Mental Health & The Feminine Genius
St. John Paul II coined the term “feminine genius” back in 1995 in his Letter to Women during the Fourth World Conference for Women. I love this letter so much and the term “feminine genius” because I believe it really emphasizes our worth and dignity as women.
Personally, I've had my fair share of negative thoughts that told me there is nothing genius about me. Still to this day, I can be so easily swept up by the lies that say I am not enough, being a woman is unfair and life would be better, or easier if I were a man. However, St. Paul II tells us that our very nature as a woman is ALWAYS worthy to be praised, especially when we take the time to own it and nurture it.
As women, we are created with unique vicissitudes that are truly genius. Our receptivity, sensitivity, generosity, and maternity are unique to us and reflect back to the world the maternal nature of God.
Receptivity has to do with how we are created as women. St. John Paul II emphasized that God made us to receive life by the very design of our bodies. We also receive life simply by being created as an equal partner to Adam.
Sensitivity has to do with our attunement to others and our unique ability to respond empathetically. St. John Paul II writes how women have graced schools, hospitals, fields of study, and the Church with their intuitive gifts of love and compassion.
Generosity has to do with our ability to offer many gifts and talents. There is not just one place for women, namely in the home. Every woman has dignity, and in the Church and beyond, every woman has a place. Regardless of whether we are married or single, fertile or infertile, working in the home, or working for a business, we are worthy.
Maternity has to do with birthing and nurturing children. Even for those who cannot conceive a child, we all can offer maternity. We can see everyone as sons and daughters of God and nurture life all around us. We can teach people to become who they are created to be. We can give ourselves sacrificially, body, and soul out of love for others. We can advocate for the most vulnerable. We can hold tenderly the needs and hurts of our broken world and “nurse” it to healing through God’s grace
We also are given Mary, the Mother of God, as the highest expression of “feminine genius” to model our lives. Mary, a woman becomes the “handmaid of the Lord” for ALL eternity. She sits among the highest realm of Heaven with her Son. God shows us that Mary’s maternity reflects back our own maternal nature as good and highly exalted. No matter if our vocation is to be a mother or spiritual mother, when we make a faithful dedication and give a sincere gift of self, we reach our highest potential as women.
So in short women are AMAZING. God made us for a distinct purpose and because of us, the world is better. But what happens when the life of a woman feels the opposite of amazing?
What happens when receptivity is met with exploitation and sexual, physical and/or emotional abuse?
When sensitivity is mocked and manipulated for one’s own personal gain?
When generosity is ridiculed and taken for granted?
When maternity is distorted and oppressed?
Can a woman really embrace her “feminine genius” if her experiences in life tell her a different story?
The short answer is ABSOLUTELY YES. This is where “feminine genius” meets mental health.
In order to fully embrace the total genius of our femininity and experience healing, we have to take the various aspects that make us women and examine them with a mental health lens AND through the lens of God.
Therefore, we have to be receptive to our own story. We have to acknowledge what evils exist in our lives that are distorting our vision of ourselves and we have to be open to receive a different message, namely God’s message. This is a vital piece of mental health. Mental health is all about being present to what is actually happening in the now. When we take our mental health seriously we are encouraged to look internally and challenge negative and irrational beliefs.
We have to also be sensitive to our unique challenges and feelings. Our internal experience is so important. It shapes our reality. Therefore, we have to be compassionate to the realities of our existence and stop ourselves from shaming, blaming, “shoulding,” comparing, and ridiculing ourselves. This is another important aspect of mental health. Without self-compassion and sensitivity, we set ourselves up for a constant cycle of self-deprecation.
We have to be generous with how and when we self-care. We have to take time to nurture ourselves. Whether that’s spending time in therapy once a week, journaling, doing something that brings us joy, investing in our interests, and/or working towards our personal goals. We have to see ourselves as equally as important as those whom we care for and devote the same amount of energy to ourselves. This is also very important in the world of mental health. When the ‘self’ is neglected, our mental health can be severely damaged and our minds can lead us on a dangerous path of unconscious decisions, unhealthy relationships, and incongruous behaviors.
Lastly, we have to flourish in our own life like a good mother. We all know what makes a good mother and we know the damaging effects of not receiving maternal love or being wounded by mothers, either from our own experience or through the experience of others. But knowing what is not helpful nor “good” points us in the direction to what we actually need. We have to be able to forgive ourselves and others for the ways we’ve been harmed and allow ourselves to experience God’s healing. When we look to God for healing, God will give us the grace to be a co-healer. We can provide care and warmth to the little girl inside of us and make choices that are better for us in the present moment. The more we practice being a “good” and loving mother towards ourselves, the more we can rest in the truth that we are loved and able to be healed. This is the turning point in the mental health journey; moving from seeing ourselves and our lives as highly flawed and broken to worthy and redeemed. When this happens we start to live mentally strong and all the other areas of our life begin to follow suit.
So I implore you to prioritize your mental health so you can live out your genius. We can’t let the Enemy (even if it’s your own self) steer us away from living out the truth of our existence.
We as women deserve to live in this truth and the generations that will come after us. If we spend time every day even if it’s just for 10 minutes celebrating our dignity and unique gifts while practicing these skills that will enhance our mental health, the world will begin to mirror our own genius! That means the world becomes a better place just by using what we already have been created with!
May God bless you on your mental health journey as you embrace and live out your feminine genius!