The Feminine and Masculine

I never thought I would enjoy learning about psychology, but it turns out it’s one of the most interesting and useful topics I’ve studied. So, here’s my first blog post on a psychology-related topic: the feminine and masculine energies that exist within us.

Feminine and masculine energies are aspects of our psyche that exist within every person, but they reside in our unconscious mind. Carl Jung said that to feel whole, we need to become conscious of the masculine and feminine energies within us.

What happens if we don’t connect with these energies? From my experience, I believe it leads to unhappiness, burnout, and being stuck in relationships not meant for us.

Have you heard that we live in a patriarchal society? To me, this means that we live in a society that values masculine traits more than feminine ones. As a result, we’re encouraged to pursue masculine traits like rationality, strength, action, and authority. The consequence of this is that we lose touch with our feminine traits: emotion, intuition, creativity, and receptivity.

You may think that lowering feminine energy to second place isn’t a big deal, but being disconnected from our emotions and intuition makes us more vulnerable to mindlessly following what we think is right, until we’re left deeply unhappy.

You can’t control your feminine energy—it needs to guide you. Have you ever had everything you thought you wanted, yet still felt unhappy inside? This may be a sign that your feminine energy needs your attention.

Jung also said that we tend to seek a partner who can fill the void of the energy we’re missing (whether it’s masculine or feminine).

Be mindful of the type of partner you’re attracting. Look at their behavior and reflect on the energy you’re embodying. If you find yourself stuck in toxic patterns or wondering why you always attract the ‘man-child’ or the ‘crazy one,’ try to become more aware of how you’re showing up in the world. You’ll probably see that you need to work on strengthening your awareness of how present these dual energies are in your life. Nobody can complete you but yourself.

Is this a sexist stance? I don’t think it is.

We use the terms ‘masculine’ and ‘feminine’ to describe the energies inside us, and some people immediately associate them with men and women. But imagine there were no words to label these energies. They would simply be our internal feelings, desires, and thoughts. I believe we’ve all felt the need to think, act, and accomplish, just as much as we’ve felt the need to feel, nurture, and understand.

So, how can you become more conscious of your masculine and feminine energies?

If you want to connect with your masculine energy: start a new project, build a disciplined routine that helps you organize your day and achieve your goals, or go after that opportunity or person you’ve been dreaming about.

If you want to connect with your feminine energy: feel your body through dance, meditate, take care of a plant, a baby, or an elder, or lose yourself in art or another creative project.

Understanding that masculine and feminine energies exist has been extremely useful in honoring myself and how I feel. If you take anything away from this blog post, I hope it helps you find a path to your more authentic self.