Blog Archives

Yin and Yang

It is not only individuals that suffer when their differences are not valued, the wellbeing of humanity as a whole suffers when complementary polarities in life are out of balance.
Traditionally natural yin and yang qualities have been perceived by society as feminine or masculine.

These have previously been labeled as follows:
Yin or Feminine        Yang or Masculine
Subjective relating        Objective questioning
Affirming                           Challenging
Nurturing                          Competing
Conserving                       Creating
Receptivity                      Assertiveness
Affect                                  Logic
Unifying                             Separating
Collective                          Discriminating
Natural                               Spiritual

The reality is that humanity has evolved past any of these being identified as gender attributes. The image of male as hunter/warrior is no more valid than male as poet/pacifist. Nor is the image of the female as nurturer more valid than female as prophet of social change.

The challenge of our day is the bringing together of these polarities at every level and in every structure of our society. The victim that loses most from an attitude that discriminates against values traditionally labeled feminine is society itself and ultimately the kingdom of God on Earth.

It is balance that is needed, it doesn’t matter which gender brings which quality into any area of society, so long as they are all valued enough to bring balance into every aspect of life.