"Truth is strong, Self Love must prevail" - My tribute to Mary Astell

As a modern scientist, it is a key moment in a researcher’s development when they are first willing to say ‘I don’t believe this’. It is intriguing that she had that confidence, given her circumstances. Professor Dame Athene

Mary Astell is considered to be the first English feminist. "Although she didn’t publish scientific works, her belief in education for girls and women – about which she did write – certainly would have allowed for the possibility of women tackling these subjects. In this she was way ahead of her time. (...)"[1] Mary's concern was not that girls and women are materially oppressed by patriarchal society or that they were lacking rights. Instead, she was arguing that most girls and women lack internal freedom. Internal freedom meaning autonomy from co-dependencies. Autonomy is a very high achievement. The elevated state of being. We are all born co-dependent and the spiritual warrior that is in each of us has the power to win over those ties.

Mary Astell was one of the first writers and feminists who recognised the power of self love. The need for every girl and woman to discover the core essence of themselves namely, the inner divine nature. The personal search for peace, happiness and inner love must be universal. The need to connect ourselves with the Higher Self allows us to cut the co-dependency ties and stop running from ourselves but take the path towards experiencing the true self. Taking the journey towards our own spiritual evolution. As we evolve spiritually we challenge the status quo and we introduce the positive change in our personal life and in the world that surrounds us.

Gaining freedom thus personal autonomy starts with our own conscious and intentional decision. As we commit to live an authentic life we expand our horizons and we become unlimited in our freedom.

(OSCOLA type of referencing)

[1] Tom Almeroth-Williams, 'Ahead of her time Magdalene College Cambridge has discovered a treasure trove of women’s intellectual history' < https://www.cam.ac.uk/stories/mary-astell-collection-magdalene-college > accessed 15 May 2021