"Be-ing" The Goddess :
You are Not a Human Doing

by Dr. Jeanine Austin

Before last year’s New Year, many people asked me what my New Year’s resolutions might be. I’ve always liked the idea of starting anew and consciously developing aspects of one’s life in order to live more fully. However, much of the well intended query made me uncomfortable. As soon as I told my friends what I wanted to create, they immediately started in with “How are you going to make it happen” and “What steps are you going to commit to in doing this”. As a life coach for women all around the world, I know as well as anyone that if you want to create something that has eluded you, you may need some kind of concrete action plan. However, their well-intended questions did not feel inspiring, gentle or aligned with what I wished to manifest.

I was formerally in the habit at the end of each day of counting up all the things I had done, almost as a way of justifying my day. While I did feel good at times about what I was able to accomplish, there was a part of me that felt resentful that I had to “do” in order to justify my time and ultimately my existence by accomplishing. I have since given up this practice instead to appreciate meaning, purpose and connection at the end of my day.

Most of the women and men I know having “doing” down. My friend Lauren always reminds me of how much I do when I feel it is somehow not enough. She once suggested I write down everything I do each day before 10:00am and the resulting long list proved its point. I really don’t need to focus on doing more. In fact, in my life achieving goals has not been nearly as difficult for me as just “be-ing”, accepting and surrendering. I have been seduced more times than I’d like to admit into “making things happen”. I now know the best things I have manifested in my life are the things I let gently come into being, an intuition followed by an action that was obvious and natural.

There is nothing inherently wrong with “doing”. However, most of us have come to realize there is something unhealthy about striving and not being able to be truly happy until we achieve some elusive goal. Moreover, over-identifying with what we do and our accomplishments is a trap many us have been in. We have come to learn that we are not what we do; we are something much more than anything we do.   When we just “be” and accept who we are and where we are, it can often feel strange or even wrong. The wisdom of the world is mainly masculine in orientation. I am not talking about men~I’m talking about masculine energy. Men and women posses both masculine and feminine energies or perspectives.

The masculine energy I refer to is assertive “doing” energy. Counterintuitive perhaps to the dominant thought in our world, the "be-ing", feminine or Goddess energy is a very powerful force.

Sometimes I laugh with my clients calling myself the “Anti-coach”. Rather than do do do, sometimes their coaching homework asks them to be gentle, be still, let things unfold, and observe. Many of my clients will pursue different avenues of creative expression to help them access the feminine Divine. Creative expression is the Goddess at work. Projective art projects allow expression to unfold in a gentle non-linear way. Dance and poetry offers us a similar opportunity to express and be.

Another way to “be” and acknowledge our Divine feminine is perhaps to appreciate the creations that we give birth to and nurture into existence. Whether we are mother to a child or mother to a political or social cause, many of us are tapping into feminine energy which lends itself to the healing of the planet in one way or another.

The archetypal mother has the qualities, amongst many others, of gentleness, unconditional love, radiance, presence and acceptance. How can we tap into this archetypal Divine mother to find balance, our own voice, unconditional love of ourselves and others? Most of us will fall out of balance if we forget to nurture and honor the inner Divine mother. Some of us have allowed another voice such as the "should voice", the "keep up and compare voice" or the "performing voice" to dominant our experience and block our internal loving Divine feminine.

Some ways we can access our feminine aspect of self is by getting quiet, paying attention to our feelings and bodies, honoring our own path in life, being intentional and deliberate about our time, and surrounding ourselves with supportive and inspirational people who support our inner mother.

Those of us who may have had absent, conditional or unavailable mothers may look for images that embody the qualities of Divine feminine that we desire. We can then begin to recognize and internalize these qualities. Our Lady of Guadalupe resonates with me as a luminous example of the mother. We may look to Quan Yin (the Bodhisattva of compassion), Mother Theresa, or Athena or other archetypal mothers to seek and find the qualities we wish to embrace in ourselves

Because we live in a world that appears out of balance to most of us, we may have to be deliberate if we truly want to embrace our inner Goddess. Again, this is gender non-specific, this is about masculine and feminine principles or energies, not the physical body. Paying attention to our inner world will help us to be at choice with what we believe, express and create for ourselves. We may have to take opportunities to just “be” in order to examine closely our world view which has devalued or silenced our Goddess. In what ways might you embrace your inner Goddess?   

Dr. Jeanine Austin is a doctor of life coaching for women around the world. She is passionate about helping women live a joyful and authentic life. Dr. Jeanine uses cutting edge tools and/or spiritual perspectives which assist her clients in living actualized lives. Because of her extensive background and skill set, Dr. Jeanine is able to provide truly customized coaching which honors each woman's unique expression in the world. Email Dr. Jeanine in order to receive a free consultation today! Happiness awaits you!