Male verses female spirituality

Thank you everyone for making such good points and broaden my horizon :)

Well, in case of further interest, probably not but still, some things may result from what happens on the mundane world.

1) In an ordinary childhood the mother is the main nurturer. She tends our wounds, feeds us, soothes us when we're saddened, tries to teach us a sense of proportion and various wisdoms - fine, until puberty, when (usually) men have to stand on their own feet. They have only a father to turn to. But he's usually been conditioned down a route of hiding emotions and is no guide in matters of love and emotion. (Of course, there are many exceptions plus the issue of single-parent families.)

A girl, however, can continue to turn to her mum. This continuity is important. Much that a girl can approach her mum about, a boy can't his dad.

The other point is that, like it or not, equality or not, female brains do work differently. They have their ovulation cycle which causes various (some large) hormonal changes in their brains and bodies. Autonomous the system may seem to be but it relies on feedback (also hormonal) to the hypothalamus and pituitary glands to set off the ovulation cycle and perhaps, a more complicated process, pregnancy and all that that holds.

Perhaps women are in a better position emotionally and socially to ask questions about the metaphysical.

Just some thoughts...
.

[markings]

A mistake has already been committed when the question is asked in terms of male and female.

[Altair]

Originally Posted by Lorelyen

Well, in case of further interest, probably not but still, some things may result from what happens on the mundane world.

1) In an ordinary childhood the mother is the main nurturer. She tends our wounds, feeds us, soothes us when we're saddened, tries to teach us a sense of proportion and various wisdoms - fine, until puberty, when (usually) men have to stand on their own feet. They have only a father to turn to. But he's usually been conditioned down a route of hiding emotions and is no guide in matters of love and emotion. (Of course, there are many exceptions plus the issue of single-parent families.)

A girl, however, can continue to turn to her mum. This continuity is important. Much that a girl can approach her mum about, a boy can't his dad.

The other point is that, like it or not, equality or not, female brains do work differently.

They have their ovulation cycle which causes various (some large) hormonal changes in their brains and bodies. Autonomous the system may seem to be but it relies on feedback (also hormonal) to the hypothalamus and pituitary glands to set off the ovulation cycle and perhaps, a more complicated process, pregnancy and all that that holds.

Perhaps women are in a better position emotionally and socially to ask questions about the metaphysical.

Just some thoughts...
.

Yes, males and females 'work' differently, so we can't use a female perspective to postulate that males are somehow ''incomplete human beings''. If we can than it works both ways. We too, 'work' differently. Men are more about actions, for instance men bond through activities, and not hour long conversations. If women are seen as ''more spiritual'' than this is only a reflection of said spiritual path/tradition, which may focus quite heavily on emotions and conversations. I know all about it through retreats where most participants were female. A belief that women are more spiritual can be a very logical 'conclusion' depending on how a spiritual path is defined and practised, however it cannot shed its own bias right there. ;-)

Not to debate with you Lorelyen, but men are generally fine the way they are just like women, because our/their behaviour is a result and consequence of hundreds of thousands of years of evolution. We all have to settle better adapting to a highly technological society, not just men but women as well. To me it is not surprising, and actually very logical, that threads such as this one pop up. It describes a certain context, but cannot adequately describe the human condition.

[iamthat]

Originally Posted by Lorelyen

1) In an ordinary childhood the mother is the main nurturer. She tends our wounds, feeds us, soothes us when we're saddened, tries to teach us a sense of proportion and various wisdoms - fine, until puberty, when (usually) men have to stand on their own feet. They have only a father to turn to. But he's usually been conditioned down a route of hiding emotions and is no guide in matters of love and emotion. (Of course, there are many exceptions plus the issue of single-parent families.)

A girl, however, can continue to turn to her mum. This continuity is important. Much that a girl can approach her mum about, a boy can't his dad.

Your classification of mothers as the nurturer who teaches proportion and wisdom while fathers are no guide to matters of love and emotions is a somewhat distorted generalisation. As you say, there are many exceptions, which makes such black and white thinking invalid.

Originally Posted by Lorelyen

Perhaps women are in a better position emotionally and socially to ask questions about the metaphysical.

Again, asking metaphysical questions is an issue of consciousness, not gender. Gender is irrelevant when asking the deeper questions of life.

Peace

[4ppl3P13_]

For to be truly spiritual, a man needs a woman, and a woman needs a man.

[markings]

Males are generally put down in society in various ways. It is no surprise that the same attitudes permeate the spiritual field.

The spiritual is also perceived as more of a feely-touchy thing, i.e. female characteristics. This is a misconception as spirituality is clarity, incisive, cutting, sharp and to the point, male characteristics.

[Truth307]

Originally Posted by iamthat

I agree with Unseeking Seeker. When it comes to spirituality then gender in human form is irrelevant. We have all had many lives in both male and female bodies. The idea that because someone was male in a previous life they are therefore less spiritual in this life is somewhat ludicrous.

Spirituality is not a question of gender. It is a question of consciousness, and consciousness has no gender.

Peace

I agree with that

[Truth307]

Originally Posted by markings

Males are generally put down in society in various ways. It is no surprise that the same attitudes permeate the spiritual field.

The spiritual is also perceived as more of a feely-touchy thing, i.e. female characteristics. This is a misconception as spirituality is clarity, incisive, cutting, sharp and to the point, male characteristics.

Sexism goes both ways

[FairyCrystal]

There is a big difference between the genders in this so you noticed it well.
It has to do with how men and women are wired, and the totally different hormones that are produced in our respective bodies, and the roles we fulfilled in times long gone by.
Women were supposed to be more open, connected to their feelings and intuition in order to thrive and survive. Women had to work together in a community, see it as sisterhood. Look after each other's children when doing chores, helping another woman during childbirth and yet another looking after the kids she already had, keeping the community safe and going when men were of to fight or hunt.

Where women are wired to be focused in a broad sense on other people and with that on feeling and intuiting (otherwise you couldn't be part of the group), men were more focused on the external in a focused way. You cannot be bothered by feelings when in a fight with another tribe or having to shoot a deer.
Men are also more competitive, which was important as the alpha male had more responsibility, status and so on. But also the higher chance of survival and the healthiest and most offspring, so keeping his lineage going.
You cannot be hindered by intuition and feelings while doing that.

i'm trying to give the abridged version here. In essence it has to do with the different purposes of man and woman. And because of that the different wiring and hormones to bring it about.
Many ancient people respected women and their moon cycle which made it even easier to channel and connect to spirit, to intuit.
In certain Native Indian tribes women were separated during menstruation, not because they were considered dirty but because it was known they were then highly intuitive. They did such work then or were trained in it, which was in high reverence of the tribe. So much so that a man served them to bring food and so on.

So ... there IS a difference between the genders. That doesn't make one gender better than the other. Funny men always have such sore egos when they're told stuff like this as opposed to accepting and respecting it. (No wonder so many relationships go wrong).

Men can also learn to become more intuitive BUT then they first have to learn to become balanced, meaning in touch with their inner feminine energy. A truly empowered man has embraced that and it makes him more masculine and more in touch with himself. No more sore ego either.
Then he is able to open his heart -which is difficult for most men, also because our society teaches boys and men they cannot be 'softies' and 'big boys don't cry' nonsense. Once he can really get into his heartspace he can also connect to his intuition.

Herein lies the problem: where women have a collective wound to stand in their own power, to dare be themselves, voice their opinion and so on located in the belly. Men's collective wound is the heart.
The result is that there are fewer men who are able to get to their heartspace and develop intuitive skills. You're beginning to see it a bit more, but it'll take time.
When that happens you'll also see a major shift in how relationships work out.