Mystical Feminism
Mystical feminism is a feminist theory that places mysticism at its core. It finds theoretical underpinnings in Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalysis as well as Carl Jung’s concept of Anima/Animus, and draws empirical support from goddess beliefs found across cultures worldwide.
Mystical feminism holds that the world can be conceptualized as consisting of two parts: the known and the unknown. Yet, this does not mean that mystical feminism advocates for the notion of inherent dualism of the world. Conversely, it believes in unity (there exists the source), but acknowledges the utility of dualistic frameworks for understanding and creation within this world.
In mystical feminism, the world encompasses two parts: the known and the unknown. The known corresponds to the realm of the masculine, or Animus, or Yang (in Taoist philosophy), while the unknown pertains to the realm of the feminine, or Anima, or Yin.
Since all that is known originates from the unknown, the unknown is the source of everything. The known comes from the unknown, which means the masculine/Animus/Yang comes from the feminine/Anima/Yin. From this perspective, the world should only possesses one gender, the feminine.
Consequently, traditional binary gender classifications become inadequate and need to be adjusted. In mystical feminism, there exists not woman and man, but mother and daughter.
The mother is the source, the pure feminine energy. She embodies traits of limitlessness, abundance, calmness, peacefulness, and passivity. With no obligations, she offers support, inclusivity, nurturing, care, and love, albeit in a passive manner.
The daughter is born when this pure feminine energy intertwines with what was traditionally labeled as masculinity, or Animus, or Yang. Characterized by energy, curiosity, and activity, the daughter's mission is to explore and create. When her energy wanes through her exploration, she seeks the support of the mother.
The daughter is born from the mother, and will ultimately return to the source. We all enter this world as daughters, destined to experience its offerings, only to return to the source—transformed into the mother/source at the end of our journey.
Everyone has varying degrees of both the mother and daughter archetypes. Consequently, everyone we encounter in this world can generally be categorized as either a mother or a daughter. When encountering a mother figure, gratitude is expressed. Conversely, when encountering a daughter, we simply watch her, or play with her, or take care of her (in a passive way), or give her support when she needs it. Yet none of these are obligatory.
This differentiation between mother and daughter is not based on biology but on spirituality. A biological mother may spiritually embody the qualities of a daughter, while a biological daughter may spiritually embody those of a mother.
This mystical feminist perspective encompasses a wide spectrum, ranging from cosmological ontology to ethical human relationships. It possesses attributes that could lead it to be categorized as a philosophy or religion. However, it resists such categorization as both philosophy and religion typically assert the existence of singular truths, aligning them with masculine domains. The mother, in contrast, does not impose specific truths upon the daughter; rather, she encourages her to explore freely.
Writing from the perspective of a daughter, I express this reflection. Should you find this approach wise and feasible, let us collectively embrace the role of mothers.
FY. Chu