World of Philosophy

SR No.: 007005
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Christopher Key Chapple, Intaj Malek, Dilip Charan, Sunanda Shastri, Prashant Dave
Publisher: Shanti Prakashan
Publication Year: 2011
Total Pages: 1002
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 30 MB

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Women Worshipping; Worshipping Women: Immanence and Transcendence in the Naya Yuga
- Dr. Renuka Sharma
Introduction
As the last century came to a close we were left with vivid images of women in the process of change. Unwritten texts from past centuries may give voice to as much change if they can be located and interpreted from a woman-centered reading. Most spectacular was the visual feast assembled during the Fourth Women's Conference at Haioru, outside Beijing, where 30-40,000 women gave homage to the process of change in 1995. The experience remains for many beyond words. Although the process of meeting in small groups to discuss the political process and personal experiences after the Beijing Conference, has continued, something ineffable about the experience has remained so. In various conversations with those present at the conference this 'mysteriousness' was awe inspiring. Terms such as connectivity; communitas; presence, speak of another transcendent process not so readily amenable to language. Perhaps it was the circumstances of the conference, held under duress by the Chinese Government, who had not anticipated a women's NGO conference to be a subversive presence. Thus the political attitude gave rise to methods of surveillance and control by the host government which in turn gave rise to subversive strategies of cohesion and organization by the participant NGO's. They utilized electronic media, visual media and the best forms networking and activist strength while being together in a civic space for a period of three weeks as an international community. Issues that fragment and divide women's communities were superseded by the need for a collective effort toward survival. Preverbal bonding took place in spite of enormous differences. The threat of surveillance, abuse, and restriction by the conference organizers brought about a process of formation that is seldom seen on such a large scale. Unlikely bedfellows helped transform agendas. The experience of the conference as a large scale ritual of worship by women for women; 'a women's Woodstock'; 'a lovefest' may not have been shared by everyone, but the sense of mammoth achievementgiven the circumstances-remains in the memory of those who were present.
Feminist Activism, Religion and Spirituality:
Meeting Points on a Parasiddha Spectrum
It is perhaps time to begin exploring the meaning of the myth, a modern myth of immanence and transcendence at the turn of the century. A gateway event for women and worship in the next century, the 1995 conference in Beijing was really two conferences: first, a 5,000 organization strong meeting of NGOs, a grassroots-meets-NGO spectrum. Second, this was fol
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