Gender-based spirituality

By on July 22, 2009 in Spirituality

 Question:

It  is obvious that men and women are different on the physical, emotional and even cognitive levels of being. My question is, how are we different spiritually?
Do men and women have different needs and attributes on their Spiritual paths? In what ways are they different?
Answer:
The differences between the genders are only in the superficial areas you have listed: physical and psychological. At the deepest level of our spirituality, there are no male or female qualities. Our higher Self or Atman has no gender. So insofar as spiritual growth is learning to recognize the truth of our pure essence, the paths of realization do not need to be differentiated between men and women.  
Love,
Deepak
 

About Deepak Chopra

Time Magazine heralded Deepak Chopra as one of the 100 heroes and icons of the century, and credited him as "the poet-prophet of alternative medicine." Entertainment Weekly described Deepak Chopra as "Hollywood's man of the moment, one of publishing's best-selling and most prolific self-help authors." He is the author of more than 50 books and more than 100 audio, video and CD-Rom titles. He has been published on every continent and in dozens of languages. Fifteen of his books have landed on the New York Times Best-seller list. Toastmaster International recognized him as one of the top five outstanding speakers in the world. Through his over two decades of work since leaving his medical practice, Deepak continues to revolutionize common wisdom about the crucial connection between body, mind, spirit, and healing. His mission of "bridging the technological miracles of the west with the wisdom of the east" remains his thrust and provides the basis for his recognition as one of India's historically greatest ambassadors to the west. Chopra has been a keynote speaker at several academic institutions including Harvard Medical School, Harvard Business School, Harvard Divinity School, Kellogg School of Management, Stanford Business School and Wharton.His latest book is "Reinventing the Body, Resurrecting the Soul."
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6 Responses to Gender-based spirituality

  1. Super frog July 21, 2009 at 8:39 pm #

    I think Deepak is right these spiritual qualities are genderless. Our pure essence is fair, wise, kind, caring, loving, patient, honest, helpful, sincere, truthful, mindful, selfless, friendly, content, faithful, virtuous, humble, tolerant, impartial, peaceful, insightful, forgiving, detached, generous, comforting, respectful, considerate, thoughtful, harmonious, understanding, knowledgeable, and compassionate.

  2. mydomainpvt July 22, 2009 at 1:40 am #

    dear deepak,

    beautiful explanation. thanks again.

    Wish you love, peace and happiness.

    Trisha

  3. Tal July 22, 2009 at 3:27 am #

    I understand that we are the same at our deepest Spiritual source and destination. However since we are opposites, male/female, yin/yang, plus/minus…it seems reasonable that we are meant to play complimenting roles on our Spiritual path, because all physical things have a Spiritual root. The starting point and the goal are the same, but perhaps the means and the way are not, just like every person is different and has different needs on their path.

  4. kellyneill July 22, 2009 at 8:12 am #

    This leads to another question: one about attachment to one's perception of selfhood… and how to reconcile that attachment and resultant sense of separateness (both of which are illusory) with allowing understanding of the (unified) being-ness that is the source of all.

    You-me, he-she, us-them distinctions – that is, attachment/separateness thoughts – bring both happiness and pain. I think the answer may be to learn to be recognize the superficiality of those ideas enough to enjoy their positive aspects without becoming mired in their disappointments; to work from source-based awareness, in lieu of choosing spiritual (or other) paths which strengthen one's attachment to these illusory "differences."

  5. simon_freejohn July 22, 2009 at 10:49 am #

    I have sometimes been asked if I am Gay by some women. For a straight man like myself this would normally be taken as an insult but I have purposely developed my feminine qualities. Not that I mince around with my hand on my hip you understand… but qualities such as nurturing and sensuous touch and also I try to be guided by womans level of maturity. I am not a feminist at all but I am a strong believer that if there were more women in power around the world then there would be far less fighting.

    I think that identifying with a particular gender is very primitive, In a spiritual sense you are an omnibeing, not a man or a woman or from any particular ethnic group even.

    I am your reflection as you are mine

  6. observer July 22, 2009 at 5:50 pm #

    Hey Simon,

    I am a feminist and I say congratulations for developing your feminine qualities. I am emotional and always cried easily. At age 9 I was disciplined by an elderly woman school principal who informed me big boys don't cry. Took me 50 years to learn how ignorant she was. I just made a new friend at Facebook. I could not tell if he was a man or woman by name. We had an immediate connection through brief conversation. Then I saw his picture. We continued talking and have quickly bonded. When spirit meets spirit, the packaging is irrelevant.

    Let us daily increase in: wisdom, love, gratitude, reverence, healing, peace, joy, happiness, laughter and prosperity.

    Blessings X 10,

    Ed