There are women who try to be mysterious
projecting shadows and gambling words and hearts.
I am not one of them
I am like an open fire
my heart is on the tips of my fingers
and my eyes are open wide
my expression is my intrigue
I say what I mean—and I mean what I say.
I bleed feelings, they show in my touches
my hands are not wandering
they know what they want
My lips are not sending signals
they are full and willing to kiss fully
My openness is not cheap
it is honest, and longing to find the same expression in another
the same hard beating of the heart
I do not sell hidden meanings
I give true kisses and touches laden with soul
I will never be an intentional mystery
it’s all written on my skin and in my eyes
and my passion is worth the chaos
They are written all over my body.

We live in an age where women are expected to fit inside golden cages that have been built for us by the world we live in. Idealized body shapes, fashionable garments, sugar-coated words, and mundane activities.

Something else our culture has been trying to get us to believe is that attractiveness lies in mystery. That the darker and more secretive we are, the more we will be perceived as attractive and fascinating.

As seductive as a carefully contrived mystery may be, the truth is this: a gilded cage is still a cage.

If we manipulate others’ perception of ourselves, if we reveal ourselves as intricate and complex in ways that we are not, we do so at our own expense.

The angels, wild women, and warrior goddesses within us do not stand for manipulation, concealing veils, or deception. They stand for what is true: themselves. And if we choose to honor who we really are, this may mean that we will be simple and transparent at times. An open book for those interested enough to read it.

This is not to say that anyone can read us: the language of our hearts is complex and deep. It meanders along unknown paths. But we wear our hearts on our sleeves, because we know the value in being exactly who we are—bravely, honestly and openly.

To claim space in this world and to express the truth in our souls fully, we must break through harsh conditioning, and unfold beneath the open sky. Here, we may find the space to burn clean, letting our wild, wondrous selves within find their way out into the world.

We know that mystery is not something we can control, manipulate, or master. It is inherent in the quality of our souls, and it becomes visible in the ways we carry ourselves. When we are authentic, mystery becomes the air that fuels our fire.

When we try to hold back all that we are in order to appear more interesting, we lose sight of the most important thing: our fire needs air to breathe, untamed by norms and expectations.

Once the fierceness of our souls has been fed with the fresh air of freedom, our homes are no longer defined by the barricades of culture. Our home is our inner sanctuary. We are no longer sustained by skin-deep human trends and fashion, but by the perennial mystery that holds us all.

Once we have tasted this freedom, there is no cage that could ever hold us in again.

Once here, we are rooted in the earth of authenticity, and winged with the feathers of our unique femininity. Shining our hearts out into the world, how could we be anything else than seductively, divinely, and infinitely fascinating? Guided by the fire within—by both intuition and reason, by our uniqueness—we become pillars of authenticity.

As embodiments of the mystery in our own form that has never been seen before, and will never be seen again, we are the mystery. We are not mysterious. Because we know that pretense and games of hide-and-seek serve neither our self-expression, nor our personal growth.

With time comes wisdom and learning how to cultivate authenticity. The more we sit with ourselves in solitude and face our darkest demons, the more we step into our own light. The more we listen, talk, and move in awareness of who and what we are, the more present we are with ourselves and in the world.

We learn how to carry our true selves in seeing the world react to our presence. We stay faithful to our fire while adapting to the practicalities of living in society. Within ourselves, we stay free. Without our true selves, we remain social beings, but sustained by natural forces.

May we never be mysterious women. May we be fierce goddesses embodying our own mysteries in everything we do. Our connection with our souls becomes then a source of fascination and awe, in our chosen paths, our relationships and our work.

May we walk through the world holding a bright light and a reminder to all souls:

We are all deeply rooted in the same mystery, but only some of us are aware of our roots.

May we be the mystery—and others might hear the call home.

~

Author: Stefania Chihaia
Image: Author’s Own
Editor: Jen Schwartz
Copy Editor: Travis May