What does a 21st century priestess really want in a man?

A guest blog by Sherri L. McClendon, MA OM

Gary's note: Sherri is a Priestess through Anyaa's Priestess Process, a dear friend, and one of our excellent marketing gurus. Find out more about Sherri at the bottom of this post.

What does a 21st century priestess really want in a man?

First things first, I’d really like to turn in my penis.

I like men, I really do. I enjoy the company of men, and I’ve even been known to adore them on occasion. But there’s a problem. After plenty of life experience, I just don’t trust them as a species.

Yes, I agree with our friend Gary that women as well as men must “heal their own masculine and feminine essences before they can come together in sacred union.” Yes, I’m responsible for balancing and integrating the masculine aspects of my own psyche, hence the need to give up my “penis.” Given what passes for masculinity at the dawn of the 21st century, please forgive me if I have yet to come to full acceptance of this task. Forgive me if I am still working on forgiveness.

The reality is I frequently encounter wounded warriors, an archetype which no longer holds attraction for me.  I’d like men to dress and heal their own wounds, thank you very much, not wait for me to staunch the bleeding of their hearts, or pull marrow from my soul to make them feel whole again. Neither am I the Morrigan to whom the wounded warrior may look to be carried from the field of battle into shadow, nor am I the spoils of war to be pillaged for another’s gain. These are not my roles; please do not ask me to bear this mantle. Women are wounded, too, and some of us are angry.

Back in the heyday of ancient Rome, the eyes of the world were turned toward Capitoline Hill where the goddess Moneta and her sister Minerva, enjoyed equal status to the male godhead, Saturn. Given Moneta’s association with the flow of money and protection of resources, Minerva’s mastery of sustainability through ensuring the cycles of the year, and Saturn’s gift to the two of substance, it seemed a balanced act.

But the Romans had other ideas. The warriors of the day, bent on competition, accumulation, and power over others, dug a secret tunnel to the mint beneath the Moneta temple, where they removed the money created in order to fuel their war machine. Each New Year, they’d visit the temple womb of Minerva and “nail” the ending of the old year above the entry. Thus, they originated the version of the conquering warrior hero that is the dominant figure in Western culture’s coming of age stories for men. Women, it may be noted, do not have a coming of age tradition, and though we are taught the hero’s journey, men are not reciprocally given women’s stories. Instead, our society is left with men who exhibit Saturn’s over-reliance on structures, who cling to old thought forms of authoritarianism and righteous discipline in lieu of a better way of relating with their world. In order to receive Saturn’s gift of substance, many women have found that we must hand over our power to become chattels rather than partners, relegated to trophies, subordinates, or priestess/princess whores. In each of these cases, women have been deliberately disenfranchised to ensure the power of the masculine over and above the feminine. We became punished by our own consent to play by Saturn’s rules.

Those times, thank Goddess, are on the wane. Men and women today call forth a path of service in the evolution of the species on Earth as a living, embodied, divine expression of Spirit. When I read Chaucer’s “Wife of Bath’s Tale,” from the Canterbury Tales, or its modern interpretation in Mel Gibson’s portrayal in “What Women Want,” I understand the need for communication between the masculine and feminine, reconciling across time, space and dimension.

So, what does a 21st century priestess really want in a man? After all, the concept of the new masculine is integrating, grounded, loving. Priestesses everywhere are opening to its emergence.

First, the New Masculine male must be secure enough in his wholeness to hold space for divine feminine evolution.  This means his king, warrior, lover, and magician archetypes reconcile. His path of service through his work and actions aligns heart and mind, and exemplifies purposefulness. Almost certainly, his travel into shadow enables his return to the light. As a partner, he is a loving, present co-creator and able, ready, and willing to step into sacred union with the feminine both within and without.

Essentially, as a 21st century priestess, I seek to be fully partnered, not husbanded; self-determining, not stewarded; mated, not married. Gratefully, I mother a beautiful divine masculine child, now 5, and hope he may evolve consciously, fully into manhood. I celebrate the emergence of the Integral Warrior, the brave transformation for the future.  Finally, I celebrate a world where strong women don’t have to grow penises – or emasculate men - in order to survive the prevailing winds of change.  It’s a new Earth, and a new day. So be it.

Sherri L. McLendon, M.A., O.M., of Professional Moneta™, is known as Your Moneta Marketing Mentor™ and creatrix of the Moneta Movement™. She is a long-time advocate for the evolution of Gary Stamper’s work with the New Masculine and the Integral Warrior process. As a divine feminine marketing coach, she uses co-creative communication strategies, to assist spiritual, holistic and conscious entrepreneurs in the realization of their highest and best potentials. Find out more at http://www.professionalmoneta.com, or check out the done-for-you copywriting and publicity services at McLendon Bylines at http://www.sherrimclendon.com