Hilary Clinton recently expressed her feelings that she 'remain[s] convinced that the future is female.' Yes, it's wonderful that Ms. Clinton is hopeful that the twenty-first century and beyond will be female and great, but isn't this hopefulness a slight dampener as there is still a clear underlying tone that, maybe we're still living in a society that fails to see the greatness of a woman's power and intelligence? Are we still, I hasten to say, of the perception that women are not quite there yet to stand side by side with men, and that women have had the wool pulled over their eyes for the last century? Interestingly enough Hinduism has prized women since its inception with numerous female goddesses that embody power to its very core.
The Hindu religion is the oldest living religion today; around five thousand years old. It revered animals and humans respectively and even more so, women. Goddesses were worshipped just as much as gods and they were endowed with some of the most prominent powers and energies. Consider how progressive this really was given the time; a time when it was men that represented the powers of the universe.
Three of the most worshipped female deities of Hinduism are: Lakshmi the goddess of wealth and fortune; Kali the goddess that destroys evil forces and Durga the goddess and mother of the universe. Even today, Hindus around the world carry out powerful pujas (prayers) for all three. I have a strong faith in all three and this faith gives me the confidence and drive to work hard; the positive energies to remove all evils around me and the appreciation of the world around me. It is my admiration of what these three goddesses embody that gives me the strength to take on each day with happiness, ambition, passion, positivity and being proud of being a woman. Even if you're not a believer, you can appreciate just how amazing these female deities are; they can hold their own in a universe that is unavoidably incomprehensible, they do so much good and wield so much power that you can only be in awe of them. Even if you're not a believer you can try to identify with their traits and powers and wield these yourself. By us women echoing their very nature, we can ensure that we break those metaphorical glass ceilings and achieve anything and everything.
While Clinton and many prominent females today have rallied women around the globe to project their voices and be heard, remember that the images and scriptures of the Hindu goddesses, have actually been doing this for centuries. We've been celebrating the power, intelligence and sanctity of women for so long, it's only natural and inherent to us. That's not to say that culturally, things have changed these very ideas and notions, but women are strong enough today as they were centuries ago to demonstrate their extraordinary abilities.
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