Breathing out, Breathing In

In my mediations this week I have been concentrating on letting go of that which no longer serves. The meditations that I have been working with emphasize the breath as a tool for letting go. In those meditations I am instructed to focus on the breath, breathing out what I don’t want, breathing in what I do want. As I breathe out and let go of what I no longer need, I make space for what is richer and more fulfilling.

What I discovered that I don’t want or need any longer are the patriarchal constructs and messages that we hear from the moment of birth. Messages that say I am not good enough; I must do everything perfectly; I must always be improving, growing, or contributing; I must always follow the rules; God is far away and inaccessible. These are messages that no longer serve my soul. These are messages that harm me. The following came to me as I was writing in my journal. It is a prayer for breathing deeply and opening space for the Divine Feminine.

Breathe out the patriarchal god 
The god of thou shalts and thou shalt nots
The god of hierarchy, the god of rules and regulations

Breathe in the goddess –
The goddess who loves you as you are, unconditionally
The goddess who is your mother

Breathe out the patriarchal god
The god that insists you earn your way
The god that requires the sacrifice of your Self

Breathe in the goddess
The goddess who fills you to overflowing with love  
The goddess who allows you to Be

Breathe out the patriarchal god
The god that is outside of you and very far away
The god that is inaccessible to those who aren’t perfect or who don’t follow the rules.

Breathe in the goddess
The goddess who is inside of you
The goddess who is you

Breathe out the patriarchal god
The god who is a man, who hates women, queers, and Others
The god who is rigid and unyielding

Breathe in the goddess
The goddess, the great mother, the sacred feminine who loves her creation
The goddess who invites peace, compassion, and empathy for all

Breathe out the patriarchal god
The god, who in his name, destroys anything that is other
The god who incites wars, pogroms, and genocide in his name

Breathe in the goddess
The goddess who loves creation, who loves life
The goddess who dances and sings

Breathe out the patriarchal god

Breathe in the goddess
For abundance
For love
For clarity
For wholeness

Breathe in the Goddess
She is you
You are she

Barbara Garland
November 2021