Journey March LP 2022
The wo(man) within
Shivi Verma asks us to consider inculcating both masculine and feminine qualities to flower into a better human being
The 8th of March has become synonymous with acknowledging the feminine power in our lives. Since the female has been hugely undermined by society, we try to tilt the scales somewhat into balance by celebrating womanhood on this day. However, let’s not forget that this plane is a plane of illusion and also about undergoing huge learnings.
On our plane, there is intense attraction and pursuit of the opposite sex. People see it as natural and spend a lot of time and energy in finding their counterparts. However, very few can claim to have found completion and satisfaction in it. The reason is that our birth genders tell us something big about ourselves which tends to pass us most of the time.
We celebrate the birth of males and struggle to accept the birth of females in our families. Yet we fail to take note of something fundamental and crucial about this phenomenon: a male body indicates that the soul inhabiting it has mastered masculine qualities but needs to work in the direction of balancing his feminine side. The same holds true for the soul incarnated in the female body. (Although this is not necessarily so as there exist women who exhibit masculine traits and vice-versa).
This phenomenon reflects in the external world in the form of seeking completion in the company of our perfect romantic match. However, since the real work has to happen inside, this external coupling becomes the means of shining back on us all areas which need to be worked upon within ourselves. The conflict and pain, which is encountered in relating with each other as man and woman, is nothing but the Universe telling us to come into balance within ourselves vis-à-vis our inner masculinity and femininity.
The more men and women stay rigid in their identities and thought processes, the more difficult it becomes for them to understand and empathise with the opposite sex, causing needless friction and profound loss in terms of personal growth and happiness. This is not to say that men and women should not feel comfortable in their genders. However, we are increasingly seeing that for the world today to become more harmonious, progressive, and a kind place to live in, men have to learn to embrace their sensitivity, and women need to tap into their logical side to become more practical, self-loving, and independent. When each is self-sufficient and not dependent on the other to fulfil an emotional or material need, there is greater respect, understanding, and acknowledgement of the other.
Being a woman I have learnt how to use my analytical, practical, and rational mind to become stronger and more capable. I have often forced myself to do things which I generally dislike such as banking, planning, and being more disciplined and organised to achieve my goals. Yet, in no way am I compromising on my feminine qualities of care, kindness, and compassion.
Similarly, men too can find themselves internally enriched by exploring the intuitive, empathetic, tender, and co-operative aspects of their personalities. So instead of fighting or arguing with each other trying to get our point across and then wondering why the other is beyond comprehension, let’s take these conflicts as a means to go deeper within ourselves and understand what and where we need to upgrade internally to blossom externally.
Editor of Life Positive, Shivi Verma is a devotee who found all her answers in loving God passionately.