The Divine Feminine: Not yet As Good As it Gets But She is Definitely Rising
In the movie As Good As It Gets, the character Melvin Udall is asked by an adoring female fan how he writes women so well. He replies “I think of a man and I take away reason and accountability”. I have always had an uncomfortable relationship with this scene because it felt so wrong and yet I found it funny. Was there something wrong with me for liking this hurtful insult?
Lately however, I see this scene as a way for me to enter into a place where I can celebrate and surrender to the idea of the Divine Feminine, not simply as woo-woo phenomenon but as a destination with many years of scientific research to support its existence and utility. Carl Jung and other researchers have found evidence that suggests ancient humans celebrated but were also entranced by the totality of a magical universe that seemingly made and devoured itself in cycles. The researchers referred to this entity as the Uroboros.
Represented often as a dragon or serpent that ate its tail, the Uroboros was originally viewed as female in character as was the way of being adopted by early humans to exist in its terrifying shadow. This entity, which Jung seemed to believe was mostly our unconscious selves, is beyond any moral code, is non-binary and holds all of the answers to scientific questions, the vast majority of which we have not yet even dreamed.
The research also seemed to indicate that ancient humans moved away from this entity culturally over the years so that they could separate out tiny parts of the knowledge it supplied. This helped them to begin to dominate their surroundings using methods of separating, studying and applying what they learned. The ancient humans represented this way of being as primarily male. And although this male, reductionist way of being, has helped us to thrive in areas where we would likely have died, it feels to me like this form of narrow reasoning has run its useful course.
We keep looking for answers to complex questions using narrow reasoning that has now seemingly become the new religion. Stubbornly stating that only the tools developed using these methods should be used to pave the way forward, we are frustrated at every turn while raving against anyone who suggests the use of an unordained tool.
Accountability to one way of being, one moral code, or one paradigm is also supported by this narrow reasoning. It frustrates us at a time when diverse ways of being, splintering moral codes and numerous paradigms seem to spring up every day. If there is a pattern to these developments it may be the rejection of the legitimacy of these old beliefs.
Jung’s ideas seem to suggest that the next significant development in human consciousness would be when we turn once again to welcome the Uroboros which is nestled in our unconscious selves. This is the reservoir of all knowledge that seems to be doled out to us in rare dribbles that we call intuition and insight. He suggested that we would no longer be subjected to being in a trance-like state in its terrifying presence because we could make use of the reasoning and the distinct sense of self that we have developed during the past epoch.
Einstein is reported to have said:
“I believe in intuition and inspirations. I sometimes feel that I am right. I do not know that I am.”
These dribbles of intuition and insight could turn into a steady trickle if we can find a way to move away from narrow reductionist reasoning and use expanded reasoning to stand securely in the place of not knowing. In that place we cannot hold too tightly to beliefs or we might be dragged under by the weight of their lack of relevance.
But it is a big ask to begin to adopt an entirely new way of being. Luckily for us there is already a model for that and it is often called the feminine by knowledgeable people like Jordan Hall. Many of the most interesting and influential women I know have had the qualities he describes, and it is often warm and comforting, though sometimes dizzying, to be around them.
Our entire value system on the other hand, has become overwhelmingly male and feels heavy, musty and irrelevant to me at a time when the ability to value the most useful things seems critical. Both women and men continue to use this irrelevant index, seemingly unaware of how it blocks us from celebrating the feminine. I have recently heard women saying things like “I have more balls than my male boss at work!” or “I want you to just be a man!” In this same time period I have heard many men refer to things that seem weak or irrelevant as being Gay.
I am not claiming the moral high ground here because I am certain that I have been guilty of these same biases. I am suggesting though that we are missing opportunities to celebrate the feminine and help usher in a way of being that we desperately need. In order to do this though, we may need to expand our reasoning enough for us to readily incorporate tools like intuition and insight that can augment our individual reality tunnels (Robert Anton Wilson, Timothy Leary) or relevance realization (John Vervaeke) that limit and focus our perception. This alone may allow us to truly share critical ideas and perspectives before we clumsily wipe ourselves out.
We may also need to abandon accountability to beliefs that have outlived their usefulness. These parts that anchor us may also weigh us down as we attempt to move to the newly discovered solid ground that we can share with others. There will be no need for modern feminism if we can manage to exalt and celebrate the feminine. Traditionally feminine traits will be valued, sought out and revered in women, men and two spirit (or many spirit) persons in all segments of society.
I cant describe what this new society might look like because like many of you I am still immersed in the male way of being despite my best efforts. It hovers in my mind as a giant nebulous bias that I can make out and dispel every now and then but persists nevertheless, supported and fed constantly by all the forms of media that swirl around us.
It is much more useful to me to simply surrender to the idea of the feminine which resides in me and surround myself with as many people (mainly women) who resonate with that idea as I can. I can also tell you that I feel ready to welcome and celebrate the feminine while being led by my intuition and expanded reasoning. In the words of Olivia Newton John I am ready to Feel my way there.
This new meta-paradigm has been described by many in different circles as the Divine Feminine and it seems as fitting a name as any I have heard. It feels to me like we are on the way there whether we like it or not. But it also feels to me like this is nowhere near as good as it gets.
