onespirit connects newsletter

A New Beginning.

What indeed is a new beginning?

I think for me a new beginning is an opportunity, a moment, a breath, a gift, a threshold.

It’s the point at which I can turn and look back and remind myself I’m not going that way!

It’s the new adventures I’ve set for myself.

It’s the possibility of saying goodbye to create space for the moments of hello.

It’s a point that I can have any time I set the intention of right now is my new beginning!

New beginnings are the gifts we can offer ourselves to release pain and move forward to whatever the journey holds next.

A new beginning.

A treasured moment that is always on repeat.

May it always be so.

A “new beginning” signifies a fresh start, an opportunity to let go of the past and embrace change with hope and determination. It’s a moment of reinvention, where the slate is wiped clean, and we can approach life with a renewed perspective.

One of my most significant new beginnings occurred when I moved to a new city for university. I had always been in my comfort zone, surrounded by familiar faces and routines.

Suddenly, I was thrust into a completely unfamiliar environment, away from family and friends, with nothing but my own resolve to rely on. This experience taught me a lot about my resilience and adaptability.

I learned that I could thrive outside of my comfort zone, and that even in moments of doubt, I could rely on my own strength to move forward. It also showed me the importance of self-reliance, but equally the value of building new connections and embracing uncertainty.

That new beginning, while daunting, became a stepping stone to personal growth and a deeper understanding of myself.

I used to think growth would feel like an unfolding, like a flower gradually opening to the sun. But when I reflect on the moments I have truly grown, they often felt nothing like that. Growth, for me, has been more like stepping into the unknown, stretching beyond what feels comfortable, and trusting that I will find my footing along the way.

One moment stands out from my time this far in the training. I was invited to share a deeply personal reflection in front of my study group. My heart was racing and a part of me wanted to stay quiet. But I knew that staying silent would have been the easier path, not the one that would help me grow. So I spoke. My voice trembled at first, but as I continued, I felt something shift. I was no longer just learning about deep listening, vulnerability, and presence. I was living it.

What helped me move forward? The support of my fellow students. The way we listen to each other without judgement, offering space for both uncertainty and understanding. The trust that we are all on this path together, each of us growing in our own way. When I struggled, it was their encouragement that reminded me I was not alone.

Now, when I feel discomfort rising, I think of the moments we have shared… offering reflections, holding silence, learning from one another. Growth does not always feel easy, but walking this journey alongside others makes it feel possible.

ROSIM Professional Register Page

This page received a major update to provide clearer information and a more engaging experience. Key changes include:

• A refreshed header and introduction, ensuring clarity from the outset.
• Revised sections explaining what ROSIM is, and what it isn’t to distinguish it from a membership body.
• New automatically rotating images showcasing our ministers, alongside an expanded explanation of who they are as a body.
• A detailed breakdown of the opportunities and advantages of joining ROSIM as a professional register.
• Information about the collaborative groups that branch off from ROSIM.
• Easy access to essential links, whether you’re looking to learn more about ROSIM, support your own journey, or find specific resources.
• Updated contact details for Lavinia, your go-to person for any ROSIM-related questions.

This update ensures that the ROSIM page is clear, accessible, and truly reflective of its purpose. If you haven’t visited it recently, take a look!

Community Collection Page

This page, which houses all our blog posts and reflections, has been significantly updated to make it easier to explore the themes we discuss.

• A new search bar at the top of the page allows you to find posts by searching for specific words or phrases.
• We’ve introduced clickable themes such as Reflections, Offerings, Spirituality, and Days. Selecting any of these will take you to a dedicated page featuring related posts.
• Every blurb has been refined into a short, engaging summary, making it easier to see what each post is about at a glance.
• We’ve also added imagery to enhance the reading experience and bring each piece to life.

These updates ensure that the Community Collection is now more accessible, visually engaging, and easier to navigate. If you haven’t explored it yet, take a look and see what speaks to you!

As an educational charity, OneSpirit is committed to uplifting diverse voices and ensuring that women’s contributions across history, spirituality, activism, literature, and feminism are recognised. Women’s History Month is an opportunity to reflect on the stories and wisdom of women from all backgrounds, across cultures, faith traditions, and identities.

This reading list includes international authors, celebrating women’s achievements while acknowledging the challenges they have faced. It offers perspectives from a broad and inclusive representation of women’s experiences.

Non-Fiction & Memoirs

• A Room of One’s Own – Virginia Woolf | A landmark feminist essay reflecting on the barriers women face in accessing education, financial independence, and creative freedom.
• I Am Malala – Malala Yousafzai | The inspiring memoir of the youngest Nobel Peace Prize laureate, detailing her fight for girls’ education.
• Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot – Mikki Kendall | A sharp critique of mainstream feminism, calling for an intersectional approach that includes race, class, and economic justice.
• Somebody’s Daughter – Ashley C. Ford | A deeply personal memoir exploring race, poverty, family, and the impact of incarceration on Black women in America.
• The Good Immigrant – Edited by Nikesh Shukla | A collection of essays by British writers of colour, including powerful reflections on identity, race, and womanhood in the UK.
• Black and British: A Forgotten History – David Olusoga | A vital book exploring Britain’s Black history, including the often-overlooked contributions of Black women.
• Mother Country – Charlene White | A compelling examination of the Windrush generation, reflecting on the experiences of Caribbean women in Britain.
• Let Me Speak! – Domitila Barrios de Chungara | The story of an Indigenous Bolivian woman fighting for workers’ rights and social justice.
• It’s Not About the Burqa – Edited by Mariam Khan | A collection of essays by British Muslim women on feminism, faith, and identity.
• Women & Power: A Manifesto – Mary Beard | A sharp examination of how women have been excluded from public power throughout history, and how this exclusion persists today.
• The Feminist Killjoy Handbook – Sara Ahmed | A powerful critique of the challenges feminists face in confronting everyday sexism and injustice.
• My Past Is a Foreign Country – Zeba Talkhani | A British Muslim woman’s memoir exploring identity, faith, feminism, and breaking free from patriarchal expectations.
• Inferior: How Science Got Women Wrong—and the New Research That’s Rewriting the Story – Angela Saini | A look at gender bias in science and how new research is changing the narrative about women’s capabilities.
• Unwell Women: A Journey Through Medicine and Myth in a Man-Made World – Elinor Cleghorn | A powerful history of how women’s health has been misunderstood and mistreated.
• The Daughter of the Ganges – Asha Miró | A deeply personal memoir exploring transracial adoption, identity, and womanhood from an Indian-Spanish perspective.
• A Woman Like Her: The Story Behind the Honour Killing of Qandeel Baloch – Sanam Maher | A gripping account of the life and murder of Pakistani social media star Qandeel Baloch, and the wider cultural forces at play.

Spirituality & Women in Faith Traditions

• Women, Spirituality and Transformative Leadership – Kathleen Hurty, Kathe Schaaf, and others | Reflections from women across different faiths exploring spirituality and leadership.
• She Who Is – Elizabeth A. Johnson | A feminist theological work reimagining the divine beyond patriarchal structures.
• The Serpent and the Goddess – Mary Condren | Explores women’s roles in early Irish spiritual traditions and their erasure over time.
• Daughters of the Goddess – Linda Johnsen | Stories of extraordinary women saints in Hindu traditions.
• Dance of the Dissident Daughter – Sue Monk Kidd | A personal journey from traditional Christianity to a deeper understanding of the divine feminine.
• The Colour of God – Ayesha S. Chaudhry | A memoir exploring faith, feminism, and decolonisation from a Muslim woman’s perspective.
• Reclaiming the Sacred – Edited by Rosalyn Murphy & Tat-siong Benny Liew | A fresh, diverse feminist and womanist approach to biblical interpretation.
• The Women Are Up to Something – Benjamin Lipscomb | The untold story of four British women philosophers—Elizabeth Anscombe, Philippa Foot, Mary Midgley, and Iris Murdoch—who changed modern ethics and philosophy.
• Wild Mercy: Living the Fierce and Tender Wisdom of the Women Mystics – Mirabai Starr | A celebration of female mystics from diverse traditions, including Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sufism.
• Sisters in the Wilderness: The Challenge of Womanist God-Talk – Delores S. Williams | A groundbreaking work in womanist theology that explores Black women’s spirituality through the biblical story of Hagar.
• The Dance of the Spirit: The Seven Steps of Women’s Spirituality – Maria Harris | A book that explores women’s spiritual journeys through creativity, reflection, and transformation.
• Standing Again at Sinai: Judaism from a Feminist Perspective – Judith Plaskow | A pioneering work in Jewish feminist theology that reclaims women’s place in Jewish religious tradition.
• Women of the Way: Discovering 2,500 Years of Buddhist Wisdom – Sallie Tisdale | A journey through the lives of Buddhist women teachers and spiritual leaders across history.
• If Women Rose Rooted: A Life-Changing Journey to Authenticity and Belonging – Sharon Blackie | An exploration of women’s spirituality and connection to nature through Celtic mythology.
• The Book of Longings – Sue Monk Kidd | A novel but deeply spiritual imagining of Ana, a woman who dares to write her own story in the time of Jesus.

Fiction

• Small Island – Andrea Levy | A novel exploring the experiences of Caribbean immigrants and British women in post-war Britain.
• The Colour Purple – Alice Walker | A Pulitzer Prize-winning novel exploring race, gender, and resilience.
• On Beauty – Zadie Smith | A modern classic about race, class, and feminism, set between the UK and the US.
• Empress & Aniya – Candice Carty-Williams | A British coming-of-age novel exploring friendship, class, and identity between two Black teenage girls in South London.
• The Henna Artist – Alka Joshi | A beautifully written novel set in 1950s India, following a woman’s journey to independence.
• Circe – Madeline Miller | A reimagining of the myth of Circe, a powerful witch from The Odyssey, told from her own perspective.
• The Night Watch – Sarah Waters | A gripping novel set in World War II Britain, following the interwoven lives of women during wartime.
• Love After Love – Ingrid Persaud | A novel set in Trinidad and London, exploring LGBTQ+ identity, migration, and family.

Poetry & Essays

• The Black Unicorn – Audre Lorde | A powerful collection of poems exploring themes of Black identity, feminism, and queerness.
• Salt – Nayyirah Waheed | A collection of minimalist, powerful poems on race, womanhood, love, and resilience.
• Dear Ijeawele, or A Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie | A compelling essay on raising children with feminist values.
• We Should All Be Feminists – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie | A short but profound essay on gender equality and women’s rights.
• Home Body – Rupi Kaur | A deeply personal poetry collection exploring self-love, identity, and healing.
• Respect: The Life of Aretha Franklin – David Ritz | A biography capturing the strength, faith, and talent of one of the most influential women in music.
• Where Hope Comes From – Nikita Gill | A collection of poetry on survival, womanhood, and resilience.
• The Hill We Climb – Amanda Gorman | The stirring poem that made history at the US Presidential Inauguration, celebrating hope and courage.
• Postcolonial Banter – Suhaiymah Manzoor-Khan | A British Muslim poet’s reflections on race, gender, and Islamophobia in the UK.
• Teach Us to Outgrow Our Madness – Kenzaburō Ōe | A powerful collection of essays exploring themes of disability, resilience, and feminism in Japanese culture.

Young Adult & Children’s Books

• And Still I Rise – Maya Angelou | A collection of inspiring poems for young readers.
• Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History – Vashti Harrison | A beautifully illustrated book introducing children to pioneering Black women.
• Proud – Edited by Juno Dawson | A UK-based anthology of LGBTQ+ YA stories and poetry by diverse voices.
• Amina’s Voice – Hena Khan | A touching story of a young Pakistani-American Muslim girl navigating faith, friendship, and family.
• Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls – Elena Favilli & Francesca Cavallo | A bestselling collection of short biographies about inspiring women from history.
• The Girl Who Stole an Elephant – Nizrana Farook | An adventure novel featuring a brave Sri Lankan girl defying injustice.
• The Proudest Blue: A Story of Hijab and Family – Ibtihaj Muhammad & S.K. Ali | A children’s book celebrating identity and resilience.
• Star Daughter – Shveta Thakrar | A YA fantasy novel inspired by Hindu mythology, featuring a strong female protagonist.
• The Black Flamingo – Dean Atta | A coming-of-age verse novel about a mixed-race gay British teen finding his identity through drag performance.
• A Kind of Spark – Elle McNicoll | A neurodivergent girl’s story about uncovering the forgotten history of women persecuted as witches in Scotland.
• Julian is a Mermaid – Jessica Love | A beautiful children’s book celebrating gender expression and creativity.
• Shirley Chisholm Dared: The Story of the First Black Woman in Congress – Alicia D. Williams | A biography for young readers about a trailblazing Black politician.

Fiction

• Persepolis – Marjane Satrapi | A graphic memoir detailing the author’s experiences growing up in post-revolutionary Iran and navigating gender restrictions.
• Half of a Yellow Sun – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie | A novel following the lives of three women in Nigeria during the Biafran War, examining race, gender, and colonialism.
• God Help the Child – Toni Morrison | A novel exploring how childhood trauma shapes women’s identities and relationships.
• The Joy Luck Club – Amy Tan | A multigenerational story about Chinese-American women navigating culture, family, and womanhood.
• Sister Outsider – Audre Lorde | A collection of essays and speeches on race, gender, and intersectionality from a Black lesbian feminist perspective.
• The Stationery Shop – Marjan Kamali | A love story set in 1950s Iran, exploring how political turmoil impacts the lives of women.
• The Island of Missing Trees – Elif Shafak | A novel interweaving history, politics, and love, exploring Cypriot women’s resilience through interfaith themes.
• Butterfly Fish – Irenosen Okojie | A novel blending Nigerian history with contemporary London, exploring generational trauma and identity.

Across spiritual traditions, women have played a vital yet often unrecognised role in shaping faith and community. From preachers and prophets to healers and mystics, their contributions have been instrumental in preserving and evolving spiritual traditions, despite historical attempts to silence or erase them. Many traditions honour the sacred feminine, recognising women as carriers of wisdom, transformation, and divine connection:

• In Christian mysticism, Sophia represents divine wisdom, often depicted as the feminine aspect of God’s knowledge and presence.

• In Hinduism, Kali embodies fierce compassion and destruction of injustice, while Saraswati symbolises wisdom, learning, and the arts.

• In Buddhism, Kuan Yin (or Avalokiteshvara in female form) is the bodhisattva of compassion, revered across East Asia.

• In Judaism, Shekhinah represents the divine feminine presence, particularly in Kabbalah, where she is seen as the nurturing and indwelling aspect of God.

• In Islam, Fatima Zahra (daughter of the Prophet Muhammad) is a central figure in both Sunni and Shia traditions, embodying spiritual wisdom, strength, and maternal care. Rabi’a al-Adawiyya, an 8th-century Sufi mystic, transformed Islamic thought by emphasising love and devotion to God over fear of divine punishment.

• In Sikhism, Mata Khivi was instrumental in early Sikh community-building, overseeing the langar (free kitchen), which remains a fundamental practice of Sikh equality and service today. Mai Bhago, a warrior-saint, led Sikh soldiers into battle, embodying both spiritual and physical courage.

• In Zoroastrianism, Spenta Armaiti, one of the Amesha Spentas (divine entities), is associated with wisdom, devotion, and the nurturing of the earth. Zoroastrian women have historically played key roles in preserving sacred texts and traditions.

• In Indigenous and Earth-based spiritual traditions, women have long been the keepers of stories, medicine, and ceremony. Figures like White Buffalo Calf Woman in Lakota traditions, Grandmother Spider in Cherokee cosmology, and the various moon goddesses in Celtic, African, and Mesoamerican traditions highlight the deep reverence for women as life-givers, healers, and wisdom-keepers.

• In Taoism, the Jade Woman and Xi Wangmu (Queen Mother of the West) are symbols of immortality, wisdom, and the balance of yin and yang energy.

• In Bahá’í Faith, Táhirih, a 19th-century poet and theologian, was a fierce advocate for gender equality and is remembered as one of the faith’s early martyrs.

Women as Spiritual Leaders and Reformers

While many religious institutions have historically limited women’s leadership, history is full of trailblazing women who defied barriers to become spiritual leaders, mystics, and reformers:

• Julian of Norwich (1342–1416, Christian mysticism, UK) – A medieval anchoress whose writings on divine love (Revelations of Divine Love) remain some of the most influential in Christian theology.

• St. Teresa of Ávila (1515–1582, Catholicism, Spain) – A Carmelite nun, mystic, and reformer who reshaped contemplative spirituality through her teachings on prayer and inner transformation.

• Jarena Lee (1783–1864, Methodism, USA) – The first African American woman to be recognised as a preacher in the AME Church, defying racial and gender norms of the time.

• Harriet Tubman (1822–1913, Christianity, USA) – Not only a leader of the Underground Railroad but also a deeply spiritual woman who believed she was guided by visions from God.

• Etty Hillesum (1914–1943, Jewish spirituality, Netherlands) – A Jewish writer and spiritual thinker who chronicled her faith and resilience during the Holocaust.

• Dipa Ma (1911–1989, Buddhism, India/Myanmar) – A revered Buddhist teacher who played a significant role in bringing mindfulness meditation practices to the West.

• Phyllis Curott (b. 1954, Wicca, USA) – A leading voice in contemporary Paganism and feminist spirituality, advocating for religious freedom and equality.

• Shaykha Fariha Fatima al-Jerrahi (b. 1947, Sufism, USA) – A contemporary Sufi teacher, guiding people in spiritual transformation and interfaith dialogue.

Reclaiming Women’s Spiritual Voices

Despite centuries of exclusion from formal religious leadership, many religious and spiritual movements today are working to correct this imbalance:

• The Anglican Church now ordains women bishops, with figures like The Rt. Rev. Libby Lane breaking barriers as the Church of England’s first female bishop in 2015.

• Reform and Progressive Jewish communities have embraced female rabbis and leaders, such as Rabbi Julia Neuberger, a British rabbi known for her advocacy on ethics and social justice.

• Hindu priestesses (such as in Maharashtra, India) are reclaiming roles traditionally restricted to men, leading rituals and ceremonies once deemed inaccessible to women.

• Women in Buddhism continue to push for full ordination in Theravāda traditions, with nuns like Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo advocating for gender equality in monastic life.

• Muslim women scholars and activists, such as Amina Wadud, have challenged patriarchal interpretations of Islamic texts, leading prayers and calling for gender justice in Islam.

• Indigenous matriarchs and elders continue to reclaim traditional knowledge and leadership roles, revitalising spiritual and ecological traditions that were suppressed by colonisation.