Eris: Chaos or Personal Power Energy?
“Bitch” by Meredith Brooks
Delilah (as in Samson)
Women who Run with Wolves by Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estes
Kali
And I think about an audio recording I loved by Caroline Myss who told her live audience to guard their personal boundaries and monitor their personal power with her. The first time I listened to her, I couldn’t believe she spoke so boldly and unapologetically about not being sensitive to others’ experiences. But I as listened more, I appreciated what she intended.
She knew it wasn’t her job to make sure everyone felt comfortable with what she was saying. She wasn’t there to be liked. She had a message and she shared it. She even called out a woman who stood up to challenge her. She did it with tact and poise, but mirrored to her audience member the fear and ego entwined in what she said. At the time I respected her, but put her in the category of what not to do when speaking in public.
It wasn’t until recently that I recognized the power and necessity in her approach. Much like Eris, Myss made no excuses for her behavior. Eris often gets blamed for being spiteful and vengeful. But I think she’s just misunderstood.
Eris is the feminine warrior energy. She makes things happen. Her methods don’t always paint her in the best light (like the time she instigated the Trojan War) and she’s associated with lawless strife laced with complete disregard for others. But never are personalities singular in their nature. The dualism of archetypes requires we look at the good she represents.
Ironically, astronomer Mike Brown, who originally discovered Eris, first named her Xena after the warrior princess TV show. The significance of this is that many agree our world currently spins in turmoil. Something must chance, alas, something is changing, and nothing short of courage and passion will suffice as this new world emerges. Nothing short of us striving to stand in our personal power will suffice.
Though the TV show last aired in 2001, let’s look to the marketing material provided in an article by Alison Chester-Lambert who linked its significance to the power of Eris:
A mighty princess is forged in the heat of battle and only her
courage and passion can restore order to a world in turmoil,
a world crying out for a hero.
I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m ready for a little positive Eris influence.
About the Author: From the corporate world to the spy world and from rape victim to motherhood, Tonya Dawn Recla embodies the definition of personal power. She holds a B.A. in intercultural communication and M.A. in education/critical theory from Arizona State University. Her current projects include finishing her second book, The Dragon Queen, and providing intuitive consulting to her decision-making, change-agent clients (TonyaDawn.com). She and her husband currently travel the world with their 3 year-old daughter.
