DELTAWOMEN MAGAZINE OCTOBER 2012 Sense CHAPTER 1 A Note from the editor

Either a woman or a man, we are all living with our senses. Some of us even lack one or two. Most of us even have our very own mixture of senses we use every day to survive. Senses are one of the most unique things that every woman owns and defines herself with. In this issue of DeltaWomen we have scientific and personal articles, poems, photographs, art and interviews just to decode the mystery of Sense in women.

Elaheh Zohrevandi CHAPTER 2 Good Sense of Defeat

by Sahar Rashidi CHAPTER 2 Good Sense of Defeat You may wonder how one can say that defeat has a good feeling. Or you may read the title of the article and smile to yourself. But I believe in it. Sense is often construed to mean the "Good Sense". This article means to connect energy with the mind to find this sense within yourself.

At the moment, you may have been deserted by your family or you may have lost your invested money or you may have failed in your exams. But even if it is so, please laugh out. You will find the good sense of defeat. When something bad happens, you may think that all the lights in the world have been turned off, and you see only darkness. When you experience defeat, you feel like luck has left you and death is your luck. You don't find a solution to your problem. The solution plays hide-and-seek with you and life plays you. You feel like you are going up in a dark cave. You hear other creatures breathing but you don't see them; you feel afraid, you want to leave the cave. But you never know that you can even find life in that cave. You have to look more carefully and you have to try to listen. If you do that, you will find success.

When you believe in defeat, you want to cry or want to find whoever shows up and that is because you don't want to accept that you did something wrong; you close your eyes. Please open them and breathe and laugh. You have to laugh to yourself and to the bitter world that you made for yourself. You were lost in the darkness of the cave. You have to sit down and think. Ask yourself why. You

3 have to find an answer. In time, you will touch the good sense of defeat because you can think and realize that you neglected something, or did something with precipitation.

When you see your problem, you realize that defeat is not always bitter and sometimes actually is very sweet. You can find your way in the cave; you will succeed in finding the daylight. Life continues.

I know that saying this is easy and that acting on it is difficult. Not everyone can do such a thing as "the perfect solution" . If you think of the effect of the small flap on the aircraft performance in a flight and how it can change the world, you realize that you play a big part in this world.

When you find the good sense of defeat, you won't be a loser. You will play a better part than before. You will know that defeat is the last step to gain success. When you are defeated, you will laugh and still be happy as you have a new opportunity to review your actions in order to reach your target.

Always laugh and change every sense with that happiness. Always expect the worst. Then, you can move freely just like a roaring river that moves through the rocks. You won't fear the rocks; they will fear your fierce movements. You will split them apart, step by step.

The Good Sense of defeat is HOPE.

4 CHAPTER 3 The Woman's Senses

by Mohammed R. Monifi CHAPTER 3 Taste The Woman’s Senses " Taste this". I will not taste your fruit. Devil told my parents to taste the fruit.

The witch told White Snow to taste the fruit.

Falling down. lying down. I will not taste your fruit.

Smell

I don't need your repellent flowers To Kirthi Gita Jayakumar, the kind heart That lose their fragrance in the passing hours.

The earth grants me a spring gift, the white roses. Sight Washed by Morning Dew; dried by Sunrays. I have my own eyes; I don't need yours. Touch Beautiful for your eyes; not beautiful for my eyes. I am wild woman, never tamed, never touched. My sight doesn't believe in yours; you big liar. I touch who touch me. Don't be hushed. My eyes freeze you if you look; you'll find no fire. Who is soft? Who is rough? With my hand I know. Hearing You are the roughest one. Leave me and to the nature go. I don't want to hear your more lies.

Don't call us " my Dollies; my sexy Babies".

Don't ruin my sitting: the morning has invited me.

I want to listen to the birds' orchestra on the tree.

6 CHAPTER 4 In Flying Colors! Of Spring and Sense

by Laíze Cândida CHAPTER 4 "Building a Better Society". My blog campaign is called "Fly Higher and Be Yourself". What do I want with it? Of course I don't In Flying Colors! Of Spring want to find the cure for our humankind mistakes. I'm sure I can't, because I'm just one woman in a billion. My goal is touching and Sense somebody else's heart and mind lost in the darkness, like I was some months ago. If it's one, ten or a hundred hearts, it's none of my business. If the message is good, we naturally will spread it to the others. The message of my campaign could be used for anything. All of us have wings, like birds and butterflies. But due to external reasons, we use our wings to stay on the ground or fly to our dreams and beyond. In other words, we choose to get over our darkness or Dear Women and Girls, crying for ourselves forever, by opening our ears only to the others. A very wise woman, my mother, always tells me how the others don't

like to see ourselves listening to the voice of our hearts. Some of First of all, it's my first article here. Nice to meet you, I am Laíze them just want to say disgusting insults about us and drink our blood (also known as Läyeh), a Brazilian graduate in Law, passionate for until we feel weak. If we aren't strong enough to fly higher than writing and advocating women’s and children's rights. You can call we're used to, we can't build a better society. I know it isn't an easy me your sister, like I always call you. We are in a beautiful month. task to find our strength and get over it, but we must try. September, in my country, means the beginning of spring. In some One of my most read books mentions the difference between a ways, spring has an intrinsic relation with the theme of this month, "nice girl" and a "powerful woman": The powerful woman loves sense. The word "spring" means "revolution, changing" nowadays. herself first, so she has more self-confidence than the average. Based And sense, according to my dictionary, has a half page of meanings, on this statement, I propose to each reader of this ezine make a but the only one that deserved my attention was "a strong but simple exercise: Think about the most powerful woman that you u n c l e a r f e e l i n g " . know and then think about yourself. Do you know which is the These two words, spring and sense, have a strong relation with the difference between your role model and yourself ? Those "strong but current moment of my life. Half of my year was cold and nonsense. unclear feelings" that don't let you listen to your heart's voice and After some months of sense and reflections, I'm finally reaching my follow your dreams. They don't make you love yourself to be spring. Last month, I released a campaign in my personal blog, stronger enough and fly higher. Love, but a love for yourself and because of International Youth Day 2012, whose theme was your life. It's, in my opinion, the essence of success. Material things

8 come and go quickly; it's the consequence of what we do. Don't make material things the first objective of your life. Let's fly higher and...Discover our power.

One more wish is union. You can take my hand and fly with me. It's our spring; I call you for some action. I could let this message forgotten in a corner of Internet, but I decided to go ahead. There are lots of sisters living an unwanted reality in this world. Some of you know that you're in the bottom, but instead of getting over it, just give up. Raise your head and change your attitudes step by step. Do something nice for yourself, because I believe that you h a v e t h e p o w e r, s i s t e r ! After reading my words, I hope you can reflect and think how you deserve more than you have. You deserve not to live in a cold and dark world, but see colors and flowers in your very valuable life. No matter of your origin, condition or appearance, your story and your wishes are unique. Listen to your heart; you can make anything good you want for yourself possible. Let's fly higher, love ourselves first and get over it. One day, we will meet ourselves skywards, far away from our personal winter. I don't know if it makes sense for you, but it's the most sensible way of living the spirit of spring, the classical and poetic flowers' season. To get our spring days started and make you smile, I show you a colorful drawing I made especially for this essay. See you next month.

9 CHAPTER 5 Sense And Sand

Aref roudbari Shahmiri is an Iranian Sand Artist who lives in Sari and has a live art show at the Interview with a beach every week.

for more information visit: sand artist facebook.com/aref.rodbarishamir

by Elaheh Zohrevandi CHAPTER 5 DW: How do you think your senses have worked for you? Sense And Sand Aref: I never have a plan! I don't think of what I am going to do next. The art sketch appears in my head right at the moment I touch the sand. The insight definitely comes from the everyday life and the things that happen to me. You can clearly see the reflection in my work.

DW: In the eyes of an artist, are men different than women in senses?

Our monthly guest, Aref Rousbari Shahmiri, an Iranian sand artist Aref: I believe that every single person, man or woman, can have is here today with a lot more to say than before. The theme of the their own senses. there is no limit to the way that women or men magazine is Sense and who can talk Sense better than a sand artist. sense things. You can never say that the thing I sense can not be sensed by someone else.

DW: What are the material you use for your art? DW: If you were to choose a sense that you lack, what would it be? Aref: To make a sand sculpture one may use a mixture of things to improve the quality of the work and make it last longer. Some even Aref: About that! I have to say FREEDOM! use wood glue. But here, in this country, I make my sand sculptures with sand and water. That's it.

It's a shame how people treat this art. Sometimes they make me believe that even if I turn the sand into rock, they would still ruin my art.

11 CHAPTER 6 Sensual

Effat Allahyari is a mother of two. She is an Iranian photographer, painter and sketch Photography artist who writes poems on occasions. She is a photographer at DeltaWomen Magazine. Her works have been recently appeared in Social And Political Art. She enjoys life and her best by Effat Allahyari friends are her two lovely sons, Kian and Kiarash.

Her collection of photography and Poems is due to be published in 2013.

To a t t e n d h e r p r i v a t e Photography classes email her: efi[email protected] SECTION 1 Sensual Photography

Sense of Nature

13 Sense of being small Sense of Discovery Sense of Freedom Sense of being loved Sense of being real Taste Sense of acceptance CHAPTER 7 PAST 5 AND BEYOND

by Marie Keith Epe This issue presents a collection of songs from various genres W a k e U p A n d S m e l l T h e C o f f e e including reggae, rock, alternative rock, pop, and R&B from the by The Cranberries early 70s to early 2000s. Songs that challenges listeners to do some

fine tuning on the channels of their five senses. Another song which goes beyond the realm of these senses is included, as it empowers For those who banged their heads with “Zombie” by The women’s consciousness about embracing their femininity. Cranberries, another slower but head-banging track “Wake Up And Smell The Coffee” was released in 2001. Although a rock band, it is very interesting how Dolores O’Riordan and the expert lead guitarist Noel Hogan, have written enigmatic lyrics about

I C a n S e e C l e a r l y N o w celebrating life, families, kids and motherhood. A line says, “She’s so by Jimmy Cliff gorgeous,” refers to O’Riordan’s daughter, which is symbolic because O’Riordan is pro-life. The song encourages listeners to The reggae artist Jimmy Cliff made his own rendition of “I Can See persevere in times of violence, frustrations and sufferings because life Clearly Now” in the 90s. It is a very positive song which uses visual can make sense after having for instance, a loving family or a child. affirmations such as “bright, sunshinin’ day, rainbow and blue skies,” It aims to rouse those who are not paying attention and those who to anticipate better days after a challenging event in one’s life. The are wasting their lives. It awakens listeners to make life more line, “I can see all obstacles in my way,” is a validation of all the meaningful each day: “She's only got one reason to live, this is your hurdles which is an important step to recognize, before a solution life/She's only got one message to give, give it tonight.” can be formulated and obtained. The smooth and relaxing music is perfect as it conditions the mind to associate calmness and tranquility with colors and affirmative symbols. For the sleepy heads out there, play this song as an alarm tone to immediately “wake up” and face another exciting day!

Heading for a long drive this weekend? Sing with Jimmy Cliff and his backup singers.

22 T h a n k Yo u F o r H e a r i n g M e by Sinead O’Connor Sinéad O’Connor is very transparent about her life through her song. The ironic appreciation at the end of the song is not a surprise because only the wisest people who have reached rock bottom are Sinéad O’Connor made a global sensation with “Nothing Compares capable of appreciating the challenges thrown before them. The title 2 U” in the 90s. Four years later, she released “Thank You For “Thank You For Hearing Me” may be symbolic for O’Connor on Hearing Me.” The song proves O’Connor’s style of singing with three things: (1). for her loved one who heard her woes, broke her pure vocals at the beginning of the song with a subtle mellow heart, but made her a stronger person; (2). for her avid listeners who background. You will actually hear a line repeated four times with heard her triumphs or failures through her songs; and (3). for her escalating notes, similar to how opera singers warm-up their voices self, because the most important compliment and achievement as a before performing. It slowly introduced percussions on the second singer is to be heard and remembered for her voice and music verse, gaining its momentum on the third, showcasing her vocal despite the controversies she got involved with. Music, surely, prowess on the fifth and last three verses. The withstands prejudice. crescendo-decrescendo complements the verses as heard on the line, “Thanks for silence with me,” then brings back the chill beats until the end of the song. Give thanks every minute, every day. Repeat.

The first verse can be reflected as the introduction of a friend, for listening to her woes, especially coming from a very difficult childhood in Ireland. The second verse talks about this person who loved her; hence the introduction of escalating beats, symbolic of a beating heart, like what all people experience when having someone special in life. The third verse gaining its momentum represents O’Connor’s disclosure of her strengths and weaknesses as a person, which she then supports as being accepted by her loved one on the fourth verse. However, on verse 10’s, “Thank you for helping me,” it shows her acknowledgment to her loved one for making her a strong person despite a failed relationship.

23 V o i c e s T h a t C a r e To u c h A H a n d , M a k e A F r i e n d by Various Artists by The Staples

In the 70s, The Staples came out with “Touch A Hand, Make a A group of selected celebrities in the early 90s collaborated singing Friend.” The song lets you travel back in front of those vinyl records “Voices That Care” written by David Foster and company. This in jukeboxes. It is a positive song about extending a helping hand to came out during the gulf war which aims to strengthen the military someone in need. Its message of unity is very uplifting because it forces in the middle of their mission. Artists like Celine Dion, Peter disregards social classes and eradicates biases in taking the first step Cetera, Michael Bolton, and so many others, rendered their voices to make a difference for a better world. It promotes optimistic for the cause. The choir on the background gives listeners that actions for listeners, to begin internalizing the need to help, before it “oomph” to create a feeling of intense victory and oneness. Good is reflected in their conducts or attitudes. It is presented in a very and trusted friends are associated with the song which helps build inviting manner, as if the singers are in front of the listeners. It lasting friendships and helps strengthen their sense of camaraderie, didn’t only ask of its listeners to make friends, instead, it initially loyalty, brotherhood and sisterhood. It makes listeners want to hug requires human touch in order to seal that bond of a lasting their friends and families right after hearing the song. friendship.

Send this song to a friend or sister who needs some major cheering Planning of adding 10 more virtual friends? Why not visit an up before she takes that quantum leap in her life. orphanage to make 16 kids, real and solid friends?

24 S i s t e r s A r e D o i n ’ I t F o r T h e m s e l v e s by Eurythmics with Aretha Franklin

Performed in the mid-80s by Eurythmics member Annie Lennox and soul singer Aretha Franklin, “Sisters Are Doin’ It For Themselves” became an instant hit. It is an upbeat song embracing women’s femininity, but it is not a declaration of coup d’état between men and women because it acknowledges, “'Cause a man still loves a woman/And a woman still loves a man”. The line, “Now this is a song to celebrate, the conscious liberation of the female state!” encourages every woman to be proud of her gender. It announces to the world that a woman makes her own name and makes her works known, worthy of respect from any human being. It helps empower women who are continuously looked down for being a woman, for wearing an apron behind kitchen counters and for living behind the shadows of their male counterparts.

At this day and age, one can easily dismiss women empowerment or gender equality because in some fortunate countries, many women are already soaring high in making their own names and enjoying unlimited freedom. Unfortunately, there are women who are continuously oppressed, forbidden to participate in politics, excluded in financial systems or denied of their rights to be heard or to be protected from human trafficking, verbal and sexual harassments, domestic violence and rape. In fact, in reality, there are women whose voices are still silenced simply because of fear.

25 CHAPTER 8 Beyond

Leila A. Fortier is a poet, artist, and photographer currently Her work in all its mediums has residing on the remote island of been published in a vast array of Monotony Okinawa Japan. Her unique literary magazines, journals, and visual poetry is the specially reviews both in print and online. crafted formation of abstract In 2007’ she initiated the designs, often accompanied by anthology A World of Love: her own multi-medium forms of Voices for Carmen as a benefit by Leila A. Fortier art, photography, and spoken against domestic violence and in performance. Much of her work 2010’ composed a photo book has been translated into French, entitled Pappankalan, India: Italian, Spanish, Arabic, German, Through the Eyes of Children to Hindi and Japanese in a rapidly benefit the education of growing project to raise global impoverished Indian children. unity and understanding through She is also the author of the cultural diversity of poetry Metanoia's Revelation through and literature. iUniverse.

A complete listing of her published works can be found at: www.leilafortier.com There Are things that Man will never understand Of you~ Like how your eyes change Color with the seasons~ How spring opens You like the calla lily to drink its morning rain~ Summer clings to your body’s own humidity in the Sweat of trying to forget me~ How autumn makes Crisp your senses~ Adding blush to our unlived Memories~ Winter adds kisses to your thighs In effort to have you remember this Heat of longing~ There are Things that man Will Never Understand Of you, as I move Silent within your seasons Never overlooked or forgotten No season repeats between us These miles cannot evaporate The perfume of our knowing Where contemplation is Unnecessary~ Our Breath never Ceases Here

~ Beyond the confines of monotony~

27 CHAPTER 9 Touch Me

by Elaheh Zohrevandi CHAPTER 9 Some days I feel like I am living in a bubble, surrounded by people Touch Me but never touched by anyone.

We live in such a busy, crowded world, yet it’s so easy for many of us to go days, even weeks or months without touching or being touched by others.

I don't realize the effect of not being touched right way but it can deeply affect me. There's a real relationship between our physical health and mental strength and this relationship is so important that the lack of being touched can be seen among astronauts who live in space for months. After a very short time they start to suffer from sensory deprivation syndrome and then comes the depression.

I am going to list a number of reasons why we should be touched on a regular basis.

1. Feel like you exist. We are social beings, and although we all fall in different places on the introversion – extroversion scale, we all need to have that sense of connection to other members of our tribe. While some of that connection can come from having conversations with others, touch also plays an important role in human communication.

29 2. Reduce that anxiety. Simply touching another person can along with touching other people and pets, make time to explore make us feel more secure and less anxious. It can make us feel different textures and touch sensations such as letting cool sand run grounded and safe and not so all alone. It’s not just children who through your fingers or taking a warm relaxing bath. could use a warm, reassuring hug to make things a little better, so if you’re feeling like a bundle of nerves, go ahead and ask for a hug. Give away some hugs, pat on the backs, handshakes and kisses away and you'll get your share of this world. 3. Bond to the loved ones. Touch is one of the ways romantic partners bond with each other and parents bond with their children. When partners and families get busy and let touch go out the window, they’ll often find that they don’t feel as close and relationships suffer. Regular touch is one of the ways that we continually renew our bonds with those we love.

4. Lower that blood pressure. Studies have shown that those that get regular touch often have lower blood pressure than those that don’t. Even having a pet can have beneficial effects! Touch can also slow the heart rate and help speed recovery times from illness and surgery.

5. Improve your outlook. It’s harder to get into a pessimistic funk when you feel the confidence of being connected to others. Touch can make people feel more optimistic and positive and less cynical and suspicious. A positive, trusting attitude towards others can reduce tension in our daily lives and improve our relationships.

6. Give us the sensory input that we crave. Scientists are just discovering how truly important it is to exercise all our physical senses for proper brain and emotional development. All the various kinds of touch from butterfly kisses to deep tissue massage send our brains the physical inputs it needs to make sense of the world. So,

30 CHAPTER 10 Subtleties by Denise Falcone First do not tell me I am not sad

before guilt’s pistol whip of rash

forces fools like me to willow bend

Do not tell me I am not sad

as misplaced will departs in childish armor because

I want it

I only saw a place to rest my head

I am humble. I am small.

Other people matter, give them a chance recite a thousand times I told you so, I told you so, I told you so

but do not tell me I am not sad.

32 CHAPTER 11 Let us use our senses to give direction to the world

by Daniela Silva CHAPTER 11 How do we stand in the world we live in? How we perceive sounds, Let us use our senses to give colors and places around us? How do you perceive the world, if not see him, touch him, hear direction to the world him, feel the smell or taste? Are the senses that give meaning to all our lives, for color, give taste, fragrance, texture, landscape and music to various scenarios and discoveries of our existence!

Much more than you realize, the senses are nothing more than: a representative system of language, in other words, facilitate and boost our communication in our relationship with the environment.

The main way to detect a person in which she uses language system, is watching the way she communicates, listen / understand their language. This becomes more evident when we pay attention to gestures and predicates that she adopts.

Let's look at some examples of words that highlight each of our senses:

34 Visual (seeing) Kinesthetic (touch, movement)

Focus, imagination, visualize, think, observe and illusion. Touch, handle, rub, tangible, tension and suffering.

Phrases visual Phrases kinesthetic

- We have the same point of view; - I got in touch with you;

- You'll look back and laugh; - Control yourself;

- It seems to me; - Be sensitive;

- Show me your point and view. - Can I get this idea?

Audible (hearing)

Accent, rhythm, tone, pronunciation, comment, tell. Olfaction (smell)

Phrases hearing Fragrant, fragrance, fetid and musty.

- Log in tone; Phrases olfactory

- Music to my ears; - It stinks;

- Clearly expressed; - I smell the cake;

- Hold your tongue. - The house smells clean.

- This situation smells to confusion.

35 Gustatory (taste)

Sweet, bitter, salty, flavor and taste.

Phrases gustative

- What acid comment!

- A sweet person;

- Taste for life;

- A bitter reality.

From these examples, we identified our way of being, acting and representing the world. This allows us to learn and absorb information better. We search all the baggage of knowledge through the senses. Then we use the senses to make sense of our world!

36 Staff Editors Elaheh Zohrevandi Kirthi Gita Jayakumar Photography and Art

Effat Allahyari Laíze Cândida Contributors

Sahar Rashidi Mohammed R. Monifi Laíze Cândida Marie Keith Epe Leila A. Fortier Denise Falcone Daniela Silva Elaheh Zohrevandi CEO

Elsie Reed DeltaWomen Magazine October 2012 Sense

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