Pain and Fire

The month of June started out with rainbows and jubilant Pride celebrations, but ended in pain and destruction for the citizenry of my home country.  The ramifications of what has been done by the Supreme Court have yet to be seen, but are already unfolding.  Then, just because the USA is extra spicy, we have the absolutely horrific Jan 6th hearings also happening.  It is my political opinion that the two are related.  No matter what you believe, it is apparent that the "United" States have collectively reached a tipping point.  
When shit gets really dark and dangerous, that is when we are supposed to reach into the core of ourselves to pull out the most deeply rooted aspects we've cultivated in our years of surviving planet Earth.  Often these aspects are amazing survival skills or brilliant personality traits that we can employ without revision, but sometimes they are pathological responses that were only used because we had nothing else available.  The first step is identifying which is which.  The second step is acknowledgment of what needs to be modified/eliminated/explored.  The third step is reaching into yourself and doing what needs to be done.  
Transmuting our innermost being so that it is capable of rising to new challenges can hurt a lot.  We may have to block, delete, ban, or confront people and things that are reacting in a detrimental way to environmental stress.  It is important to remember that although fire is a terrifying element, it is still an element just like earth, air, and water.  Fire can purify, nurture, and invigorate.  Fire can protect, renew, and restructure.  Fire can also consume, destroy, and cause pain.    The same can be said for any of the other elements.  
In my practice, embracing pain and fire can be highly sacred acts.  Intentionally leaning into the thing that is causing you harm so that you can understand it fully before you make a decision is a truly powerful action, and one that I consciously choose.  Likewise, intentionally leaning into the flame without getting close enough to damage yourself is also a truly powerful action, and also one that I consciously choose.  By focusing on what brings your existence the most meaning during times of hardship, you are making the conscious decision to be an active participant in humanity's struggle.  
At this time, I choose to express and embrace my femaleness.  I am unapologetically stepping into my power as an embodiment of the primordial Goddess.  Does this mean my masculine side is being silenced?  No.  Does this mean I am less genderfucked?  No.  What it means to be an embodiment of a primordial force is far more complex than any binary system.  My rage, my beauty, my emotions, and my thoughts will continue to spring from duality.