After contemplating Chapter 6 of the Tao te Ching, this is the resulting mandala. As I worked, different thoughts would come to me, even as my mind stilled:
The Feminine
Humanity wouldn’t exist without the feminine.
The yin energy that balances out the yang.
The divine mystery of the feminine.
The sacred.
The gentle, subtle energy of creating harmony, not war. Of seeking ways to exist in a world overwhelmed with yang energy.
The Earth Mother
In fact, many call the earth Mother. And yet, so many humans treat her like trash. They pillage, and take without ever taking a moment to pause and feel grateful, to respect her…to take only what is needed and return what has been taken in another form.
The Giver
Often the feminine is the giver – of comfort, love, a caress. And it’s a thankless task. What if the feminine was elevated to the true mystical power she carries? Humans might learn better manners and to be gentler with each other. They might drop all their arms and make more love.
The Gentle Female
The feminine is also about what feels good. It’s not harsh. It’s a gentle calling to do that which is true to one’s essence. The feminine is like home: a return to OM. A return to life. For the feminine doles out life and nourishes it.
Respect for the Feminine
While working on this mandala, I read an article about the role of women in Buddhism. Even the Buddha didn’t initially want women in the sangha. Women – who make up half the population – are special creatures who can attain enlightenment. But so often, the world’s enlightened leaders are male figures. Women have not always been granted the respect they deserve throughout history, but now, that is changing.
The world is changing.