Women have, both willingly and unwillingly, taken on masculine roles. It is not easy to remain connected to our femininity.

The word feminine is still connected to connotations women are admonished against. To some, it means weakness, to others, it’s a perception of inferiority to overcome.

Femininity is strength fueled by love. It’s a flowing power to transform, heal, create, and recreate. It’s as potent as any masculine power, and often it exceeds it.

An obstacle to living immersed in the power of the feminine is a deep societal belief that the ideal woman is a superwoman workhorse fueled by self-sacrifice, competition, and disciplined deprivation. She’s a “beast.” Successful in her attempts to be like men and do everything a man can do, she starves her feminine aspects.

Something has to give, and it’s usually self-care softness, sweetness, and sensuality. The loss is tragic. Blocked from the wellspring of the feminine, she becomes a celebrated automaton.  Everyone praises her superhuman efforts, high productivity, and how she thrives under stress. It’s a formula for burnout and disease.

Healing comes when she breaks down and is forced to take care of herself. The price is the loss of her hard-won superwoman title and the upset of all who no longer benefit from her overperformance.

The ache for the healing powers of the feminine is subtle. It lingers in the recesses of our minds, rarely acknowledged. I’ve witnessed it most in small, intimate, and unstructured gatherings of women. These gatherings create a safe space for women to confess another unpopular desire: a hero, a man who will love, protect, provide, and worship her. This desire is expressed in hushed, apologetic tones, as though at any moment, secret agents will burst in and take her away for failing as a woman.

Embrace your authentic truth and accept yourself completely. It’s okay to tell your truth and to want what you want. Invariably, heroes abound when they do. They are desperate to be adored by Venus and to live in your tenderness. Give in to your deepest feminine desires and needs. Nurture your creativity.  Write, paint, sing, talk, dance, plant, cook, and celebrate life.

Channel your inner Venus by honoring and approving her desires and expressing them in your life.