First and foremost, The Divine Feminine is a certain type of wisdom that lives deep within us. I was first introduced to these concepts while studying archetypes and depth psychology in my 20’s and then, years later, I became re-enamored with it once again as I shifted deeper into yogic studies. Essentially, it focuses on the primordial essences of universal life, from which we are inseparable. In a sense, it illustrates the dualities of human traits on a spectrum of feminine and masculine energies that come together to form a balanced whole.
What Does The Divine Feminine Have to Do with My Own Self-Growth?
If you’ve been working on your ‘inner-work’ for any length of time, you can assist further growth by expanding your toolset. New information increases our understanding of basic concepts that may have lost their initial awe and luster. Sometimes, all you need is a new lens to prime your next evolution forward. Next, let’s hit on the why and how to answer the Divine call.
Socially, we live in a time that is heavily influenced by the ‘Masculine’ (or Yang energies, from a Daoist perspective). So, this work has been gaining much-needed attention and momentum to help restore a greater sense of balance. This works in individuals and in humanity as a collective. When we are working with the Divine Feminine (DF), we task ourselves to explore and cultivate more of the feminine (‘Yin-like’) qualities to balance what is currently imbalanced to the former. Topically, it is a philosophical system that allows us to explore ourselves and the world around us in a variety of insightful and interesting ways that can include archetypes, energies, spirituality, and much, much more.
Why Do Some People Integrate The Devine Feminine into their Yoga Practice?
Yoga and many schools of Divine Feminine thought & philosophy both stem from practices rooted in spiritual connection and rich social beliefs and traditions. In yoga, DF psychology, energies, and spiritual principles share a lot of interwoven lessons, spanning many cross-cultural traditions and timelines. To me, the ability to utilize intersecting ideas is a wonderful way to access various frames of reference. Most people benefit from having many lenses that they can use in their personal explorations and healing journeys. DF ideology is a well-suited companion for practices such as Yin yoga, Yoga Nidra, and Restorative Yoga where the attributes of each are in direct alignment.
Moonwork = An Easy Cross-Sectional Launch Point
Most Divine Feminine histories and ideologies relate to the moon. There are many different facets to the philosophy of the DF. You can integrate phases of the moon and various arms of the philosophy into your life, and/or yoga practices. These practices can be used by both men and women, just as yin and yang are not opposites but integrative parts of our wholeness as spiritual beings temporarily living inside of physical bodies. This can also be a great way to honor the reproductive phases of a woman’s physical body’s monthly cycle.
In My Personal Life & Yoga Practices
I follow this sequence of celebration, as a set of cyclical observances that makes sense in my life:
New Moon – The Maiden Phase
1st Quarter Moon – The Mother Phase
Full Moon – The Queen Phase
3rd Quarter Moon – The Crone Phase
Above all, The Divine Feminine is a change to embrace and celebrate vast facets of your being! Honoring The Divine Feminine in this way is part of ongoing self-care. The moon phase indicates times designated for various physical, psychological and spiritual works that draw our awareness at each time. In this way, we create space to live by yogic principles while also honoring 4 of the major feminine archetypes that live within, and express as each of us, in continual cycles. This is a practice of sacred self-care. Here, we observe how layers of self are coming together in, or falling short of, balance at any given time.