Overcoming Fear Global Thinking Women

Overcoming Fear

“Leap of Faith” by Divine Radiance

Celebrating the Lives of Those We Have Lost By Shavawn M. Berry

GL OBAL TH I NK ING WO MEN

For the past 2,500—3,000 years in many Latin American countries, it has been widely believed that the veil be-tween the living and the dead is espe-cially thin around the time that the Day of the Dead celebrations take place.

Day of the Innocents or Day of the Angels (infants and children who have died) is celebrated on November 1st; all other lost loved ones are re-membered on November 2 (both dates coincide with the Christian holidays All Souls Day and All Saints Day). For “Dia de los Muertos,” (Day of the Dead) graves are cleaned and decorated with the intention of remembering those who have departed, or altars are cre-ated in the home as a remembrance of those whose lives have passed through the veil between life and death. The al-tars or grave decorations become living symbols of the person who has died. They are covered with arrangements of toys, orange marigolds, sugar skulls, rice and beans, bread, alcohol and a wide array of personal items. In some cultures, fami-lies sit on the grave and have a meal “with” the departed love one. The graveyard is lit by candles and each person shares memories of the person he or she has lost. In other cultures children paint their faces with black and white skull make-up (similar to the ghouls on Halloween) and parade through the streets dancing and singing. Whole festivals are

dedicated to the two day cele-brations.

To me what is lovely about the notion of creating an altar for a person who has died, is the fact that it gives me a way each year to remember them. There is a belief in some cultures that a person dies twice—once literally on the day of her death, and then, again, when no one is left on earth who remembers her. Having a ritual to honor those who have left us makes sense, especially during trying times. What bet-ter way can we celebrate the lives of those who are now gone?

Celebrating The Lives of Those We Have Lost

Running Toward the Roar—From the Editor

Pages 2—3

The Fountain of Truth

The Fear of Flying

Pages 4—5

How to Overcome Fear in the Workplace:

Is There an Elephant in the Room?

Pages 6—7

Confessions of a Soap Opera Addict:

Part Deux

Pages 8—9

The Women’s Suffrage Movement

Mind & Soul: Discovering the Treasure Within

Pages 10—11

October 2008—In This Issue of GTW

ASU Plays & Films that Explore Boundaries Pages 12—13

VOL UME 5, IS SU E 5

Running Toward the Roar By Shavawn M. Berry, Editor

Our deepest fears are like dragons guarding our deepest treasure. — Rainer Maria Rilke

October is the month where we start our descent into darkness each year. For some of us, the dark-ness and mystery may seem frightening. The shadows may contain wildness, ghosts, even nightmares. What will we find as we begin our way through the “dark forest”? Fall surrounds us like a thick mantle. The cycle of life unfolds be-fore our eyes as trees shed their leaves and ready themselves for the sting of winter. We have passed the Autumnal Equinox (September 22) and are moving into shorter days and longer nights for the next six months. At the end of this month, All Hallows Eve (Halloween) awaits, along with Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) and All Saints Day on the first two days of November. There is a palpable sense of falling into a place where we will have time to hibernate and linger in the moist darkness, avoiding the cold weather outside, and the slow blast of winter. Winter’s a time of reflection allowing us to prepare for the im-minent rebirth (Spring) that follows. It is a time to remember and assuage our losses, confront our fears, and run headlong into solving life’s mysteries. Death surrounds us like a pungent soup. We must walk with death, decay, and dying in order to set the world on a path toward renewal.

In his book, The World Behind the World, storyteller and mythologist, Michael Meade opens with this admonishment: Run toward the roar. He tells an ancient African teaching story about the way that lions hunt. They use the oldest, most harmless of their group to settle on one side of the plains, while the strongest, fiercest hunters sit opposite him. The old lion is useless as a hunter, but still possesses the most frightening roar. The pride silently waits as a herd of water buffalo or zebra approach. Once their prey is near, the old fellow roars as loudly as he can. The frightened prey runs in the opposite direction, straight into the snares of the savvy hunters. Meade uses this story to illustrate what he believes is the importance of running toward our fears and the darkness that envelops them; for it is only by facing one’s fears, that fears are dismantled and overcome. We cannot walk away from what we grips our throats in fear. We must turn and face it, often discovering that the fear that had us quaking in our boots is actually a toothless, old lion possessing nothing but a big voice.

Usually we are afraid of the unknown, the unfamiliar; we are frightened by the parts of ourselves that remain untested and untried. We are scared of looking foolish, ignorant, or stupid – so we don’t ask ques-tions, we don’t stretch to see new things, we don’t try on this or that coat made out of a myriad of beautiful threads, for fear it won’t fit. Perhaps we are too small or too big. Embarrassment, shame, or ego prevents us from throwing our hat into the ring and trying something different. Here’s the thing: perhaps at the bot-tom of that well that we do not want to fall into, is the answer to a serious problem in this troubled world. What if we are the ones who contain the piece of the puzzle most needed to solve it?

Marianne Williamson wrote in her book, Return to Love, “Our deepest fear is not that we are in-adequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.” Boy, is that the truth! In facing our fears, we begin to build a life that is not blown over every time a storm comes. And, the fact is, storms are an inherent part of life. There’s no use trying to outrun them. All that will get you is a serious bout of blis-ters and a case of blinding weariness. I have learned that there’s nothing safe about the status quo. No re-newal waits for those who stand in one place, calcified by fear.

This month I plan to create a Day of the Dead altar celebrating my father’s life. Playing Patsy Cline CDs as a backdrop, I will remember the twang of Daddy’s voice when he sang along with the radio. I will eat candy corn and cook stew to warm and sweeten my days. I will view the trials facing me (and this country and this world) as opportunities to dig deeper and find my way thorough them; to discover a path-way into much needed change, renewal, and rebirth. I will run toward the roar. No experience in life comes without gifts. Let’s see what walking into fear has to teach us.

The Fountain of Truth

by Mary Powell


My aging fear began when I hit my mid-twenties. I remember looking around Old Navy with a friend one Sunday afternoon, when she suggested, “Let’s go into Ulta. I need to buy some skin products.” Unlike most women, I have no infatuation with body condiments: the various butters and oils that women often love to baste themselves in. They remind me more of a Las Vegas buffet with flavors like vanilla cream and choco-late chip, rather than skin care products. Nonetheless, I followed my friend into the store, only to encounter various anti-aging products glaring me in the face. A highly-botoxed sales lady approached us; “Care to sample our anti-wrinkle cream? Guaran-teed to erase those crow’s feet ladies.” She spoke, a twinkle in her eye. Crow’s feet? Why should women in their mid- twenties worry about crow’s feet? That evening, I

went home and scrutinized the sides of my eyes; I smoothed and pressed down on the tissue surrounding my pupils, determined to “iron out” my blemishes.

From ointments to liposuction, women spend millions of dollars on anti-aging remedies per year; we are obsessed with retaining a youthful appearance and healthy body. I refuse to fall into this trap strictly to look good; I would much rather spend my money on a nice piece of jewelry or drinks and dinner with friends. We need to combat the double standard that society has set against women. If you are one of the many women who fears looking her age, there are natural, healthy, and cheap remedies out there that will assuage your fears.

Womenfitness.com suggests ten foods that help alleviate the aging process. These foods include avo-cadoes, and all black and blue berries such as blackberries, blueberries, blackcurrants and black grapes which contain photochemical known as flavonoids. These powerful antioxidants help protect the body against dam-age caused by free radicals. Cruciferous vegetables, such as cabbage and cauliflower also do the trick. Garlic, ginger, nuts, whole grains, watermelon and water are also beneficial in preventing aging. Of course water helps to purge toxins and unwanted waste materials from the body. Another food, Soya, may help meno-pausal women maintain estrogen levels and alleviate menopausal hot flashes. It may also protect against Alz-heimer's disease, osteoporosis and heart disease.

Foods are not the only natural way one can counter the fears of aging. Staying out of the sun, and wearing a minimum of 15 proof sun block, stifles wrinkles and sunspots. Dr. Mehmet Oz, famous for his asso-ciation with the Oprah Winfrey Show, explains that stress can make a person age more quickly. When people worry, they cause their telomeres to unravel, much like a tattered shoelace. Telomeres are portions of DNA strands that occur at either end of chromosomes. When these become tattered, they cause cellular damage to the body and decrease a body’s ability to rejuvenate. Thus, positively combating stress, such as exercising or meditating during hectic situations is critically important. In today’s fast paced world, with women both working and taking care of the household, it is important to make time for ourselves.

We need not fear aging; there are natural remedies which ensure we remain healthy and vibrant. So push aside those expensive anti-aging soufflés, and instead grab a piece of avocado or a handful of almonds as a healthy snack. Take a load off and lay in that unused hammock— in the shade, of course—because rest and relaxation hold the keys to youthful radiance.

“I'm not interested in age. People who tell me

their age are silly. You're as old as you feel.” ―Elizabeth Arden

Fear of flying is more common than people think.

In an international fear-of-flying conference that took place in Montreal last year, Dr. Lucas van Gerwen, an aviation psychologist and professional pi-lot in the Netherlands, said that up to 40 percent of people suffer from some type of anxiety related to flying. In the U.S. about 6.5% of the population suffers from an anxiety so high, it qualifies as a phobia.

So, what are the options for dealing with this sort of fear? Rather than talking about how to arrange for a boat, or a train ride, I encourage you to utilize a great website that draws on a thriving cognitive-behavioral tool that will help you tackle this setback (www.fearofflyinghelp.com).

Captain Stacey Chance, an active airline pilot and a flight instruc-tor, created a very successful course you can do online. The best thing is that the course is free! It addresses fear and anxi-ety by providing a definition of fear of flying, as well as typical symptoms and types of fear. The website also covers other aspects of the flight experience that may or may not impact a person’s fears: the personnel involved one way or another with every flight and how they are trained (e.g. mechanics, pilots); the plane it-self; the effect of weather; the reality of safety statistics (flying is actually much safer than tak-ing a car trip); and tips to over-come one’s fear. The final sec-tion of the site contains a virtual practice flight. Captain Chance’s approach to relaxation and sys-tematic desensitization to help people control their fear is a tri-umph, especially if we take into account that the whole course is composed of just five well-constructed chapters!

So if you struggle with a fear of flying, remember the fact that

people generally only fear what they don’t know. Give this website a try! It may allow you to finally really enjoy your next flight. If that is more than you can initially man-age, perhaps it will allow you to gradually begin to enjoy the free-dom that comes with the knowl-edge that you, too, can go wherever you want to go, and live without the limits that your fear has imposed on your life up to this point.

Wouldn’t that be wonderful?

The Fear of Flying by Marcela Marenco


Tim Trumble—Photographer Tim Trumble has agreed to help Global Thinking Women with the cover photos for our newsletter each month, starting in November 2008. According to his website, Tim Trumble’s, “career began in Michigan as the staff photographer for a music festival.” While there “he photographed major music entertainers in con-cert including names like Reba McEntire, The Bangles, Robert Palmer, Foreigner and Ray Charles” (http://www.timtrumblephoto.com/ ). His web bio goes on to say, “In 1996 he was hired as Arizona State Univer-sity's only staff photographer. Tim's career at ASU produced photo credits […] for the Associated Press, The Washington Post, ESPN magazine, ABCnews.com, The Chronicle of Higher Education, MSNBC.com, Dance Magazine, R&D Magazine and The Arizona Republic. Tim has photographed major national events including the final 2004 presidential debate, 1997 Rose Parade and Rose Bowl game, Barry Goldwater's funeral, 2002 Holiday Bowl, Pat Tillman's memorial service, the 2005 NCAA Tempe Regional for Women's Basketball, 1995 Fiesta Bowl Parade and 1995 U.S. Olympic Festival.” One of Tim’s photos can be seen on page 13 of this month’s newsletter. We are very proud and excited to have him involved with our publication!


How to Overcome Fear in the Workplace

Is there an Elephant in the Room? by Kim Eagles

In the face of national financial uncertainty employees must develop skills to overcome and deal with the fears of coping on the job. In the midst of managing work, home, children, marriage and relationships, our attitudes must remain focused and acutely attentive and un-emotional in the workplace.

One of the most realistic depictions of the workplace office experience is the Emmy Awarding winning show “The Office.” A “mockumentary” about a group of typi-cal office workers, the workday consists of ego clashes, inappropriate behavior, and te-dium. When watching from the comfort of our living room TV screens we can laugh and joke about such things, but in the real world we often experience something more

emotional—especially women. For most of us, issues at work can be a sensitive area. Women face manag-ing their emotions at home and in the workplace. In both cases a healthy outlook and perceptive approach are key. At work, workers tend to tip-toe around issues of concern as they whisper and exclude other less desirable co-workers. Also, individuals face interesting characteristics and uncomfortable predicaments among co-workers and or management. Often, insecurities rise up within the inter-office environment causing additional drama. Those inter-office personality characteristics include: the gossip, the know-it-all, the jerk, the do-gooder, the workaholic, the cynic and the S-O-B. Each one of these traits tends to cause emotional upheaval.

In an article on emotions and women at work entitled, “Women at Work: Too Much Emotion?” author, Sara Templeton suggests that, “Early in 2004, I wrote an article about Dr. John Gray's idea that in the workplace men often see women expressing their emotions as a 'weakness'.” The funny thing about it is that men have their own issues in the workplace by, perhaps, avoiding emotions.

An emotion is a mental and physiological state associated with a wide variety of feelings, thoughts, and behaviors. It is a prime determinant of the sense of subjective well-being and appears to play a central role in daily activities at home or at work.

How do you see yourself? It’s time to roll up your sleeves and really learn to face how you perceive your own identity. Take a moment to examine yourself and your moods. Figure out what is

“the normal” acceptable personality, characteristic, traits, be-haviors and own up to it. If it’s non-acceptable, then it is time for a change. Get real and be straightforward even if it requires you to dig down deep within your heart and personally share with a trusted friend.

Contemplate your overall attitude, behavioral pattern, an emotional response on tone within your social and working environment. For example, some individuals may feel stupid or inadequate, and therefore, hesitate to share true feelings with others. After some self examination, your will begin to see that this behavior makes you somewhat anti-social, impas-sionate, or perceived as weak to yourself and others.

Examine a moment how this new knowledge makes you feel. More importantly, how have you allowed this abnor-mality to overrule peace in your life each and every time you encounter the gut wrenching feeling that somehow holds you back from free will of self expression? In order to be truly free at work and able to contribute all that you are, you must get past these blocks. (Continued on the next page)


(Overcoming Workplace Fear—Continued from previous page)

Personally, I battled with low self esteem. However, what most people saw was a confident person of self as-surance—therein the lie. We cover up some of our “unacceptable” behavior with a lie. I had to make a choice to push through the anxiety and camouflage my extreme fear and self doubt constantly. It became so habit-ual and destructive I nearly lost my God given characteristics. Finally, out of sheer desperation, I sought to change. I asked myself why I wanted to change; it was because I had misplaced the fullness of life. God’s Glory had vanished inside and I longed to be transformed. What I wanted to change were my old thoughts, mind-set, and my identity. The fact that I wanted to make this change now was the element that frightened me. The logical part of me was ready to commit to changing. But, the reality of making such a big change scared the hell out of me. That is what real change will do for an individual; change will awaken heaven and hell. Again, an interesting contrast! The best thing I learned is that inside the fear and uproar was a new con-trast awaiting to spring forth: calmness and a soothing peace. Finally, I determined how I wanted to change and made it clear I possessed the desire to be transformed. I wanted to walk differently. I wanted my old customary beliefs and doctrines and teachings to become fresh and God inspired. After that, the change was

much easier.

I encourage you to be honest with yourself. Don’t hide behind the elephant in the room. Deal with situations that make you feel uncomfortable. Remember to be genuine and kind. Reengage manners. A 2001 Gallup poll asked American adults whether a series of qualities applied more to men or to women. Ninety percent of those surveyed said that the char-acteristic "emotional" applied more to women. The survey didn't ask about particular emotions or specify positive or negative connotations for the word "emotion." But it seems likely from the results that most Americans view women as either able to experience or prone to experiencing a wider, more intense range of emotions than men do.

Are women more emotional than men are? Do they cry more? The perception that women cry more than men is pretty widespread. But as babies and children, boys and girls cry about the same amount on average. Only during puberty do girls begin to cry more than boys do. According to a 2005 New York Times article, by age 18, women cry four times as much as men. Does that mean that we should sit on

our emotions. No! We have something to offer because we are women with sensitivities to the nuances of all of the situations in which we find ourselves. Each woman is a completely unique individual. We can exude confidence and peace, or we can be the person in the room complaining incessantly and focusing on what is not working, sending out negative energy like noxious fumes to eve-ryone around us. If given the choice, which person would you rather be? Of course, we all have things to learn, but we also have gifts to offer the world. What we do with our gifts and how we behave as human beings will influence every aspect of our lives. It is always our choice. Let’s share something spectacular with each person we meet.

Confessions of a Soap Opera Addict: Part Deux by Julianne White


So, if the flaws of the dra-matic serial are so painfully obvi-ous to everyone, even those who don’t watch them, then why are they still on the air, some even en-joying their 40th anniversaries? Why did the genre not die out once television writ-ing gained a certain level of sophistication and in-tegrity? Do people only watch nowadays for the chance to mock derisively at the screen? Are the only people who actually watch these things either hopelessly deluded, live in a fantasy world, or have decidedly low-brow tastes?

The answer to the first two questions is that as the overall writing for television improved significantly during the 90s and the 2000s, day-time dramas enjoyed a concurrent improvement. Prime time television shows learned a great deal about how to exploit the episodic nature of televi-sion by figuring out that a character’s develop-ment does not have to happen in a single episode. Nay, it could actually take time, develop gradually, and that development can be shown over a hand-ful of episodes, even seasons. A “thread” from an earlier episode—a throw-away thought or random detail—can be further developed later on during

the season, and that development can be followed up in later episodes. I saw this most clearly while being a devoted fan of Star Trek: The Next Generation, whose writers virtually defined what is now known in the business as a “character arc.” Then they also discovered that they can take the same concept and apply it to circumstances—consequences of a single action or decision can ripple through multiple episodes, multiple seasons. The daytime writers of the 2000s must have been 14-year-old Star Trek fans in the 1990s who learned this lesson and applied it to their own genre, for this appears more and more, in more and more com-plicated ways, in soap operas today. This technique not only gives dramas a certain level of sophistication (and demand a certain level of viewer sophistication as well), but it also makes them more and more like real life and less and less like life in another dimension.

Although life in another dimension is not always a bad thing. You must remember that most soap op-eras have casts of about 30-35 at any given moment during the year. They are often set in small towns that are suburbs of larger, more recognizable cities. “All My Children” is in “Pine Valley,” and “One Life to Live” is in “Llanview,” both of which are described as suburbs of Philadelphia, which is also close enough to New York City that the characters often make trips to The City. Lately, the characters on “One Life” have also made many trips to Atlantic City (and back again, several times a day!). All soap opera characters mention that theirs is a “small town,” a comment usually made to explain how and why past loves cannot realistically be avoided. But the main consequence of all this “small-town-ness” is that so many things happen to so few peo-ple. Soap Opera Land is a very small universe, where all things happen to all people. In real life, all things happen, but not to all people. Yes, some people lose their homes to a hurricane. But not all of them do. Yes, some people’s marriages are damaged by infidelity (lots of them, actually)—but not all of them. Some people tragically lose loved ones to accidents, murder, disease, or abandonment. But not all people. But in Soap Op-


era Land, everyone experiences these things, sooner or later, at one time or another, especially if they stay on the show long enough. Soap Opera Land is Real Life, but concentrated. Yes, Erica Kane has been married 11 times and had 10 husbands. She represents, though, that portion of the general population who have experi-enced multiple marriages. To be exactly right, she probably should be married a few more times before re-tirement!

And here’s the main two benefits of this peculiar set of circumstances: First, because Soap Opera Land is both so concentrated and so protracted over time, we as viewers have the extraordinary opportunity to witness the development of a single actor’s acting skills. Although this may not always happen (there have been some notable exceptions of actors who were wretched at the beginning, and even more wretched on their last day), most of them have the time and the opportunity to learn their craft through practice and exi-gency. Front-burner storyline actors (those in featured storylines) must memorize up to 50 pages of dialogue a day. This is extremely difficult, all by itself. Added to that is the necessity of delivering those lines with sin-cerity and in a way that is consistent with the character’s personality and history. The ones not up to the task, mercifully, leave, allowing their roles to be either re-cast or written off. That usually leaves the door open for those with true talent, and with true dedication to their craft, to rise to the occasion. This past May, I saw some of the finest acting I’ve ever seen on daytime television when Rex (played by John-Paul Lavois-ier) and Adriana (played by Melissa Fumero) on “One Life to Live” broke up. With understated, restrained, painfully honest acting, both of these actors gave the performances of their lives. I would not have believed either of them capable of such acting when they first came on the show, Lavoisier 6 years ago, and Fumero 5 years before. Both of them have had lots of time and multiple front-burner storylines in order to learn their business, and it paid off in a stunning sequence of scenes which were very un-like the histrionic melodrama that soap operas have been blamed for in the past.

The second benefit of this circumstance is that the writers have fantastic opportunities to take on controversial and sometimes shocking storylines. Rape, rape resulting in pregnancy, transgender issues, anorexia, and homosexuality have all been explored with great sensitivity on “All My Children.” On “One Life to Live,” mental illness, abusive childhoods, gang rape, prostitution, and issues of social class have all been intertwined into major storylines that have not only educated people on many of these conditions or issues, but also on how difficult they are to confront and resolve. They often come back to “haunt” the char-acters, in a way that lets the viewer know that many of these issues can never be fully resolved in a human lifetime.

So even though there is a lot of justifiable criticism aimed at the genre, as a genre, it has been able to grow, adapt, change, and learn from its own successes and its own mistakes, providing us, the viewers, with a model for how that possibility exists for us—always. Their continued existence seems to suggest that we, also, can endure.

Julianne White, Ph. D. teaches literature and business writing at ASU Tempe. She got her doctorate in English Literature from the University of New Mexico. She is an avid fan of One Life to Live and All My Children. Her research interests include literature from the Victorian and Modern eras.

(Confessions of A Soap Opera Addict — Continued from previous page)

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November’s Issue will cover the theme: Gratitude and Grace

Submit articles, article ideas, or ideas for themes for

upcoming issues to [email protected]. Articles are due on 5th of the month for each monthly issue.

Between 1776 when the Declaration of Inde-pendence declared that “all men [were] created equal” here in the United States until the ratification of the 19th amendment (a woman’s right to vote) in 1920, women were seen as second class citizens. They were, literally, the property of their husbands and fathers. Most women today probably cannot imagine a time like the time in which the stalwart women of the suffrage movement lived. These women had no say in public life. After dinner there was an expectation that women would retire to a drawing room to drink sherry (or tea) and talk about the rearing of their children. Meanwhile, the men smoked cigars, drank scotch, and discussed politics, justice, current events and the economy. The mes-sage was clear: men were in charge. Women were not.

All that began to change as the women’s suf-frage movement began. Starting in 1869 with the National Women’s Suffrage Association, Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s or-ganization for women, followed closely by Lucy Stone’s group, the American Woman Suffrage Association, these women (and hundreds like them) sought to secure women’s voting rights. In 1890 the two organizations became the National American Woman Suffrage Association and worked tirelessly for thirty years to assure passage of a constitutional amendment to change the voting laws in our country. In 1917 a Suffragist named Al-ice Paul was arrested outside the White House (where she and others had been protesting the lack of equal rights for women). She was sent to a work-house where she staged a hunger strike. For 22 days she refused to eat. At that point the workhouse staff began force-feeding her. Eventually news of her im-prisonment (and that of others in the movement) reached the media and President Woodrow Wilson was forced to intervene. Another suffragist, Lucy Burns, also staged a hunger strike and was subse-quently force-fed. During the final years of the suf-fragist movement, Lucy Burns spent more time in jail than any other woman. She was jailed on six dif-ferent occasions for adhering to her beliefs. Others involved in the movement included Inez Milhol-land, Carrie Chapman Catt, Ida Wells-Barnett, and Elizabeth McShane. In 1918 Presi-dent Wilson reversed his opposition to women’s suf-

frage and sent the 19th amendment to the US Con-gress. It passed the House with 2/3rds majority but failed in the Senate by just two votes. However, the suffragists did not give up. They had the amendment resubmitted the following year and it passed the House 309—90. It went on to pass the Senate by a vote of 56 to 25. It was then sent to the States to be ratified by a majority. The following year, Tennessee became the 36th state to pass the amendment, and on August 26, 1920 women were finally granted the right to vote. This proud history is something that all women should know. A century ago, women protested, went to jail, starved themselves, and worked without respite for all women to have the right to vote. When we go to the polls next month, let’s think of Alice Paul, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony and the countless others who made it possible for us to be there. Let’s show our gratitude by voting. We should never forget to honor their sacrifices on our behalf.

For more information on the Suffrage Move-ment, visit this link on Iron Jawed Angels: http://www.hbo.com/films/ironjawedangels/pdf/student.pdf


The Suffrage Movement—A Valiant Reason for Women to Vote

By Shavawn M. Berry


“The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.”

– Joseph Campbell

According to Swiss Psy-chologist, Carl Jung, the arche-type of the cave represents the dark caverns of the unconscious mind that contain the mysteries of creativity, rebirth, and re-newal. The hidden, unexplored and undiscovered niches and crevices are filled with the pri-mordial, the elemental, the fer-tile, and the divine. This rich darkness hides an unfathomable source of wisdom, and the nec-essary ingredients for a pro-found psycho-spiritual transfor-mation. To enter into the deep-est realms of the self is truly a fearful and terrifying act. Yet, you find this recurring theme in the mythological journey of the hero. The hero often enters a metaphoric cave, understanda-bly terrified by what he might encounter, what he must con-quer, and what he will eventu-ally become.

When the hero enters the cave, he brings only what is al-ready within him-- nothing more, nothing less. In other words, he seeks something that he already possesses within,

treasures that point to his most authentic and rewarding life. We should seek to become the hero or heroine of our own per-sonal myth. Ultimately, our challenge as human beings is to confront the fears that prevent us from exploring the vast psy-chological terrains that contain the hidden potential of who we truly are. Socrates said: ‘the un-examined life is not worth liv-ing’. If we do not examine (dig and excavate) who we are and realize what we can become, our life will be diminished.

Why are our most valuable inner treasures hidden by a protective layer of fear? One reason is that fear protects us from unwanted or difficult changes, particularly changes in our self-identity. Whatever has the potential to change us the most is what we will fear the most. Within the realm of the safe and secure, fear creates stagnation by keeping us comfortably ensconced in the familiar. It prevents us from opening new vistas and con-fronting new challenges.

It is not easy or comfort-

able to overcome what we fear. However, without the courage to confront our fears, we will be un-able to discover our true nature, our hidden talents, and our un-dreamt of power. Eleanor Roose-velt reminds us that: “You can gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do.”

I think all of us possess the inner fortitude to escape the teth-ers of familiarity. We can use our fears to discover, develop and strengthen our courage. By over-coming fear, we can create a more satisfying and rewarding future. In this way our hidden talents, our weaknesses, and our vulnerabili-ties can be creatively transmuted into personal strengths that trans-form and empower us. Each one of us is called to make the hero’s journey, to plumb the interior depths, and to excavate the infi-nitely valuable treasures within.

Elaine Yoshikawa, Ph.D., is a Lecturer in Philosophy at ASU, Polytechnic Campus. Her current research interests are: Virtue Eth-ics, Christian Ethics, Buddhist Ethics, and happiness.

Mind & Soul: Discovering the Treasure Within

by Elaine Yoshikawa

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Contact the Sojourner Center in Phoenix to do-nate toiletries, female products, diapers, baby bottles, formula, baby food, or other items needed by women leaving violent situations with their children. For more information:

http://www.sojournercenter.org/go/

Or call (602) 244-0997

ASU Presents Works That Urge Us to Explore Boundaries By Laurie A. Trotta


Artistic Director, Linda Essig, serves up a topical helping of plays and films

Creating theatre and film productions in a university setting is not as simple as creating entertain-ment, says Linda Essig, artistic director of the School of Theatre and Film in ASU Herberger College of the Arts. Working through the MainStage Season, the principle performance and exhibition program of the School of Theatre and Film, Essig is on a mission to create a cultural magnet for area residents and to pro-vide them with provocative, topical and forward-thinking theatre and film.

“Our first priority is to teach students. But we also want to contribute to the cultural life of the uni-versity and region and push the arts forward on a national level,” says Essig, artistic director of Main Stage.

The MainStage Season brings nationally and internationally recognized guest artists to campus to en-hance the work of faculty and staff, and often attempts to link productions to other campus departments and communities to engage specific audiences and create a wider relevance. Each MainStage Season features a Festival of New Work and at least one theatrical production suited for youth or families. The Annual Student Film Festival is traditionally a sold-out event, highlighting the best emerging talent in the digital production program, the first in the nation to offer an ethical approach to filmmaking. The Performance in the Border-lands series explores the cultural richness of the US/Mexico border region through performances, lectures and symposia. Prism Theatre Student Productions provide opportunities for students to bring their artistic vision to the stage while learning how to operate an arts-based venture.

This MainStage Season, area residents can enjoy political satire just in time for the November elec-tions, get a premiere look at the father of jazz, and take novel explorations of journeys to strange new worlds. “We will explore the boundaries that separate people from their homelands, from each other, from their dreams,” says Essig. “When you spill water on a map, lines blur. We will look to expand our vision be-yond our comfortable worlds and into unknown lands that stretch beyond. It will be an exciting season, filled with opportunities for our students as well as our audiences to learn, to laugh and to walk in another person’s shoes. Come join us!”

Three World Premieres set for ASU MainStage Festival of New Work

MainStage continues to push the boundaries of theatre as one full production and two staged read-ings unveiled. Walk in the steps of a coyote, or human smuggler, listen as the nascent strains of jazz are born in a New Orleans honky-tonk, and meet a woman facing the possibility of her own dementia in ASU Herber-ger MainStage Season’s Festival of New Work Oct. 24-Nov. 2nd. The Festival of New Work is a highlight of ASU Herberger School of Theatre and Film’s MainStage Season, where master students, faculty and guest artists from across the nation premiere their projects.

This year’s Festival will include a full production of graduate student Daniel S. Frey’s drama Don Coyote, as well as two workshop productions.

Don Coyote is a gritty power struggle as seen through the lens of human smuggling across the Arizona Mexico border. “People always compete with each other for what they want,” says the Frey. “Coyote is a study of the lengths they are willing to go to get that.” The production is directed by Richard Perez.

Workshops, or staged readings, give the audience an opportunity to experience a play in an early form. The process presents an “exquisite agony” according to ASU Professor Gus Edwards, whose Buddy Bolden’s Blues will be staged. “This is a work in progress, and by definition means the work is not per-fect. It is where you put the work in front of people and see what works and what does not.”

(Continued on page 13)

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(Plays & Films—Continued from page 12)

Don Coyote by Daniel S. Frey | Lyceum Theatre Oct. 24, 30 & Nov. 1, 7:30 p.m.; Oct. 26, 2 p.m. An American and a Mexican coyote run a success-ful human-smuggling business at the Arizona-Mexico border. But one day, a car accident, a bru-tal killing and a beautiful young woman named Rosa threaten to unravel the fabric of their part-nership. Contains violence and strong language.

Secrets of Gardenias by Katie May - Work-shop | Studio 133* Oct. 25, 29, 31, 7:30 p.m.; Nov. 2, 2 p.m.

Genetics, the power relationships within families, and fate are explored when a young scientist learns she may be the next to contract a terrible illness after her mother is diagnosed with Huntington’s Disease. Set in Flor-ida during hurricane season, the play is the latest work from Katie May, the author of the 2007-2008 season’s riveting play, Black Sheep Gospel.

Buddy Bolden’s Blues by Gus Edwards – Workshop | Studio 133* Oct. 25, 2 p.m.; Oct. 26, 30 & Nov. 1, 7:30 p.m. The life and times of the reputed “Father of Jazz” are deconstructed in this theatrical rendition. Set in New Orleans between 1894 and 1938, when America was experiencing intense social and musical changes, this dramatic work (with music) is presented as a work-in-progress. Directed by the author, Gus Edwards. Con-tains strong language.

*Studio 133 is located in the Nelson Fine Arts Center 133, 51 E. 10th St., ASU Tempe campus.

Cost: $7 - $22; Half-price tickets on the First Friday of any MainStage Season production; ASU faculty and staff get two-for-one on all full-priced Main Stage performances.

For tickets: Herberger College box office, 480.965.6447/School of Theatre and Film. 480.965.5337

http://mainstage.asu.edu

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Laurie A. Trotta is a writer, media analyst, film pro-ducer and public relations professional specializing in social issues in entertainment.

An established national voice for promoting awareness about such subjects as children's programming, artists’ rights & responsibilities, pro-fessional ethics in the entertainment industry, violence in the media, me-dia ratings, and diversity onscreen, Trotta has served as a commentator on CNN News, Fox National News, National Public Radio, the BBC, and other world press outlets.

Photo Credit: Tim Trumble

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