The Awakening: Restoring the Masculine Feminine Balance It is our nature to embody both masculine and feminine qualities, however in our past history and culture, we have witnessed an over-emphasis on the masculine energies which have dominated our world and has brought us off-balance, evidenced today by our state of chronic stress. Many of the wrongs and injustices in our society today, as well as the destruction of the planet, can be traced directly to the lost feminine. Some believe that today we are in need of embracing more the feminine aspects within us all, such as being nurturing and receptive, which in the past have been perceived as weak. We live in a culture that has given overwhelming preponderance to the masculine value and to mind – and has neglected many aspects of the feminine value, above all, the deepest longings of the human heart. Technological progress, scientific advance and political power have become the supreme goals. The human mind has virtually replaced God: it no longer recognizes a dimension of reality beyond the physical universe, nor any form of consciousness transcendent to its own. The culture is driven by a predatory and rapacious ethos of competitive struggle and the pursuit of power, conquest and control. Attributes in both men and women that are commonly labeled feminine–such as relational, creative, intuitive, cooperative, and nurturing are neglected in males and often disparaged in females, leading to a psychological imbalance. The paradigm of Western society is based on a hierarchical, dominator point of view that overlooks the balance and value that integrating masculine and feminine aspects can bring to a society based on equality and partnership. Yin and Yang Within each person exists a flow of Life Energy. This energy has two main expressions–the outward flow and the inward flow (in Chinese Medicine this is known as Yin and Yang energy). The Yang is the expression of our masculine energy, while the Yin is the expression of our feminine energy. At the most basic level, Yang (or masculine energy) is the outflowing of creative energy. This is the energy you feel when you are moving your energy out into the world, focused on completing a task, and associated with the practical, logical thinking of the left hemisphere of the brain, as well as an extroverted personality. The Yin (or feminine) is the receiving, or inward flow of energy. This is the energy you feel when exploring your inner landscape. Associated with the right hemisphere of the brain, this energy engages your feelings and intuition, is active when creating intimacy with another person, using your imagination, and being at peace with what is. Most of us oscillate in and out of these two energies throughout our day depending on what we are doing and who we are interacting with. Masculine (Yang) Qualities are characterized by: - action oriented - focused - assertive - passionate - transforming - stability - protect - support Feminine (Yin) Qualities are characterized by: - receptive - creation - instinctual wisdom - relating - nurturing - compassion - intuition - empathy Do you resonate more with the feminine or masculine aspects of yourself? Notice if you feel balanced or preferring one or the other. Often times, however, through familial and societal conditioning, many of us learn to become overly identified with either our Yang or Yin energy. When we forget that we have both masculine and feminine energy within, imbalance manifests in our thoughts, emotions, and physical body. By understanding our energy system better, we can consciously change the way we flow our energy. Having a balanced energy system naturally allows for emotional healing, and is important for overall holistic health. Signs of Imbalance Signs of Yin deficiency (excess of Yang energy) Anxiety, hyperactivity, frustration, overly controlling, feeling burnt out, anger, aggressiveness, feeling overly competitive, feeling overwhelmed and agitated, overly confident, inability to relax, and overly critical and judgmental. When we cut ourselves off from the Yin/feminine energy we lose our ability to fluidly move and adapt to our circumstances, be receptive to others, and connect with our creative inspiration. Instead of feeling peaceful and rested throughout our day, we become rigid, agitated and overextended. There is a feeling of continually needing to keep moving and keep doing. Sings of Yang deficiency (excess of Yin energy) Depression, stagnation, feeling overwhelmed, tired, listless, hopeless, confused, submissive, feeling weak and lifeless, feelings of jealousy, obsessive compulsive thoughts, lack of confidence, and feelings of low self esteem. When we cut ourselves off from our masculine energy, we have a hard time creating the experiences that we want in the world. We lose sight of our goals, lose inspiration to create the things that we want for ourselves, and can slip into depression and hopelessness. manifestdaily/awakening-global-consciousness-lost-feminine/
Posted on: Fri, 14 Mar 2014 07:08:09 +0000
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