It Sometimes Happens that a Woman Remembers that God Is Not a Man
In a session today I started using the understatement, "It sometimes happens that someone likes somebody," and proceeded to improvise slightly with each repetition. It was amazing how much discharge came off. I felt as if I was using a large set of keys and opening up distress layers, one after the other.
I was working on internalized sexism, and because I believe in God, at some point I found myself saying, "It sometimes happens that a woman remembers that God is good." I stayed there for a long time, discharging terror around images of a punishing God. Then I came up with, "It sometimes happens that a woman remembers that God is not a man."
I realized that all my life I'd thought of God as a man, or primarily as an ally to men, and that this had affected how I interacted with all men. I felt as if men were supported by God and therefore were meant to prevail over women, and this made expressing anger at the oppression of females seem like going up against God.
I have used this understatement in three consecutive sessions thus far. It continues to work. The most beautiful thing, however, is that I was told by my three Co-Counselors that they found themselves re-evaluating spontaneously as soon as I mentioned the understatement. Therefore, I am happy to put this out for other women to try.
Ibtisam Barakat
Columbia, Missouri, USA