wideawake women

Georgia O'Keeffe - White Lotus

 

This blog was launched on Mothers’ Day 2009.  It was inspired by, and is dedicated to, a remarkable woman – my mother, Miriam.  She had died just a few weeks earlier, on the 4th of April, at the marvelous old age of 96.  I was blessed to care for her in her last years; what a teacher she was for me!

She often remarked about the seeming scarcity of awakened women in our 21st century context – and we wondered if it was, perhaps, a case of women being more reserved and inward about their wisdom than men.  The world’s bookshops and the internet both abound with material written by men on the topic of awakening, but reports by women are harder to find.  When I checked out the links page on a noted Australian nonduality teacher’s website, for example, I found over twenty links to males’ sites and just three to women’s sites.

I decided to address this imbalance in my own small way by creating a link list to the awakened women who I happen to know about.  I am not in any way claiming their superiority over their male counterparts; I am neither feminist nor sexist.  My own journey has been along a ‘pathless path’ well paved by male teachers: Alan Watts, J Krishnamurti, Nisargadatta Maharaj and Wei Wu Wei. They are honoured and loved, and will no doubt turn up in postings here.

These four teachers are well known for their independence from doctrinal constraints. The first three were born into the Hindu system but transcended it, and all systems.  Wei Wu Wei was a loose cannon rolling around the fields of C’han, Taoism, Zen, Tibetan and Mahayana Buddhism without adhering to any doctrine.  My own tendency has been towards a similar flight-path.  I have been drawn to teachers and teachings that don’t muck around with hierarchies and practices but directly confront the question of identification with an assumed and separate self.

The women on my list include those who, for the most part, steer clear of any organized, traditional approaches, pointing directly to the truth of Being, now.  Right now.  In this, just this.  Here, always here.

Names of women no longer with us in body but whose presence has been requested in this list have been added at the bottom.

[Please note that this page is updated from time to time. Some teachers / writers have dropped out of sight and their names have been removed.  Links to women who express the inexpressible with great  beauty – whether in words or music or performance – but aren’t moved to be teachers in the formal sense have been moved to the blogamigos page.  This page will now feature women who are formally or informally “pointing directly to the truth of Being, now” – in their writing, talks, meetings, and publishing.  I’m always grateful for suggestions; please make contact.]

– – –

ana ramana georgi y johnson ellen emmet
aisha salem  enza vita lori ann lothian
alice gardner gangaji mandi solk
alicia st rose lisa cairns mary-margaret moore
amoda maa gina lake mary o’malley
anamika ilona ciunaite meike schuett
byron katie jac o’keeffe metta zetty
canela michelle jan frazier miranda macpherson
catherine ingram jeannie mcgillivray mukti
catherine noyce jeannie zandi neelam
cee jennifer welwood pamela wilson
chameli ardagh joan tollifson pema deane
cheryl abram judith blackstone rashani réa
clare blanchflower kalyani lawry shanti einolander
cheri huber karen mcphee sonya amrita biblos
colette kelso karen richards susan kahn
krayna castelbaum kathleen knipp susanne marie
dorothy hunt katie davis suzanne foxton
elena nezhinsky kathy raysz tami simon
ellen davis kheyala rasa unmani
. lesley skylar vicki woodyard
– – –
anandamayi ma clara llum vimala thakar
joan ruvinsky . .

Painting by Georgia O’Keeffe, White Lotus

69 thoughts on “wideawake women”

  1. Thank you for the beautiful blog.

    There is an incredible woman who’s been quietly showing the way since 1977. Mary-Margaret Moore has written 5 books which are in 23 languages. She was talking about Oneness and Love for years before it was able to be understood by more and more people.

    Her website is http://www.marymargaretmoore.com.

    I send humble love and wish to honor her by making her known on your blog.

    Thank you for your beautiful site. It’s inspiring.

    With love, Lynn
    Oregon, USA

    Reply

    • Dear Lynn – it’s so kind of you to visit, to leave a comment – and to introduce me to Mary-Margaret Moore. I will certainly add her to the wideawake women list. Her words are clear and inspiring. You are blessed to have such a teacher – and I am blessed that you have introduced me to her!
      With thanks and love –
      miriam louisa

      Reply

    • Lynn, thank you for this – I didn’t know she had a web page and went there and enjoyed – I met her/Bartholomew at a workshop i Copenhagen 30 years ago or so and enjoyed her immensely – though Bart was really a he! I remember her husband, who accompanied her on her tour, had a glass of water in his hand, and Mary Margaret – as Bart said s/he was afraid he was going to throw water at her/him when she mentioned something – there was a lot of laughter, and her husband sat the glass down and giggled.

      Reply

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      • I think you might consider adding Candice O’Denver and the Great Freedom teachings. Many free audio/video/.pdf downlaods here: http://www.greatfreedom.org

        After many years checking out various teachers, Candice’s simple one-sentence suggestion makes it easy: “Short Moments of Clear Awareness repeated many times become continuous.”

  4. Thanks for writing, M

    Candice O’Denver and the link to her site have been on the *wideawake women* list since this blog was launched.

    You’ll find her just 5th down on the list above.

    With thanks and love –

    miriam louisa

    Reply

  5. My daughter Ellen Davis, is awake. She sees beyond, yet in the now. The blessing of her “being” is enough for me. If I am included in your list that would be a great compliment. Thank you, Channa Horwitz

    Reply

    • Dear Channa – this is indeed a great honor. How amazing to have a mother and daughter on our list!

      I will link your name to Ellen’s website until you provide me with an URL for your own – if you wish.

      Thank you for writing!

      With love and appreciation –

      miriam louisa

      Reply

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    • Many thanks for your suggestion dear Joyce, and the link to Jan Frazier’s site. I am so delighted to have been alerted to her work!
      With love ~ miriam louisa

      Reply

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    • Hello dear Gloria – thanks for visiting and leaving your suggestion re Jeannie Zandi.

      Jeannie’s been on the list since Day 1 – you’ll find her between Jan Frazier and Joan Tollifson. Perhaps I ought to order the list alphabetically by surname rather than first name?

      Your suggestions are very welcome indeed. And let me thank you again for your great contribution at the Nonduality Highlights.

      With a deep bow
      ~ miriam louisa

      Reply

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  13. What a wonderful gift to us all. Thank you. Just finding your site now and beginning to explore. Immediately noticed Vimala Thakar was absent from your list. Though she is no longer with us in body, she left a wealth of teachings which I hope will become more readily available in the near future.

    Reply

    • Such a joy to have your comment Sharanam – and thank you for introducing me to your beautiful blog!

      Thanks too, for suggesting Vimala Thakar for the *wideawake women* list. I am very familiar with her and her writing – thanks to my years around ‘K’ and his teachings. It’s never occurred to me to list women who are “no longer with us in body” – but I see no good reason not to when their teachings are as wise and inspirational as Vimala’s. I hope the English translations aren’t too far away?

      With gratitude and love
      ~ miriam louisa

      Reply

      • You are very kind, but really the thanks go to you for both your sites. No surprise that you are familiar with Vimalaji, but there are so many who aren’t and it’s truly a shame. It is a Dutch group of “friends of Vimala” who are working on the site I linked to. I am not sure what the hold up entails on the English site–one would think that would come first as her talks were mostly given in English as far as I know. Thanks so much for connecting Miriam Louisa. And thank you for your generous offerings. May you be well and peaceful, continue to be grateful and love-ful, and awake! Katherine

    • Thanks for leaving your comment sven.
      Pema Chodron is indeed missing from this list, as are many other Buddhist women teachers who are (or were) fully wideawake – for example Charlotte Joko Beck, Joan Jiko Halifax, Tenzin Palmo and Martine Batchelor…
      This is not out of disrespect for them or their traditions, but simply due to the parameters I adopted when setting up the list. Please refer to the final paragraph in the introductory statement.
      There’s a brilliant resource of information about Buddhist women teachers at http://lhamo.tripod.com/
      I bow to them all.
      With love
      ~ miriam louisa

      Reply

    • Thank you rashani – I’m thrilled you have visited and left a comment. It gave me the chance to visit your own sites and familiarize myself with the wondrous way “life moves through you!”

      With love and gratitude
      ~ miriam louisa

      Reply

    • I’ve added Anandamayi Ma at the bottom of the list along with Vimala Thakar – two wideawake women now gone forth, but whose pointers can still inspire us profoundly. Thank you dear rashani!
      ~ ml

      Reply

  17. HELLO MIRIAM LOUISA,
    so much enjoying your site. Rashani recommended you.
    Yearning to get back to Gold Coast. Now living in NZ, wired into a full-time job that feels like prison. Thank you so much for your work. Inspirited here, even in the depths of winter by your warm spirit illuminating. Sunshine
    “Little one, treat this life adventure as a journey. What if thee were a tourist sent to observe, document and investigate? And if the real work lay within?”
    Sunshine’s prayer journal excerpt Spirit talks to her part 3

    Reply

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  21. Thank you, Miriam Louisa, for your rich and inspiring website.

    I happened upon it only recently and I’ve been savoring it and sharing it with my friends ever since.

    You might consider adding Joan Ruvinsky to the list. Her teachings, offered in both prose and poetry, as well as verbally, are yet another beautiful expression of the inexpressible through a woman’s voice.

    Her website: http://www.pathlessyoga.com

    With gratitude for your service,
    Kathleen

    Reply

    • Thank you dear Kathleen – for your kind comment of appreciation, and for introducing me to Joan Ruvinsky’s work. Indeed, “a beautiful expression of the inexpressible …
      In delight!
      ~ miriam louisa

      Reply

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    • Thanks for the introduction to Anamika, Ian.

      It’s wonderful to know that you find inspiration and resonance in these pages …

      Bowing
      ~ ml

      Reply

  24. Hi Miriam Louisa.
    I just found your site today when I was looking up Jac O’Keefe. We are neighbours 🙂
    I live in beautiful Tasmania.
    There are a few awakened women now connected with the TAT Foundation. Jem Hopkins and Deborah Westmoreland. Also Anima Pundeer. This group are a rich source of love and assistance. http://www.tatfoundation.org

    Reply

    • Thanks for the link to the Tat Foundation dear Louise – and it’s great to know we’re neighbours!

      I’m adding this link you sent by email, so that readers can find out more about the women you’ve listed, as well as Bart Marshall and Art Ticknor.
      http://vimeo.com/album/1745120

      Love ~ ml

      Reply

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    • Thank you Maggi – I’m delighted to know about Laura Lucille. I’m reading her site right now. And thanks for subscribing to this little blog – I hope you enjoy looking around!
      – ml

      Reply

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