Shakti - Why is Active Energy depicted as female?

Shiva represents consciousness, the divine consciousness or the Self and Shakthi represents vibrant energy, vitality, the creative power. Shiva and Shakti represent the masculine and feminine aspects on all levels of existence.The self-complementary Ardhanareeswara (half man, half woman) concept. When this androgynous, self-complementary energy  is divided into two, they turn into the latent or passive consciousness and the pure, vibrant energy without any consciousness. OR we can say that, Shiva is the passive or latent Shakthi and Shakthi is the active Shiva. Shakthi or the active Shiva can unleash untold miseries. We have heard the story of Kali (MahaKali) and her unbridled fury which was tamed by stepping on Shiva. This is a symbolic representation of how the divine consciousness neutralizes the violent, mindless, raging energy. 
Let us come back to the topic of discussion - Why is the active energy of the Universe depicted as female? So far nobody knows who did or when this division and naming occurred. The only guess one can make is that highly intelligent and developed creatures have walked this planet, at times beyond our imagination. So let us try to explain this from our level of understanding. 
Let us look at it from the cellular level. Our cells contain free floating organelles called mitochondria. They are known as the powerhouses of the cell. They function like a digestive system of the cell. They take nutrients, breaks it down and create energy rich molecules for the cell. This bio-chemical process is known as cellular respiration. Mitochondria contains their own genomes. The human zygote contains only the mitochondrial DNA from the egg cell, the sperm mitochondrial DNA do not contribute genetic information to the embryo.So the powerhouse of the cell or the mitochondria is inherited from Mothers. At a cellular level itself energy source is contributed by the females. This might be a reason why energy is considered female. 

In each person, the Shiva and the Shakthi are there, but are set apart. Shiva or the divine consciousness resides in the Sahasrara Chakra and Shakthi or the divine creative energy is coiled up in the Mooladhara Chakra. So each person is incomplete as such. So, to attain perfection or moksha, in each life, a little effort and time should be spend in bringing the Kundalini energy coiled up in the mooladhara to the Sahasrara. Otherwise one will be tied up in samsara endlessly.

Universal Truth - Spiritual Symbolism in other Cultures and religions.

When we look deeper into different cultures and religions, we will find that the underlying concept is the same - to raise the consciousness. All different paths lead to the same destination. All disputes and rivalry in the name of culture and religion arise from superficial misinterpretations of the same.

In my previous blog Shiva and Shakti - A spiritual symbolism, the concept of Shiva and Shakti was explained. In Indian mythology Shiva represents the spiritual energy and Shakti represents the divine feminine or Kundalini . 

In Christianity, the Holy Spirit represents the spiritual energy and the Sacred fire represents the Kundalini. When these two powers unite, the results is enlightenment. 

In Buddhist, Taoist and Chinese tradition bai hui (crown chakra ) is opened to bring down the tian chi (spiritual energy). 

In Europe the "live happily ever after" fairy tales represents the same concept. Here the spiritual energy is the "Prince Charming" and the kundalini energy is the "Sleeping Beauty". 

From all the above, we can understand that the spiritual truths are not confined to a particular culture or religion. They are universal.


Indebted to Grand Master Choa Kok Sui.

Shiva and Shakti - The spiritual symbolism

Shiva and Shakti represents the masculine and feminine aspects on all levels of existence. The self-complementary Ardhanareeswara (half man, half woman) concept. 

In Yoga, Shakti is known as Kundalini. And in Tantra it is known as Shakti. Kundalini is the energy of the prana. It flows through the nadis ( channels ). The intersection of these channels where the energy concentrates are known as Chakras (energy centers).  Shakti or Kundalini lies dormant in every being, which can be unleashed through Yogic or Tantric practises.

Shiva represents consciousness - divine consciousness or the Self and Shakthi represents energy, vitality -feminine creative power. Or Shiva is Purusha (consciousness) and Shakti is Prakriti (nature). Or Shiva is the Unmanifest (formless) and Shakti is the Manifest (formed). Everything we see around us is Shakti, from a grain of sand to the Sun. Every sound, every thought, every feeling, every act is Shakti. She can enslave you as well as free you. She is the illusion (Maya ) and She is the reality. Shiva is latent, Shakti is active. Shiva represents the constitutive elements of the Universe and Shakti is the dynamic potency which makes these elements come to life. Shiva can experience himself only through Shakti. 

Each world, each being, in short, every aspect of the Universe has its Shiva and Shakti - a complementary duality of Being and its power of Becoming. Through Her He assumes the form of the Universe. Because Consciousness without energy is dormant and Energy without consciousness is blind or aimless. 

In this world the subtle energies condense to form the Panchabhootha; through the Panchabhootha we are able to experience the gross world. To get out of this Gross Existence, we have to awaken our Kundalini which is lying dormant in the Mooladhara chakra, at the tip of the spine. This can be done through Yogic or Tantric practises. This is the universal goal of spiritual life. Through constant practice the Kundalini/Shakti rises to the Sahasrara Chakra, the seat of the divine consciousness / Shiva. The union of Shiva and Shakti symbolises the coming together of the feminine and masculine energies within a person, as well as the creation of the world. The supreme bliss of the union of Shiva and Shakti is pregnant with the eternal truth - Love. The supreme state when Shiva merges with Shakti is known as Nirvana, Oneness, Enlightenment, Moksha etc. 

The union of Shiva and Shakti is also known as dance of Shiva and Shakthi. Both the genders have both the masculine and feminine aspects in them. The inner masculine and the inner feminine meet each other on equal terms. All the limiting belief systems and inequality of genders have to go . The dance of ecstasy cannot happen if one of these aspects is seen as better than the other.