Dowry
Close up of Dowry, Lily Michaud, fabric, tears, and transformation, Queen Size, 2023-2025
How do we treat the divine feminine?
What is the impact of cultural oppression of the feminine on relationships?
The left side of the quilt is stitched with more subtle forms of oppression and blaming the victim, on the right, overt oppression.
Top: Lilith wanted what?
Left: Shhh, just let it go | Sita Rama | What were you wearing? | No one needs to know | (the apple image from Eden) | Think of his REPUTATION | She’s so emotional
Right: CUNT | the PO-PO | Slut | Bitch | Whore | money Shot | Our $ LAW corrupt, right-wing or brainwashed JUDGES with unchecked power
Close up of Dowry, “Slut Bitch”, 2025
This quilt comes out of the pain of personal experiences of rape and violence. Though I did (and continue to do) yogic practices to resolve the stress of the incidents themselves, the ongoing impacts of cultural oppression and victim-blaming are harder to come to peace with. Like the moon with her changing faces, we can retract and shine our gifts to inspire growth and transformation—ie respect.
Close up of Dowry, “money Shot”, 2025.
Kirtan Kriya
Healing: I used the Kirtan Kriya for 40 days and cleared most of my trauma responses around the sexual violations. Here is my tutorial. In the video, I introduce myself by my spiritual name: Arati, pronounced more like art-y. The name was a gift from my meditation teacher, Shri Anandi Ma. The kirtan kriya came after I sent a prayer to Mother Meera. It was a life-transforming gift from the sacred. Helpful for anyone who has had a “bad experience” with a man.
