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For centuries man imposed his will over all social-political-religious-cultural organizations and as a result of that domination, whether implicit or explicit, latent or obvious, we now live in a world where reason prevails over the heart, and fear over love.

This domination and oppression that has crossed through all spheres of life has led to a world where women have been victims of abuse and/or sexual exploitation, as well as repression from being able to connect to their inner sexual goddess, generating guilt and remorse over their immense capacity for sexual enjoyment. In social and economic circles women have been relegated to menial positions while at the same time man conducts himself from a place of competitiveness, deprivation of resources and desire for power.

In regards to this expression of male domination I would like to talk about (and this is just a label) “toxic masculinity.” Masculinity or masculine energy itself is not the problem but rather the problem is the way that man expresses it from its perverse side. During the previous decades, various feminist movements have been born as a “counter-offensive” to that rule. While on the surface they appear to have made much progress towards gender equality, deep down they have contributed to causing discord, guilt and greater separation. Imagine a war, in the case of the sexes. Who could win it? Nobody, just as in any war or conflict of any kind.

Feminism is not the solution to machismo. Likewise the opposite is no solution either. On the contrary, that which we reject only generates greater resistance. Fear is the absence of love just as darkness is the absence of light. When a woman embraces the banner to defend her gender, she is implicitly coming into conflict with the other gender, internally and externally. To see the world from the intellect/ego is to see it as separate and not as part of a whole.

Men, as a sex, we have historically been part of all that has subjugated women. We simply have been unconscious and not present in our hearts, not aware of our internal divinity and instead we have acted from the old commands of a social/religious/cultural legacy. Similarly, the women who are more masculine (and many women are implicitly dominating) or feminist (those who resist the male domination) undertake a crusade that is operating from a duality that will prevent them from ever being complete, in peace and harmony.

The way to wholeness for both the unconscious man and woman is to embrace the  “inner marriage,”  an idea wisely expressed by Osho. This implies that each must embrace within themselves the energy of their own gender, as well as the complementary energy of the opposite gender. At an infinite level of consciousness, we are not separate, we are only energy of love, God and unity. It is simply our limited intellect that prevents us from connecting with that truth. The male energy complements the female energy and vice-versa. The feminine and masculine are present in all creation at all levels. How can we avoid it, suppress it, or deny it?

As personal growth is an individual journey, remaining in the role of the victim or pretending that change is occurring outside of oneself, does not represent any progress. Instead of trying to change society or demanding that the change comes from the unconscious men, I invite my dear female friends to consider that the change occurs within their inner reality. As Gandhi wisely said, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” In other words, the woman who lives by bitterly reproaching men, or intends to undertake a life where she abolishes or combats against the masculine, only reinforces the immense gap of duality and incompleteness.

Embracing the inner marriage through meditation, introspection and self-transcendence is what brings us into a state of peace and wholeness where we  can see the other half of ourselves reflecting back at us as part of the whole. A woman at peace with herself will universally love all men and women and will be able to see compassionately beyond the masks of their egos. Surely every woman who has resolved that conflict within herself, will have no problem relating to and interacting with any man at any level (partner-work-sexual- friendship, etc).

Image by Kirk Reinert, www.kirkreinert.com.

To speak of female empowerment is nothing more than speaking of a collective awakening to a life of expanded consciousness. To expand our consciousness is nothing more than learning to see our fears, limitations, disagreements and conflicts by embracing a life in unity.

Translation by Jeannie Page.

Juan Manuel, an Argentine, is a management professional by trade, but his true passion relates to personal transformation, spiritual activism and coaching. His inspiration is to promote the expansion of consciousness, world unity and universal love, and he believes that to create positive transformation in the world that we simply need to be the change we want to see. To learn more about Juan’s mission visit his Public Page on Facebook.