The feminine/masculine energies are expressions of the Natural world. In Nature that balance is constantly achieving itself. If the feminine energy can be described as nurture, quiet, growth and transformation and the masculine as deliverance, provision, action, and accounting then we can, as earlier cultures did, assign the earth as the feminine and the sun as masculine.
Looking at it with this physical form and example, it is an easier concept to begin to understand rather than using a man/woman example as both embody these masculine/feminine energies in varying proportions. As winter moves into spring, warm air masses from the south meet cold air masses from the north. A tornado can result. This is not conscious Nature out to destroy, but the forces of the Natural world achieving balance; the natural state. For the sake of illustration we can think of the calm (feminine) being adjusted for accounting by the wind (masculine). The air masses have to adjust, so each energy is balancing the other. After the storm, the earth returns to calm and each energy has expressed itself in its necessary way. Looking again at the example of earth representing the feminine and the sun the masculine, vegetation needs the sun to produce. All life is dependent on a food source and the feminine and masculine are contributing equally to the balance of life on earth.
This example is necessary to divorce the idea of woman/man as solely representative of the masculine/feminine principal.
Our world has evolved (or the word devolved may be a better description) to a place where the masculine has taken on a more important role and the feminine is misunderstood and the feminine energy finds itself imprisoned and dishonored. The sun has 4 billion years to burn out, but the planet earth is fragile in its relationship to life. Human activity imbalanced with masculine energy, provision (over building), action (unnecessary wars), deliverance (egotistical control over woman's lives and reproduction) lead to the serious accounting imbalance in our "civilization" today. Civilization appears to be increasingly uncivilized. While all the masculine attributes are necessary for a prosperous world, we need to take a serious look at the devaluation of the feminine and review this principal. Life on earth is becoming seriously stressed and indicating to the human family something is very wrong and out of balance. Though the sun will continue without the earth, it will have less to do. The earth will continue and do very will without human ignorance and exploitation. Our Mother Earth does NOT need us. The relationship of the sun and earth is in natural balance because that is what they know how to do in their perfected state of being. They are our examples The human family needs both the sun and earth for life to continue; masculine and feminine for life to continue and for the joys it brings.
If man desires an end to life, it can continue its ways of the ego and disregard for the delicacy of the earth continuing on the path that will eventually lead to the destruction of life as we know it.
If we can begin to go back and understand the Natural world, we have a perfect example to guide our path. Ironically many of our problems arise from women who see themselves as having less value than the masculine. This cannot be denied as women often give their sons more value and expect less of them when it comes to family responsibility. While this statement needs more official study, the outcome in the larger world is obvious. Men are in power in all areas of our culture with women seemingly content to take a lesser role. Some studying Nature and science are brave enough to uncover some interesting findings though. Our Judeo/Christian story of Adam and Eve has come into question with discovery of mitochondrial DNA being passed through the female telling us that it was Eve who came first. Adam's rib it seems is a story passed down through generations that are now challenging the myth.
OUR IMBALANCED WORLD
Doctors, mostly men dominate medicine and dictate to nurses, mostly women who are paid less and do the physical caring of patients. With high incomes their work mostly consists of prescribing drugs promoted heavily by the drug companies headed by men who advertise heavily and possibly invent conditions to sell drugs and keep the feminine nurturer/healer in chains. By studying Nature for a narrow purpose, they degrade and repackage it and sell it back at high cost and often false promise. In health and healing men dominating in an area mostly associated with the feminine principal of nurturing is most especially alarming. As health care costs increase, here in the USA, the health of our society is actually deteriorating.
In government our male dominated "leaders", continue on the path of cronyism awarding their backers with rewards that serve their narrow needs. This is a world wide phenomenon and is less a problem in the west than in heavily male dominated cultures in the Arab world and parts of Africa and elsewhere in the third world. But though evolving, the problem persists in the west with the developed world the most prolific consumers and polluters.
In education, the emphasis is becoming more and more about tests and degrees. Teachers in early education (mostly women) are less educated with science knowledge woefully lacking, though science and technology are bringing greater knowledge and awareness of our natural world. Those in positions of power and decision making though in early education are mostly men. As education goes from elementary through higher grades then onto college and post graduate, we see again the dominance of men in prominent positions. We see education which should be a nurturing experience, one of competition.
Religions are founded on male experience and thought. Many have rid themselves of the sacred feminine altogether relegating the female as merely a servant of the male. Extreme orthodoxy in some of the Muslim faith as an example, has wrapped the female totally in black as if she does not really exist at all aside from serving the needs of men. In Catholicism, the Virgin Mary has a high position and for some Catholics a prominent one, yet the hierarchy of the Catholic church is male dominated and powerful. Judaism passingly mentions the female and also consists of male dominated hierarchy. Buddhist belief honors the feminine through meditation and respecting the silence, but those who would be recognized in the religion are male.
Pointing out the imbalances we could mention other institutions, but the point to be made here is one of observance. Certainly men evolved to positions in society of power as women were nurturing the family, but the feminine energy has been put to jail and this is where we need to review and revisit the idea of the feminine.
Again if we can look at the example of Nature as teacher and the representatives of Earth as feminine and Sun as masculine we can draw up an example to follow and learn from. The answers are there. We have only to look, study, honor and learn. As population increases (masculine overseeing of reproductive rights), problems grow with it. Nature does not support imbalance. We are on fragile ground and it is up to us to undue the darkness we have brought ourselves to by honoring masculine energy over the feminine energy. Natural Balance says they are both equal.
