Dajorok

Hello all, I have decided that before I put even any effort into learning the Way, I am thoroughly interested in covering some groundwork about the unifying energies within our existence, the Masculine and the Feminine. You see, for the longest time, I never really knew what it meant to be a true man. I have heard stories of females being 'genetically superior' to men, perhaps for child-bearing reasons or that XX chromosome. I have, honestly thought, that there is no purpose for men in this world. I just...I don't see any importance, or significance, and I'm not gonna lie -- I don't like the idea of meatheadedness equaling a great figure to follow without our contemporary lifestyle; somewhere along the way, I started wondering, after seeing so much hulking gorilla, "Well damn, what is the purpose of being a male? What does masculine energy do?". I also began to ask the same of the feminine energy. This is where things for me got very ugly. I feel that I cannot help thinking masculine to be weaker when compared to feminine energy. I just...so much of Taoism seems to revolve around flexibility, predominantly bending and yielding (female) while secondarily being firm (male). The "Mother of all things" which lead to the Yin beginning first and the Yang coming out of that, the use of "know the male, concentrate the female", the use of "the female overcoming the male"...I realize that an honorable student should see these things impartially, but this is why I want to cover the ground here...I do not understand these aspects at all...I do not understand the idea of feminine energy and masculine energy. It hurts, on some levels, to feel my thoughts leaning towards feeling inferior as a male or with masculine energy compared to a female with feminine energy. I wanted to study Taoism to go with the flow, to calm the mind, because my mind isn't a very good friend of mine and it hasn't been -- but they all appear to be, again, predominantly drawing from feminine energies. What about masculine energy? Does that hold any significance at all? I don't understand the equality between the two energies, but...well jeez, if the feminine was first and THEN the masculine, I can't help but have a very, very bitter taste in my mouth, almost as though as a man of men we are crippled, stupider than that of the other energy. I suppose what I am trying to bring about is a discussion about both energies. How can one be stronger than the other? I have been trying for years to bring the clarity between male and female into perspective so I can actually move on with my life, but every time I try, something seems to jump out in front of me. It's like my deepest fear is to be regarded as inferior and not equal, even on a cosmic level as part of the greater whole. What if that particular half of the whole isn't as important/strong/needed for existence? From what I have gathered, I don't feel like much of a man in masculine energy. I don't feel like I have faith in it of itself, because I can't see the equality. Isn't the All of Creation both? Why is it, then, that we seem to learn less from the masculine energy and more from the feminine energy? Does that mean that masculine energy is less? In no way am I trying to degrade anyone of any perspective. If I have, my sincerest apologies. I am just very, very confused and, at some level, very ashamed of masculine...everything. Hoping to gain a clearer, calmer perspective while I'm here, Daj

Thank you all who helped shine some light on the energies of masculine and feminine. Really has helped clear some things up the last few days; it's been a topic I've wrestled with myself on for years and seem to have gotten nowhere until accepting the fact that both energies are separate but equally important and useful -- something that seems to be surprisingly difficult to accept these days. I chuckled, and then sighed, at that whole 'women are gods' and 'men are wormlings' thing -- I've seen and heard a LOT of perspectives supporting that simple line. That's one of the reasons I get so bummed about it, because I think to myself that the whole equality thing just isn't so. Impartiality, I suppose, would help me a lot. Still I am very grateful for the clarifying responses. Thank you very much Oh by the way...later today I'm heading to Barnes & Noble to look for Alex Anatole's 'Truth of Tao'; would anyone else have any suggested/recommended reading for an aspiring student of going with the flow? Many thanks all around Daj

Hello everyone, I am a simple-minded young man looking for happiness and contentment. So far in my life, I have run myself into ideas and perspectives that...don't really make me either of those. I feel I have only found discontent, lack of appreciation (or understanding?) of what it means to be a man and my limited comprehension of such in-depth topics leads my mind to wander off into realms I would personally rather not set foot in. I am here to mainly find peace within my Self and my Mind -- I was suggested by a family friend to learn ways of the Tao by going with the flow, etc., to help break old patterns so I may continue my personal growth and expand my awareness of existence. I have run into a few troubles that I hope to bring up in a new discussion and feel as though I do not want to proceed until I knew the lay of the land. Hoping to learn a bit more about how to gain a more 'mind-friendly' perspective of life, Daj