Balancing the Divine Feminine

The Divine Feminine is often explored in contrast to the patriarchal structures that modern society was built on. However, the Divine Feminine is one of the fundamental archetypal and energetic building blocks of creation and is not limited to females. It is not just a response to patriarchal structures, but instead a principal form of energy that all beings possess, regardless of a person’s gender. It is complementary to the Divine Masculine, and together they are the forces behind all of creation. This article will explore the Divine Feminine traits, archetypes, and imbalances, as well as how to awaken this force within each of us.

Characteristics of the Divine Feminine

In many spiritual traditions, the Divine Feminine is personified as a goddess or a divine mother figure. It is associated with intuition, feelings, nurturing, receptivity, interconnectedness, healing, creativity, empathy, and communication. Symbols such as the moon, Gaia (Mother Earth), and water as all considered expressions of the Divine Feminine. It acts as a counterbalance to the masculine aspects, which are associated with the qualities of strength, action, and logic. If the masculine is focused on doing, the feminine is focused on being. She is not only represented by the more abstract and emotional aspects but she is also the container from which all things are birthed. She is the unmanifest consciousness that awaits the masculine structure and instruction to bring form out of the formless.

Read More About the Divine Masculine Energies

The Divine Feminine Archetypes

In mythology and literature, the Divine Feminine is represented in various forms and includes a multitude of energies, deities, virtues, and personifications. These archetypes are not goddesses but rather attributes of the Divine Feminine, and they can be used to cultivate a deeper awareness of ourselves. By recognizing which of these archetypes we embody, we can learn how these energies manifest as both the shadow and light depending on our own unique experiences. We can call upon different aspects of these forms to restore balance and wholeness to our being.

The following are examples of Divine Feminine archetypes:

1. Maiden: embodies innocence, playfulness, and new beginnings. E.g. Persephone, Cinderella, Snow White
2. Lover: represents sensuality, intimacy, and emotional connection. E.g. Aphrodite, Venus, Guinevere, Juliet, Cleopatra
3. Mother: embodies nurturing, compassion, and unconditional love. E.g. Demeter, Mary, Gaia, Mother Nature.
4. Enchantress: represents the mysterious, seductive, and magical aspects of femininity. E.g. Circe, Medusa, Baba, Maleficent.
5. Healer: embodies the power of healing, restoration, and transformation. E.g. Hecate, Kuan Yin, White Buffalo Calf Woman
6. Creatrix: represents creativity, imagination, and the ability to bring form out of the formless. E.g. Saraswati, Minerva, Sophia, Oshun
7. Priestess: embodies spirituality, intuition, and connection to the Divine. E.g. Hestia, Isis, Mary Magdalene
8. Queen: represents leadership, authority, and the ability to create order and stability. E.g.Hera, Ishtar, Elizabeth I, Catherine the Great
9. Wild Woman: represents freedom, authenticity, and the ability to embrace one’s primal nature. E.g. Lilith, Eve, Salome, Calypso, Pandora.
10. Wise Woman: embodies wisdom, knowledge, and the ability to guide others through life’s challenges. E.g. Sophia, Kuan Yin, Baba Yaga

Working with these archetypes can be a transformative journey for women (and men), allowing them to embody the highest expression of their feminine energies.

(Sacred Contracts by Caroline Myss is a fantastic book to learn more about archetypes)

The Divine Feminine Out of Balance

The best way to understand the balance of the Divine Feminine is to see it in relationship to the Divine Masculine. Think of the Yin/Yang. These two energies exist in harmony. If one is out of balance, it means that the other is also imbalanced. When our Divine Feminine energy is out of harmony, we exhibit the shadow side – the wounded feminine. This is characterized by unhealthy patterns of behavior such as jealousy, manipulation, and victimhood. Finding a balance between the two is key.

An imbalance in the Divine Feminine can manifest in various ways, including:

1. Repression of emotions and feelings.
2. Lack of creativity and self-expression.
3. Difficulty in nurturing and caring for oneself and others.
4. Overly passive behavior or playing the victim.
5. Inability to set healthy boundaries.
6. Disconnection from nature and the environment.
7. Overly emotional or placing feelings above all else.
8. A tendency towards perfectionism or people-pleasing.
9. Difficulty in receiving and accepting help or support from others.
10. Using emotional blackmail to manipulate others.

Awakening the Divine Feminine

Regardless of your gender, awakening the Divine Feminine within can benefit your spiritual, emotional, and physical well-being. Bringing a deeper sense of meaning and purpose into your life and connecting you to your inner guidance system.

Here are some ways to awaken the Divine Feminine:

1. Spend time in nature, walk barefoot, sunbathe naked, and bathe in the river.
2. Do things that deepen your relationship with the Earth like gardening, conservation, and working with animals.
3. Access, fully feel, and release our feelings without judgment.
4. Practice self-care and self-love.
5. Cultivate healthy boundaries and learn to say no.
6. Connect with the Divine Feminine through meditation, prayer, ritual, and ceremony.
7. Embrace creativity, whether it’s through dance, art, music, writing, or other forms of expression.
8. Cultivate intuition and take action on your inner guidance.
9. Examine your wounds that arose from early and important relationships with women. Explore what they taught you about femininity and the qualities of the Divine Feminine.
10. Practice compassion, empathy, and kindness towards ourselves and others.
11. Nurture relationships, people, plants, and animals. Take care of your world with a loving presence.
12. Flow within the micro and macro cycles of the day, month, year, etc.

Rise of the Divine Feminine

Patriarchal and masculine structures have dominated modern society for centuries. Part of bringing balance to a world that seeks domination over nature and each other is to bring balance to the divine principles. Awakening the Divine Feminine in each of us can help to empower all people and promote equality. In our linear and logical world, the qualities of the Divine Feminine like intuition, and emotions are seen as less than. But to bring balance and harmony to our world, all aspects of the divine energies need to be valued and revered. They don’t exist on a spectrum, they exist as a whole in complement to each other.

Read Seeing Beyond the Lens of Patriarchy

Connecting to the Divine Feminine helps us live more in alignment with our higher self and assists us in operating from a space of self-love, kindness, and inner peace. We can be compassionate and nurturing, without sacrificing healthy boundaries – embracing the idea of power with instead of power over. Essentially, when our energies are in balance, we are empowered and, in turn, empower others. Through meditation, prayer, and self-exploration, we can tap into the Divine Feminine energy within us and connect with the sacredness of all life. By embracing the Divine Feminine principle, we can create a world that is more compassionate, just, and equitable for all beings.