A female friend recently posted an article by a woman writer about motherhood. The article was entitled “Children are NOT life’s flowers” (referring to a famous Russian saying which means that children are what makes life beautiful). A number of… Read More ›
Buddha
Babies and Bathwater by Oxana Poberejnaia
Since patriarchy is atrocious, and capitalism is currently driving the earth to a very real catastrophe, we can get passionate about these issues. We can get angry. We can get self-righteous. However, as one of the most famous verses of… Read More ›
Stories vs. What Is by Oxana Poberejnaia
I have recently watched one of these real life entertainment documentaries. This one was on plastic surgery. A woman went under the knife to enlarge her breasts. The female presenter, wearing sterile white, peeped into the operation theatre and, facing… Read More ›
Viśākhā: Surrogate Mother of Buddhism by Oxana Poberejnaia
Viśākhā is often called the greatest female lay follower of the Buddha. She prompted the Buddha to give numerous teachings. She also donated generously to the Sangha (monastic order). Her crowning contribution was building a monastery called Migāramātupāsāda. She is… Read More ›
Touch the Earth by Oxana Poberejnaia
I suddenly felt sad. Not depressed, but low and sorrowful. I realised that it must have been because I had just exploded and answered my husband in an angry, tense voice. He had said something and I reacted in this… Read More ›
Cheeky Buddha by Oxana Poberejnaia
Feminism can be loud and in your face. Feminists can be unapologetic and radical in their statements. I could never bring myself to be abrupt with proponents of patriarchal views. Being a middle class Brit from a Soviet background, I… Read More ›
Mother of All Buddhas by Oxana Poberejnaia
Queen Maya, the Mother of the Buddha of our age, who before his Enlightenment was known as Siddhartha Gautama, died shortly after his birth. So the future Buddha was raised by his aunt and stepmother. It is said that the… Read More ›
You Can’t Save Everyone by Oxana Poberejnaia
In my previous post here on Feminism and Religion, “Emerging Energy Wisdom” I suggested we should develop new feminist wisdom for young women of the world, which will hopefully allow them to avoid some of the mistakes we have made… Read More ›
Heart of the Matter by Oxana Poberejnaia
My friend whom I teach frame drumming teaches us shamanic journeying. There was an episode in one of my journeys, when, unable to see the way forward, I put the palm of my hand on the ground and went down… Read More ›
Cultural conditions and Spiritual Subtleties by Oxana Poberejnaia
I am very grateful to Carol P. Christ and other contributors for their insightful comments and thoughtful questions to my post “Blindness of the Gals”. As I promised to Carol, here is my post that starts answering some of the… Read More ›
Blindness of the Gals by Oxana Poberejnaia
Women (and men) are often blind to women’s inequality. I, as a Buddhist practitioner, have been blind to the reality of women’s second-class status in sacred texts of Buddhism and practice. In her book “Buddhism After Patriarchy” Rita M. Gross… Read More ›