Becoming mindful is an excellent avenue for self-care and self-realization. In order to get the most out of mindfulness, you need to practice it in ways that are harmonious with your basic nature. The practices contained in The Mindful Woman concentrate on feminine strengths, qualities, and energies.
The following list of feminine qualities and energies is by no means complete. Rather, it is a sampling pointing out the intuitive, relational heart of femininity.
Feminine qualities include:
Diffuse awareness: perceives and understands a wide range of stimuli simultaneously;
expansive comprehension
Sensitive: responsive to external and internal conditions or stimulation; susceptible to attitudes, feelings, or circumstances of self and others
Emotionally grounded: steady, stable, well-balanced, able to bring all of her energy to exactly where she is in the moment
Intuitive: holistic, accessing immediate perception rather than rational thinking
Relational: interested in preserving and deepening relationships
Compassionate: empathetic, warm, openhearted, understanding
Empowered: with steeled softness, champions the weak and vulnerable and stands firm for what is right
Honoring of process: able to allow circumstances, ideas, and experiences to unfold
Gentle: able to live gently with herself and others
Forgiving: realizes we are all imperfect and that non-forgiveness dams the natural flow of life force
Receptive: open to receive the new, different, and wondrous
Introspective: drawn to the spiritual and philosophical
Strong: inherently able to overcome whatever life throws at her in order to accomplish what is needed
Healing: carries the ability to heal body, mind, and spirit through listening deeply to her internal, inherent wisdom
Recognizing these feminine qualities as ones you possess, or aspire to possess, can help you understand and respect the natural qualities you have and use them to lovingly and tolerantly guide yourself on a path to increased mindfulness.
