It is only in the presence of that which is, that the absence of that which is not, can be recognised, understood and appreciated. In this way, it was through the masculinisation and mechanisation of my world, that I began to notice the absence of the feminine and thus, the flow. The masculine and feminine are perhaps the most marked of all dichotomies. Often mistaken to mean sex or gender, these energetic fields transcend the essentialist notions of physical bodies, and move instead to an enquiry within spiritual or energetic realms.
Perhaps the best way of exploring what the Divine Feminine is, would be to create an analogy which can then be applied to life more generally. As a part of nature, a part of Mother Earth, flowers encapsulate the very essence of the Divine Feminine. So close your eyes and form a picture of the most beautiful flower you can imagine. It may be a rose, a lily, an iris or maybe an orchid. Stay with this image for a while. Notice the gentleness, the grace and the beauty your flower displays. Yet contemplate the storms it has weathered and the innate strength and wisdom it contains. Many flowers open themselves to the morning light and sunshine; yet close themselves for protection as the darkness draws near. Your flower embodies the great reproductive capacity of the feminine form as well as the abundance inherent in this great gift Gaia has blessed us with.
As you observe the flower, notice what it attracts and what is attracted to it. Perhaps you see the gentleness of a butterfly in all its grace, or hear the quiet humming of a bee. Or maybe you see the lightness of a bird as it hovers above to collect nectar. Be aware of how the vibrant colours and generosity of the flower draws others in, allowing a natural exchange of healing, nurturing and sustenance. Some may see the simplicity of a daisy in all its purity and wholeness, while others may see the majestic qualities of a red rose, symbolic of love and luxury. It is with this luxuriousness in mind that we transition to the notion of the Divine Feminine as a goddess.
The Divine Feminine as a mythical goddess, a princess or a mother, evokes images which incorporate the vulnerability of femininity for me. Thus, we introduce the paradox of the Divine Feminine, as a nurturing care giver as well as a surrendered receiver. Today, many women struggle as they juggle roles of care giver, cook, domestic help, sexual partner, business woman etc. Yet when exploring this common superwoman archetype, we find that by constantly doing and giving, no space or time is left for the goddess within to receive.
Contemplate all the women in fairytales who needed to be rescued: Snow White, Repunzel and Sleeping Beauty. If these women had devised plans for their escape or begun chipping away at the brick to free themselves, what role would their knight in shining armour have had?
Without seeking to discount the role of modern day feminism or to make generalist assumptions about women’s roles and ambitions, it appears that masculine and feminine energies go well beyond the daily tasks and occupations we have in this lifetime. In a fifth dimensional realm, this energy speaks right to the heart of what women really are: carriers of this feminine divinity. It is this Divine Feminine energy which has the capacity to heal, to restore and to remind others of the oneness that we share.
So by seeking to know, to do and to be everything, we consciously or subconsciously disempower and disarm our Martian companions. As a princess sits back at times, delegates and makes space for others to work, she unconsciously empowers and gives purpose to others. She simultaneously makes herself vulnerable enough to be provided for and most importantly, to receive. By actively creating this space, by surrendering to this vulnerability and by exercising her innate patience, the Divine Feminine attracts abundance and healing in her life. As this occurs, she moves closer to her essence, to whom and what she really is. As this process of receiving takes place, her body loosens, she begins to exude the sensuality of the feminine form and her body begins to heal from the inside out. In fact, she also begins to heal those around her as this softness and grace melt into each moment of her life.
This is her true self.
Just as Mother Earth heals and rejuvenates herself, so the Divine Feminine instinctually brings peace and love to the environment around her. Yet it is only with complete trust in the masculine, and the relief that results from surrendering to the feminine flow, that this beautiful process of attracting and receiving can occur.
Jeannine Verriest 2011
