FEMININE AND MASCULINE ENERGY : HOW YOGA BALANCES BODY AND MIND
In everyday life, we are often tossed between the demands of action and the need for calm, between the imperative to do and the desire to be.
This constant back and forth between two poles is also a dance of energies, feminine energy and masculine energy.
Often perceived as opposites, these two forces actually coexist within each of us. Feminine energy is not reserved for women, and masculine energy does not circulate only in men.
Their balance is essential for living in harmony.
For me, yoga has been the guide that has allowed me to better understand and balance these two aspects of myself.
In this article, I invite you to explore how yoga can help harmonize feminine and masculine energy, to balance both body and mind.
Written by Ana - November 2024
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About 10 minutes
WHAT YOU ARE ABOUT TO DISCOVER
Understanding Feminine and Masculine Energy: Exploring the principles of Yin and Yang and their influence on our daily lives.
How Yoga Harmonizes These Energies: Yoga as a guide to balancing action and gentleness, strength and receptivity.
Yin Yoga and Feminine Energy: How yoga invites us to cultivate gentleness, compassion, and inner listening.
Masculine Energy and Stability Postures: Postures that activate inner strength, determination and commitment.
Practices for Cultivating Balance: Suggestions for postures and yoga styles to harmonize these two polarities in our lives.
Living in Harmony with Yourself: Yoga as a path to a more balanced life, anchored in strength and sensitivity.
"Let's take a look"!
FEMININE ENERGY AND MASCULINE ENERGY: 2 COMPLEMENTARY FORCES
Feminine energy and masculine energy are ancient principles found in many philosophies , from Chinese Yin and Yang to animus and anima in psychology.
Masculine (or Yang) energy is associated with action, logic, and strength, while feminine (or Yin) energy symbolizes gentleness, receptivity, and intuition.
These two forces are essential and cannot exist without each other.
They alternate like a life cycle: after spring comes summer, then autumn, and finally winter. And the cycle begins again.
When we look at the symbol of Yin and Yang, we notice that one seems to "take over" the other. But it is a wheel, which turns and alternates energies in a cyclical and continuous way.
My Encounter with Yoga, Imprint of Masculine Energy:
For years, without really realizing it, I operated almost exclusively on masculine energy: organization, planning, efficiency, execution, productivity, control, social appearance, rationality, etc.
Like many mothers, I had to manage a thousand things, rarely asking myself how I felt. There was always a goal to achieve, a list to check off.
And like many people in the West, yoga entered my life as one of my decisions influenced by masculine energy: action, physical performance, self-improvement...
But with practice, I began to discover the other side of yoga. In the East, the "physical" practice of yoga comes well after having long integrated and practiced its philosophical aspects, via the yamas and niyamas .
Through this, I rediscovered another aspect of myself, one that thirsted for gentleness, creativity and receptivity.
I learned that my feminine energy, far from preventing me from moving forward, could become a valuable asset in balancing my daily life.
Yes, there are postures (or “asanas”) that challenge and strengthen the body, but above all, yoga is a philosophy of life, an inner journey that reconnects you with your essence.
Yoga taught me to listen to my body, to welcome my emotions and to become aware of my energies, including my feminine energy.
In a society where we women are expected to be both 'strong' and effective, yoga has offered me a space to reconnect with the gentleness and sensitivity that are natural to us but that we sometimes tend to repress.
HOW YOGA REVEALS AND CULTIVATES FEMININE ENERGY
Yoga is a practice that, in a subtle way, promotes balance between feminine and masculine energy.
Through postures, meditation and breathing, yoga teaches us to alternate between effort and letting go, between action and receptivity.
As mothers, we're often hyper-reactive to our children's needs, but we rarely take the time to listen to our own. This is where yoga becomes a true therapy.
One example that stood out to me was my first Yin Yoga session. This practice, which involves holding postures for a long time while relaxing the muscles, allowed me to feel a receptivity I had never explored before. By allowing my body to completely relax, I discovered a new level of connection to myself. I felt a wave of gentleness and inner peace, as if I had opened a door to a part of myself I had long ignored. As if, finally, I was accepting my own need for respite and compassion.
My Marriage with Yoga, Filled with Love and Kindness:
Feminine energy is also deeply connected to compassion and kindness , not only toward others, but also toward oneself. As a mother, it's easy to be hard on yourself, to judge yourself for your mistakes or moments of fatigue. However, yoga constantly reminds us of the importance of self-compassion.
When I first started practicing, I was striving for "perfection" in every pose. But this wonderful practice gently reminded me that yoga isn't about performance, it's about connecting with yourself.
She encouraged me to embrace my limitations with gentleness, as a mother would with her child. That day, I understood that I needed to apply this compassion to myself, and that it was part of cultivating my feminine energy.
Since then, I've applied this kindness to my daily life, accepting that every day can't be perfect. Whether in my role as a mother or in my practice, I choose gentleness over harshness. In yoga, this notion of "non-violence" (or Ahimsa) is the first yama, an invitation to respect one's body and mind without forcing or blaming them.
Receptivity, letting go, sensitivity are all aspects of feminine energy that yoga helps to cultivate.
By slowing down, listening to my breath, and letting my emotions surface, I learned to honor this energy.
This regular practice has helped me better understand what it means to “take care of myself,” and has allowed me to approach my role as a mother with more compassion and patience.
MASCULINE ENERGY IN YOGA: STABILITY AND ACTION
While Yin Yoga reconnected me to my inner gentleness, other practices like Vinyasa Yoga helped me explore and strengthen my masculine energy.
These postures require strength, determination, dynamism, and careful attention to body alignment. Masculine energy is activated whenever one mobilizes willpower, stability, and commitment in a posture.
One day, during a session where I was working on the Warrior III pose (Virabhadrasana III), I felt how this posture is a true embodiment of masculine energy: grounded, stable, facing forward... But it also honors feminine energy, with the face turned towards the Earth (one of the symbols associated with feminine energy, as opposed to Heaven for masculine energy). My whole body was engaged, and by holding the pose, I felt an inner strength that made me aware of my own resilience.
Yoga, by connecting me to this force, also taught me that masculine energy is there to help me act and structure my projects .
Whenever I need it, I remind myself of this posture and the stability it brings me. It has become a reminder for me of the importance of my masculine energy in moving forward with purpose in my life projects, while honoring the feminine energy that offers me the creativity and sensitivity necessary for them to thrive.
THE ART OF BALANCE: CULTIVATING BOTH ENERGIES WITH YOGA
What yoga has taught me most is that there is no need to choose between feminine energy and masculine energy.
On the contrary, their balance is what creates a harmonious and fulfilling life .
In each yoga session, we move from one energy to another: we alternate between dynamic and powerful postures, and postures of relaxation and receptivity. We alternate between left (traditionally associated with feminine energy) and right (associated with masculine energy) equally.
One of my favorite yoga poses is this one of the Tree (Vrksasana). It requires both stability and flexibility, rootedness and openness. By holding this posture, I remind myself that to be balanced, I must welcome within myself the two energies: that which I draw from the Earth, (with the roots of my tree which give me stability), and that which I receive from Heaven (capturing it via the branches of my tree).
This pose has become a symbol of the inner balance I strive to cultivate every day. It helps me ground my intentions in action while staying connected to my innermost being and intuition.
YOGA PRACTICES TO BALANCE FEMININE AND MASCULINE ENERGY
For those interested in experiencing this balance, here are some simple practices to incorporate into your yoga routine.
Yin Yoga for Feminine Energy : Practice Yin Yoga poses like Child's Pose (Balasana) or Butterfly Pose (Baddha Konasana). These poses promote relaxation and receptivity, and help cultivate gentleness and self-awareness.
Vinyasa Yoga for Masculine Energy : Incorporate more dynamic poses like Warrior or Plank (Phalakasana). These poses require strength and commitment, strengthening your masculine energy.
Kundalini Yoga : To increase your vibrational rate and circulate the Kundalini energies through your different chakras (or energy centers). This form of yoga is particularly balanced, drawing from movement a form of meditative state or "quasi-trance."
These practices, although simple, allow us to take a moment to return to ourselves, where we can explore and harmonize the two aspects of our being.
CONCLUSION: LIVING IN HARMONY WITH YOUR FEMININE AND MASCULINE ENERGY
Harmony between feminine and masculine energy is a journey, a path of discovery that is built every day.
Through yoga, I have learned that gentleness and strength, receptivity and action, can coexist within me to help me live in a more balanced and fulfilling way.
By cultivating feminine energy, I develop my sensitivity and creativity, and by honoring masculine energy, I equip myself with the stability and determination necessary to move forward.
Whether you're seeking more gentleness in your life or strengthening your inner stability, yoga can offer you that essential balance. Take the time to reconnect with your energies, experience both aspects of yourself, and let yoga guide you toward a more harmonious and centered life.
Thank you Ana for this great post!
Your insight into the balance of feminine and masculine energies brings valuable insight to the yoga community. Your insight reminds us that each energy is precious, and by uniting them, we can cultivate a more fulfilling and balanced life.
HEALTHY MIND, HEALTHY LIFE, our identity.
What a joy to have you among us to guide our readers towards greater harmony and well-being!
Ana's Bio
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ANAMARIJA BARTEK
Founder of the Origami Mama website
Yogi, reformed lawyer, chocolate addict, salsa dancer, passionate about personal development and mother of two little princesses... Here are some key words that characterize me!My personal journey has led me to explore disciplines such as yoga, meditation and energy techniques, which I integrate into my daily life to cultivate harmony.
Today, I support mothers in their quest for balance and personal fulfillment. Origami Mama is a space where mothers rediscover the woman within.
I help them find time and energy to shine in the world and flourish again.
Motherhood, yoga, personal development and wellness come together here to inspire moms to reconnect with themselves, not just as mothers, but as powerful and aligned women.
