In this HerStance episode, we honor Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī, the first Bhikkhunī and the woman who opened the Buddhist path to women. Through a feminist lens, we explore her persistence, spiritual authority, and lasting legacy—challenging patriarchal narratives in Buddhist history and re-centering women’s wisdom, resistance, and liberation on the path.

In the modern world, the winter solstice is often buried under neon lights, "shop till you drop" commercialism, and patriarchal narratives that distance us from the season’s primal power. But what happens when we strip away the tinsel and look into the dark?

In this episode, we "peel the cosmic onion" to reclaim the Divine Feminine hidden within our winter traditions. From the ancient Anglo-Saxon Mōdraniht (Mother’s Night) to the biological truth of the Reindeer Mother—the actual antlered sun-bearer of the north—we explore how this season was once a sacred celebration of female ancestors and the wisdom of the Dark Goddess.

Join us as we reject the "hustle" and embrace the "Hibernal Urge." Learn why the solstice isn't just a day on the calendar, but a three-day pause—a time for receptivity, gestation, and honoring the women who shaped us.

In this episode, we discuss:

The "Paint Stripper" Effect: Moving past the Victorian rebranding of St. Nicholas and the domesticating of Mrs. Claus.

Mōdraniht: The ancient "Night of the Mothers" and the honoring of the Dísir.

The True Sun-Bearer: Why the reindeer on your holiday cards are actually symbols of a powerful female deity.

Coming Home to the Dark: How to find the "sacred" in the stillness and welcome the rebirth of the light from the womb of the night.

Stop trying to cut through the noise. Sit in the silence with us. Let’s celebrate the feminine divine that rests at the heart of the dark.

Have you been keeping up with the headlines coming out of the Department of Education this week? Major fields like nursing, architecture, accounting, and education are risking reduced student loan access under the new "One Big Beautiful Bill." Critics argue this isn't just bureaucratic accounting—it's an attempt to limit advanced thinkers and future policymakers, disproportionately affecting women and women of color and crushing the dreams of first-generation college students.

This urgent crisis makes the words of our luminary woman today hit so hard: “One of the best ways of enslaving a people is to keep them from education.”

Join us as we explore the life and enduring impact of Eleanor Roosevelt: The First Lady of the World. Discover how she not only navigated the political landscape as an activist and diplomat but also tirelessly championed education and social justice, setting a global standard for human rights that is more relevant than ever.