On the surface, I am a photographer of women. At a deeper level, I imagine myself as an undercover agent of transformation. I know in my bones, and in my guts that the liberated power of woman can, will and does change the world for the better. That is, when we are not hiding from ourselves and each other… We innately realize and honor the interconnectedness of all life, we bear bright torches of compassion, and in the space of deep, silent knowing, we remember that love really IS the answer.
It is this impassioned calling that has me awaken vibrant and eager each new day. I throw back my soft, luxurious covers, and leap into the possibility of calling forth a world of united, embodied women who love ourselves to the core! Ok… I was exaggerating… But it painted an accurate picture of the due north of my heart’s compass. (and some days it really IS like that!)
Another symptom of our cultural conditioning to abandon our immaculate wholeness as women, is the demon we call comparison. Yikes! This is one dangerous and slippery beast. Beware! Both in my own experience as a woman, and in my work with women, I notice that what makes this demon so powerful, is that we are so habituated to comparison, that we hardly even recognize that we are doing it!
Sometimes I photograph groups of women; friends, families, bridal parties, etc. Across the board, when I share the gorgeous images we’ve captured, women will sing endless praises of each other, and then pick the images of themselves apart in a relentless, ferocious melee. Sound familiar? Why is it that when we look at a sister, we can see her through forgiving eyes, drinking in her wholeness and unique perfection as a divine being, but when we look at ourselves, we pull out the magnifying glass, and scrutinize and deconstruct all of our parts? “I have a double chin,” “Do my arms really look so flabby?” “Ugh, I look pregnant,”… or maybe worse yet, the silent, secret criticism, that eats away at a woman from inside.
What can we DO about this rampant plague? When will the day dawn, when you are finally willing to recognize the goddess you ARE, once and for all? Simple… it is the day that you, that I, that WE soften our gaze and let Love be the One in whose recognition we arise. When we lay down our arms of scrutiny, and are willing to simply exclaim, “Oh my God!! I look FABULOUS!!!” And I mean OUT LOUD. Not in the privacy of our own homes, behind closed doors and sterile white walls.
Yes, I DO practice what I preach. And it truly IS a practice. I fall, and I get back up again. Why would I wish to deny that I am a dewdrop of the Goddess? A masterpiece conceived by the great mind of Love, Itself! I am here to shine. But for me, it is not enough to shine alone. It’s way more fun to shine with YOU! Will you step boldly into your realized light, and join the goddess shine-a-thon? Whether you are being photographed by me, picking up the dry cleaning, dancing the night away, or preparing a nourishing meal for your family… It is ALL fertile ground to relax into your essence as the light of the world. One moment, one breath at a time, you ARE the revolution; the source of healing love, the beacon of wholeness.
With all my love,
Suzette Hibble, Inspiring Radiance