“The Universe has male and female expressions, and you are no different.”
– Melissa Carver – The Chopra Center
We are energetic beings, and one of the energies that form part of our identity is that of masculine and feminine. Learning how to balance your masculine and feminine energy aspects will help you to feel greater vitality and thrive mentally, emotionally and physically.
What is Masculine and Feminine Energy?
Masculine and feminine energies are two parts of a whole, and can be symbolised as yin and yang. The first thing to understand when defining masculine and feminine energy is that it is not strictly connected to men and women. It is not that men have masculine energy and women have feminine energy. We all have both masculine and feminine energy flowing within us. Generally, masculine energy is more dominant in men and feminine energy is more dominant in women, but this is not always the case. It may also be that we are dominant in a particular energy for a particular time, or in a particular role. However, to experience inner harmony, we all need to flow with a balance of the masculine and feminine aspects of energy within us.
“When we have developed a trust in both our inner man and woman and they can nourish, support, communicate and cooperate with each other, a love begins to flow between them.” – Swami Dhyan Giten
Health and strength lie in the acceptance and union of our male and female energies.
Masculine and feminine energies can be thought of as following the properties of yin and yang which is a concept of dualities forming a whole. Masculine and feminine energies within a person flow and change with time, and as one increases the other decreases to maintain the overall balance of the whole. No one is completely masculine or completely feminine, and each one contains the beginning point for the other. They are interdependent and one is defined in contrast to the other.
Yin Yang illustrated from the Tao Te Ching
When people see things as beautiful,
ugliness is created.
When people see things as good,
evil is created.Being and non-being produce each other.
Difficult and easy complement each other.
Long and short define each other.
High and low oppose each other.
Fore and aft follow each other.
I see that masculine energy can also be equated with ego (static physicality) and feminine energy with soul (moving energy). As with masculine and feminine energy and the concepts of yin and yang, I see ego and soul as complementary dualities. We can only recognize ego as we gain awareness of our soul. Both are simply aspects of us, and we come into wholeness when we come to know and accept both without judgement.
Here is a summery of the key characteristics of masculine and feminine energy:
What Happens if You Have an Imbalance of Masculine and Feminine energy?
If your feminine energy is low you may struggle to feel valued, appreciated or cared for. You may also feel disconnected from others and your own intuition and creativity. Excessive masculine energy can lead to us thinking that life is hard because we become solely focused on hustling, striving, material gain, taking individualised action and disregarding emotion. If your masculine energy is low you may find it hard to be focused, purposeful, and to take decisive action. This can also lead to you feeling unsuccessful.
How Can You Balance Your Masculine and Feminine Energies?
To increase the flow of masculine energy:
Do something
competitive
e.g. step up for a challenge at work, play a competitive sport, compete with
someone in an electronic game, or enter a dance competition.
Construct a
mathematical based project:
e.g. take a how-to class at a DIY store, build a birdhouse or a deck (depending
on your skill level), or join a charitable building project such as one through
Habitat for Humanity.
Remember to set step by step goals to complete the project to increase the flow of masculine energy even more.
Read a science article
The written word as well as science comes from the masculine aspect of your brain.
Activate your
physical strength
e.g. lift weights, move furniture around in your house (or help someone
else move house), or do some heavy gardening.
Initiate and organise an activity
e.g. plan and organise a family vacation, or a surprise party, or a romantic get-away, or a project around your house.
Masculine energy needs to know how it is needed and what it is providing. It defines its worth by what it is doing and by proving its worth.
Feminine energy defines worth by being
To increase the flow of feminine energy:
Create
e.g. redecorate a room, take an art or craft class, colour in, write a
story or poem, or take photos
Nurture
e.g. give hugs, encourage others, cook a meal for someone, help out at a
homeless shelter, look after a pet or foster animal, or volunteer at a
retirement home
Get into your body
Feminine energy is sensual. Dance, move your body in a flowing way, take a relaxing bath, wander through a fragrant garden, caress your body, receive a massage, or listen to beautiful music. Anything that activates your senses, and brings you into a place of experiencing life in the moment without any agenda.
Welcome your emotions
Increase your awareness of your emotions e.g. use “I feel . . . ” as a
statement starter (the masculine is “I think . . . “), write in a reflective
journal, watch an emotionally charged movie, or write a love note to someone.
Activities that
activate both masculine and feminine energy:
Yoga
Laughter
Spending time in nature
Harness the Power of Both Masculine and Feminine
Experiencing balance and flow in our our masculine and feminine energies is key to thriving mentally, emotionally and physically. Understanding them as ways of being, rather than expressions of gender, will enable you to utilise the strengths of each energy in powerful ways in your life. Deganit Nuur presents an interesting concept of four divine energy types (personality archetypes) based on feminine and masculine energy in this article.
Cover Photo by Aarón Blanco Tejedor on Unsplash
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