As we explore the subject of the Muse or Inspiration through a series of episodes, we thought it would be interesting to look at the concept of masculine/feminine and how that affects our creativity and our inspiration.

All throughout the world, time and culture, opposite ‘forces’ are represented such as masculine/feminine, night/day, dark/light, sun/moon,etc.
This is also the concept of yin and yang in the Chinese medicine/culture.

These energies (forces, elements?) are a necessary part of human beings.
Each of us is using one or the other or both, all the time.
Always trying to find the equilibrium that suits us best, at the moment.
We need both side to make things whole.
I wonder how often we are conscious of which side we are using most at a certain moment.

Which side is helping us create?

Which side are we not using that could help us grow further as a creative?
Are we missing something by not always looking into finding balance?

In a culture that would feed us one side vs the I believe would lose something necessary.

This imbalance would eventually force us to acknowledge some vulnerability and learn to accept the side we may not use enough. If we need to be in touch with both sides of our nature, it would be what provides us with balance and helps with our creativity.

I also noticed that these energies are not only opposites, but they are interdependent.

There cannot be dark without light.

Let me make one thing clear in this reflection about Masculine/feminine that is it goes beyond male/female.

Here are common characteristics attributed to masculine and feminine:

Masculine characteristics: assertive, results oriented, analytical, competitive

Feminine characteristics: caring, patient, sensitive, connecting, conscious, communicating, compassionate

My question to you is this: where does this reflection on Masculine/Feminine take you?

Do you feel this duality in our human nature?

How does it impact your creativity?

This week Kellie and I re-issue the episode 17 Overwhelm with a new intro (updated discussion) and the E17 after show (usually available only to subscribers and patrons) as an all-together episode.

We wanted to explore again this topic as it seems particularly adapted.

As you will hear in the podcast, I am going through something that could be considered overwhelming. I have been dealing for quite some time but since about half-a-year with a very progressive hearing loss to the point of undergoing a cochlear implant surgery soon.

For those of you not familiar with it, it is an amazing device/technology that will be implanted behind the ear to help me hear again. I am very grateful to live in a place and time where this technology and the skilled surgical team is available next to me.

As a French person living in the US, I am sensitive to living a bi-cultural life. As I am now, at least partially, part of another culture (Deaf culture), I am trying to learn sign language as well. Unfortunately for me, sign language is not universal, and I will have to learn French and American sign language. But what an adventure!

This change has brought a lot of questioning about what impact it would have on our TanglePod adventure.

Guess what? None, whatsoever.

I have the best co-host ever! Kellie and I walk this path together and take it one step at a time. We explore solutions as we go, facing changes together and creatively looking for ways to continue to grow together as creatives and podcasters.

This is where the conversation was insightful – at least for me.  As we talked about creativity, overwhelm, life changes, etc. we investigate how to face overwhelm as peacefully and creatively as possible.

Have a listen and I would love to hear back from you on how you handle the overwhelm in your life.