Welcome to another LLWS post. As always, these post are written to invoke thought and expand our horizons. The age old topic of masculine and feminine energy, has been talked about from so many different perspectives. Let's take a look at it from the Yoga and Ayurvedic perspective and compare it to what we see in the West. Here it goes...
For starters, we all have both feminine and masculine energy and qualities within us. The question is, have they been able to fully develop and unfold into a healthy manifestation of yourself? Let's dive into this question. Think about your early childhood role models. Were they anchored in their masculine or feminine selves? We learn how to communicate from our childhood role models. This is where things can get sticky, because if these energies aren't nurtured from a neutral space of love, or allowed to be explored in childhood, it can lead to a host of confusion in adulthood. We are witnessing a global unraveling of this. These energies are often confused with dominance, submission, repression and suppression. Unless these energies are taught from unconditional love from birth, it can be tricky to navigate communication from the appropriate energy as we develop and mature.
Here in the west, women have been conditioned to be able to "Do it all and handle it all." It has taken women out of their feminine and has forced them to operate from their masculine energy. We have also been conditioned to compete with masculine energy. However, this is very counter intuitive, which has been devastating for the female nervous system.
Here’s an example of what can happen:
The female adult who lives with excessive masculine energy, is often the child that had to protect herself and be tough. She wasn’t exposed to healthy feminine or masculine energy. She wasn’t exposed to the strong, yet soft energy of a nurturing female. This often puts females in a mode of reacting through life with masculine energy, which is interpreted as force and power. Culturally in the West, this is often seen as a strong woman. A strong female is soft and expansive, but generally, this is not understood or accepted. Her strength is in her softness. The confusion is that soft can be perceived as weak, but this is not the case at all. The disbursement of energy in so many different directions, leads to many health issues for women, including auto-immune diseases.
Men are also struggling to embrace their true masculine energy. They are often conditioned to rule with mental and physical strength, not with their heart. They are taught to toughen up, not cry, not show weakness or defeat. Men should not be soft. This is deeply harmful because there's a lot of shame built around men connecting to their emotions. They often aren't able to verbally express feelings of any kind. All of this repression is creating deep mental instability, which as we know trickles down into physical instability. Repression, from the Ayurvedic perspective, is one of the root causes of disease.
Here's an example of what can happen:
The male adult who lives with excessive masculine energy, is often dominating, aggressive, and insensitive. He can be hyper-analytical, and suppress his emotions. This can be very detrimental to male health. Feminine energy within a male is vital for their health and happiness. Balancing these energies can bring creativity and inspiration into males, which will expand into feelings of empathy and self-love.
As we look deeper into these energies, we can see how the confusion is playing out in the world. There's lack of understanding how to have a healthy, balanced relationship with masculine energy, as well as feminine energy. The energies are not designed to compete against each other, but rather flow into one another. Yes, there's times where a male will need to act more from his feminine energy and times when a female will need to act more from her male energy, but it's detrimental to our health when we get stuck operating from the incorrect energy. This is similar to living in a state of fight-or-flight for an entire life. We are supposed to flow in and out of these energies, not live in them.
When a man understands his own masculine and feminine energy, he is able to be the container for the woman to expand into. He knows that her ability to expand is far greater than his, and providing a container, gives her the space she needs to expand and create, because she knows she is held. He also knows that her expansion will spill over into him and their family because that is the very nature of this flow. He feels safe expressing his emotions. He is clear, sturdy, and soft within himself and doesn't have the need to engage in dominant behavior because he's comfortable with his ability to communicate and flow in the world.
When a woman understands her own feminine and masculine energy, she is able to invite creation and softness into the male, without feeling afraid or dominated. The developed masculine energy is able to receive this with love, which will flow back into the feminine as juice for her to keep creating. She is able to expand into herself and provide nourishment for herself and those around her.
In cases where these energies aren't a continuous flow, the woman will do whatever is necessary to protect herself. This will cause her to contract and operate from a place of fear. She will retract into her masculine energy, which will close her off to intimacy because it doesn't feel safe. This will cause the male to act from his conditioned masculine energy, which will close him off to intimacy and can become subtly dominant, because he doesn't feel safe. When both parties are operating from their opposing energy, clarity in communication becomes compromised. Intimacy with oneself is the ability to connect into the heart space. Communication is vital for intimacy. Intimacy doesn't mean sex, it means the nurturing of our masculine and feminine energies within ourselves. We can start to see how this can get all tangled up. We lose sight of our true nature, therefore it becomes harder to communicate lovingly, appropriately, and effectively.
Ancient Vedics have written many stories about these energies and their tribulations and triumphs. Many have heard of these referred to as Shiva and Shakti. Both of these have many forms and meanings. Let's start with a simple introduction, and as time goes on we can expand. Shiva is the divine male energy (downward energy), which represents renunciation and destruction. He also represents stillness, self-discipline and clarity. He is also referred to as Deva. Shakti is the divine feminine (upward moving) energy that represents action, creation, and manifestation. She is also referred to as Devi. Also as Parvati. These energies flow within each of us, doing an energetic dance. Shiva and Shakti are complimentary forces that represent the masculine and feminine aspects of the divine. They are foundational to yoga philosophy and practicing a Yoga and Ayurvedic lifestyle.
Here's a quick story on the merging of Shiva and Parvati (Shakti). Keep in mind there are so many variations of this story. The story goes like this...Shiva was content in his solitary existence, completely detached from the world. He sat in meditation on top of a mountain for hundreds of years. and had no desire to come down the mountain to mingle with the common people. Many people tried to lure him down, but he couldn't be bothered. Parvati was drawn to Shiva's austere presence. Her unwavering determination, love and devotion touched the hearts of many. She decided to undergo a deep internal transformation, in order to merge with Shiva. Parvati faced many internal and external challenges during this time, but her strength, softness and love carried her through. Even with all that she had endured, Shiva remained unresponsive to her efforts. Parvati's dedication eventually moved Shiva to come down from the mountain. Their union sparked remarkable expansion and growth in the village. Shiva's tranquility starkly contrasted with Parvati's vivacious personality. In efforts to maintain his solitude, Shiva decided to go back up the mountain, and in her strength, Parvati decided not to follow him. Upon their parting, everything around them started to dry up and die. Everyone was devastated by all the destruction around them. Word of this destruction got back to Shiva. He realized that Parvati (Shakti) was the divine feminine energy that complimented his own power. Shiva understood that their union was essential for maintaining cosmic balance, and he agreed to marry her.
The story of Shiva and Parvati (Shakti) holds deep significance in Hindu mythology, and for all humans. Their union signifies the harmony of opposites. Despite their divine connection, they were inherently different, but in order to keep a harmonious flow, one cannot live without the other. This is a beautiful example of the infinite love and devotion between masculine and feminine energy.
Another great example of masculine and feminine energy is the Yin and Yang symbol. Yin represents feminine energy, and is cold and damp. It is the black part of the symbol. Yang represents masculine energy, and is hot and dry. Is the white part of the symbol. Each half of the symbol has a small circle in the center, which is the corresponding color of the opposite side. This is significant because it shows that each side carries the essence of the other. They are in a constant juggle to regulate and balance each other. Yin and Yang mutually support each other, as well as help the other to transform. You may have heard of Yin Yoga, which focuses on restoration. Yang Yoga is more dynamic and active. Hatha and Vinyasa are some examples of Yang Yoga. We can't be Yin all the time, and we can't be Yang all the time. Just like we can't be Shiva all the time, and we can't be Shakti all the time. One cannot thrive without the other.
Many of our mental and physical health issues are stemming from the confusion around these energies. In short, it all boils down to love. Love is the thread that will lead us back to our true nature. When we reject love, we reject our creation. Neither masculine or feminine energy can function properly without unconditional love. Understanding ourselves is the foundation for all things to flow. When we reject our creation we block our innate ability for self-discovery and deep healing.
~ Leelah Lakshmi ~
#ayurveda #ayurvedicpsychology #ayurvedalifestyle #holistichealthpractitioner #yoga #yogatherapy #holistichealth #bewellbefitbefree
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