Shakti is Divine Feminine principle. What is meant by Feminine principle? Feminine principle manifests as Life, in Universe as the power of creation, power of manifestation, its Energy that takes forms and shapes and is experienced as light and sound. At a much grosser level or physical plane, Shakti manifests as Emotions in us. At physical plane, Masculine principle, Shiva manifests through Feminine principle (Shakti) as Mind. When we talk about Shiva alone, we are talking about Un-manifest, which cannot manifest on its own and needs Divine Feminine, Shakti to manifest as Mind in us. Feminine principle, Shakti is the power to manifest but needs direction from the Masculine principle mind, which in the first place, is her first gross manifestation which is experienced by all of us on day to day basis. Shakti the feminine principle is regarded as highly important, because without it, one can never transcend this mundane world experience, and Be Shiva! Shiva can become one's reality only when Shakti unites Shiva. One has to let the Shakti flow through one's existence without resistance.
All of us have Masculine and Feminine principles, and energy within us in different ratios. It's not necessary that Male bodies have a more Masculine principle (Mind) and Female body is made up of more Feminine Principle (Emotions), it usually appears that way, because our first perception comes from looking at a physical body, whether it is male or female. As human beings we all are made up of same emotions and our mind (Manas, Buddhi, Chitta, Aham) also functions in a similar way. Between Mind and Emotions, it's not about which one is more important or higher, it's the BALANCE between the two which we strive for. A person may have really intense emotion, but the flow may be restricted because of a chaotic mind. Another person may have a well-balanced mind, but the emotional intensity may not be enough, to experience something beyond. We need both functioning in harmony, in balance. Masculine and Feminine should be balanced within, should work in an Integrated Fashion within us to be able to experience the Integration at an existential level.
Due to the abuse of Power/Shakti by many priestesses in ancient times throughout Egypt, Europe, men were forced to create a patriarchal society to protect themselves, and all practices, path, knowledge related to Shakti were condemned, to the extent that today, we are not even allowed to show our emotions freely. It is considered as a sign of weakness. Matriarchal and Patriarchal both worlds have seen enough suffering due to polarity and NOW is the time for "integration" of both principles. Again and again, it is proven that it's only the harmony between the two, an integration between the two that can be used as a ground to breed healthy spirituality, be THAT/Brahm and later let Shakti flow as Bliss, Love, and Peace in all expressions of life. But that integration has to happen "internally" first before something can be done in the external world. Change has to happen within in order to manifest the same change in the outer world.
Many people live life with mind over heart, while many others wear their heart on their sleeve, regardless of whether they are male or female. Many times females encounter difficult male personalities in life, and many times males encounter difficult female personalities in life. At times it's a reflection of our own IMBALANCE between Masculine and Feminine principles/energy within us.
I have met men who are scared, tortured due to emotional and/or mental manipulation and abuse by females. Usually such men have higher feminine principle within in comparison to their own Masculine principle/energy, and they are finding it hard to integrate within, as society, world taught them otherwise, like they should not cry, they should love using their mind, and be calculative, analytical in every aspect of life, as they are Male. Men were taught, "Be a Man", which meant HIDE your emotions at all cost. They were taught that display of emotions means being vulnerable and is a sign of weakness and femininity. Yes, being vulnerable means being in a "receiving" mode, but from the Divine, from the Universe, from the Shakti. They were taught that display of logical, rational mind is being a Man. Many men constantly are in a struggle with their own feminine energy/principle and end up "suppressing" emotions, in other words, end up "suppressing Shakti", the flow of Shakti is obstructed in them. Until and unless these men go against what society has taught them, they cannot achieve unobstructed flow of Shakti in them, until then their Mind will end up posing challenges, resistance to the natural flow of emotions. The one who is on the spiritual journey consciously has to at times go against social and moral codes, rules, as he/she is trying to live, follow Universal Codes/Rules.
I have met women who are scared and tortured due to physical, mental, emotional manipulation and abuse of power by men. Due to a long suppression and abuse era, women have revolted to that and have adopted more mental ways. She is expressing herself more and more into the arena of mind, through jobs, education, and everything. Society became patriarchal, and did not respect the Feminine principle, and has turned the woman into more of a high masculine principle, which goes against her nature at times. She has been taught to be tough, to be able to manage her emotions through the proper use of the mind. She has been taught to be Independent, and discard, eliminate men if not needed. Abuse of power has happened on both sides. Females started cultivating, nurturing more of a Masculine Energy within, so they do not have to depend on Males for that, and they do not have to be in mental, emotional and physical slavery.
All this has caused a great deal of imbalance on the Planet Earth in terms of Energy. Female bodies are naturally high in Feminine principle, and male bodies are naturally high in Masculine principle. Though this is not the case 100% of the time. The physical body is the resultant of the defining principle within. And it's not a limitation, instead, it's a tremendous power given to us. Though people end up treating it as if Feminine principle/Emotions are limitations, are hurdles that one has to cross, and when they start walking spiritual path consciously, they start struggling with the Masculine principle/Mind. None of these two are challenges, instead are our support, tools to cross the mire of Maya. Earth is the largest living being when Earth lets the seed grow into the plant when it nourishes life then it's Feminine principle is in working, when it grows mango tree from the mango seed, that intelligence is Masculine principle in working, when there are storms, thunder and all that's the process of attaining Balance. Earth actually is Androgynous being. When we as humans want to connect to its life nurturing aspect, we refer to it as Mother Earth, as that's what our physical/gross existence survives on and that's where it will go back. Akasha/Ether that surrounds earth and is the binding principle for humans is referred to as Father who seeds and oversee our existence as human beings. In order to invite grace from the Father, one must approach the Mother first, as it's easier that way. How many times in life you reached out to your mom in order to get approval for something from your dad. You found it easier in life to reach out to your mom and let her convince dad. I am referring to mom here as the one who is more emotional, and dad to the one who is more mental, regardless of their physical body/gender. Similarly, in order to finish the spiritual journey faster, balance and master the Feminine principle within (Emotions, Bhakti Yoga) and then Father principle (Mind, Jnana/Gyan Yoga) will automatically settle for you in the best possible way.
Now if you see clearly "within" it's NOT at all a problem or tussle between Male and Female as a gender. It's a tussle between "Mind" and "Emotions". Though externally in the world, society it appears to be a problem between male and female. When Mind/Masculine principle becomes chaotic, it resists the natural flow of Shakti. When Emotions/Feminine principle becomes chaotic, Shakti's flow hits the dam. The point is "balance" is needed.
Regardless of the physical body, a Yogi/Jnani/Self Realized one is neither a male nor female, a Guru is not male or female, Divine is not male or female, they are "integration/union" of masculine and feminine both principles. They are above & beyond the plane of duality. Shakti is in Union with Shiva in such beings and their energy is Androgynous/Ardhanarishwar. When you are near to such beings, depending upon which principle is more dominant or disturbed in you, you will feel the Yogi/Jnani/Divine's gender/energy as that. If you are in balance within yourself, then you will not even pay any attention to the gender/physical body/energy principle of such beings. Only the imbalance in you will lead your attention towards that. Next time pay attention when you find yourself pondering, oh He is a male Guru/Jnani, or that She is a female Guru/Jnani, putting male or female before Guru/Jnani seems totally wrong. (Laughs)
Shakti/Emotions when flows freely without encountering any resistance from Mind ends up "being LOVE". Love which is unconditional, love which doesn't abide by the rules of the society, the world. Love which knows no boundaries. Pure Shakti is nothing but a free-flow of Love, its wild, it's very hard to contain, its romantic, it's sensual, it's sexual, and it expresses itself in the utmost wildest way if allowed. Which of course is not what society taught us in order to maintain the order. Though it doesn't harm the beholder or anyone else, but no one knows that fact. It only helps us transcend. But society suppresses the free-flow of love, and hence the free flow of life. How can you feel true love, devotion with tens/hundreds of social rules in mind? Does true love/devotion ever happen within the boundaries of society? Then Radha, Krishna, Meera, Rumi, and lot many others may not have happened. And much more even wouldn't have been Self Realized through the path of Bhakti and Jnana Yoga. Then these two yoga paths should be discarded, right? Because these two often times go against and beyond the boundaries of logical/rational/socially conditioned mind. Because Yog/Union is an expression, manifestation of Shakti, the Divine Feminine.
One can feel or express that free flow of Shakti as love towards nothing, or towards another human, or animal, or flowers, or Divine, anything/anyone can reflect that free flow of Shakti through you. When Shakti encounters resistance from the mind, its natural flow/path is obstructed and one feels fearful. That fear can manifest in different areas of life and that's what is called as "blocked" Muladhara/Root Chakra. Fears are nothing but mental resistance to the Nature of Life, to the natural flow of Shakti. Fears are created by the Mind, as Mind doesn't want to go against the world, society as is known to it, the mind doesn't want to go beyond the boundaries it has created all through the life. The mind doesn't want to be judged by others and goes into the self-preservation mode of its several Identities that it has created by learning the rules of the society, world. The disturbed or chaotic flow of Shakti is Ignorance, Maya.
You can look deeply within to find out, what emotional patterns/constructs are blocking the natural flow of Shakti in you, and using the right knowledge, knowledge of Truth, Universal Laws, you can change the patterns and be free from blockages & fears. Once you start changing the patterns grace dawns by itself to help you. Grace depends on how honest you are with your own efforts in eliminating the chaos and attaining the balance, and how much emotionally attached you are to your own different personalities/identities/social images/conditioning of your own mind. Understand that blocked emotions create the useless mental pattern. Our personality is part of Mind, but our attachment to it is Emotional. Emotions need to be taken care of and balanced first in order to purify the Mind. At times one wants to remove such patterns, but the moment it comes to the total annihilation of identities, one chooses otherwise and clings to them. And it becomes the story of wanting to cross the river on foot but doesn't want your feet wet. So just ponder within yourself, how long it will take you to understand that foot will be wet, all identities, social images, personal images, personalities will be dead in the process of Awakening the Shakti within you, Embodying the Shakti in a clear-cut, unobstructed way. What will it take for you to have faith that merger of mind (Masculine principle) with emotions (Feminine principle) will take you towards Divine, Divine Love?
Jnani/Self Realized one's overflow with this very same Love, Bliss, and Peace, which are nothing but the dance of Shakti in their existence, which is in Union with the Universe (Manifest & Un-manifest).
Let the Shakti Flow! Let all bow down to Shakti, Divine Feminine! Let all find Union within!
~ Adiguru
All of us have Masculine and Feminine principles, and energy within us in different ratios. It's not necessary that Male bodies have a more Masculine principle (Mind) and Female body is made up of more Feminine Principle (Emotions), it usually appears that way, because our first perception comes from looking at a physical body, whether it is male or female. As human beings we all are made up of same emotions and our mind (Manas, Buddhi, Chitta, Aham) also functions in a similar way. Between Mind and Emotions, it's not about which one is more important or higher, it's the BALANCE between the two which we strive for. A person may have really intense emotion, but the flow may be restricted because of a chaotic mind. Another person may have a well-balanced mind, but the emotional intensity may not be enough, to experience something beyond. We need both functioning in harmony, in balance. Masculine and Feminine should be balanced within, should work in an Integrated Fashion within us to be able to experience the Integration at an existential level.
Due to the abuse of Power/Shakti by many priestesses in ancient times throughout Egypt, Europe, men were forced to create a patriarchal society to protect themselves, and all practices, path, knowledge related to Shakti were condemned, to the extent that today, we are not even allowed to show our emotions freely. It is considered as a sign of weakness. Matriarchal and Patriarchal both worlds have seen enough suffering due to polarity and NOW is the time for "integration" of both principles. Again and again, it is proven that it's only the harmony between the two, an integration between the two that can be used as a ground to breed healthy spirituality, be THAT/Brahm and later let Shakti flow as Bliss, Love, and Peace in all expressions of life. But that integration has to happen "internally" first before something can be done in the external world. Change has to happen within in order to manifest the same change in the outer world.
Many people live life with mind over heart, while many others wear their heart on their sleeve, regardless of whether they are male or female. Many times females encounter difficult male personalities in life, and many times males encounter difficult female personalities in life. At times it's a reflection of our own IMBALANCE between Masculine and Feminine principles/energy within us.
I have met men who are scared, tortured due to emotional and/or mental manipulation and abuse by females. Usually such men have higher feminine principle within in comparison to their own Masculine principle/energy, and they are finding it hard to integrate within, as society, world taught them otherwise, like they should not cry, they should love using their mind, and be calculative, analytical in every aspect of life, as they are Male. Men were taught, "Be a Man", which meant HIDE your emotions at all cost. They were taught that display of emotions means being vulnerable and is a sign of weakness and femininity. Yes, being vulnerable means being in a "receiving" mode, but from the Divine, from the Universe, from the Shakti. They were taught that display of logical, rational mind is being a Man. Many men constantly are in a struggle with their own feminine energy/principle and end up "suppressing" emotions, in other words, end up "suppressing Shakti", the flow of Shakti is obstructed in them. Until and unless these men go against what society has taught them, they cannot achieve unobstructed flow of Shakti in them, until then their Mind will end up posing challenges, resistance to the natural flow of emotions. The one who is on the spiritual journey consciously has to at times go against social and moral codes, rules, as he/she is trying to live, follow Universal Codes/Rules.
I have met women who are scared and tortured due to physical, mental, emotional manipulation and abuse of power by men. Due to a long suppression and abuse era, women have revolted to that and have adopted more mental ways. She is expressing herself more and more into the arena of mind, through jobs, education, and everything. Society became patriarchal, and did not respect the Feminine principle, and has turned the woman into more of a high masculine principle, which goes against her nature at times. She has been taught to be tough, to be able to manage her emotions through the proper use of the mind. She has been taught to be Independent, and discard, eliminate men if not needed. Abuse of power has happened on both sides. Females started cultivating, nurturing more of a Masculine Energy within, so they do not have to depend on Males for that, and they do not have to be in mental, emotional and physical slavery.
All this has caused a great deal of imbalance on the Planet Earth in terms of Energy. Female bodies are naturally high in Feminine principle, and male bodies are naturally high in Masculine principle. Though this is not the case 100% of the time. The physical body is the resultant of the defining principle within. And it's not a limitation, instead, it's a tremendous power given to us. Though people end up treating it as if Feminine principle/Emotions are limitations, are hurdles that one has to cross, and when they start walking spiritual path consciously, they start struggling with the Masculine principle/Mind. None of these two are challenges, instead are our support, tools to cross the mire of Maya. Earth is the largest living being when Earth lets the seed grow into the plant when it nourishes life then it's Feminine principle is in working, when it grows mango tree from the mango seed, that intelligence is Masculine principle in working, when there are storms, thunder and all that's the process of attaining Balance. Earth actually is Androgynous being. When we as humans want to connect to its life nurturing aspect, we refer to it as Mother Earth, as that's what our physical/gross existence survives on and that's where it will go back. Akasha/Ether that surrounds earth and is the binding principle for humans is referred to as Father who seeds and oversee our existence as human beings. In order to invite grace from the Father, one must approach the Mother first, as it's easier that way. How many times in life you reached out to your mom in order to get approval for something from your dad. You found it easier in life to reach out to your mom and let her convince dad. I am referring to mom here as the one who is more emotional, and dad to the one who is more mental, regardless of their physical body/gender. Similarly, in order to finish the spiritual journey faster, balance and master the Feminine principle within (Emotions, Bhakti Yoga) and then Father principle (Mind, Jnana/Gyan Yoga) will automatically settle for you in the best possible way.
Now if you see clearly "within" it's NOT at all a problem or tussle between Male and Female as a gender. It's a tussle between "Mind" and "Emotions". Though externally in the world, society it appears to be a problem between male and female. When Mind/Masculine principle becomes chaotic, it resists the natural flow of Shakti. When Emotions/Feminine principle becomes chaotic, Shakti's flow hits the dam. The point is "balance" is needed.
Regardless of the physical body, a Yogi/Jnani/Self Realized one is neither a male nor female, a Guru is not male or female, Divine is not male or female, they are "integration/union" of masculine and feminine both principles. They are above & beyond the plane of duality. Shakti is in Union with Shiva in such beings and their energy is Androgynous/Ardhanarishwar. When you are near to such beings, depending upon which principle is more dominant or disturbed in you, you will feel the Yogi/Jnani/Divine's gender/energy as that. If you are in balance within yourself, then you will not even pay any attention to the gender/physical body/energy principle of such beings. Only the imbalance in you will lead your attention towards that. Next time pay attention when you find yourself pondering, oh He is a male Guru/Jnani, or that She is a female Guru/Jnani, putting male or female before Guru/Jnani seems totally wrong. (Laughs)
Shakti/Emotions when flows freely without encountering any resistance from Mind ends up "being LOVE". Love which is unconditional, love which doesn't abide by the rules of the society, the world. Love which knows no boundaries. Pure Shakti is nothing but a free-flow of Love, its wild, it's very hard to contain, its romantic, it's sensual, it's sexual, and it expresses itself in the utmost wildest way if allowed. Which of course is not what society taught us in order to maintain the order. Though it doesn't harm the beholder or anyone else, but no one knows that fact. It only helps us transcend. But society suppresses the free-flow of love, and hence the free flow of life. How can you feel true love, devotion with tens/hundreds of social rules in mind? Does true love/devotion ever happen within the boundaries of society? Then Radha, Krishna, Meera, Rumi, and lot many others may not have happened. And much more even wouldn't have been Self Realized through the path of Bhakti and Jnana Yoga. Then these two yoga paths should be discarded, right? Because these two often times go against and beyond the boundaries of logical/rational/socially conditioned mind. Because Yog/Union is an expression, manifestation of Shakti, the Divine Feminine.
One can feel or express that free flow of Shakti as love towards nothing, or towards another human, or animal, or flowers, or Divine, anything/anyone can reflect that free flow of Shakti through you. When Shakti encounters resistance from the mind, its natural flow/path is obstructed and one feels fearful. That fear can manifest in different areas of life and that's what is called as "blocked" Muladhara/Root Chakra. Fears are nothing but mental resistance to the Nature of Life, to the natural flow of Shakti. Fears are created by the Mind, as Mind doesn't want to go against the world, society as is known to it, the mind doesn't want to go beyond the boundaries it has created all through the life. The mind doesn't want to be judged by others and goes into the self-preservation mode of its several Identities that it has created by learning the rules of the society, world. The disturbed or chaotic flow of Shakti is Ignorance, Maya.
You can look deeply within to find out, what emotional patterns/constructs are blocking the natural flow of Shakti in you, and using the right knowledge, knowledge of Truth, Universal Laws, you can change the patterns and be free from blockages & fears. Once you start changing the patterns grace dawns by itself to help you. Grace depends on how honest you are with your own efforts in eliminating the chaos and attaining the balance, and how much emotionally attached you are to your own different personalities/identities/social images/conditioning of your own mind. Understand that blocked emotions create the useless mental pattern. Our personality is part of Mind, but our attachment to it is Emotional. Emotions need to be taken care of and balanced first in order to purify the Mind. At times one wants to remove such patterns, but the moment it comes to the total annihilation of identities, one chooses otherwise and clings to them. And it becomes the story of wanting to cross the river on foot but doesn't want your feet wet. So just ponder within yourself, how long it will take you to understand that foot will be wet, all identities, social images, personal images, personalities will be dead in the process of Awakening the Shakti within you, Embodying the Shakti in a clear-cut, unobstructed way. What will it take for you to have faith that merger of mind (Masculine principle) with emotions (Feminine principle) will take you towards Divine, Divine Love?
Jnani/Self Realized one's overflow with this very same Love, Bliss, and Peace, which are nothing but the dance of Shakti in their existence, which is in Union with the Universe (Manifest & Un-manifest).
Let the Shakti Flow! Let all bow down to Shakti, Divine Feminine! Let all find Union within!
~ Adiguru
Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment
Thanks!