Our world appears to be on an escalating path of feminine liberation. At times, as the feminine empowers herself out of codependent dynamics of caretaking and over-extending, as she more fully and courageously expresses her wild, passionate heart and chooses herself, it may appear as if the masculine is being left behind, perhaps even betrayed. But ultimately, this may not be the case, for feminine liberation is masculine liberation, even when it feels like death to the masculine.
In this patriarchal world, the feminine has carried the emotional burden for far too long. The masculine has not been able to carry his share of the load, perhaps largely because he’s been conditioned to numb his emotions. And this may mean a limited capacity for empathy and love.
In order to regain access to his emotions and balance the load, in order to access empathy and return to love, the masculine must die to the patriarchal ideal of what it is to be masculine, rediscover his inner feminine, and be reborn anew.
The feminine may aid both herself and the masculine in this process through devotionally choosing herself, her truth, her freedom, her passion, her unapologetic light. Her choices may appear as temporary abandonment of the masculine at times as she liberates herself from patriarchal conditioning and finds her way.
The masculine is served through this feminine liberation process of devotional self-love and empowerment in many ways. One way may be through the severing of codependent patterns of relating. No longer able to consistently rely on the external feminine to hold the emotional space that he has become familiar with, dependent on, the space he has come to expect, to take for granted and feel entitled to, the masculine ego may begin to experience a deeply painful death that includes an intensity of terror and rage. The rage may arise in an effort to protect the masculine from the incredible grief that lies beyond it.
Over time, as insight dawns, as the masculine recognizes the depth of his pain, the depth of his self-worth wound and how this wound runs him and leads him to endlessly harm himself and others, as he feels how truly disconnected and emotionally unavailable he has been and owns the devastating impact this has on him and those he relates with, especially those closest to him, as he finds the strength, courage, humility and motivation to be deeply honest with himself and others, to show up in deeper integrity, to reconnect with himSelf, to change these destructive patterns and deeply feel this grief, as he surrenders to this initiation, as he learns to deeply and tenderly love his own heart, his own inner feminine, the terror and rage may largely subside, and he may discover that within grief lies liberation, and a return to masculine and feminine unity, within and without.
As the feminine empowers herself and the masculine is left to take care of himself, he may be forced to find other sources of comfort and listening for his emotional experience. As he falls apart, he may be compelled to look within and self-source his emotional needs, and the grip of codependent patterns may begin to loosen their hold.
“Abandoned”, left to his own devices, the masculine may have little choice but to learn to self-soothe. To find a source other than the external feminine to provide the nurturing he so desperately needs. As his inner journey unfolds, he may discover the ‘divine feminine’ that existed within him all along, buried beneath layers of patriarchal conditioning. He may liberate the feminine within, marry her to his ‘divine masculine’, and embody deeper harmony and unity.
Through her self-devotional acts of liberation, the radiant, Kali-infused feminine may contribute to destroying the masculine ego, and in so doing, she may provide an incredible, catalytic act of service to both the masculine and herself, setting fire to the patriarchy, to codependent patterns of relating, to illusions of limitation, to that which dims her radiant light and is ready to burn for the benefit of All.
Arising from the ashes of what was, a merging of masculine and feminine is cultivated within. An inner unity arising within each individual heart contributing to unity of the expanded, collective heart, unity of All.
From this place of greater balance and wholeness, unity with another without codependence becomes possible. Our hearts opening to one another more from a place of sharing than a place of need.From this space of deeper harmony and unity within, union with another without codependence may become possible. Our hearts opening to one another more from a place of deep gratitude and reverence than a place of entitlement or need.
This is the breeding ground of divine union.
As the feminine devotes to herself, as she empowers and liberates herself, the masculine may embark on his own separate journey, sometimes seemingly against his will. But in the end, we are liberated, together, as One, and this may ultimately be the will, the desire, of All, devotion to All.
Troy Cohen 