The left side of the body is connected to the right brain and is considered ‘cooling’, which relates to feminine qualities. The energy on the right side of the body is connected to the left brain and is considered ‘heating’, which relates to masculine qualities. In the yoga tradition, the feminine and masculine are described energetically on opposite sides of the body. Although there is some overlap within these qualities, understanding the nuances, variations, and differences of them is necessary in order to see if there is an imbalance rising anywhere in our lives. The labels thus include, and show up as, ‘masculine’ which is typically described by logic, objectivity, force, competition, alongside the ‘feminine’ qualities that include intuition, subjectivity, nurturing, connection, and creativity. What I concluded is that ‘masculine’ and ‘feminine’ are simply terms to describe seemingly opposing but complementary qualities embodied by people of all gender identities that each of us can draw on in different situations. Finding ways to understand them in a modern context allowed me to explore the collective consciousness on my own terms. Oftentimes, the descriptions of these classical archetypes didn’t resonate with me because they were described in a different context and time period. Archetypes are shared human constructs, and they evolve as we evolve. When we tune into the energy of the Divine Feminine, we bring forth the qualities of nurturing, compassion, and healing into our lives. So what about the Divine Feminine archetypal qualities? What does this mean and how does it play a role in our modern lives? To start, this energy lives within all beings of all gender identities and expressions.
#THE DIVINE FEMININE SYMBOL FULL#
Understanding what these personas represent can help us unfold our full potential.
We also understand how these archetypal qualities are showing up in our relationships, work, and personal narratives as well as which ones we need to bring forth. We meet the guidance of these personas within ourselves.
And through these archetypes and their stories, we see what is possible. They represent themes, motifs, and aspects of humanity.
Mythical stories represent our collective imaginations – in modern times by icons, heroic characters in books and film, and historical figures. Stories, told through archetypal characters, are part of our collective consciousness and shape our personalities and behaviors. These archetypes are symbols of our higher states of consciousness and through their stories, we can learn about our own human potential. I could see the qualities of many of the gods and goddesses within me, some more than others. The idea that we all have the ability to access the collective qualities of humanity began to resonate with me. These archetypes represent the often dormant potentials that lie within us all as states of possibility and that we have access to at any time. It was then that I learned that these archetypes – gods, goddesses, themes, motifs, epic characters in movies – were simply representations of qualities within all humans, and that by putting attention on those personas, one is awakening the expression of these universal qualities within themselves.Īrchetypes as the Symbols of Higher States of Consciousness When I first came to work at Chopra many years ago, I attended several workshops that revolved around working with archetypes. Were these actual beings? What did it mean that Saraswati was the goddess of knowledge? And couldn’t I have knowledge without making an offering to her? I didn’t know how this all fit into my life. And the representations seemed flat and simplistic. In my analytical mind, I never connected to the idea that worshipping a particular form would somehow bring things into my life. In all honesty, it never really resonated with me. It seemed there were an endless number of gods and goddesses and it was easy to get caught up in a literal interpretation of their stories. I grew up in a home where we learned a lot about Hindu mythology.