Ruby Worthy was born in Tasmania and adopted at an early age, her birth family have confirmed her Aboriginal Ancestry.
Ruby currently works part time as a Domestic Violence Case Manager and as co-founder of Bush University. She is also a member of the Zeitgeist (Spirit of our times) SA Chapter of the Zeitgeist Movement, an International Organisation that embraces Ruby’s desire to sharing resources, culture and healing from her aboriginal lineage over thousands of years.
She is the proud grandmother of five grand children who live in Tasmania and Adelaide.
Growing up, what kind of career did you want to pursue?
I grew up with many hopes and dreams, around the arts mostly, however that did not come to pass until my late thirties and it was the healing arts. I did want to become a vet but did not have the mathematical level to accomplish that when I left Our Lady of Mercy Convent School in Deloraine Tasmania in 1967
Who inspires you?
In the past it was my teachers in Transpersonal Work, and my Anangu and Tasmanian Elders who taught me our healing ways. Also African, Native American and Eastern Meditation teachers. Now it is more my adoptive mother, my son Damian, grandchildren and colleagues firstly. Then the women who participate in the Mentorship Program that I offer through Earth Medicine Australia as I watch them re-invent themselves personally and professionally.
Who (apart from you) is most surprised by your achievements?
My son Damian, he has witnessed me grow and change over many years and has been the best advocate who has always encouraged me to be the best I can become and to follow my own hopes and dreams.
How have women helped shape your success to date?
Women have been keys to learning, to walking beside, to exploring new and different opportunities to reclaim my own story. They have provided friendship, challenged me to continue with my own vision, they have offered nurturing and emotional and social wellbeing which has given me the strong foundation that I have needed to keep moving forward with my work and life.
What qualities do you most admire in a female colleague?
The ability to truly listen, for the problem and the hopes and dreams
The qualities of trust, joy, encouragement, balance, endurance, inclusion, confidence, resilience and leadership
What’s the key to successfully balancing work and life?
To have a place/space to live which you are connected to – a circle of friends and family, time to reflect on your work through ongoing evaluation and improvement, and the schedule of work being no more than is necessary. Balancing work and life for me has changed as now I only accept the work that gives the best outcomes for those participating in it. Working for myself part time has given me the work life balance and I cherish this freedom.
If you had an afternoon to yourself, how would you spend it?
I do this often, it could be lunch at my favourite restaurant and a movie, it could be a long walk on the beach with my beautiful dog Stella, or a quiet day at home in my vegetable garden. I also love spending time driving to new magic places on the Fleurieur Peninsula close to my home at Port Noarlunga in SA – being in nature is my treat to myself. I also love to spend time reading….
Who do you regard as your mentor?
My current mentor is Kerrie Shepherd whom I have known for two years and she is an Aboriginal woman in NSW whom I am learning a lot from about the right way to move forward with the work that I offer. I also consider my Elders circle from around Australia who have completed the Journey of the Female Spirit Retreats to be my ongoing mentors, especially those who return to do more of co-creating the work together.
What personal attributes have you used to overcome adversity in your life?
Resilience and endurance have been a key for my journey, together with adaptability and the ability to recognise when change is due and needs to happen. I also have a strong sense of trusting my own intuition and judgement. I have a love of people and the earth and have found ways of walking and working with both through my work Earth Medicine Australia it has bought me home to my country, culture, people and self healing. My ability to always see the strength and hear the hopes and dreams of others and to enable them to be in the drivers’ seat of their own life has been drawn from what has worked in my life. As a Narrative Therapist I have found the maps that work for my strong sense and ability to hear and tell story which make a difference in my own life and the lives of others.
If you could make one change to women’s lives, what would it be and why?
One change would be to teach experientially as well as academically and to make that learning outside not inside under the guidance of other women so that we could make meaning of our life transitions from child to maiden to mother and wise woman. Why because I know we have lost those maps which make meaning for us and women need to have conscious rites of passage to ensure a strong foundation as they grow and make meaning of the world and their work in it. It is about bringing back into balance some of the old ways and integrating that with the now….
What is the hardest part of your job?
Having to say no to someone whom I know is not ready to do the work and having to refer them to other colleagues as part of their transition and learning and healing journey. Another difficult aspect is speaking up and making decisions as a Director which may impact on others who do not value my work. I have a group of Elders who assist me with these decisions which makes it fair and equitable. It is also sometimes difficult to manage the mentorship program as it is driven by the participants hopes and dreams at all times. It has been hard to have to discontinue with some and also it has been hard to know when it is time to allow some women to fly from the nest and do their own work. It is a lifelong learning journey and one that I enjoy.
What advice would you give to someone aspiring to success in your field?
I would encourage them to attend our Dark Moon Gathering for Women in Adelaide at Sophia Centre to meet with us.
I would also advise women to get clarity purpose and direction on their life and work in a way that works for them. We offer the Journey of the Female Spirit Retreat which invites women to explore their female lineage four generations back. Many women cannot do this, those that do participate in a very loving and strong journey with their mothers, aunties, grandmothers, sisters and children in this process. It was what worked for me, I was faced with a choice of a limited identity or taking the road less travelled and finding my birth family and all that meant…the journey continues with me meeting more every year and embracing all that brings, culturally, emotionally and spiritually.
I now offer that work to other women and invite them to follow their joy, passion and what is life giving in their lives now and into the future.
To find out more about the Dark Moon Gatherings check their website: www.reflectiveyunnin.com