My first foray as I awakened from being a good daughter of the patriarchy was to study the Tao and its teachings on yin and yang. I was beginning my exploration to understand the Feminine and hoped for a Feminine Tao.

I now believe that most interpretations of the Tao have patriarchal overlay. The common understanding is Yang relates to masculine and Yin to feminine. But, I now hold a different view.

The Feminine viewpoint

I have a genuine love for the Tao, for the beautiful passages in the Tao Te Ching and for the modern approaches of Human Design/Gene Keys, which incorporate the hexagrams. But, I feel moved to point out that Yang and Yin refer to movements of energy. Both men and women must learn to live according to the natural laws of energy to maintain health and vitality. When we associate male with Yang and female with Yin, we limit our expression.

The Feminine teaching that changed my thinking

For some years my spiritual path focussed on learning meditations and healing approaches based on Taoist philosophy. Yang as masculine and Yin as feminine were undisputed teachings. I shifted to exploring tantra, again hoping to discover feminine teachings. In western, Neo tantric presentations, Shiva and Shakti were sometimes presented as being the same as yin and yang. Through a series of synchronicities, I was introduced to a female, Indian teacher with a background in the authentic traditions of Kashmir Shaivism and Sri Vidya.

One day, sitting in one of her workshops, I realised she was using the terms Shiva and Shakti differently. Shiva and Shakti are not the same as Yang and Yin!

Shiva refers to primordial Consciousness. If you are more oriented to quantum physics you might refer to this field of Consciousness as the Quantum Field. Shakti relates to the power that arises from the field to become the variety of forms we experience in life. Shakti is firstly the black hole, the time/space matrix (note ma/feminine), light and sound. These precede all forms of life.

The two movements of energy in these traditions are referred to as yoginis and dakinis. A yogini is a movement of energy from space to form (ie. creation/yang). A dakini moves energy from form back to space (dissolution/yin)

The Feminine is creative energy/power

All energy is Feminine is these traditions. Shakti is life-force energy. The Feminine is power. Following this reason, both Yin and Yang can be considered to be Feminine. The Tao or way of energy might be re-interpreted as Feminine.

In fact, I was very pleased to discover recently a Feminine version of the Tao Te Ching. The Divine Feminine Tao Te Ching is by Rosemarie Anderson PhD.

Here’s a quote from Verse 28:

Know the masculine

But hold to the feminine

And be to the world a channel

As a channel to the world

Your original nature never departs

Not departing from original nature

You become a newborn child again

How does the Feminine Tao relate to you?

Well, if you are a yang woman or a yin man you can stop thinking you are too masculine or too feminine. Instead, turn your attention to whether it is the right balance for you. Are there health indications of an imbalance? We all need times of withdrawal (Yin) and times of activity and expansion (Yang).

I work with women who are ambitious and active. But, they are not masculine. Yes, some might have burned out from working too hard and doing too much. Balance and health must be restored by ensuring times of yin rest.

Patriarchy has, in the past, encouraged women to be yin. But encouraging women to be passive and submissive is a power ploy. It stripped women of rights and made it difficult for them to stand up for themselves. It meant women were not allowed to express anger or establish boundaries. Being overly yin is not desirable! Nor is being overly yang, of course.

The Feminine Tao is a way of dynamic balance and teaches use of power that has integrity. The definitions of power in patriarchy are often about ‘power over’ others.

Being power

You access your personal power as you heal experiences of abuse of power. You never gave your power away. But, you likely experienced situations where someone used a position of power or greater physical strength to control or abuse you in some other way. If it’s time to understand the nature of your unique power, stand in it and BE it, please go to this page to learn how to work with me.