Her
Technology and our collective knowledge have advanced at a breakneck clip. Our exponential progress is evidenced by humanity’s transition from the Industrial to the Information Age within a generation (previous such step transitions have taken centuries or millennia).
But in the relentless pursuit of advancement and achievement, we left something behind.
Among all the talk of unicorns, new business models, super-smart AI, smart devices, self-driving cars, quantum computing and colonizing Mars, something else hangs in the air, something unsaid, unseen, and dark, cloaked by the pomp and enthusiasm for all this shiny new stuff.
I didn’t always feel this way, but once you see it, it’s hard to unsee.
Imbalance.
Below are some of the operating principles of our world:
- Mind > Heart
- Logic > Intuition
- Knowledge > Wisdom
- Algorithm/Artificial > Nature/Natural
- Practical > Passion
- Pill > Immunity
- Outer > Inner
- Action > Rest
- Push > Pull
- Efficiency > Beauty
- Chase > Magnetize
- Compete > Create
- Win > Play
- Outcome > Process
- Perfect > Authentic
- Force > Allow
- Control > Flow
- Speed > Direction
- Fit in > Stand out
- Leader > Individual
- Caged > Wild
- Material > Consciousness
I can keep going.
Simply put, these imbalances represent the imbalance of the masculine and feminine in our world.
I’m not just referring to gender roles in a patriarchal society. Things are improving, but this imbalance between men and women still exists, and remains way worse in some cultures than others.
But I also refer to the imbalance between masculine and feminine energies, Yin and Yang. In the list above, each item on the left represents primarily the masculine / Yang. The suppressed energies on the right are primarily feminine / Yin. These are separate from physical gender.
Both energies exist in each of us, whether men or women, but we’ve been conditioned (men and women) to suppress the Yin. This is especially true in the business world.
The feminine / Yin is incredibly powerful. It is the energy of creativity, imagination and birthing the new. It is the energy of receiving and allowing. It is wild, free, unapologetic, passionate and at times, chaotic love. It requires incredible courage, strength and trust to embrace.
I spent most of my 20s and 30s pushing, forcing, competing, constantly in fight or flight mode. I carried this work ethic like a badge of honor. I don’t have any regrets because the resulting lessons were part of my journey. But this taught me there’s a much better way, where I can thrive, create and serve almost effortlessly by integrating my Yin and Yang.
To be balanced is trusting the heart to paint the highest vision of where we need to go and why. Applying the mind/logic to build that vision. Knowing when to take action, and knowing when to rest. Knowing when to push, and knowing when to allow. Knowing when to seek, and knowing when to attract. Passionately doing the work, and trusting to let go of the outcome. Moving with and pouring love into everything we do.
“Create with the heart; build with the mind.”
— Criss Jami, Killosophy
So how do we heal the imbalance in our world? By each of us recognizing and healing the imbalance within ourselves. By daring to be free, to have the courage to open our hearts, and listen to the whispers of our intuition. Watch out when this happens.
It’s time to end Yang’s solo, going through life with one arm tied behind our backs.
The feminine / Yin is rising and ready to join in to create magic together, making each of us unstoppable.
You ready?
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Originally published at https://noheartnoglory.substack.com.
