Divine Feminine: Meaning, Origins, and More

Balance is everything and in a world that seems to run high on masculine and patriarchal energy, you can invite the divine feminine to rise. The divine feminine may sound all shades of mystical but it’s actually already within us. For years (and centuries) it may have been repressed, overshadowed, or pushed back, but this energy relates to the subtle wisdom of the body, the softness, intuition, and the healing that we hold in our hearts. Understanding the divine feminine and finding ways to awaken this and bring it into our daily existence can help us all to connect with ourselves on a deeper level and to reconnect with mother earth. Let’s delve in and discover the divine feminine.

What is the Divine Feminine?

The divine feminine refers to the energy that exists within and without us that is softer, nurturing, intuitive, and empowered. It can be looked at in a similar way to yin energy or Shakti. This shade of energy can be found in the moon, the ocean, the trees, and within us. It is who we are when we are wild and untamed, it is also who we are when we are soft and still. The divine feminine is the counterpart to the divine masculine and when they are harmonized, we can live in balance, beauty, and knowledge. As our societal values lean heavily into more masculine structures, we may find ourselves off-kilter and disconnected from that feminine energy. We can shut down our sacred feminine voice, lose sight of our sensuality, and feel disempowered. But learning to dial back into that energy, can be the light we need. 

Is the Divine Feminine Energy Gender Dependent?

It’s important to understand that terms like divine feminine and divine masculine aren’t linked to any kind of gender or sex. They are linked to the duality of energies that exist in everything -  in a similar way to yin and yang. Any gender will have both of these energies and how much of one over the other really depends on your own myriad factors that have nothing to do with gender. 

Divine Feminine – History and Origins

The divine feminine is no new buzzword, it has ancient roots and the feminine archetype has been around across many civilizations for centuries. When we trace history back, we see that goddesses have always been worshipped - even beyond the Ancient Greeks and the Romans, into African and Egyptian practices. In later religions like Catholicism, Christianity, Hinduism, and Buddhism, we still see goddess figures (the Virgin Mary, Kali, Tara, Dakinis, etc). 

In fact, the ancient world was considered to be more of a matriarch. Women sat in priestess roles and were seen as religious leaders. The earth itself was seen as the great mother and women’s power was intrinsically linked to that. 

Divine Feminine Qualities

From goddess to great earth, what qualities does the divine feminine encompass? There are many elements that get woven into our vision of the feminine - some are fierce and some soft, it plays into different elements of strength than we may be used to in this masculine edged world. Many of the divine feminine qualities are centered around themes of the inner world  - intuition, compassion, nurturing, creativity, and sensuality. We take a closer look at some of the more well-known traits of the divine feminine. 

Intuition

Perhaps one of the strongest forces, intuition and inner wisdom means leaning into our inner voice and getting in touch with our gut. Often, we lead with logic and rationale and have been taught to squash down our intuition. The divine feminine reminds us to trust in that wisdom and to ‘feel into’ our decisions. 

Sensuality

Sensuality isn’t just about sex. It’s a state of being comfortable, present, and finding your body a pleasurable space to be in. We can nurture our sense of sensuality and it can have an impact on how we move through life and how we connect with the world around us. Slow down, do the small things that bring pleasure to your senses, and show your body some love.

Compassion

Self-love and compassion go hand in hand. When we are able to lend love, light, and care to ourselves we may be better equipped to show up for others in the same way. The divine feminine is a nurturer and will know to practice kindness without slipping into people-pleasing or compromising herself. 

Creativity

Dancing, writing, painting, singing - creativity is all part of being in touch with the divine feminine. Our inner landscape, thoughts, dreams, and feelings can all ebb through our creative practice. If you struggle with feeling that spark of creativity - start with morning pages (writing 2 -3 pages every morning with a stream of consciousness). Journaling is a great way to understand ourselves better.

Forgiveness

Forgiveness can come in a thousand shades and doesn’t necessarily mean forgiving other people who have hurt you, but rather finding forgiveness, softness, and gentleness for yourself. Forgiveness means letting go, bringing understanding to yourself, and softening those hard edges and is part of finding inner rest and peace.

What are the benefits of being a divine feminine?

Getting in touch with the divine feminine and welcoming elements of her into your life can be hugely beneficial to your body, mind, and soul. By weaving the divine feminine into your life, you can find better balance and a more fulfilled existence. By allowing divine feminine qualities to seep in, you not only make your own space a better place to be in, but you also send that energy of love, compassion, and creativity out into the universe - which can help to bring symmetry to our masculine and yang dominated society. 

How do You Awaken the Divine Feminine?

So how do you awaken the divine feminine slumbering within? With practice. Nurturing practices that create stable connections with the divine feminine are a way in which you can bring those qualities to the surface. Many of these methods are gentle and about being in flow rather than the fight. Here are some small steps you can take to awaken feminine divinity.

Practice Self-Love

Self-compassion, love, and putting your own needs first - the divine feminine should be honored and respected, and as she lives inside of you, you should also be honored and respected. From daily affirmations to recognizing that negative inner voice, make self-love a constant practice until you truly do take it into your heart.

Embrace Feeling

If you want to connect with the divine feminine then feelings should be embraced and explored rather than squashed down. In our more masculine yang world, we can skim over feelings or fail to acknowledge them. Just because you feel your feelings and make space for them doesn’t mean you need to be ruled by them. Get into the habit of acknowledging your feelings, looking inside for the answers, and tuning in to how you actually feel about something before taking action.

Relax and Just Be

The divine feminine is very much connected with yin energy, which is the energy of just being. When it comes to yang energy, it’s very much about the push and the doing, but with yin energy, it’s more about letting things flow towards you. Simply learning to sit and be in your own presence helps you to connect with your body and gives space for your mind along with grounding us down in mother earth's energy.

Connect With Your Body

Connecting with the body puts you on the path to embracing sensuality. There are many ways to connect with the body - from dancing to the simple art of self-touch or massage or even just doing things that evoke the senses. We can be a very head up society and making time to connect with the body is an essential part of feeling whole and embodied. 

What is the balance of the divine feminine and masculine?

There is both divine masculine and divine feminine energy in this world and we all have these energies running through us. Some may feel more connected to their masculine energy and others will be connected to their divine feminine. Striking a balance between both is key - if you have a lack of divine feminine energy you may find you are overly dominating and always pushing. Too much feminine and perhaps you get too passive and struggle to move a situation forward. By finding balance in both, you can find more harmony and beauty in life.

Integrate the Divine Feminine Into Your Daily Life

Embracing the divine feminine into your life is rooted in mindfulness, making small changes, and committing to simple practice. Just by being aware of the need for more nurturing, loving, intuitive energy, you can already step out onto the road towards creations, life, and leaning into feeling. Here are some ways you can connect with and integrate the divine feminine into your everyday life.

• Climate change - connections to mother earth are the foundations of the divine feminine. Place yourself in nature, do your bit for the planet, and apply those traits of love and nurturing when it comes to dealing with the earth. 
• Health care - community and care sit also sits at the heart of the divine feminine. You can embrace this with a commitment to nourish and nurture yourself so that you can provide support and love for others. 
• Racial justice - reflection and compassion can propel a movement and when it comes to those all-important issues around racial issues, equality, and human rights - you can use the divine feminine to make an embodied stance and to shift towards making space and support for changes that truly matter. Afterall, the divine feminine is all about empowerment.
• Own spirituality - it all starts at home. Welcoming the divine feminine is an essential part of our own spiritual practices and can help us to deepen our relationship with ourselves, the universe, and everything that flows within it. 
• Business practices - often seen as a masculine energy dominated field, you can change the way you see business by welcoming the divine feminine. We can all use more intuition, wisdom, care, collaboration and community spirit in the world of business as this all adds up to creating a more mindful and connected world. 

Conclusion

It’s important to remember the themes and lessons that run in the current of the divine feminine. It’s not about gender or binary or adhering to pre-determined concepts and ideals, the divine feminine is more about embracing balance in our lives and saying yes to yin energy. It’s about recognizing our intuitive strengths, finding softness, sparking creativity, and encouraging love, self-care and community. Truly, the well-being of the world will be better for it. 

Are you connected to your feminine power? What helps you to nurture the divine feminine within?