TH.3/ THE FEMININE WOMAN IN MODERN DATING
Reconnecting with the intuitive, nurturing, and cyclical aspects of the feminine on an individual level, through timeless practices such as storytelling, rituals, and meditation, empowers women in modern dating to attract worthy partners, establish high self-worth, and create harmonious relationship dynamics free from the overemphasis on rationality, order, and individualism in a masculine-energy-dominated dating culture.
TH.3/
THE FEMININE WOMAN IN MODERN DATING
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The modern dating culture, dominated by masculine energy, often places emphasis on individualism, rationality, and order, creating a context where relationships can feel transactional, imbalanced, and detached from the nurturing, intuitive nature of the feminine. Note that the term "women" will refer to any woman-identifying person, and masculine/feminine energy is not equivalent to man/woman respectively. In contrast, by reconnecting with timeless and cross-cultural feminine practices such as rituals, storytelling, and meditation, women can tap into their innate intuition, ability to nurture, and honor their natural cycles to attract worthy partners, establish high self-worth, and foster harmonious relationships. This essay examines how these practices have withstood the test of time, how they empower women through reclaimed feminine energy, and how they can transform the landscape of modern relationships.
Part 1: Rituals
Rituals have long acted as a bridge between the material and spiritual realms, fostering profound personal connections to divine sources of wisdom. For women, rituals are deeply intertwined with their lived experiences, with practices such as adornment through clothing, makeup, and jewelry, as well as natural defining cycles such as menstruation, serving as cultural touchstones that reinforce the power of feminine energy. Csikszentmihalyi (1990) conducted both laboratory experiments and field research to explore the concept of "flow," a highly focused and immersive state often achieved during ritualistic activities. Through interviews and surveys, Csikszentmihalyi gathered data on participants' emotional regulation, highlighting how these rituals, with their structured, predictable, and repetitive nature, facilitated heightened control, emotional well-being, and optimal performance, while allowing individuals to transcend logic-centered behavior. According to Dispenza (2012), this emotional regulation aids in the manifestation of intuition, as the brain transitions from a beta state, which is associated with active, logical thinking, to alpha and theta states, which are more relaxed and meditative. In these altered states, brain waves slow down, and the ego-driven, analytical part of the mind becomes less dominant, ultimately depersonalizing awareness and heightening receptivity to the beyond.
To take it a step further, the cyclical nature of a woman’s menstrual cycle functions as an embedded rhythm and ritual. This means that the natural pattern of a woman’s menstrual cycle is not only a biological process but also holds spiritual and rhythmic significance. In his seminal work The Sacred and the Profane (1958), Mircea Eliade, a renowned religious historian, examined how rituals in various cultures serve as conduits between the earthly world and the divine. Eliade argued that rituals are much more than mere actions or customs; they are sacred practices that help individuals connect to higher spiritual realms through the recalling of archetypal symbols and narratives. These repeated practices replicate, understand, and manifest greater sacred phenomena at play, offering deeper access to divine wisdom and connection.
For women, aligning their menstrual cycle with the larger natural world is an ancient practice that adds spiritual significance to their bodily rhythms. By connecting their menstrual cycle to greater cosmic cycles, such as the phases of the moon, the changing seasons, and the cycle of life, women can understand these cosmic patterns in a deeply personal and intuitive way. Just as these cycles have phases of birth, growth, decay, and renewal, so too does a woman’s body. When women honor each phase of their menstrual cycle—the follicular, luteal, ovulation, and menstruation phases—by adjusting their behavior at each stage, it becomes a ritual of self-awareness. This practice aligns them with cosmic natural phenomena, merging their identity and being with that of a greater divine essence.
Women enhance their ability and willingness to nurture others through their commitment to aligning with cyclical rhythms and rituals. Ryan and Deci’s (2000) Self-Determination Theory (SDT) highlights the importance of self-care in meeting fundamental psychological needs—autonomy, competence, and relatedness. According to SDT, when individuals engage in practices that nurture these needs, they experience greater intrinsic motivation and well-being. As a result, they are better equipped to respond with compassion and empathy to the needs of others, no longer preoccupied with their own insecurities or deficiencies.