What *is* it, then? What is the Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival, to me?
Before I went to my first fest, I knew women/womyn are oppressed, I felt it in my personal life. I didn't fully realize how bad it is until I went to fest and felt the absence. In 2004 when I first went to fest, I worked in the inner city as a sex offender treatment provider for men and women adult corrections clients. I was the parent of two young girls and I worked over 60 hours a week for a man who made much more money than I and did not offer any benefits of any kind. I was surrounded by men all the time, washed in their women-hating thoughts and actions. Going to fest helped me see the patriarchy almost as a literal framework in which we all lived, a framework which twisted and damaged every living person in it. I saw it through its absence for that three and a half days I was able to stay. Of course, it was really still there, but only in our internalization rather than pounding us constantly, every moment in the rest of our lives. Michfest is so much more than seeing what womyn can do, all by ourselves. It is also seeing what is done to us every single day, when we don't have to endure it for JUST ONE WEEK.
I was talking with my girlfriend about not feeling very strong lately. She asked when was the last time I felt it. Fest. I feel strong there, I feel more me. This past year at fest I attended two yoga workshops. The style is anusara yoga, which emphasizes opening the heart. This is a perfect example of what begins happening when I step foot on the land. It takes time, but my heart opens. My heart opens, I begin to breathe into movement, and my muscles sing with joy. At the second class, I volunteered to demonstrate a difficult standing balance pose. My left leg was out straight behind me, my left arm reaching for the sky. My face turned up to the sun, my eyes closed. I could hear the wind moving through the leaves fifty feet above me. About thirty womyn gathered around as the instructor pointed out my strong stance, the lines of my body, how relaxed my eyes were. I have never felt so strong and and beautiful. I was also wearing only shorts.
Like all of us, I try and carry some of that with me when I leave. I bought a warrior pose necklace, my girlfriend bought me a labrys to remind me I am a strong amazon warrior. I signed up for a yoga class right away because I really loved that feeling and wanted to keep it rolling. I am pretty flexible and had no trouble getting into the poses. I felt the instructor went too fast, did not pay any attention to the students, and I also kicked over one of the complimentary cups of tea during the middle of the class. Still, I would have kept attending if it weren't for the mirrors. The superficial me reflected in the mirrors distracted me completely from my True Self and I was unable to feel my power. I am so much more beautiful reflected in the eyes of my sisters at fest.
I bought a dvd.
Before I went to my first fest, I knew women/womyn are oppressed, I felt it in my personal life. I didn't fully realize how bad it is until I went to fest and felt the absence. In 2004 when I first went to fest, I worked in the inner city as a sex offender treatment provider for men and women adult corrections clients. I was the parent of two young girls and I worked over 60 hours a week for a man who made much more money than I and did not offer any benefits of any kind. I was surrounded by men all the time, washed in their women-hating thoughts and actions. Going to fest helped me see the patriarchy almost as a literal framework in which we all lived, a framework which twisted and damaged every living person in it. I saw it through its absence for that three and a half days I was able to stay. Of course, it was really still there, but only in our internalization rather than pounding us constantly, every moment in the rest of our lives. Michfest is so much more than seeing what womyn can do, all by ourselves. It is also seeing what is done to us every single day, when we don't have to endure it for JUST ONE WEEK.
I was talking with my girlfriend about not feeling very strong lately. She asked when was the last time I felt it. Fest. I feel strong there, I feel more me. This past year at fest I attended two yoga workshops. The style is anusara yoga, which emphasizes opening the heart. This is a perfect example of what begins happening when I step foot on the land. It takes time, but my heart opens. My heart opens, I begin to breathe into movement, and my muscles sing with joy. At the second class, I volunteered to demonstrate a difficult standing balance pose. My left leg was out straight behind me, my left arm reaching for the sky. My face turned up to the sun, my eyes closed. I could hear the wind moving through the leaves fifty feet above me. About thirty womyn gathered around as the instructor pointed out my strong stance, the lines of my body, how relaxed my eyes were. I have never felt so strong and and beautiful. I was also wearing only shorts.
Like all of us, I try and carry some of that with me when I leave. I bought a warrior pose necklace, my girlfriend bought me a labrys to remind me I am a strong amazon warrior. I signed up for a yoga class right away because I really loved that feeling and wanted to keep it rolling. I am pretty flexible and had no trouble getting into the poses. I felt the instructor went too fast, did not pay any attention to the students, and I also kicked over one of the complimentary cups of tea during the middle of the class. Still, I would have kept attending if it weren't for the mirrors. The superficial me reflected in the mirrors distracted me completely from my True Self and I was unable to feel my power. I am so much more beautiful reflected in the eyes of my sisters at fest.
I bought a dvd.
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