What is feminine-led Vedic wisdom?
Exploring what it means to lead from the feminine at Mahasoma by Sarah O'Brien
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With love,
Sarah, Kathleen, and Laura
Leading from the feminine.
‘If there is a future, it will wear a crown of feminine design.’
- Aurobindo Ghose
In every living cell, system, and being in life we can find two supportive and complimentary natures. We have our masculine nature - the aspect of us that is awareness, consciousness, stability, and freedom. We also have our feminine nature - expressing, feeling, emoting, creating, and moving. We are not one or the other - life is a spectrum of both. In all moments we find ourselves opertaing from somewhere on this spectrum and it determines how we experience life.
For example, when we find there’s a little too much movement, busyness, organising, or activity, what do we do? We meditate! We find our stillness, get grounded, and make contact with the witness aspect of ourself. Through meditation we support our activity by strengthening the container (our nervous system) through which our life is experienced. Then we come out and re-enter the world of action better resourced, clear, and with greater purpose.
We’re going to pause here to get clear on what we mean by ‘masculine’ and ‘feminine’. These archetypes exist beyond gender and we must move beyond reductive thinking. English has limitations placed upon it, as does any other language. We find many binaries in English - something has to be either this or that. But rarely are things seen as both. We find no such binaries in nature, only complex, interwoven systems that are interdependent. We may find some systems experience more solidity, groundedness, density, and direction (masculine) and others have more fluidity, energy, movement, and dynamism (feminine), but both are always present.
We use ‘masculine’ and ‘feminine’ for continuity of language and context, but we refrain from moving into a space of being ‘this or that’ or ‘not at all’ and instead seek to understand how we can work with and support these spectrum energies of life.
When we find ourselves sitting in our masculine, we create a life of powerful directive awareness and unwavering purpose. We are about freedom, depth, and consciousness. We find joy in silence, stillness, and observation. This aspect of us is the stability in the nervous system, the witness of the mind, and the observer of emotion.
When we sit in our feminine, we’re in dynamic flow. Creating, moving, emoting, feeling, and connecting. We’re exploring the dynamism of life. Adaptability is a hallmark of feminine awareness. We find listening, sharing, and nurturing are important, and being seen and loved is of the highest value.
Simply, when we’re in leaning into our masculine we’re leading from consciousness, the witness, a state of freedom. When we’re leaning into our feminine, we’re leading from the heart, relationship, and a deep love of all aspects of life, relative to Absolute. Both have beautiful, magnificent, and magical impact.
To be feminine-led means exactly that - to lead with the feminine. It doesn’t exclude the masculine. In fact it creates the space for a deep and nourishing relationship with the masculine. It allows the expression of both to emerge in ways that support, balance, and elevate the lived experience. Like the shades of light from dusk to dawn to midday to sunset to night, there are the infinite expressions of the feminine and infinite expressions of the masculine dancing together.
Mahasoma is a feminine-led collective. Yes, it is led and supported by three women. But it’s so much more than that. When the heart leads everyone is welcome regardless of what they have to offer, where they’re at in life, or where they’re going. In these spaces connection is valued over correction, competition, or achieving. We sit in circle on the same level. We share our experiences as equals to help each other rise. We create the space for everyone to be seen and heard. There is no ‘winning’ - only communing. Which, ironically, creates the greatest state of winning as we discover our inherent connection, love, and freedom.
“For me, feminine-led means coming from that place that cares about the whole. It honours all of life from the manifest to the unmanifest. It’s all inclusive and accepting of where everyone and everything is at. It understands and knows that change takes time and life is a process. It relaxes into enjoying the ride. Like a mother who loves their child just as they are, it seeks to encourage and grow the inherent goodness in all things. It’s soft yet strong. It’s inclusive yet discerning. It’s the act of freedom in love.” - Laura Poole
All our offerings - from our courses, to group meditations, to advanced wisdom programs and retreats - are designed, offered, and shared from this space. It’s what lights us up, feels true, and also feels needed. Feminine-led spaces can the salve to modern lives led by fast-paced, competitive, achievement based principles.
Everyday we see the beauty of this in our community, with everyone welcoming each other and listening deeply. When we show up for each other in this way we create spaces that feel safe, nurturing, and truthful. As facilitators this is our ultimate goal and what we hope for everyone in our community. We are also very open to feedback and suggestions. Please reach out if you’d like to see more (or less!) of anything, or if there are other ways we can continue to support you in your meditation journey.
As always, Jai Guru Deva!
Happy meditating this week :)
Sarah x
Resources to explore.
Intrigued by what you read? Check out these resources to dive deeper into understanding the power of our feminine nature.
Read Awakening Shakti by Sally Kempton
Listen Indigenous Knowledge for Earth Healing with Robin Wall Kimmer
Experience a restful and inspiring feminine-led online 2024 reset retreat 10-12 February including Ayurveda sessions with Chasca Summerville, Vedic astrology with Laura Plumb, yoga flow with Caterina Boutagy, and a guided mantra chanting meditation to activate the vital energies in the body by Laura Poole. Use discount code LAURA to save 10%!
Join us this week for a group meditation and wisdom session. Open to all Vedic meditators. Please book in via the timetable.
Monday 29 Jan - 5:30pm-7pm in Noosa with Laura Poole
Tuesday 30 Jan - 6pm-7pm AEDT online with Laura Poole
Wednesday 31 Jan - 6pm-7pm AEDT online with Kathleen O’Brien
Upcoming courses.
Gift yourself a lifelong practice for health, happiness, and deeper connection. Join our community and be supported for life. We teach in-person only courses in:
MELBOURNE - SURF COAST - CASTLEMAINE - NOOSA - ADELAIDE - ALBURY - SYDNEY - NORTHERN RIVERS - NEWCASTLE
Learn this month with us:
22-25 Feb in Cheltenham (Melbourne) with Kathleen
22-25 Feb in Gherang (Surf Coast) with Sarah
29 Feb - 3 March in Noosa with Laura
Free discovery call.
We get it! Booking in to a 4-session in-person course is a commitment. Looking to learn Vedic meditation but want to meet your teacher and know more before signing up? Join us LIVE for a free Q&A discovery call on Zoom.
Pandit Baskaran x Mahasoma Australian Tour.
Pandit Baskaran’s tour is right around the corner and most of the events are fully booked - you can see all the events here. There are still plenty of tickets however for our big Wanderlust events in Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, and Adelaide.
We have a special VIP offer for our community - a ‘buy on get one free’ for all C Reserve tickets, which makes each ticket around $35! Just use the code TNBOGO via the links below for the different cities.
MELBOURNE - SYDNEY - PERTH - ADELAIDE
Retreat with us.
Join Mahasoma in 2024 on retreat. Connect to yourself through deep practice, nourishing wisdom and community connection.
Bali Bliss Retreat
July 20-26, 2024 with Kathleen O’Brien
Join Kathleen for a luscious rounding retreat in Bali. We will be staying at a brand new organic retreat centre just outside of Ubud - an absolutely stunning location for 7-days of luxury and rest.
Navaratri Rounding and Yajña Retreat in Rishikesh, India
3-12 October, 2024 with Kathleen O’Brien and Pandit Baskaran
This retreat will be hosted over the auspicious time in the Vedic calendar known as Navaratri - the 9 nights of Mother Divine. This is an incredibly auspicious time ideal time for rest, rejuvenation, and letting go of what's no longer relevant. Retreating to India is a pilgrimage to the heart of who you are, and a deep dive into the Self.
Who is Mahasoma?
The Mahasoma team is a feminine-led collective of Vedic meditation teachers, who choose to come together to create something greater than what could be done as individuals. Through working together they support the ever growing community of Mahasoma meditators by offering Vedic meditation courses, online and in-person group meditation and Vedic wisdom sessions, advanced trainings, and retreats. They are accredited Mental Health First Aiders and have been trained in pre- and/or postnatal support for women and families.
Want to know a little more on who and what we are? We’ve written a few things on our website you can check out. We would love to connect with you!
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This is so beautifully expressed!