Patriarchy Escape Route
A Step-by-Step Journey to a New Paradigm
Patriarchy Escape Route
Be in this world but not of it (secular version)
I’m formulating an escape plan by focusing on where I’m going, rather than on what I’m leaving.
Pre-planning anything is a big deal for me, including much research and thought. Writing lists and ideas is my path to bringing thought into form. Not everything jotted down happens in order, or even at all. But writing, coupled with meditation, is my manifestation tool of choice.
Being an Aquarian, I lean toward visionary thinking. For the those who value science-based explanation, it’s in my DNA to live a thought-focused life. It’s how I’m wired.
As a writer, my style is described as “pantster” (creating on the fly) vs “plotter” (writing with a prepared outline).
I rarely follow a recipe or remember how to cook anything the same way twice.
Systems make me crazy. I resist being restrained by protocol. I require flexibility.
I may research projects with an end-goal in mind, but I trust my intuition on how to get there.
In fact, I have an excellent sense of direction. Somehow, in all my headiness, an inherent guidance system gets me where I need to go in both the physical and conceptual worlds.
I call it flow.
Sometimes my flow is a slow trickle or even comes to a standstill. That’s when I know I’m headed in the wrong direction.
When writing, if the words don’t flow, it means start over or at least, leave it for now. When work on a project cannot advance and things continually go wrong, I know I’m offtrack.
I’ve learned to pay heed to the signs that I’m going in the wrong direction and re-route.
But when I’m headed in the right direction, my muse, the goddesses, cosmos, heavens, and earth open to me and it’s my job to go with the flow.
My flow state right now is just short of raging river.
Not a destructive flow, as in overflowing the riverbanks. More like rapid river flow that sweeps you along with powerful force. Exciting. Good for whitewater rafting. I’m enjoying the thrill of the speed, but wearing a life jacket for safety during the inevitable periodic fallout.
My life jacket is a plan. A loose plan, but solid enough to contain the seeding of a new paradigm. Solid enough to withstand deviations and rerouting when necessary.
My Proposed Patriarchy Escape Route
Every paradigm is a container. A system based on values and beliefs. Outgrowing a container is a biological certainty. You re-pot your plants when the root systems outgrow the container, don’t you? Move a child from crib to bed. Get a double, queen, or king mattress when you have a partner or simply require more space for comfort.
Even when you have a comfortable container that fits your needs, it’s possible that the container can break, become restrictive, or begin to deteriorate.
When a societal container breaks, it’s time for the life within to find a new support system.
Have you read the Declaration of Independence lately? You can read it now via the link to the text provided by Harvard Graduate School of Education in the previous sentence. [Being that you’re a free-thinking adult now, I don’t need to remind you to substitute certain words for the ones in the original copy; e.g., human for “man,” and you-know-who for “present King of Great-Britain.” And so on.]
You could consider this my Declaration of Independence (short version: I’m outta here) and the following my new Constitution. But I’m adverse to the patriarchal overtones so my escape plan calls for an entirely new vocabulary and structure within the New Container.
Here’s the framework I’m using for creating a new paradigm. [Caveat: I reserve the right to adjust my route as I go along as necessary. It’s called evolution, which is another sign of complete break from the patriarchal method of change via violent power shifts.]
Also note: this is a brief description of the framework elements. My purpose here is to let you know my direction and intentions. Future posts will dive deeper into explanation for each element listed below.
TIME: Although a minimal adherence to the globally used Gregorian calendar and Kronos sequential 24-hour structure is required, my day-to-day existence has been converted to Kairos time, which values richness of experience (quality of time) over measurement in seconds, minutes, and hours.
For marking the passage of a year, I’m choosing to observe the seasons as my guide, as did our ancestors. So, while I acknowledge it’s 2026 per the Gregorian calendar, I’m in Winter. My shifts are marked by the Solstices and Equinoxes, with nods to the cultural and astrological calendars.
CORE VALUES / GUIDING PRINCIPLES: Sensory guidance, Gratitude, Nature, Indigenous and Ancient practices, Authenticity, Integrity, Trust, Respect, Human Originality.
GUIDE BOOKS: The Four Agreements, The Fifth Agreement by Don Miguel Ruiz and Don Miguel Ruiz and Don Jose Ruiz, respectively. (These are practical guides to personal freedom based on based on ancient Toltec wisdom.)
DIET: Whole foods, organic. I’m mostly vegan, but that’s a personal choice. Simply following a diet of high quality, nutrient-dense, minimally processed food of your choice is the ideal.
HEALTHY PASTIMES: Time in Nature, physical exercise of choice.
DAILY SPIRITUAL PRACTICE: Mine include the Loving-Kindness (Metta) meditation, Ho’Oponopono forgiveness prayer, grounding practice, and chakra alignment. This is 100 percent personal choice for method of observance, but a period each day must be devoted to reflection.
ART & LITERARY APPRECIATION: Reading, Museums, Galleries, Concerts, Art Fairs, Plays/Movies, Listening to music. Engaging in the arts via writing, singing, painting, or other arts practice.
TRAVEL: Opportunity to have diverse experiences of geography, food, culture, and more.
The Plan for Now
As noted, this is a work-in-progress. Typically, I would wait until I felt I had it all figured out and could present it publicly in full completion. Going that route usually results in missed opportunities—for co-creation and testing theories.
I’ve changed my definition of perfection. Perfection is evolution. Believing what I have now is all I need at the moment. That attention and action in the (now) moment are what create the future.
So consider this a journey-in-progress. A paradigm-shift-in-progress. I’m committed to changing my world. If you’re interested, you can come along for the journey, join it on your own terms, or support the mission to create a paradigm that honors and supports all beings.
I welcome your feedback!
Until next time,
☮️ and ♥️, Shelley
This is a fantastic journey-in-progress, Shelley. Cheers from a fellow pantser!
This framework is brilliantly constructd! The shift from Kronos to Kairos time especially caught my attention becuz it flips the whole productivity-driven mindset. I've experimented with someting similar, letting seasonal rhythms guide project timelines rather than arbitrary deadlines. The container metaphor works beautifully here, especially when coupled with the biological certainty of outgrowing systems.