How free are you?
Before you answer this, I'll give a little
hint. The definition of autonomous is self-governing power. If we have
spiritual autonomy, we are free to cultivate and govern our own
spiritual power within us, which means we are incredible self-sustaining
and ever-evolving, autonomous human forms.
It may take a while to
re-member ourselves, to recall that we are strong enough to suffer and
embrace, consciously or not, a spiritual healing and rebirth through our
bodies during this part of our female life cycle.
Sometimes these
spiritual healings manifest through interesting thoughts or ideas, a
change of mind and outlook; these healings come as spiritual attunements
and sometimes as a result of self-expression, formerly unexplored
emotions that finally release; or, through physical adjustments and new
demands, like stress, on our bodies.
One ignites the next and
accelerates another. They all perpetuate one another. However they
appear, they are often misunderstood, even by we who give birth to them;
we who tend to judge these experiences as challenging or abnormal. We
habitually suppress it or apply derogatory names, making the negative
aspects more real than needs be.
Water, Fire, Balance
There
are ways to channel this unused creative energy that would otherwise be
potentially leaked during a sexual interaction, inappropriately
projected onto a friend, or even overly dramatized and then
internalized. There are ways to channel it all into positive,
pleasurable experiences.
Here is a Taoist principle I learned on
retreat in Sedona about whether or not we are ready and mature enough
for a sexual relationship. I see its philosophy as an umbrella for our
relationships with all people, our spirits and our souls. It goes
something like this:
If you are already too full, you have no
space for a sacred experience co-mingling sexual energies with another
person. If you are too empty, you will have compulsive sexual desires,
always looking to fill yourself up. It is only when you are half full
that you can have a sacred and fulfilling sexual experience with another
human being.
In Five Element Theory, we have three types of Chi
available to the human body: 1) the life force with which we are born;
2) that which we accumulate from food and breathing the air around us;
and 3) the energy we derive from our sacred spiritual practices:
breathing, meditation and other methods of concentrated focus.
In
other words, with conscious practice we can cultivate our creative
sexual energies for other purposes and different creative projects. In
fact, sexual and primary, original energies are considered the same in
the context of Taoist principles. There is a sacred practice called the
Microcosmic Orbit which channels the sexual energies into a balance of
masculine and feminine inside both male and female bodies. This is the
Universal principle of Yin and Yang balance.
It all begins with
sperm and eggs. Even as the gender of a fetus is uncovered in the womb,
we are still undifferentiated until well after birth. We come in with,
and we never lose, this primordial balance of both masculine and
feminine energies. We may use them in imbalanced ways, or use one more
than the other depending upon circumstances and survival, yet the
principle remains, however buried within. At its essence, this sexual
energy can be transmuted into spiritual evolution and enlightenment.
Just
because a woman is beyond reproductive age, doesn't mean she has no
creative juice. In fact, because it is stored in such great quantity,
this sexual energy may more compelled to travel upward from the ovaries
into the head. The Microcosmic Orbit will take this natural motility and
propel it more rapidly to its destination.
This may be the proof
in the original statement about middle-aged women being more poised for
enlightenment than anyone else. With intentional visualization and
breath, the abundance of these natural forces of creativity are inspired
to circulate freely throughout our bodies.
Are you with me with
this next idea? I say there is enough energy to both heal and light the
golden flame of every single spiritual intention on this planet right
now, with all the fire we create individually and so many menopausal
women doing it collectively.
Think about it.
Female Creative Energy Practice II
Experience Chi flow with the Microcosmic Orbit. This is my interpretation and slightly modified from what I learned.
Sit
in a comfortable, meditative posture and visualize the channel which
begins in the tongue and runs down the front of your body through the
throat, chest and navel. It then travels up the tailbone through the
spine into your head.
Next, feel or see the energy of water moving
up the back channels and the energy of fire moving down the front
channels away from the head into your digestive organs. Play with this
and just notice your experience; you might even record it daily for a
week, or more. If you do have a romantic relationship, try the "orbit"
in this context as well, noticing what is created here!
Later try
practicing the "orbit" with your tongue on the roof of your mouth behind
the top teeth. Then, try it with the "Oval" exercise simultaneously.
Each one of these exercises can potentially decrease stress levels and
is capable of creating better health, more balance and natural rhythm in
your life.
