The Divine Feminine
-------------------
In the last few years, there has been a groundswell of "awakening" to
the masculine (patriarchal) domination / imbalance of the world's
major religions. Many people are awakening to an accumulated hunger
for the "Goddess Energy" or "Divine Feminine" and there is a
refreshing and nourishing (re-)emergence of the "neglected feminine"
in our contemporary arts, music and culture.

Thus we have seen an upsurge in interest in the intuitive and mystical aspects
of spirituality - the Kabbalah (Kabala) of Judaism, Sufism (feminine aspect of
the muslim Islamic faith), Gnostic Christianity, and the general upsurge in
pagan Goddess-related spiritual paths, referred to in my last posting.

Most of us seem to be valuing, enjoying and encouraging these important emerging
trends. Am I the only one who is beginning to feel a little concern lest we
should become so excited with, and obsessed about, our rediscovered feminine
patterns, qualities, potential and values that we "overshoot" the
masculine/feminine balance point and end up "throwing the baby out with the bath
water"?

Are we in danger of forgetting what masculine "energies" /
archetypes / qualities have to contribute? Are we in danger of seeing
only the negative side of the masculine coin?

"Mother" Nature
---------------
In "Nature" (ecology, the environment), I think that we have the
opposite situation to religion - The supportive and nourishing
(feminine) aspects of nature are well recognised and increasingly
well valued.

The feminine "virginal" vulnerability of Nature is also increasingly
well recognised in this new 21st century - Yes we DO HAVE more to do
in response to his awareness, but the awareness is at last surging
forwards - witness the fast growth of recycling facilities for
example, and the progressive cleaning up of petrol and exhaust gases.

Nature / the environment is partly a "helpless female victim" of our
society's aggressive and insensitive (masculine archetype)
exploitation and abuse (the "raping" of our natural environment). But
is that all that nature has to offer us?

Can nature be anything more than something on which we can exercise
our compassion, protection and support?

"Father" Nature
---------------
I have been encouraged to explore the idea of "Father" Nature, partly
by seeing the "Paternal Power" of nature manifest for people in my
current series of "Nature Heals and Inspires" workshops. For example,
one participant had a powerful, almost "religious", experience of the
sun warming, strengthening and encouraging her as she worked through
confronting and releasing the stressed feelings and heaviness she was
holding within herself.

The sun has of course been regarded for thousands of years as having
a "male" energy (cf. the feminine energy of the moon).

I have also been encouraged to explore the potential of the "Father"
Nature experience by the fact that the 14th may marks the beginning
of the Runic half-month of Ing.

In the ancient Norse Gnostic (mystical inner wisdom) tradition, Ing
was/is the male consort of the Earth Mother goddess "Nerthus".

To the Norse mystics, Ing was the god of the hearth. His rune is a
symbol of "light" - "light" in the sense of a beacon, or firebrand,
that spreads an inspiring message.

The Runic half-month of Ing, beginning on May 14th, is associated
with the "Father Nature" energy of abundance and expansion.

If you want to know more about my "Nature Heals and Inspires"
workshops you can go to:
www.sunflower-health.com/workshops.htm


Wishing you all the "Father Nature" energy of abundance and expansion
in your life (if you dare!!)

Michael Meredith
www.brothermichael.org.uk