Tantra works a lot with the masculine and feminine principle.
Both of these opposite poles are not only present in the gender differences between sexes, but are also included in all our individual selves. Meaning that everyone has both a masculine and a feminine part. Freedom we will find if we can unify this polarity within ourselves.
Shiva – awareness – masculine essence
Roughly the masculine essence is awareness, the knowing that you are present in this moment. The knowing that you can take responsibility for your life, that you can make your own choices and that you can follow your goals. The masculine essence loves the feminine deeply and is able to embrace it in a safe support where the feminine can bloom into her full potential.
Shakti – life – feminine principle
The feminine principle can roughly described as life itself, this includes the changeability of experience, feelings, emotions and even thoughts. Deeply embodying this feminine aspect includes joy, passion, creation, movement and the unfolding of life itself. If you allow life to flow through you, you will see the colourfulness and unfolding of each moment.
Embodying the feminine essence is difficult for a lot of us western people, cause it will mean that you have to let go your control, and to find trust in what surrounds us. To let go, and to trust that life is good and that you are safely being carried will probably raise fear for a lot of us…
Often the feminine essence is under-graduated in our culture, bút for being successful in life, you will have to be able to allow the flow of femininity within, while embracing yourself in a safe and masculine holding (not being the victim of something else then your own responsability).
This will create the quality of acting and responing towards unpredicted situations & that what surround us.