I am a woman, a sister, a friend, a daughter, and a community member, and I too have experienced the challenges of managing all of these roles, while also trying to understand what it means to be a woman in today’s world. Through studying Eastern traditions I have come to learn that a lot of my own struggles had erupted from not being able to manage and nurture my feminine and masculine energies.

Many of us often have an uneven relationship between these dualities. Masculine energy is characterized by DOING and achieving and is moulded by logic and reason. The feminine is more intuitive, oriented towards receiving and allowing, and characterized by BEING.

As with all seeming dichotomies in life, learning to balance both within us is necessary if we want to experience a greater sense of harmony and fulfillment.

Our patriarchal society has a significant imbalance that does not favour the feminine aspects of men or women. In an attempt to overcome this imbalance, in the past 100 years, women have tried to do things to be treated as equals.

The “superwoman” role as both the provider and nurturer has become the norm and is detrimental to women’s health and that of society since it cultivates disconnection in women and pushes children into demanding social roles at young ages due to the mother’s lack of presence.

When women turn away from sattva and the feminine aspect, all beings are affected by a trend in the direction of rajas and tamas. This leads to suffering on the mental, physical, emotional and spiritual levels.

Many women today feel misunderstood, which comes from not understanding themselves. A lack of understanding of what it means to be a woman with wisdom and intuition, along with avoiding our feelings in general, makes life confusing. A woman’s natural tendency is to nurture.

In working with women and families, I have come to realize the importance of women's health in creating healthier families and more vibrant communities. I have also noticed that women, for the reasons mentioned, need more support with assertive communication, standing in their confidence, connection with their intuition, embracing themselves, managing their roles, and coping with the constant changes life entails.