Thank you so much, Camilla, for this insightful piece. I admit that I haven't thought about gender in terms of ego and consciousness. I think I live more in my consciousness than my ego, perhaps because I identify so strongly with plants, for whom gender is simply too diverse to be a meaningful classification system. Most plants have both "male" and "female" parts; some plants have one or the other; some plants can shift between those states as environmental conditions change. Nature is far more complex than most humans realize! Lots to ponder here. Thanks again for the nudge to think about this, and many blessings to you.
In Hindu cosmology divine masculine or Purusha represents pure consciousness and divine feminine or Shakti is the dynamic energy that gives form to Purusha. They twine together throughout the world of course, and yet, patriarchy has held sway for too long…..that is a subject we could talk about forever!
And I agree, “And that the return to wholeness is not through the ego, but through the quiet practice of noticing,” I like to say in class, “notice what you notice!”
I have often wondered how my experience of what I think of as myself would be different if were in a different body or a different gender or even a different species, say, like a platypus. And what this this wondering often leads me to think is: would my experience of the deeper thing I think of as my soul or consciousness or whatever you want to call it be different if I assumed one of these different forms? Or would that be the same no matter what?
Your piece left me thinking about much of the same stuff, Camilla. I also loved that I could hear the birds in the background too :)
Hi Michael, Thanks for reading and responding and your comment about the bird made me smile - I loved the timing of when it chirped on the recording. And I find it interesting that Susan wrote how she thinks about the consciousness of plants, and you write about animals - and its making me think about the interconnectedness between all sentient beings♥️🙏🕊️
I once seriously argued with one of my philosophy professors about how there could be consciousness in rocks (she did not take me seriously). But yes, I agree — the interconnectedness of ALL beings hehe.
Hi Camilla, I do not have your knowledge of religious traditions, though much of what you write resonates. I like to filter my emotions and feelings through the heart space so I can discern whether they are coming from my human mind-ego or soul. Mind you, I believe our ego is necessary for our human experience and has been subject to the cultural manipulations and conditioning you mention. The ego is an loved aspect of its soul. I don't think consciousness is gendered either, though I am sure the soul chooses its gender in each life for a purpose. Thanks for an interesting read. 🙏
Hi Simone, I'm more interested in direct experience than knowledge anyway, but yes, I enjoyed investigating the question if consciousness has a gender. And I agree 100% that our egos are necessary and extremely useful, it's just when I'm identified with my ego that I create suffering for myself. I love how Eckhart Tolle teaches, if you feel inferior or superior to another that's ego. And when I recognize an ego reaction, and bring awareness to it, my suffering ceases😁
And I agree with the idea of, "the soul chooses its gender in each life for a purpose."
Yes, well I can only go by feeling into listening my experiences too 😊. Yes, I agree with what Eckhart Tolle says about the ego here. I do not subscribe to the ego's function as trickster, that which some spiritual leaders proclaim. The cultural conditioning is the trickster. I also work purposefully listen to the ego and include her in soul's discernment. That is how I bring awareness to the discomfort I bring myself. The ego is not in competition with the soul, she is part of the human's discovery — remembering. That's how I have experienced it. 🙏 🤍
"I also work purposefully listen to the ego and include her in soul's discernment." Oh this is so beautiful, Simone🥰
And yes, for me, the suffering only arises when I'm identified with ego. That's the tricky thing with these teachings we hear... so often it's not "either or," but it's "both and."✨💖
This is a great question and it is clear, now, having read this, that of course consciousness is where all become one. We are fighting so many battles driven by the ego's need to shame others, name ourselves, claim identities - and what for, if we are all one? Lots to think about. Thank you.
Thanks, Camilla, for your post! Was interesting to read Martha's comment here. I too have roots in Hindu tradition. Purusha as Shiva/Masculine pure consciousness and passive while Prakriti is the Shakti/Feminine creative force and active. This is also the root of Ayurveda, a healing practice that literally saved my life.
This philosophy/teaching is different from yin and yang, where yin/feminine is passive and yang/masculine is active. Either way both these paths seem to take away the "gendered" attributes of our current world and neutralizes them to simply forces of nature.
And Camilla, a long-winded way of saying I see what you saying as consciousness being genderless and the ego carrying the personas, characteristics and identities that have become gendered through cultural conditioning. For me to help clear the ego of these contractions, it has been important to enter into that pure conscious state of awareness as in meditation. And to dance the wild spiral of fiery creativity. They both serve me, as one healing.
Thank you so much, Camilla, for this insightful piece. I admit that I haven't thought about gender in terms of ego and consciousness. I think I live more in my consciousness than my ego, perhaps because I identify so strongly with plants, for whom gender is simply too diverse to be a meaningful classification system. Most plants have both "male" and "female" parts; some plants have one or the other; some plants can shift between those states as environmental conditions change. Nature is far more complex than most humans realize! Lots to ponder here. Thanks again for the nudge to think about this, and many blessings to you.
What a beautiful comment to read, Susan. Thanks so much for taking the time to share your response, and I love the idea of identifying with plants 🪴🌱
♥️🙏🕊️
In Hindu cosmology divine masculine or Purusha represents pure consciousness and divine feminine or Shakti is the dynamic energy that gives form to Purusha. They twine together throughout the world of course, and yet, patriarchy has held sway for too long…..that is a subject we could talk about forever!
And I agree, “And that the return to wholeness is not through the ego, but through the quiet practice of noticing,” I like to say in class, “notice what you notice!”
Interesting 🤔
Thanks for sharing that, Martha♥️🙏🏼🕊
I’m rereading many of the books I loved about the Goddess…..steeping myself, again! Thanks for writing about this topic, it’s so necessary.
Thanks for reading and commenting✨🌟🌷
I have often wondered how my experience of what I think of as myself would be different if were in a different body or a different gender or even a different species, say, like a platypus. And what this this wondering often leads me to think is: would my experience of the deeper thing I think of as my soul or consciousness or whatever you want to call it be different if I assumed one of these different forms? Or would that be the same no matter what?
Your piece left me thinking about much of the same stuff, Camilla. I also loved that I could hear the birds in the background too :)
Hi Michael, Thanks for reading and responding and your comment about the bird made me smile - I loved the timing of when it chirped on the recording. And I find it interesting that Susan wrote how she thinks about the consciousness of plants, and you write about animals - and its making me think about the interconnectedness between all sentient beings♥️🙏🕊️
I once seriously argued with one of my philosophy professors about how there could be consciousness in rocks (she did not take me seriously). But yes, I agree — the interconnectedness of ALL beings hehe.
Thanks Camilla :)
oh there most definitely is😉
Hi Camilla, I do not have your knowledge of religious traditions, though much of what you write resonates. I like to filter my emotions and feelings through the heart space so I can discern whether they are coming from my human mind-ego or soul. Mind you, I believe our ego is necessary for our human experience and has been subject to the cultural manipulations and conditioning you mention. The ego is an loved aspect of its soul. I don't think consciousness is gendered either, though I am sure the soul chooses its gender in each life for a purpose. Thanks for an interesting read. 🙏
Hi Simone, I'm more interested in direct experience than knowledge anyway, but yes, I enjoyed investigating the question if consciousness has a gender. And I agree 100% that our egos are necessary and extremely useful, it's just when I'm identified with my ego that I create suffering for myself. I love how Eckhart Tolle teaches, if you feel inferior or superior to another that's ego. And when I recognize an ego reaction, and bring awareness to it, my suffering ceases😁
And I agree with the idea of, "the soul chooses its gender in each life for a purpose."
Thanks for reading and responding, Simone♥️🙏🕊️
Yes, well I can only go by feeling into listening my experiences too 😊. Yes, I agree with what Eckhart Tolle says about the ego here. I do not subscribe to the ego's function as trickster, that which some spiritual leaders proclaim. The cultural conditioning is the trickster. I also work purposefully listen to the ego and include her in soul's discernment. That is how I bring awareness to the discomfort I bring myself. The ego is not in competition with the soul, she is part of the human's discovery — remembering. That's how I have experienced it. 🙏 🤍
"I also work purposefully listen to the ego and include her in soul's discernment." Oh this is so beautiful, Simone🥰
And yes, for me, the suffering only arises when I'm identified with ego. That's the tricky thing with these teachings we hear... so often it's not "either or," but it's "both and."✨💖
💜 🙏 Thank you
This is a great question and it is clear, now, having read this, that of course consciousness is where all become one. We are fighting so many battles driven by the ego's need to shame others, name ourselves, claim identities - and what for, if we are all one? Lots to think about. Thank you.
Hi Trudi,
Thanks for reading and responding, and yes, I love that connection between consciousness and oneness too♥️🙏🕊️
A pleasure!✨
Thanks, Camilla, for your post! Was interesting to read Martha's comment here. I too have roots in Hindu tradition. Purusha as Shiva/Masculine pure consciousness and passive while Prakriti is the Shakti/Feminine creative force and active. This is also the root of Ayurveda, a healing practice that literally saved my life.
This philosophy/teaching is different from yin and yang, where yin/feminine is passive and yang/masculine is active. Either way both these paths seem to take away the "gendered" attributes of our current world and neutralizes them to simply forces of nature.
And Camilla, a long-winded way of saying I see what you saying as consciousness being genderless and the ego carrying the personas, characteristics and identities that have become gendered through cultural conditioning. For me to help clear the ego of these contractions, it has been important to enter into that pure conscious state of awareness as in meditation. And to dance the wild spiral of fiery creativity. They both serve me, as one healing.
Thanks for reading and commenting Julie, and I love this especially, "to dance the wild spiral of fiery creativity." Count me in🥰✨🌟💖🙏🕊️