Feminine Power, how do you illustrate and describe such a force?

What is feminine power to you?

How do you illustrate and describe such a force and is it even possible?

The British Museum has a brilliant exhibition aiming to do this called Feminine Power (until 23 September, then touring the world) showcasing powerful female figures and deities all with something to share - represented in different forms, from many generations and cultures.

Hekate, goddess of transition

We enter a space where we can see reflections of ourselves.

There’s so much to take in from this exhibition and it’s a topic close to my heart because for much of my life it felt like feminine power eluded me - it was outside of me or something I’ve needed to strive for to achieve.

And yet of course it’s not. We all hold feminine energy. It’s not exclusively for women and yet it’s particularly important to be drawing attention because for far too long culturally, women have been conditioned to believe we’re the lesser.

There’s so much inequality around us, yet here we enter a space where we can see reflections of ourselves - perhaps now, from the past, or what we hope to embody at some point in the future. The mighty, unstoppable feminine power!

What struck me was the diversity of female figures, not just in style, iconography and symbolism, but what they represented and importantly what they didn’t.

Athena, warrior and goddess of wisdom

The power of the feminine is not being everything all of the time.

It’s so easy in our western culture to feel like a failure if, as women, we’re not doing it all brilliantly, holding it all together in every area of our life, on our own (or with very little support).

We want to be seen, appreciated, understood and valued - we’ve collectively set the bar, aiming for ‘superwoman’ - yet here in this exhibition, we see how each version of the female embodied was known and worshipped for a few main things.

There wasn’t one female being that was everything, all of the time.

The exhibition gives us breathing space, allowing us to focus on whatever part of ourselves we need to call upon to nurture and embody at any moment.

We are all of this and we are none. We can choose to awaken these qualities within ourselves to fully embrace our feminine power or we can keep trying and defending the way we’ve done for far too long. Sure, it’s got us this far, but are we where we want to be? And is it sustainable?

It’s a pivotal time to be reflecting on this, and making a stand - because how I see it - embracing and embodying feminine power can only truly happen once we’re honouring and defending our planet Earth - the ultimate nurturer and giver of life. They’re interconnected. We need to be fiercely protecting our world, like a mother to her child. Making a stand for climate action, doing whatever we can. And we all have work to do.

Isis, divine mother & wife

Our world is full of inspiring, intelligent, creative, loving, nurturing, and feisty women. Take a moment now to think of the top women in your life and others you look up to.

It’s not that we don’t have a world full of wonderful women, it’s that we do, and we all know so many!

When we collaborate, celebrate, and encourage other women we get stronger as individuals, communities and as a species. And when the qualities of being a ‘woman’ are regarded as sacred and valuable in society as a ‘man’, we’ll find the balance we’re needing. Every person on this planet has a duty of care to honour the women in their life and the feminine receptive power we each hold within.

Sekhmet, Mistress of Life

The Moon’s cycle amplifies the feminine.

How do we embody these fabulous feminine beings? It can be hard in day-to-day life. I know myself being in my masculine ‘expressive’ energy is easy. Growing my Reiki business, working part-time and as a single mum to two sons, there’s a lot of pushing forward, getting things done, goal setting and achieving. Somedays I have to make a conscious effort to drop into my feminine. Sure, I’m more attuned since beginning my Reiki journey a decade ago, giving treatments and even more so since creating the Reiki Moon Healing Circles.

As I was walking around the exhibition it dawned on me that the energy of these deities/figures is revealed to us every month with the phases of the Moon. How wonderful! Working with the Moon (and your menstrual cycle, if this is relevant) we can become in-tune and develop the qualities further within ourselves.

The icons/figures/deities on display are you, and they are me. They are part of our essence and they have so much to teach us about ourselves; our strength, compassion, resilience, wisdom, sensuality and sexuality, softness and warrior self. And of course each other.

Below I’ve put together some examples, of course, some goddesses overlap with their strengths and are also many aspects of the Moon - and through the month we see other powers. However, I wanted to keep it simple with a few that link to the phases, to encourage you to experiment for yourself.

Bring this work into the physical (I’m a fan of having something tangible to work with) - find an image you like, print it out and have it in your space when you need to embody this energy within you. If you are attuned to Reiki you can arc your hands over the image during a self-Reiki treatment. Be creative and have some fun!

• Dark & New Moon
  Hekate: Goddess of transformation, standing between life and death
  Medusa: Inner strength and survival

• Waxing Moon
  Ishtar: Sexual desire and warrior
  Aphrodite: Goddess of passion
  Athena: Warrior and victorious

• Full Moon
  Kwan Yin: Great Mother, compassion, mercy
  Isis: Fertility
  Tara: Healing, Mother and guardian
  Virgin Mary: Divine light

• Waning Moon
  Pele: Creative and destructive power, allowing for regeneration
  Kali: Destroying the ego, guiding towards enlightenment
  Sekhmet: Getting ready for rebirth

There were so many great examples of feminine power at the exhibition and whether you can get to see the show or not, doesn’t matter. What’s important is finding someone that resonates with you!

I left the exhibition space feeling empowered and knowing that no matter how much was on display, we are so much more!

Have you seen the exhibition? Is there a goddess/icon that you’re drawn to, who inspires you in your life? What was the strongest message for you?