Post by robincragin on Nov 5, 2015 11:48:23 GMT -5
The universe is a singular “great energy,” in the Witches’ world view. People across the globe have tried to give this unifying energy names. They’ve tried “god,” “Tao,” “Tathata,” and “Great Spirit,” to name only a few, but no words adequately describe this spiritual energy, which binds together the entire phenomenal world.
The very nature of spiritual energy is dichotomous. Just like electrical current, spiritual energy manifests in a natural balance of waves and troughs. It reveals itself as hot and cold, on and off, light and dark, life and death. As the Chinese say, the single energy of the universe is both Yin and Yang. Witches symbolize their understanding of this divine energy in male and female terms—-as both god and goddess.
That is not to say that Witches believe deity literally has either male or female genitalia. Rather, god and goddess are symbolic representations of how nature expresses this divine energy. “As above, so below,” is one of the most basic magical axioms, and Witches understand that nature is a direct reflection of spiritual energy. In other words, Witches view nature in all of its manifestations as an expression of the divine.
*** A word to the Wise: The noted psychoanalyst Carl Jung wrote that each of us carries gender traits that are the opposite of our physical gender characteristics. For example, if you are male, you have an anima or internalized feminine nature-if you are female, you contain the animus, or internalized male nature. In order to have appropriately balanced mental health, the external physical gender of the individual should be balanced by his or her internal polar counterpart. ***
A Witch’s Brief Guide to Polarity
God Goddess
Male Female
Sun Moon
Expanding Contracting
Light Dark
Yang Yin
Active Passive
External Internal
Conscious Mind Unconscious mind
Thinking Dreaming
Hard Soft
Warm Cool
Linear Nonlinear
Direct Indirect
Life Death
Day Night
Positive Negative
Square/angled Round
Speaking Listening
Doing Being
Exercise: Exploring Polarity
As with all Wiccan symbols, the energies and the polarity of god and goddess represent aspects that reside within all of us. It does not matter if you have male or female physical characteristics; every human being has qualities and energies that express both the god and goddess. Let’s find out now how you express them.
* Look at the brief guide to polarity above. As you consider the very short list of god and goddess energy attributes, what other words might you add to both sides of the list? Take time now to develop a more comprehensive list for yourself.
* Take out paper and pen and make a list of qualities that represent your “god” energy. Then make a list of qualities that represent your “goddess” energy.
* Review both lists to determine if you seem to express one side of the divine polarity more than the other. Which aspect do you most most express on your daily life? Which energy gets least expressed in your daily life?
The very nature of spiritual energy is dichotomous. Just like electrical current, spiritual energy manifests in a natural balance of waves and troughs. It reveals itself as hot and cold, on and off, light and dark, life and death. As the Chinese say, the single energy of the universe is both Yin and Yang. Witches symbolize their understanding of this divine energy in male and female terms—-as both god and goddess.
That is not to say that Witches believe deity literally has either male or female genitalia. Rather, god and goddess are symbolic representations of how nature expresses this divine energy. “As above, so below,” is one of the most basic magical axioms, and Witches understand that nature is a direct reflection of spiritual energy. In other words, Witches view nature in all of its manifestations as an expression of the divine.
*** A word to the Wise: The noted psychoanalyst Carl Jung wrote that each of us carries gender traits that are the opposite of our physical gender characteristics. For example, if you are male, you have an anima or internalized feminine nature-if you are female, you contain the animus, or internalized male nature. In order to have appropriately balanced mental health, the external physical gender of the individual should be balanced by his or her internal polar counterpart. ***
A Witch’s Brief Guide to Polarity
God Goddess
Male Female
Sun Moon
Expanding Contracting
Light Dark
Yang Yin
Active Passive
External Internal
Conscious Mind Unconscious mind
Thinking Dreaming
Hard Soft
Warm Cool
Linear Nonlinear
Direct Indirect
Life Death
Day Night
Positive Negative
Square/angled Round
Speaking Listening
Doing Being
Exercise: Exploring Polarity
As with all Wiccan symbols, the energies and the polarity of god and goddess represent aspects that reside within all of us. It does not matter if you have male or female physical characteristics; every human being has qualities and energies that express both the god and goddess. Let’s find out now how you express them.
* Look at the brief guide to polarity above. As you consider the very short list of god and goddess energy attributes, what other words might you add to both sides of the list? Take time now to develop a more comprehensive list for yourself.
* Take out paper and pen and make a list of qualities that represent your “god” energy. Then make a list of qualities that represent your “goddess” energy.
* Review both lists to determine if you seem to express one side of the divine polarity more than the other. Which aspect do you most most express on your daily life? Which energy gets least expressed in your daily life?