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This reminded me strongly of the shamanic prayer bowl ritual for balancing masculine and feminine energies. Bowls, baskets, cups and cauldrons are symbols of the Divine Feminine, the energy of the womb. The circular shape signifies there is no beginning and no end and since nothing is yet manifested, all is possible. Crystals and other stones are then placed in the bottom of the bowl to provide a sturdy base for prayer stick fetishes. Prayer sticks represent the Divine Masculine that enters the sacred womb space of the bowl. Prayer sticks can take the form of wands, feathers, staffs, all of which help manifest what the bowl holds only as possibilities. A magician's hat and wand serve the same purpose. When the wand is waved over the hat, magic happens! It was the missing piece of the puzzle for me. The Feminine is the Source; it comes first and the Masculine follows as a manifesting force and a support system. It stands to reason that if the Masculine is not being nourished by the Feminine, it will soon become dysfunctional. So it's not just a balance of Masculine and Feminine that's important, because balance could simply mean the same amount of each with no integration. I was reminded of a client who told me that every time she felt her Feminine was getting too frisky, she'd do something masculine to balance it out. The trouble in her situation was that not only did the Masculine and Feminine not have the opportunity to work as a partnership, but she was reluctant to let the Feminine have the lead. In a patriarchal culture we are accustomed to think whoever comes first is best, most important, dominant, but in a feminine system (if indeed “feminine system” is not an oxymoron) everything is about role, not rule. The Feminine provides the space to birth everything into Being. Once something has been birthed, the Masculine can take Action by supporting... .and destroying when appropriate. Thus males in ancient cultures were assigned the roles of hunter (sustaining the community through killing) and facilitating death rites. Both feminine and masculine roles are indispensable and each is handicapped without the other. Sequence has nothing to do with status. In fact, status is a concept inconsistent with the Feminine way. Unfortunately shamanism has not been exempt from patriarchal influence. Three separate female clients of mine, each of whom had spent time in the past apprenticed to a male shaman, shared stories of being victimized by sorcery that seduced, oppressed, and abused. Violence and oppression are classic male-out-of-balance qualities, which are often found in societies that don't allow the expression of appropriate gender roles and tasks. Furthermore, when the Masculine perpetuates these atrocities, you can well bet there is female-out-of-balance at the other end. What I soon discovered in working with these women is that they all exhibited the classic female-out-of- balance traits: they had bought the cultural B.S. (belief system) that women are the servants, men are the masters, and they worried excessively about their ability to make it in the world on their own, so settled for this kind of co-dependency. As a result they became depressed and withdrawn. Ironically, I had been caught in a similar situation, playing servant to a masculine system that used my efforts, but did not give me what I asked for in return. After a day of anger and then a day of compassion for myself, I awoke to a new feeling of balance. A client who had called me on my angry day called back and said, “If you can't help me, can you recommend someone who can?” I asked her to give me a quick sketch of her problem. As she began, I felt a chill run down my spine: the issue she was describing was about a depleted Feminine as well as a weakened Masculine. “Come on over,” I told her. “I think I may be able to help.” When she arrived, I didn't bother opening the mesa, but instead closed my eyes and reached deep down into a Feminine that was no longer separate from me. Within seconds, I saw images clustering around her left and right sides. At long last I had received the psychic gift I had been asking for! The images that held some darkness I blew gently away with a shamanic breath and just watched while the others repositioned and transformed themselves. After I finished, my client spoke in an awestruck tone about a glow of energy along her left side. Her Feminine, like mine, had reassumed its rightful place and within twenty-four hours she had helped someone else do the same. Is it possible the Feminine can make things this easy? I wondered. My journey had come full-circle: the first time I did a shamanic healing - on my son in 1996 - his illness completely disappeared without drum or drama. When I told my mentor and teacher about my experience he said, “Judy, you don't need a mesa. All you need is Love.” I didn't really understand what he meant at the time, so I assembled a mesa anyway and learned my chants. And for awhile I thought the tools had the power instead of me. But that's OK because now I have my Feminine as base, which I am finding is pretty much the same as Love, plus lots of tools outside of myself for support. All's well that ends well. For a shamanic group or private session or a schedule of monthly activities, contact Judy Winters at 770-391-0991 or singingshaman@excite.com |
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