Feminine Mysticism for a Future of Love and Freedom with Mirabai Starr

Episode Summary

In this episode, Chantal speaks with Mirabai Starr to discuss how reclaiming feminine wisdom will help us dismantle patriarchal structures and possibly even save us. They chat about the two sides of the wild and dark feminine: one that is loving-kindness and compassion and the other that’s unbridled chaos.

Mirabai also talks about how her greatest task is to translate mysticism to an inclusive language that men, women and all genders can have access to. She mentions how she first connected with mysticism, how she has nurtured it throughout her life, and how she helps people transcend and find their best way of living in this chaotic world that is urging for a feminine way to approach chaos.

About Our Guest

Mirabai Starr is an award-winning author of creative non-fiction and contemporary translations of sacred literature. She taught Philosophy and World Religions at the University of New Mexico-Taos for 20 years and now teaches and speaks internationally on contemplative practice and inter-spiritual dialog. A certified bereavement counselor, Mirabai helps mourners harness the transformational power of loss. Her latest book, WILD MERCY: Living the Fierce & Tender Wisdom of the Women Mystics, was named one of the “Best Books of 2019”. She lives with her extended family in the mountains of northern New Mexico.

Insight from this episode:

— How did her interest in mysticism begin and evolved?
— How is her approach to mysticism inclusive?
— The cracking of patriarchy
— What longing is really about and how to reclaim it
— What the feminine spirituality is and its importance in the society
— How to connect with the sacred through difficult experiences
— How Mirabai has navigated through difficult situations
— How transcendence is beyond embodiment
— How not to demonize the ego

Quotes from the show:

“What I feel is my task in this life, at least for now, at least in this moment in time, is reclaiming that femenine way of connecting to spirit, the sacred, to each other ”– Mirabai Starr, Emerging Women Podcast.

“[About femenine attributes that should be reclaimed] Love and kindness, mercy, compassion, connection, lifting each other up, honoring and adoring”– Mirabai Starr, Emerging Women Podcast.

“[About mysticism] You’re making that choice to interpret and bring alive a certain kind of spirituality that I think has been demonized by the great spiritual traditions”– Chantal Pierrat, Emerging Women Podcast.

“[About going through difficult situations] No matter what your experience of loss is, whether it’s been traumatic or lets say more ordinary, there is no reason to rush into meaning, to try to use it as an opening to God or spirit or anything else”– Mirabai Starr, Emerging Women Podcast.

“When we cultivate certain kinds of spiritual practices, like meditation, we can nurture the soil from which these spontaneous mystical experiences might more easily flower”– Mirabai Starr, Emerging Women Podcast.

“[About women] We have been raised to be oriented, to fit in and to be hyper aware of others, and what we’re finding out is that there’s such a mountain to climb for women to have their voices heard in places of power, and we need to hear those voices to change culture, to change the current power paradigm, to dismantle the patriarchy”– Chantal Pierrat, Emerging Women Podcast.