Integrating the masculine and feminine principles in health care

‘Masculine’ and ‘feminine’ principles refer to universal energies, archetypes. They are not gender specific. Both masculine and feminine aspects are present in BOTH men and women but possibly to a different degree and with different emphasis. For that matter, likely they are present to a different degree in every person on the planet. Beyond the individual, masculine and feminine principles are expressed in nature and life in general.

Generally, the masculine principles include the qualities of being outwardly directed, driven, visible, active, growth-enhancing, expansive and open.  They represent the ‘activating’ principle, the energy to get things done.

The feminine principles include the qualities of being receptive, inner directed, creative, intuitive and mysterious. They represent the ‘letting be’ principle, which involves the qualities of surrender, waiting and inner focus.

Ideally we weave both masculine and feminine principles together in harmony. To bring anything into creation, whether in the health care arena or not, we need to complementarily use both masculine and feminine principles. For example, a woman giving birth is utilising the masculine principle (as it is usually a very active process); whereas, she is using the feminine principle while incubating the baby (which is usually a waiting and letting unfold process).

The masculine principles when distorted can give rise to: aggression, hostility, force and destruction. The feminine principles when distorted can give rise to: dependency, passivity, helplessness and surrendering to others’ authority. When either or both are distorted or dominant, they will be dismissive of, and even denigrate, the other.

When in harmony, the feminine and masculine principles respectfully work together and support each other. This is the case within every individual as well as in society at large – including its various groups, systems and institutions. Individuals well know that to bring out, express and validate their feminine qualities they need the drive and back-up of their masculine qualities; and when bringing their masculine qualities to the fore, they need the understanding and support of their feminine qualities.

We tend to equate our left brain functions of analytical thought, logic and reasoning with the masculine principles and our right brain functions of intuition, creativity and pattern perception with the feminine principles. You neuroscientists out there know that it is not quite as simple as that; however, we know that overall brain function is much better when the left and right hemispheres are communicating well – with each side supporting and enhancing the function of the other side.

In our modern human culture we have tended to over-emphasise and misunderstand the function of the ‘mind’, and often at the expense of the ‘heart’ and intuition. The mind is not designed to be a run-away train detached from broader impressions and inspirations. We forget that ‘heart’ (intuition) and ‘mind’ are meant to work together. Heart knows, and the mind is designed to implement that knowing; and if the mind is untethered from the heart it will be very clever in rationalising away from those deeper understandings.

In Western medicine, clearly the masculine principles are dominant. We use them in spades. And obviously they are very useful in areas such as the treatment of acute medical conditions and trauma, where an expedient, pro-active approach is often needed. If we are experiencing an acute medical emergency we want that approach!

It is not always so useful, however, for those chronic, complex medical conditions that defy the biomedical model.

Much of what people experience on the spectrum of human suffering and dysfunction, and with which they present to the health care practitioner, does not necessarily fit into the medical model that avails itself to those masculine, mind-dominated principles. Though we try…

For the more entrenched, chronic conditions (physical and psychological), for which there are not easy, effective treatment solutions, a more in-depth, introspective approach is often needed. This involves utilising the feminine principles. As said, both feminine and masculine principles can be, and should be, used synergistically.

To heal anything, there needs to be the interplay between the feminine and masculine principles. To treat a medical condition ideally there is a balance between applying proactive treatments and allowing the condition to naturally heal. Active interventions should be balanced with some space to allow the natural unfolding of the condition.

Meaning and insights from health challenges are gained when some space is allowed for reflection on the illness experience. This does not preclude treating emergencies as emergencies, but some time for introspection will help one perceive the learning inherent in the illness experience. We can take care of the details of medical treatments while also perceiving the ‘bigger picture’.

It is not usually a part of the Western medical culture to reflect on the meaning of illness, and many proponents of conventional health care systems would view this approach as indulgent, foolish nonsense. It might be seen as a waste of valuable time. Thus, the male principle approaches of taking the ‘fix it’ and ‘fighting’ stance are very dominant in health care. We have lost the art of contemplation and convalescence, during which people have the time to reflect on their experience, gain insights, and heal at many levels.

The world of scientific endeavour and ‘evidence-based’ medicine clearly mainly uses the mind-dominated, masculine principles, and of course it has its role in modern health care. The more heart-centred, ‘feminine’ qualities are generally less valued in the world of allopathic health care. They are often viewed as far inferior to the realm of verifiable facts and data.

We might be very well versed in the intricacies of our biochemistry, yet be not so well acquainted with our inner emotional world, values and purpose. Entering the ‘shadow’ (i.e. the subconscious mind influences) involves the utilisation of the feminine principles and is often required (but under-utilised) to delve into the disturbances lying deeper than the surface physical manifestations. This is particularly so for those health challenges that do not have a satisfactory conventional medical solution.  We underestimate the potent impact of the more nebulous aspects of human experience on physical health.

We forget that the practice of medicine is as much an art as a science.

For the optimum practise of health care we need both – the best of science and intellectually based understandings, and the best of ‘art’ – representing the more heart-based, intuitive aspects. The best of the masculine and the best of the feminine principles.

Dr Catherine Fyans is a holistic medical practitioner/conscious health facilitator and the author of The Wounding of Health Care: From Fragmentation to Integration