Activating the feminine energy of love and compassion

The twin energies of being and becoming
When we speak about feminine energy, it is important for us to be clear that this is not something exclusive to women. Even defining qualities as 'feminine' or 'masculine' is a little risky as it begins to create separation.

However, most of us know in our hearts that there is a difference. For me the best description of this difference comes from the Earth Wisdom teachings which speak of the 'feminine' aspect as a 'being' energy and the 'masculine' as a becoming energy. When we weave these two energies together we create life.

This feminine being state is receptive, yielding, open and naturally connected to life, love, spirit and all that is. It can also be described as the void, the empty container through which new life is birthed. When we are truly being, truly connected and allowing the grace of life to flow through us, we are experiencing our feminine aspect. We are connected to the energies of love and compassion which flow through us.

The masculine becoming energy is active, expressive and outgoing. This brings the being energy into form, creating boundaries and manifesting life through action and outward movement. When fear drives us, it's easy to get stuck in this energy, believing that our constant doing energy will in some way control our outcomes. It is common for men and women alike to completely overlook the power of the being energy letting let fear drive our masculine power to extremes. This can mean fierce conflict and competition, defensiveness and aggression.

We create from the being state we're in
If our state of being is distorted by fear then what we manifest through our becoming energy will be tainted with the same fear. Often I have made decisions about my life from fear that my sense of self will be shattered in some way. I created even more separation from my own authenticity - my true self that allows strength to come from vulnerability and self-acceptance. It wasn't until I started to slow down all the 'doing' stuff masking my fear, that I began to realise how remote my own feminine nature was. I needed to find a way back to balance in myself. Then I could begin to feel the strength of love that had been so suppressed and allow it to guide my actions, decisions, thoughts and words.

The benefit is simple: the energy that we are being creates our experience of life. As we evolve our lives from a state of love and compassion so we transform our experiences to become those that feed us with the same love and compassion.

How do we activate this balancing power of love?
There are many ways to answer this question - one basic step is through intention and spiritual practice. We need to create the space for the being energy to strengthen in us. And this isn't necessarily easy. In my own attempts to find a deeper sense of connection with love through meditation, I would often find myself swamped by negative emotions and thoughts. I didn't realise they were negative until I began to take notice of them and their impact. Often I would be driven away from meditation by an intense need to fix my discomfort by distracting myself. Then I realised that I was resisting being present to the pain. This resistance got me no closer to peace it just kept me stuck in my fear. So I began to recognise the subtle ways that my fears were ruling my life. The next step was to address them head on by being with the fear, acknowledging it and accepting its presence.

So I allowed my practice to become a healing chamber, a place where I could become present to and acknowledge my fears and move through them. It's not until we have the courage to move through our painful fears that we can then be present with the love and compassion that is hiding out on the other side.  What we resist, persists. There is a reason for our pains being present, a message or gift, something for us to learn.

Here are some of the basic steps that I take in my practice when I am aware that there is fear driving me in some way. The principle is acceptance and integration.

• Sit in a sacred space, relax and hold an intention to be loving and compassionate with yourself. It is important to hold this intention no matter what you are experiencing.
  
• Acknowledge the feeling of fear - this may be experienced as anger, anxiety, physical pains, restricted breathing, depression etc.
  
• Feel the feeling and allow it to bring you present. Explore where it manifests in the body and how it feels. Just be aware without judgement of the feeling sensation in the body. Notice it and observe it.
  
• If it has a voice let it speak to you. Ask it what its purpose is and look to understand the positive intention. You can even see if it has a name. Accept however much or little comes. Receive it.
  
• Lastly, make a prayer to fully surrender the fear- speak out loud. End with acknowledging gratitude for whatever state of connection with love and compassion you have reached.

Above all be present and open to Grace.

Click here for Joey's biography.