Oppression was common in Ama’s time, although it was never spoken about openly, and Ama knew that what you kept hidden would persist and grow far worse. True vulnerability was rare because it was most often unsafe. In truth, a lot of the problems of the time were at a lack of asking questions and instead assuming, deciding for another person, and as a result, overriding their needs and wants. This also caused us not to know one another. Can it be that every problem stems from true needs going unmet, and as a result, people are forced to form security in getting basic needs, where possible? Ama thought so. She also knew the real casualty was self-expression, sharing your way of intelligence and contribution that brings with it the deepest, most true connections.

Control eventually became the standard, and it’s no surprise that control comes out of judging another, deciding for them. Turned inward, Ama knew lack of expression became depression through inward questioning and anxiety, or what she called hoop jumping–meaning people jumped through the hoops others set for them instead of performing to their own goals they wanted to meet.

The Future of Our Past is a reader-supported space for thoughtful inquiry. Subscribe for free to receive new letters—or go paid to access full audio versions. Subscribe now to support the work and deepen the journey.

Ama could see that children were not taught to express who they are, but live by the rules and ways their family told them to. Girls were to be quiet without thoughts of their own, and “boys will be boys,” and allowed to be rough, hurt others, get dirty, and let’s face it, be mean. In many cases, it’s possible they even grew up resenting their mother and projecting it onto their female partner.

How many lives would flourish with The Model removed? This was always on Ama’s mind.

She knew we postured in The Model to hold or advance our position in the hierarchy. Boasting, telling, proving, withholding through avoidance, worry, drama, guilt, and withholding through overthinking (self-abuse) were the ways Ama saw humans postured to stop from having to face The Model, and therefore, it never ended on its own.

Here we are now, 250 years after Ama, and she did it. She cast into motion a movement to free humanity of the psychological, mental, and physical burden the Model set up. She taught people how to leave The Model and become an example of true expression and expansion. She started a worldwide movement toward natural equality. And here we are now living it.

The Future of Our Past is a reader-supported space for thoughtful inquiry. Subscribe for free to receive new letters—or go paid to access full audio versions. Subscribe now to support the work and deepen the journey.