On my journey of attaining higher conscious self I find myself learning things that leave me asking "why did I not know this?" and thinking if I had this knowledge earlier my 20's would have looked a whole lot different. At age 36 I have just learned about the Yoni and the sacred feminine. You may be asking "what is the Yoni?" if you are anything like me. I must have missed that Oprah episode or my Mom did not get the memo that there are other concepts to femininity than the word vagina. I now find myself connecting this piece of the puzzle in to place to heal my body from its energy suffering. Here is the official definition from Wikipedia:
Yoni (Sanskrit: योनि yoni) is a Sanskrit word with different meanings, most basically "vagina" or "womb". Its counterpart is the lingam. It is also the divine passage, or sacred temple (cf. lila). The word can cover a range of extended meanings, including: place of birth, source, origin, spring, fountain, place of rest, repository, receptacle, seat, abode, home, lair, nest, stable.
In Hinduism, the ancient Indian texts contain the word yoni in various contexts. In Hindu philosophy, according to Tantra, yoni is the origin of life. The yoni is also considered to be an abstract representation of Shakti and Devi, the creative force that moves through the entire universe.Sacred Sanskrit words, p. 111
In Indian religions according to Vedas and Bhagavad Gita, Yoni is a form of life or a species. There are 8.4 million yonis total with ManushyaYoni (Human form/human species) as one of them. A human (manushya yoni) is obtained on the basis of good karma (deeds) before which a human goes through various forms of yonis (for example, insect, fish, deer, monkey, etc.). Bad karmas will lead one to be born inrakshasa yoni (evil form). The births and rebirths (the cycle of life) of a human happens in various yonis. A human who achieves theenlightenment (Mokshya) breaks the cycle of reincarnation and adjoins Brahma.
Why does it matter?
Why does it matter if we call it a sacred vessel or just a vagina? Well the feminine can give us an understanding of how all the diverse parts of life relate together, their patterns of relationship, the interconnections that nourish life. She can help us to see consciously what she knows instinctively, that all is part of a living, organic whole, in which all the parts of creation communicate together, and how each cell of creation expresses the whole in a unique way. An understanding of the organic wholeness of life belongs to the instinctual knowing of the feminine, but combined with masculine consciousness this can be communicated in words, not just feelings. We can combine the science of the mind and the senses with inner knowing. We can be given a blueprint of the planet that will enable us to live in creative harmony with all of life.
What does it mean to reclaim the feminine? It means to honor our sacred connection to life that is present in every moment. It means to realize that life is one whole and begin to recognize the interconnections that form the web of life. It means to realize that everything, every act, even every thought, affects the whole. And it also means to allow life to speak to us. We are constantly bombarded by so many impressions, by so much media and advertising, that it is not easy to hear the simple voice of life itself. But it is present, even within the mirage of our fears and desires, our anxieties and expectations. And life is waiting for us to listen: it just needs us to be present and attentive. It is trying to communicate to us the secrets of creation so that we can participate in the wonder that is being born.
