On Community

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For much of my life I felt isolated - I never felt at home, and never felt like I fit in.  I had a deep mistrust of groups. I felt like I was better alone and recognized that I felt unsafe in a group setting.
 
I struggled along like this for many years. Finally, a few years ago, things came to a head. I began to encounter masses of ants. I opened my dishwasher one day to find the previous night’s unwashed dishes completely, utterly swarming with ants. The next day ants were in my cupboards, in the honey jar, in my beloved ginger syrup. Nothing was beyond their amazing skill to access. A few days later on a hike with friends, I stood in a red ant nest and biting ants covered my sandaled feet and swarmed up my legs. Less than two weeks later, on a trip to the Caribbean, I discovered in a most unpleasant way that I was standing in a fire ant nest. Similar experience, much more painful. I recognized there was a higher purpose at play. Ant clearly was speaking to me. I checked in with my spiritual consultant, Therese Dorer, to see what message ant had for me.  
 
A queen ant came forward and spoke about the importance of engaging in, being in and working in community. I vowed to heal my wounds and fear around community and cultivate a healing community of and for women. Instantly, ant ceased to be a problematic force in my life and a beautiful community of like-minded women have appeared. When I let go of the fear and embraced the healing, a wealth of loving, supportive friends appeared to share the journey. 
 
In these interesting times the old paradigms and ways of being are crumbling. The patriarchal, competitive governance models we are accustomed to are not working. This is being played out around the world, perhaps nowhere as publicly as with our neighbours to the south. As we move into a more conscious era and the divine feminine and divine masculine become balanced, our governance systems will change from the patriarchal model to a more matriarchal, supportive system. Team work, rather than competition, is required.
 
It is truly time for women to support each other in the richness of their being rather than believing we are in competition for limited resources. It is time to stop comparisons of self to others, time to honour our own unique gifts and the gifts of the amazing women around us. It is time to step into our own internal wisdom, our inner “wise woman”, and find our place in loving, supportive community.
 
​ Erin Maze