and dialogue about.  Some of these questions are.....
*What is our significance as women?
*How can we awaken to the fullness of our authentic power and become active, engaged agents of change?
*Where should we give our energy and attention in order to make the greatest contribution to humanity?
*How can we as women work together and support each other to shape the future of the world?
*How can we lead in ways that express our feminine values?
*How do we best care for ourselves while making a contribution to our families, our community and our world?

In our classes at the Academy, I will be addressing issues of our bodies that relate no only to our physical well being but to our psychological, social and creative well being.  We will examine the BALANCE
necessary for healthy relationships and sexuality, for defining our roles in family and for allowing ourselves full expression of our spiritual being.

Health is the operative word in my world of nursing and in my personal life.  My purpose here at this beautiful event, I believe, is to share with you an expanded notion of HEALTH, one that expresses our innate ability to lead each other toward insight and embrace a healthy balance in life.