It’s once again International Women’s Day, the one day a year we honor the women in our lives and remind them that there’s a Goddess in each and every one of them — our mothers, grandmothers, teachers, daughters, aunts, cousins, friends, mentors and beyond.
As women, one of the magical and mystical parts of who we are and what we are, is that this beautiful, delicious Goddess energy lives within each of us. Deeply buried at times, perhaps, but it’s there. Trust me, it’s there. If you haven’t felt it lately or felt it at all, there’s no better time than now to wake it up.
My Goddess What?
If you live in a new age region of the world like I do (northern California), you’ll hear the word Goddess quite a bit. If you don’t live in an area where practices like yoga and meditation aren’t deeply woven into the culture, perhaps it’s not yet on your radar. I run into women regularly who have either done Goddess events, read Goddess books or do rituals that honor their Goddess energy.
What does being a Goddess mean exactly? Well, ask yourself: do you feel like a Goddess? It would be great if you immediately said yes. Sadly, knowing how much of an issue “worthiness” is, particularly in western culture, I know that many of you may not jump to yes that quickly.
Even if yes wasn’t your immediate go to response, think about the possibility that you are in fact a Goddess and you didn’t even have to prove yourself to become one. Now that we’re half way there, what kind of Goddess do you most resonate with (could you most resonate with?) A Nature Goddess? A Warrior Goddess? A Spiritual Goddess? A Flower Goddess? A Water Goddess? A Compassionate Goddess? A Music Goddess?
You get the idea. Once you resonate with one of them, take it for your own and sit with it for awhile. I can assure you it will start to feel pretty good.
So, what does it mean to honor your Goddess energy?
We’re of course talking about the divine feminine energy vis a vis its polar opposite: masculine energy. Divine feminine energy feeds (and is) that inner Goddess in us. Masculine and feminine energies are of course universally interconnected but when we’re out of balance as women, nothing feels like it’s in in flow nor do we feel that we’re in alignment with our Soul Purpose. We’ve all been there, maybe countless times.
Ever ask yourself: “Am I really repeating that negative pattern again?”
If you’re still doing it, remember that baby steps do work. Being true to yourself is one way to take a step forward, out of the old, out of an unhealthy existence and closer to living the purity of your Soul and what “It” wants. As Kundera writes, “A Woman is Nothing But Her Truth.”
Start with a l’il old fashioned reflection. As you honor other women today, make sure to honor yourself — your internal female Goddess and all the beautiful energy that Goddess-ness invokes.
While we may have a boat load of masculine energy that we tap into when we need to, perhaps in the workplace or when we’re trying to get a lot of projects done at once, its important to step into our feminine power as much as possible, as its that wonderful place where we can get back to ourselves and more importantly, source divine love. It really is like coming “home.”
Sadly, masculine energy is so prevalent, that as women we often feel we need to utilize it as a way to get ahead in business or even in social circles. Truth be told, society elevates masculine energy much more than it elevates feminine energy, even in well-educated cultures.
We see it in sports, business and in politics — it’s that very direct, logical, goal and results-oriented, forceful, active, outward bound energy that quite frankly, all of us have inside of us. Crikey, I’ve used it for most of my life in my own business and when I worked at companies. Results were my primary “go-to” as a success measure as was efficiency, which often gets in the way of feminine flow, although it certainly served me well in my twenties and thirties.
Of course masculine energy dominates our lives because as Lonerwolf so rightfully points out, “its very nature is to rule, command and control. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but after centuries of bowing down to fierce ‘Gods,’ industrializing the world, and living by aggressive, goal-orientated rules, ideals and goals, it is time for us to reclaim the power of the feminine in our lives.”
I couldn’t agree more.
Beyond the #MeToo Movement
Far beyond the #MeToo movement, we are seeing more and more protests and pressure from women around the world. I think the #MeToo movement and women having the courage to emerge from the shadows is merely a catalyst for a much bigger global dilemma: human destruction if we lose access to feminine energy and with it, its power. It may sound grim and extreme, but think about it.
Our environment depends on it. Our children depend on it. Existence of community depends on it. Anyone who is suffering depends on it. The sick depend on it. Future generations depend on it. The Planet does indeed depend on it.
Gender parity is in everyone’s awareness field more than it has been in hundreds of years.
The sexual inequalities across industries and communities, the Uber effect, the hidden realities of work in the technology industry, and even worse, the ugly and hard-to-stomach realization that educated women in the first world were ‘okay’ voting for a president with sexual allegations.
CNN’s Women Detail Sexual Allegations Against Trump piece and this Time Magazine article highlights many of the female Trump accusers (there are dozens of other articles and stories as we know). Sadly, we also know that there was a ton of evidence before the ballets were open too.
This grave concern is not just coming from the female voice – it’s coming from men too. And, it’s happening globally as well, even from countries you’d least expect. It’s a shocking and unprecedented reality that the alleged most powerful country in the world doesn’t hold their own president, senators, Hollywood producers, CEOs, and other men in power accountable for their sexual misconduct and in some cases, sexual assault. Since when doesn’t accountability matter for those in power?
Sexual dynamics aside, there are also women in developing countries who are barely getting by or have been sold into slave or sex labor. As the New York Times writes in their International Women’s Day piece:
“Women who are scratching out lives in developing countries in Africa, toiling away at jobs with little pay in Latin America or scrambling to raise children without help in the Middle East — most likely had little time left over to reflect on the one day of the year designated to celebrate International Women’s Day.”
The sad thing about reading this as an avid traveler who runs a global travel site and magazine, it’s those very women I’ve learned so much from about myself over the years, including what it means to be a woman.
When I’ve traveled through Africa, I was floored by the inner strength of African women who were not only holding down the fort at home but responsible for keeping the continent afloat (and I don’t just mean their contribution to economic development).
In rural areas, they work the fields, take care of children and do physical labor — ever see an African woman with heavy containers of water balanced on her head? You see it in Asia as well as throughout the developing world.
This is but one of a thousand things they manage in a day. Outer and inner strength, inner wisdom, inner power and beauty all emanate from these powerful women who have been given little or no chance at a life full of respect, never mind equality.
And yet, despite the love, compassion, resilience and commitment to family and community that women around the world LEAD, the masculine force continues to dominate.
Masculine versus Feminine
While masculine energy is outward bound and about ‘release,’ feminine energy is about love, compassion, empathy, receptivity and giving. It’s not to say that masculine energy doesn’t have these traits, however receptivity is truly the essence of feminine energy.
Says Jon Anthony at Masculine Development, “Masculinity, in its simplest, most primal form, is the ability to protect the tribe. It’s the ability and willingness to defend those that you love, through hand to hand, physical combat. While this isn’t the limit of what masculinity is, one cannot deny that it’s an integral component of it.” Thankfully he also asserts that “Masculinity is also spiritual—it’s those “Yang” characteristics that merge so well with a woman’s “Yin.”
And yet, we have so much toxic masculinity in the world because that beautiful Yin Yang Balance isn’t honored and cherished. The key is balance — to minimalize or an ideal world, remove all toxic masculine and feminine energy and replace it with divine masculine and feminine energy.
Exploring and understanding the balance of masculine and feminine energies is far from new — it’s as old as time, however the re-emergence of them as a topic of discussion started popping up (at least in my circles) around 15 years ago.
Certainly this wasn’t the case in mainstream circles but it even hit the world of science and medicine in a Psychology Today article about seven years ago. In this beautifully captured piece, the author Pamela Madsen wrote about her Goddess re-awakening if you like on a trip to Harbin Springs, where she shares her experience with “true surrender”. Ahhh yes, true surrender, which is so much part of the feminine life force. For some of you, it may feel contrary to strength.
Those reading who have been meditating and on a spiritual journey for while now understand just how untrue this happens to be.
“The World Surrenders to a Silent Mind.” — Lao Tzu
Lao Tzu‘s quote is my favorite and I have umpteen quotes I read again and again for inspiration and self-awareness. I even have this precious reminder of true wisdom on my computer screen at home.
The most beautiful piece of Pamela‘s article was the way a male friend responded to her sharing of that surrendering experience. He writes to her:
“When I read your piece last week about the surrender at Harbin, I felt my entire body shake….this is the true Goddess… the Divine Feminine… so rare in this world… all these pretend goddesses, these little girls playing dress-up… it’s cute, but… when I encounter real surrender, it’s an absolutely unmistakable presence this is the realm of She Who Births the Worlds…Enjoy, relax, get to know Yourself… linger as long as you like…”
Yes, linger as long as you like is right. Honoring the Goddess inside you is precisely about that and so much more, but do linger long enough to relax, love yourself and smile. You may even realize how fun and precious your company is if you stay long enough to get to know her.
Chances are you’ll get to see just how beautiful that inner Soul of yours really is and unlike outside sources you can’t control, actually wants what’s best for YOU!
How to Honor Your Inner Goddess
A great site honoring Goddess and Gaia energy (Gaia.com) has a great piece on ways to honor that divine Goddess in each of you. It points to things like: surround yourself with beauty, nourish your dreams, connect with nature, adorn your body, create boundaries and so on. It even suggests setting up rituals.
I love rituals and you can incorporate some of the tips they suggest INTO those rituals. For example, a ritual could include the use of an altar you can personalize with all the things that light you up.
This is where surrounding yourself with beauty comes into play. If you love blues and yellows, then use those colors on your altar. If you’re driven to owls, then add one to your altar and if you love Rose Quartz and Amethyst over all other stones, surround yourself with them, on your altar and perhaps in your bedroom.
Rose Quartz and Amethyst are both equated with love btw although other gemstones can be powerful and serving as well (check out the wonderful book Crystal Bible by Judy Hall for tips on what stones can help what emotions — also see my useful article on the Power of Chakras, Crystals and the Moon).
There’s no right or wrong here – it’s what your Soul aspires to connect with and your feminine power is actually TRUSTING that inner voice.
Your Soul knows what’s best for you in each lifetime. (if you don’t believe we’ve had many lives, no problem, but be sure to read Your Soul’s Plan by Robert Schwartz and Sacred Contracts by Caroline Myss before finalizing your belief — am always curious to hear your points of view btw)
Another way to shed the old and invoke the new (a source of your feminine power) is to clean up shop. By this I mean turn to feng shui as a way to get some clarity. As a discipline, feng shui is widely used and honored in the Eastern World, yet we don’t pay much credence to our personal space in the west.
We should — our space may be toxic and we may not even realize it. At a minimum, it may not be a nourishing space in which to live, play or work, especially true if you work in a male dominated environment. When I last held a position with a title that I didn’t choose (yup, at a tech company), I turned my office into a Goddess sanctuary and this was far before I understood the word Goddess, never mind actually heard it used in modern life.
My office was the only one in a nearly 400 person company that had plants, flowers, my own paintings, a throw rug from Southeast Asia and rocks. Now that I think back, it may have been the only office with any one of those things. I brought nature into a technology-driven environment for balance. 
These are the types of things that can inspire you, uplift you and recharge you. Use whatever works for you: seashells from a recent trip to the Caribbean, rocks from your back garden, a watercolor you bought in Europe, a gemstone your grandmother gave you, a tapestry that reminds you of your creative Aunt Kelly, or whatever it is that nourishes your soul.
And btw, if you don‘t think it’s appropriate to bring warmth (your own warmth) into the workplace, think again. There are no rules or laws against adding color and personality where you spend your time, whether it be a cubicle, a corporate office or in your home office if self employed.
I’ve repainted my home office walls four times in ten years. While rest assured this may sound excessive, it’s largely because I have a strong inner artist within me. Regardless, paint or repaint as your heart desires. Remember a can of paint is less than $20 if your creativity goes awry the first time around.
I‘ve also changed paintings around, added salt lamps around my technology to diffuse the excess EMFs and other toxic energy, and regularly have fresh flowers and colorful gemstones to shift my mood when I’m in my ‘work zone.’
Have the Courage to Nourish
So many women I know including myself, don’t take the necessary time to nourish themselves. We shouldn’t wait for reminders on International Women’s Day every March 8 to step into our divine power and nourish away.
Nourishing ourselves gives us the added strength, courage and love to move full steam ahead. We think it’s the strength of masculine energy that will lead to our success, when in fact, this couldn’t be anymore misguided.
Honor your womanhood and all that it means and I mean all of it. As women, we are powerful beings who have been told that our so called girly behaviors and wearing frilly pinks are weak.
Think again cherished beings — it is our inherent feminine strength and divine love that is what makes the world purr. It is what makes men’s hearts melt. It is what keeps nature alive and thriving. It is what gives children purpose and a connection to source. It is love — nothing less, nothing more.
Fellow Goddesses, our feminine energy is pure love. You are love. How does that sound? Heavenly and f-g amazing, right?
Below are some useful resources that may be helpful and fun to read.
Useful Reading Goddesses
- International Women’s Day website
- Gaia.com (aka Mother Earth)
- Isabel Allende – Heart is What Determines Our Fate
- Reflecting on International Women’s Day
- Kundera – a Woman is Nothing But Her Truth
- The Resurrection of the Divine Feminine
- Finland’s All Women SuperShe Island
- What Humans Can Learn from the Moon
- Italy’s Witches and “Medicine Women
- Learning Reiki the Anna Dorian Way
- Goddess Resources in Britannica (which has other useful links to other cultures)
- The Kuan Yin Chronicles: The Myths and Prophecies of the Chinese Goddess of Compassion
- Goddess Guidance Oracle Deck by Doreen Virtue
- The Power of Shakti – 18 Pathways to Ignite the Energy of the Divine Woman
- Angels, Gods and Goddesses by Toni Carmine Solerno
- Goddess Divine Energy by Jackie Menzies which we’ve yet to review
- Moon Power by Simone Butler – Lunar Rituals for Connecting with your Inner Goddess
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
