Navigation for Portals
“I would like the angels of Heaven to be among us. I would like an abundance of peace.”[48]
“The one who seeks should not cease seeking until they find. And when they find, they will be dismayed. And when they are dismayed, they will be astonished. And they will be king over the All.”[49]
Portal 6
From Marginalization to Empowerment: Reclaiming Your Influence
Invitation
In this portal we will be validating female authority, leadership, and empowerment which enables women to partner with men to bring about a cohesive and prosperous governance throughout our world. While it may be tempting to imagine or desire a matriarchy, a society dominated by women instead of men, I hope that the journey we have taken together inspires belief in the goodness of partnership. It is through collaboration between women and men that we can weave a hopeful future together.
Many women are breaking the glass ceiling and reshaping our world through innovative and transformative entrepreneurship. One such woman is Sheryl Sandberg, whose groundbreaking book, Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead, published in 2013, remains a cornerstone in the conversation about women in leadership. Sandberg, who built an extraordinary career at tech giants like Facebook and Google, offered invaluable insights and mentorship through her writing.
It’s possible that some of you may not have fully embraced or encountered the wisdom she shared, but her work continues to inspire and equip women to step into their leadership potential with confidence and courage. This book explores the challenges that women face in the workplace and offers advice on how they can overcome these barriers to achieve leadership roles. Drawing from her own experiences as a top executive, Sandberg provides five key insights on the ways in which women can take charge of their careers and advocate for themselves.
I want you to realize that Sandberg’s insights apply to all levels of leadership, not just corporate. We all lead in some ways in our individual lives whether it is serving in the local PTA, coaching or mentoring others, volunteering with a non-profit, or taking care of our children. There are myriads of ways to show up as a confidant leader. Influence is not about visibility or extent of reach; it’s about showing up as the person you desire to be and letting your gifts manifest in your world.
Key Themes and Takeaways
The Leadership Ambition Gap: Sandberg argues that women often have lower aspirations for leadership positions compared to men, partly due to societal expectations, internalized biases, and a lack of role models. She encourages women to “lean in” to their careers, meaning they should pursue their ambitions and take on leadership opportunities with confidence.
Overcoming Imposter Syndrome: Sandberg discusses how many women suffer from imposter syndrome—the feeling that they don’t belong or aren’t qualified for the positions they hold. She advises women to overcome self-doubt and to recognize their value and accomplishments.
Mentorship and Sponsorship: Sandberg’s book emphasizes the importance of having mentors and sponsors, not just for guidance but also for advocacy. Women should actively seek out mentors who can provide advice and sponsors who can help open doors for them in their careers.
Negotiating and Asking for More: One of the key pieces of advice Sandberg gives is to be more assertive in negotiations, whether for a salary raise, a promotion, or a new opportunity. She argues that women tend to be less aggressive in advocating for themselves than men are, which can limit their career advancement.
Changing the System: While Sandberg focuses on personal responsibility and individual strategies, she also calls for systemic changes in organizations, encouraging policies that promote gender equality and support for women’s advancement in the workplace.[50]
Take, for example, women like Alice Waters—someone who became a legend simply by being herself and following her passions. By embracing authenticity and pursuing what she deeply believed in, Waters pioneered the Farm-to-Table movement. When you hear her speak, she often expresses surprise at her success, attributing it to her commitment to living an authentic life, recognizing the inherent goodness in her work, and her desire to share it with the world. I believe as women, we know ourselves, and our intuition speaks to us about who we are. When we center ourselves by aligning our three centers (which I discussed in Beginnings) and listen to the voice inside, we can bring wisdom and joy into our own worlds.
I have some good news for you: The world is tired of the male domination in every sphere of culture. In fact, a groundbreaking book called The Athena Doctrine: How Women (and the Men Who Think Like Them) Will Rule the Future was published in 2013, and it is worth reading. Let me give you a summary.
John Gerzema and Michael D’Antonio develop the idea that traditionally feminine qualities such as empathy, nurture, and collaboration are becoming increasingly valuable in leadership and decision-making. The authors base their argument on a global survey of over 64,000 employees in 13 countries, which found that workers tend to value the qualities of flexibility and relational communication typically associated with women over the traditional qualities of assertiveness and competitive dominance associated with males.
Through this key revelation, the authors argue that the future of leadership will be shaped by a shift in values toward these more feminine traits. We know that this change is already happening, particularly in the context of economic and social challenges where social responsibility and emotional intelligence are crucial for success. In the workplace, the shift toward the goddess-Athena-like qualities can lead to more inclusive, innovative, and sustainable organizations. This is something we women know intuitively and have known for a long time.
In summary, The Athena Doctrine champions a new model of leadership that is balanced and adaptable, embracing qualities traditionally seen as feminine—not as traits exclusive to women but as essential for both genders to thrive in the world of the future. This insight affirms that feminine traits are what have been missing in this world overpowered by patriarchy.
It also highlights that men too are ready for a paradigm shift in leadership. Some men recognize that the animus—the active, outward energy—has been overworked, misaligned, and wielded as a tool of domination. These enlightened men yearn for balance in their energies and understand that true transformation comes through partnership with women who are equally connected to both their anima and animus. Balance is an important concept because when we feel balanced in one area of our lives this often leads to other places of equanimity, creating an overall state of harmony.
This profound shift holds the key to reimagining leadership for the next generation, paving the way for a future built on stability and mutual empowerment.
History
The mystic Brigid is celebrated in this portal as a powerful example of forging transformative partnerships with men. Brigid of Kildare, the beloved Celtic saint, embodied love and compassion for her people. In the early 6th century, she established several monasteries—including one for men and one for women—transforming Kildare into a flourishing center of spirituality and learning.
What set Brigid apart was her visionary leadership. She believed in men and women leading together and appointed both an abbot and an abbess to oversee each monastery. This revolutionary approach created a harmonious balance of female and male energies, enriching all aspects of the monastic communities and setting an extraordinary example of egalitarian leadership.
In addition, Brigid's contributions extended beyond the spiritual realm. She founded a school of art and a blacksmithing workshop, providing her people with opportunities to thrive creatively and practically. She is remembered for her deep connection to the home and hearth, her mastery in metal forging, and her prophetic insights.
Brigid understood from the beginning that Mother/Father God designed men and women to be equal partners, enlivening one another through their interconnected energies. Her legacy reminds us of the power of collaboration in creating a more balanced and just world.
Your World
Take a moment to reflect on your life—the places and people that shape your world, whether it’s an office, a home, a school, a hospital, or any other sphere of society. Now, imagine a world where women and men partner together across every aspect of our shared lives. The future we long for will remain out of reach if patriarchy continues to dominate these spaces. The belief that men are inherently designed to lead while women are meant to follow is a harmful falsehood that must be exposed and rejected.
It’s time to offer the world what it desperately needs: men and women moving together, leading together, and discovering a synergy that transcends romance or sexuality. This partnership is alchemical—a transformational process of combining unique gifts, strengths, and energies to create something fundamentally different than the sum of its parts.
This powerful fusion of collaboration and mutual respect has the potential to redefine leadership and care on a global scale, setting a new standard for how we grow, nurture, and steward this beautiful world.
Write Your Story
Take some time to write your responses to these prompts in your journal.
· Have you ever experienced an example of male / female joint leadership that generated an infusion of well-being?
· Can you picture yourself in your current life partnering with a man who is open and receptive to equality? What do you see?
Meditation
Start the video that leads you to the sixth portal. When you arrive at this portal, envision yourself standing at the image in the garden.
· Let a word arise in the stillness and locate that word in your body.
· When the music ends, write down your word and where it resides in your body.
Take as much time as you need to hold what has been given, and when you are ready, the seventh portal awaits.
click for Portal 7: From Spiritual Segregation to Spiritual Union…
(c) 2025 Kellie Wilder Daley. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
Top image by Meinrad Craighead. "Brigid of Kildaire," 1981. Copyright Amy Dosser. meinradcraighead.com. Used by permission.
For footnotes, click here.