Everyone has both masculine and feminine energies within them, and when you know how to embrace each one, you can be one pretty powerful being.
The thing is, our world is very masculine. Confidence, action, extroversion, drive, discipline, productivity, individualism — these are all traits that are revered in society. They set us up for success in the corporate world.
Feminine energy traits (empathy, intuition, creativity, nurturing, sensitivity, receptivity, collectivism) aren’t as respected and are often dismissed as less important. Show any of these in a traditional office setting and you’re putting yourself at risk of not being taken seriously.
What does this have to do with health?
The result of focusing so much on the masculine is that we feel deeply imbalanced, which affects us mentally and physically.
You probably already know the harmful emotional toll that this can take, but on the physical front, did you know it can throw off your hormones?
Women’s cycles are more complex than the 24-hour cycle that governs men’s hormones. Their bodies repeat the same cycle day after day. Our hormones fluctuate over the course of 28 days, and so we change through each phase of our cycle — our energy, our metabolism, our interests, digestion, immunity, and more.
Listen to Episode 3 of It’s Just a Phase for more.
When you try living out of harmony with your natural cycle, it can kind of feel like you’re a square peg trying to fit in a round hole. If you’ve ever felt guilty about not being productive every single day, or for resting even though you needed it, if you’ve ever been told you’re too sensitive, that it’s all in your head, listen up.
Your hormones dictate a lot about your health, so it’s really important to honor your ebbs and flows, tune in to how you feel, and adjust the script accordingly.
Otherwise the more we try to fit into the wrong hole, the more stressed we’re going to be, and chronic stress sets off a cascade effect of elevated cortisol, suppressed thyroid, estrogen dominance, and other hormonal issues.
Practices for embracing feminine energy
Feminine energy is powerful as hell (which is why I think it’s often looked down on, but that’s a rant for another day). And there’s nothing inherently wrong with masculine energy, we’re just forced to use it more often to get by in a capitalist society.
So let’s embrace the feminine and bring ourselves back into balance, shall we? Learning how to harness this power allows you to better integrate the two in your life and intuitively know when each is needed.
Nourish yourself.
Get your self-care on! In my mini-guide on syncing with the moon, I give a brief overview of the types of foods that will be supportive to you in each phase of your menstrual cycle.
But nourishment isn’t exclusive to nutrition. Think about other activities and practices that fill your cup. What makes you feel good? If you’re coming up short on ideas, start with this list.
Plan to not have a plan.
Masculine energy vs. feminine energy is the same idea as human doing vs. human being. We never really take the time to just be.
So do something rebellious — plan NOT to be productive for a day.
I know, it’s hard. Trust me, my Virgo stellium just gasped from deep within me (I’m also a Generator in human design, so it’s extra freaky for me to do this, but always feels so good when I do).
Let your intuition guide what you do for the day.
Get sensual.
Take your time with things. Slow down and pay attention to your senses.
I love having clients do this while they eat so they can see how a more relaxed and present time with food can really change their experience of a meal.
You can also do this in your daily shower or bath. Take a little extra time to lather up, feel the water on your skin, massage yourself with oil when you get out.
Indulge in some of the finer things and notice the details through your senses of sight, smell, sound, taste, and touch.
Donate to causes you care about
Collectivism is a decidedly feminine trait, and supporting organizations that are close to your heart is a great way to embrace that energy.
Consider donating to organizations that support reproductive justice, fight for a more inclusive sex-ed curriculum, or supply menstrual products to those in need.
Track your period
This isn’t quite as thrilling, but if you bleed, tracking your period can help you tune in to your body’s changes throughout the month. This gives you more insight into any hormonal imbalances and when symptoms are occurring, so you can more clearly communicate this to your doctor.
Health concerns in those assigned female at birth (especially Black and Brown folks) are often dismissed and we’re told it’s all in our head. But if you’re tracking, you know the truth.
On the bright side, this awareness makes you more receptive to intuitive messages.
Live by the moon
The moon is the ultimate symbol of feminine energy. It embodies everything we’ve already discussed: emotions, receptivity, intuition, etc. And the energies of its phases just happen to correspond to the energies of our menstrual cycles (meaning the hormonal fluctuations of the menstrual cycle and how they make us feel).
You don’t have to have a period to live by the moon. Anyone can do this if they want to embrace more of their feminine side. I go into detail on how you can do this in this blog post.
More resources for learning about your feminine side
- Period Power by Maisie Hill.
- WomanCode + In The Flo by Alissa Vitti
- If Women Rose Rooted by Sharon Blackie
- Women Who Run With the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estes
- Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Reisch
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