One of the best parts of my job as publisher of Peaceful Living Wellness Magazine is when I have the opportunity to interview one of the people we call “Local Heroes.” These are people who are the leaders of non-profit/not-for-profit organizations who serve their local communities through devoting their time, energy and hearts to supporting those in need.
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San Diego based author Barbara McNally is a shining example of a local hero. The Barbara McNally Foundation supports the spouses and other caregivers of wounded warriors. In other words, the foundation “supports the supporters!” The needs of caregivers are often overlooked as focusing on the needs of the wounded warriors take precedence. As the wife of a wounded warrior herself, Barbara knows how hard it is to be a caregiver. That is why she devoted her foundation to their support.
I hope you enjoy reading about Barbara and her foundation!
Warmly,
Jennifer
Publisher, Peaceful Living Wellness
HER BOOKS
In her first book, “Unbridled: A Memoire, Wounded Warrior, Wounded Wife,” Barbara writes of her journey to empowerment after her life and marriage to a wounded warrior fell apart.
In this interview Jennifer and Barbara focus their discussion on Barbara’s latest book – “The Four Faces of Femininity: Heroic Women Throughout History,” through which she tells the stories of forty-three incredible women who left their mark on history as an inspiration to all the women to come after them.
THE MOTHER, THE LOVER, THE WARRIOR AND THE SAGE
Through her writing Barbara empowers women to embrace their femininity holistically by understanding what she calls “The Four Faces of Femininity.” She believes that within each woman exists four different, yet intertwined, archetypes: The Mother, The Lover, The Warrior and The Sage. When women understand each of these archetypes within themselves they are able to fully know who they truly are as a woman.
MOTHER
“ A mother is simply a soul who nurtures…”
~ Barbara McNally
Barbara encourages women of all ages, whether they are mothers through actually giving birth, or mothers through caring for and nurturing others, to embrace the strength that comes through being maternal. Think of the “matriarchs” in your family and community. They possess inner strength, strength of character and strength of compassion.
When women embrace this matriarchal strength they can lead their fullest lives!
LOVER
“Not all of us can do great things. But, we can do small things with great love.”
~Mother Theresa
Embracing a love of people, of life, of experience and of self is the role of the feminine archetype of lover. Barbara encourages women to embrace love and loving in all aspects of their lives. She says that her, “favorite, yet unexpected expression of the Lover in [her] book is Mother Theresa.” We don’t see Mother Theresa the nun as a Lover in the conventional sense of a Lover being sexual and sensual. But, Barbara explains that Mother Theresa exemplifies love through being a lover of all humanity.
By understanding the Lover within themselves through this diverse lens of loving Barbara believes that women can unleash an essential part of their character.
THE WARRIOR
“The Warrior in you isn’t an observer who sits on the sidelines. She’s a planner and a doer.”
~ Barbara McNally
Being a fighter is only one part of the feminine Warrior archetype according to Four Faces of Femininity. The Warrior in each woman is that inner voice and strength that empowers them to take action and accomplish goals. But, it is also the strength women need to call on to set boundaries that protect them from the harmful words and actions of others. Women’s inner Warriors guard their energy, their identity and their power.
By understanding the Warrior within themselves women can show-up in life with strength and courage and positivity. As Barbara writes, “Well, that’s the fighter in you choosing to set goals and write your own life story, one task at a time.”
THE SAGE
“Don’t sit down and wait for the opportunities to come. Get up and make them!”
~ Madam C.J. Walker
A woman’s inner Sage is her inner wisdom. Her sage is intuitive, spiritual and wise. In the Four Faces of Femininity, Barbara makes the important point that wisdom is not dependent upon chronological age. Women of all ages have intuition and wisdom. They can tap into their Sage strength through their spiritual nature.
To emphasize her point about a woman’s inner Sage strength being independent of age one of the women Barbara highlights in this section of the book is the young Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai who has been tirelessly advocating since the age of 11 for the rights of girls in Pakistan, and around the world, to be educated. In spite of being shot in the head by a member of the Taliban in retaliation she continued her education, her activism and her activism-based writing. At the age of 17 she was the youngest person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.
Not to worry, Barbara does not believe that all women need to be ardent political activists. She wants all women to be inspired to trust their own intuition, their inner wisdom and their spiritual nature. Through this trust she sees women as capable of pursuing their dreams and goals!
DO YOU LIKE TO LEARN ABOUT HEROES IN OUR COMMUNITIES? CHECK OUT THIS RELATED POST ON WAVES4WOMEN
THE FOUNDATION
Through her work with the Barbara McNally Foundation, Barbara educates, encourages and inspires the wives of wounded warriors to find and embrace their own inner Mothers, Lovers, Warriors and Sages. She sees many of these women disappear as their Wounded Warriors’ needs are put at the forefront of their family and community’s agendas.
The foundation holds book groups, supportive discussions to help the Wounded Warrior Wives discover their inner Mothers, Lovers, Warriors and Sages and live fully and authentically through fully expressing each of them!
