Reconnecting with Her Feminine in Greece

The Feminine is expressed in varying degrees and in different ways within each culture. Barbara, an English woman, moved to Greece and has reconnected with her Feminine there.  She has allowed me to share her written comments with you:

“I waited ‘til I turned sixty in order to find my femininity, but I am in Greece, and have a wonderful relationship with a Greek man. That says a lot, but also it’s reflective of the time when I had to work for a living in a society dominated by men, and work with men as the heads of departments. It was very difficult to make any decision related to the caring side of [our] clients’ lives (I was a social worker for over twenty years) without being questioned by men who didn’t understand.  I am now happier than I’ve been in my [whole] life, doing what I want to do, and not feeling I have to explain that I’m a woman and glad about it. I feel Greek men have a much greater understanding of a woman’s world than the men in the U.K.  My feelings of femininity are allowed a free reign, and my Greek man enjoys that difference--and so do I!”

She also adds,”…small kids in Greece are taught to respect women from a young age. I don’t think that happens in the U.K.  Also, you must look at the way of life here.  I open my shutters and see the mountains. The sea is 200 meters away; I hear it from the house. I live with lots of animals which brings out the caring and nurturing side of me. All my senses are met here, smell, touch, sight. A woman’s insight is also met here; the whole country of Greece is filled with sixth senses, which I believe we women pick up on, but men don’t.”

Thank you for sharing your experiences, Barbara.

I hope that those of you who have experienced life in other cultures will share your thoughts with us. When we live in a culture that is masculine-dominant, we need to find ways to bring the Feminine back into balance. Some of us have done this by living in two worlds simultaneously.   Barbara also represents all of the women of her generation and older who have had to struggle with the constraints of living in a masculine-dominant society. We have these women to thank for navigating these difficulties for us and making our pursuit of balance just a bit easier.