Ardhanareshwara: Being One

Every one of us is half male and half female. A reproductive organ and its accompanying hormones may result in physically one aspect expressing itself more. Along with this expression, the enzymes and hormones that are needed to fulfil this role result in physical masculine or feminine features. The mind as a result of these expressed chemicals, physical features and society gets conditioned to think in terms of a particular gender. But underlying this, each of us is both masculine and feminine. We are the result of the union of male and female. Only when within our bodies and minds we recognise this and work towards balancing this do we reach equilibrium. Famous psychologists like Jung, Freud, William James and their research on the unbalanced anima and animus (or logos and eros or yin and yang) highlight the dangers of a lopsided approach to ourselves. The state of nature today which is universally attributed to the feminine and its plight in the face of the masculine aggressions of man show what a precarious state we have put all of life into.

The Ardhanareshwara is an ancient image conceptualized to heal and balance the human mind and body. This is a form of Shiva and Shakti in perfect union and represented in a meditating posture. The  expression is one of ultimate bliss. The power that this image represents is vastly complex and for this to work we need to apply it at multiple levels within ourselves, our bodies, minds, personalities. If there is conflict that exists at any level it leads to destruction of body and mind as would any conflict between Shiva and Shakti. The sorry state of the world today can be pinpointed to a conflict between these two elements within us. A child born out of disharmonious parents is in disharmony. The world is filled with these beings and they destroy themselves, society, nature and life.

The solution to this is for each person to look within himself or herself and to reach harmony within themselves first before attempting to unite with another human being to produce a child or to interact with the world around them. A child born of harmonious parents will have a higher probability of being balanced and harmonious. Such a being will have a harmonious relationship will everything that he or she comes in contact with. Some people try to resolve the gender conflict within themselves at a physical level by dressing up or making physical changes to appear like the opposite sex. This is a surface level approach to the problem. Recognising that we are essentially two parts made one and giving our bodies and minds the space for both these halves to flower and blend harmoniously is the approach that needs to be taken. It is no shame for a person to show attributes of the opposite gender. Our sages depicted Krishna, Vishnu, Shiva  at different times using attributes of female personalities to highlight how difficult situations can be handled with feminine grace and astuteness. In Chinese philosophy only when the yin and yang are balanced will the world be in equilibrium. In Western science, balance between the two lobes of the human brain, the so called Logos (masculine) and Eros (feminine) is key.

So let us try to be ardhanareshwaras from within and bring equilibrium to ourselves and the world around us.