I initially intended to write this blog to compare forests to women's communities. Like mycorrhizal networks (the wood-wide web) in the forest, our survival relies on sisterhood. For example, a healthy forest has a close network of multi-age trees - from old-growth (crone) trees to young saplings. "In healthy forests, each tree is connected to others via this network, enabling trees to share water and nutrients. For saplings growing in particularly shady areas, there is not enough sunlight reaching their leaves to perform adequate photosynthesis. For survival, the sapling relies on nutrients and sugar from older, taller trees sent through the mycorrhizal network." (from nationalforests.org)
But as I delved into more research, I found something even more eye-opening: sisterhood community isn't just a network for our happiness and wellbeing, it's actually rooted in our biology. We need each other - not only to thrive but to survive.
We all equate oxytocin with mothering - childbirth and breastfeeding. But every woman releases oxytocin during stress. It's the "bonding hormone". It motivates us to bond and seek nurturing interactions which reduces cortisol, which translates to reduced anxiety, improved mood, and feelings of security. This response has deep evolutionary roots. In the history of womankind, the ability to form strong social bonds was crucial for both individual and group success.
Sisterhood is medicine. It has a valuable impact on your mental, emotional, and physical health. Setting aside time for bonding with other women, as we do at our retreats, is a powerful form of self-care with benefits reaching beyond every aspect of your life.
Like the forests, we thrive in the presence of one another. We help each other grow. In nurturing each other, we nurture ourselves. It's in our roots as women, like the trees.
Michelle Gallagher Escobar
Wild Women Hawai'i
Image of Wild Women Hawai'i retreat by Sarah Gaston
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