What is Divine Feminine and Divine Masculine?
By Alexa Stathakis
We have all heard the terms ‘Divine Feminine’ and ‘Divine Masculine’ thrown around, but what do they actually mean?
Originally, according to ancient Tantric cosmology, the whole universe consists of a combination of two fundamental forces – Divine Feminine (Shakti) and Divine Masculine (Shiva).
Shiva represents the constitutive elements of the universe and the abiding parts of God. He provides the divine ground of all being. He is symbolic of consciousness – the unchanging and unlimited observer.
Shakti on the other hand represents the dynamic potency, which allows these elements to come alive. She is the motivating force behind all action and existence in this material world. She represents the energy, movement, power, and flow of change. In addition, she represents the warmth, security, and nourishing energy that one receives from a mother.
The divine union of the two fundamental forces together represents one whole. They represent different sides of the same coin. Another term used for Shiva and Shakti is Pursha and Prakriti, where Pursha represents consciousness and Prakriti represents nature.
In this day and age, we place so much emphasis on the masculine and pay little attention to the feminine energy. We need both to function as one whole. Yin and Yang, masculine and feminine. One cannot survive without the other.
Each one of us has both energies inside of us. Sometimes we may want to sit in solitude amongst nature (Shiva) and other times we want to dance around others (Shakti). Sometimes you want to display force (Shiva) and other times you want to lie in the arms of the all-loving mother (Shakti). When the scale is too far on the one side, you can feel out of balance.
If you spend too much time pushing yourself, and not enough time resting, you will burn out. If you never take risks, you may find you won’t get anywhere. It is being in tune with yourself, in tune with how you are feeling, and move with that. If you find yourself pulled too far on the masculine side, try these 3 tips…
3 ways to activate your feminine:
- The power of movement:
If you feel to ridged, too stuck, try movement as a way to create some flow in your life. Dance, sing and move your spin to activate that Shakti flow. Notice how that makes you feel.
- The power of song:
If you struggle to voice your options or set boundaries for yourself, try activating your throat chakra through song. See how that makes you feel.
- The power of play:
If you are feeling stuck in your mind, or feel you lack creativity, try a new hobby. Pick up a paintbrush and begin a painting without the attachment to the end goal. Perhaps you prefer music. Try pick up an instrument, and begin to play for the fun of simply playing. These activities are more right-brained (your creative side) and less left-brained (your analytical), so it allows you to step more into a flow state.
Give these three a try if you are feeling stuck, ridged, analytical, and see what happens. Notice what it feels like to step more into your free-flowing feminine.
