The soft, the subtle, the slow | embodying the quietened realm of feminine interiority
There is a yearning that lives within the depths of the feminine heart. A yearning to be valued and seen without having to push so constantly outwards. Without having to so starkly illuminate and present ourselves to the world.
It is the yearning to draw what is meant for oneself inward, into the quietened realm of interiority where it can be welcomed and nurtured for a time before it meets the gaze of the external.
It is the yearning to not have to be obvious, to not have to reveal it all. A longing to hold a subtle yet firm threshold, where the world of the extrinsic meets the sacred interiority of being and heart. A quiet doorway that silently speaks, ‘This inner place is not for everyone or everything to enter.’
It is a longing to give proper credence to the subtle feelings that rest beneath what is spoken aloud. To soften into slow truths that can only be found beneath the surface.
It is the desire to move in unhurried, graceful ways, where urgency is reserved only for the rare moments that are actually urgent. To allow and receive, and deepen into the call of the soul. To return to slow living, not as just an outwardly aesthetic aspiration, but as a return to the internal rhythm that supports the natural wellbeing of the feminine body, psyche and spirit.
Something that I consistently come back to within this path of feminine reclamation, is how easily our culture convinces us to contort the frequencies of the feminine into something more outward that can be labelled, quantified, compared externally (and of course within the business context, something that can be easily marketed/sold to the masses).
Yet the more deeply we return to the subtle body and the energetic makeup of the feminine-essenced system, the more jarring and out of integrity this can feel.
Protecting and honouring the slow, the subtle and the soft becomes more and more vital, as we observe the many ways we have been taught to abandon our core essence and live in an unrelenting state of force.
Something that I have found in my work with women, is that there is a tendency that sits beneath the surface (usually felt, and not consciously articulated) where we yearn for others to value and protect this essence of soft feminine being that we hold. Yet at the same time, we are repeatedly modelled and taught to unconsciously dishonour and reject this essence within both ourselves and others.
This causes so much confusion, as we (very naturally as relational beings) seek outwardly to see our feminine value mirrored in the external, yet feel disheartened when we bump up against people, systems and structures that do not create space for the raw, non-distilled frequencies and sensitivities of feminine being.
One of the deepest learnings that I have encountered on the feminine path, is understanding that while it is an important part of our journey to see and feel the many ways we have been taught to abandon our deeper feminine essence, there are many collective thoughtforms that can convince us that we must become embattled in a ‘masculine vs feminine’ energetic. An energetic that sees the feminine trying to prove and compete through her masculine shields to be valued in an over-masculinised culture, all the while neglecting the true power of her deeper feminine essence.
I have seen how this can cause a woman to live in an exhausting consciousness where her feminine centre continually leaks its precious energies, constantly grasping and fighting for external value and understanding from a world that is not necessarily equipped to see her true value and beauty.
I have seen how easy it is for us as women to think we are gaining power by holding resentment against circumstances or people, rather than tenderly coming back to the deeper pain of our inner rejection and allowing our grief to be gently alchemised into the true feminine power that we organically hold.
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What I have seen, time and time again, is that our feminine value comes from internal embodiment, not outer proving.
Not explaining, justifying or waiting for others to give you permission to live in sync with your feminine design and deeper spiritual heart as a woman traversing this time on earth.
Not trying to over-intellectualise and make logical sense of your natural desires and inner knowledge of what your body, spirit and heart need to thrive, but instead simply claiming and living from this space of natural feminine being.
Not feeling pressured to carry the mental, emotional and spiritual load of ‘fixing’ or ‘figuring out’ the masculine-feminine imbalance in the world, but instead knowing that your own feminine embodiment is restoring this balance organically.
Not needing to run everything via the external to seek validation and approval, but instead being a fiercely tender advocate for your own feminine roots as you deepen into the inner well of God that guides your unfolding.
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In a world that would have us spending a great deal of our time creating an outer image of our lives, the core of feminine reclamation happens in the depths of your internal world, where things do not need to be proven or forcibly displayed to those who do not have the eyes to see. Where the slow and tender reconnection to your feminine soul does not need to have any purpose beyond that of truly inhabiting the intrinsic value, beauty and spirit you hold as a woman.
Belinda x
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hi, i’m belinda
Writer and founder of Soul & Self, an online space for women to reclaim their feminine nature, recognise their true value and restore their natural gifts, pace and path. If you’re a deep-hearted woman wanting to soften into your femininity, a gentle solopreneur craving respite from the ‘shoulds’ of the business world, or a feminine creative longing to share and sell your gifts in a softer way, you’re in the right place. Start here.