This is a Father Christmas sculpture an artist friend of my mom’s (Adrianne
De Hoog) made for me—his entire body and attire was handcrafted.
We display him every year. He’s a beauty!
De Hoog) made for me—his entire body and attire was handcrafted.
We display him every year. He’s a beauty!
If you’ve followed me for some time, you know that I normally write about the Sacred Feminine, as She’s gotten short shrift, well, for millennia.
However, in the current climate where “toxic masculinity” is bandied about as the raison d’etre for all the sexual misconduct coming out about many of our country’s prominent men and the surfacing #metoo movement, I thought it might be helpful to offer up Sacred Masculinity as the other half of the needed healing balm for our society.
For certain, we need both energies: Sacred Feminine and Sacred Masculine and we all have both energies, no matter what our gender identity. In a healthy ideal, both energies are appreciated, honored, and dance with each other in respectful and equal partnership in our bodies, our energies, and in our world.
Because the Sacred Feminine has been so disrespected and even discarded as evil over the generations, the Sacred Masculine has gotten out of balance and disconnected from his eternal dance partner to the extent that now it’s toxic. It’s actually been toxic for a long time—now we are seeing the toxins surface.
Restoring the balance means a lot of emergence of the Sacred Feminine from the depths. It also means a reframing of what masculinity is. I do not identify as a man and so will leave out any discussion of what Sacred Masculinity means to men. I will however speak of it from an energy perspective and here’s where we come around to our society’s fascination with Santa Claus and Saint Nicholas.
Perhaps these figures (the very real Saint Nicholas and the mythical Santa Claus), even if they have taken over from Sacred Feminine images (female reindeer, female shaman, winter goddess celebrations), may still offer a few hints about what the Sacred Masculine might look like when it is in balance with the Sacred Feminine.
Here are some energy themes:
Generous: Saint Nicholas was known for giving gifts freely with no thought to personal gain, because he gave in secret. Santa Claus continues this energy.
Advocate for children: Saint Nicholas was known for giving specifically to help children and is the patron saint for children. Santa Claus continues this energy.
Advocate for poor: Saint Nicholas was known for giving specifically to help poor children. Santa Claus continues this energy as gifts are given to all children.
Advocate for girls: Saint Nicholas was known for giving specifically to help poor girls. Santa Claus doesn’t continue this energy in particular.
Fairness and justice: Saint Nicholas was known for this energy as the legend is he resurrected three young boys who were murdered. Santa Claus continues this energy in knowing “good and bad.”
Oneness and partnership with Nature: Saint Nicholas was known for this energy in calming the seas for sailors who were threatened by a storm. Santa Claus continues this energy in living and partnering with reindeer and in working with elves and gnomes—energy beings in the nature-mythical realms.
(Please note that in the picture of my Father Christmas sculpture he is holding a baby girl and a baby bird, capturing several of the energy themes!)
What other images of sacred masculine and Saint Nicholas or Santa Claus come to mind? How does this help balance and heal the rift with the Sacred Feminine? How can you embody these Sacred Masculine energies?
Let us all give thanks for the Sacred Feminine and the Sacred Masculine as we seek to embody the Divine Dance in our souls, in our bodies, and in our world.
As an extra bonus, here's a video for you of a Lapp man dressed as Santa sleighing with a female reindeer in the snow—a scene I find incredibly peaceful.
However, in the current climate where “toxic masculinity” is bandied about as the raison d’etre for all the sexual misconduct coming out about many of our country’s prominent men and the surfacing #metoo movement, I thought it might be helpful to offer up Sacred Masculinity as the other half of the needed healing balm for our society.
For certain, we need both energies: Sacred Feminine and Sacred Masculine and we all have both energies, no matter what our gender identity. In a healthy ideal, both energies are appreciated, honored, and dance with each other in respectful and equal partnership in our bodies, our energies, and in our world.
Because the Sacred Feminine has been so disrespected and even discarded as evil over the generations, the Sacred Masculine has gotten out of balance and disconnected from his eternal dance partner to the extent that now it’s toxic. It’s actually been toxic for a long time—now we are seeing the toxins surface.
Restoring the balance means a lot of emergence of the Sacred Feminine from the depths. It also means a reframing of what masculinity is. I do not identify as a man and so will leave out any discussion of what Sacred Masculinity means to men. I will however speak of it from an energy perspective and here’s where we come around to our society’s fascination with Santa Claus and Saint Nicholas.
Perhaps these figures (the very real Saint Nicholas and the mythical Santa Claus), even if they have taken over from Sacred Feminine images (female reindeer, female shaman, winter goddess celebrations), may still offer a few hints about what the Sacred Masculine might look like when it is in balance with the Sacred Feminine.
Here are some energy themes:
Generous: Saint Nicholas was known for giving gifts freely with no thought to personal gain, because he gave in secret. Santa Claus continues this energy.
Advocate for children: Saint Nicholas was known for giving specifically to help children and is the patron saint for children. Santa Claus continues this energy.
Advocate for poor: Saint Nicholas was known for giving specifically to help poor children. Santa Claus continues this energy as gifts are given to all children.
Advocate for girls: Saint Nicholas was known for giving specifically to help poor girls. Santa Claus doesn’t continue this energy in particular.
Fairness and justice: Saint Nicholas was known for this energy as the legend is he resurrected three young boys who were murdered. Santa Claus continues this energy in knowing “good and bad.”
Oneness and partnership with Nature: Saint Nicholas was known for this energy in calming the seas for sailors who were threatened by a storm. Santa Claus continues this energy in living and partnering with reindeer and in working with elves and gnomes—energy beings in the nature-mythical realms.
(Please note that in the picture of my Father Christmas sculpture he is holding a baby girl and a baby bird, capturing several of the energy themes!)
What other images of sacred masculine and Saint Nicholas or Santa Claus come to mind? How does this help balance and heal the rift with the Sacred Feminine? How can you embody these Sacred Masculine energies?
Let us all give thanks for the Sacred Feminine and the Sacred Masculine as we seek to embody the Divine Dance in our souls, in our bodies, and in our world.
As an extra bonus, here's a video for you of a Lapp man dressed as Santa sleighing with a female reindeer in the snow—a scene I find incredibly peaceful.
Happy Holidays to you and your Loved Ones!
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If you are so moved, please consider supporting my writing by making a donation (PayPal Donate button in the right hand column) or buying one of my books. Thank you!
Monica McDowell is a dynamic speaker, author, and practitioner in alternative wellness and spirituality. Find her on Thought Catalog here. She is the author of The Girl with a Gift, Confessions of a Mystic Soccer Mom, You are Light (internationally published by 6th Books in over 14 countries) and My Karma Ran Over My Dogma, and has the distinction of being the first ordained minister in America granted civil rights by a federal ruling. She lives in Seattle, Washington, USA, and can be reached at monica@monicamcdowell.com.
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If you are so moved, please consider supporting my writing by making a donation (PayPal Donate button in the right hand column) or buying one of my books. Thank you!
Monica McDowell is a dynamic speaker, author, and practitioner in alternative wellness and spirituality. Find her on Thought Catalog here. She is the author of The Girl with a Gift, Confessions of a Mystic Soccer Mom, You are Light (internationally published by 6th Books in over 14 countries) and My Karma Ran Over My Dogma, and has the distinction of being the first ordained minister in America granted civil rights by a federal ruling. She lives in Seattle, Washington, USA, and can be reached at monica@monicamcdowell.com.
