I used to live on an energy rollercoaster. I was always going, doing... something. I couldn't stop and neither could my mind. And then, suddenly, my energy would disappear. Zap! Gone. My to-dos were still there but my battery would die, leaving me stranded in the middle of whatever I was working on.

It sometimes took me days to recover. In the meantime, I felt helpless, confused, depressed. I tried therapy, anxiety medication, which helped to a point. Then I came to meditation and yoga and found practical, embodied tools to set clear boundaries around and manage my energy. I got off the rollercoaster.

In yoga, energy is expressed in masculine and feminine forms. We talk about apana being a masculine outgoing energy and prana being the in-flowing restorative energy. Another to describe this balance of energy that you may be more familiar with is yin and yang. Yin is the female expression of energy and yang is the masculine. Each person has both yin and yang energy, regardless of gender, and each person expresses and balances these energies differently.

Feminine yin energy tends to be more introverted. Even in extroverts, yin turns in. Feminine energy is intuitive and introspective and characterized by a sense of being and space. Feminine energy relies on emotions, intuition, and body knowledge. Energetically feminine practices include meditation, Yin yoga, Nidra, restorative, and gentle flow.

Masculine yang energy is more extroverted, even in introverts. Yang energy focuses on doing, output, expression, and productivity. Masculine energy is cerebral, logical and rational. Most of us are familiar with the energy of a Vinyasa flow yoga from fitness classes and hot yoga, which are yang expressions of yoga.

Creativity is fed by feminine energy. Creativity requires introspection, nurturing, and birthing. If you want more creativity, spend more time in feminine activities. If you’ve downloaded my printable energy checklist already, you may recognize this list: nature, rest, play, beauty, solitude, being. Get more of these in a busy life and you'll feel more grounded, balanced, energized, and creative. You will make space for inspiration.

When we participate in masculine activities like promoting, selling, producing, marketing, and querying, we're burning up and giving out a lot of energy. We can balance that exertion by turning in and tuning in with feminine energy elements and activities that help us avoid depletion.

One energy is not better than the other. We need both to complete the creative cycle. The goal isn't a perfect balance of the two, but awareness and the ability to make choices to support ourselves. We become truly powerful creatives when we can accept both our yang and yin traits and energies and learn to harness both in appropriate ways.

Pay attention this week to whether you lean more masculine or feminine. Do you have a bias toward one energy or the other? Most of us are heavy on masculine energy because our culture rewards and promotes these traits and energies while ignoring, disdaining or outright shaming the feminine. How can you heal and honor both in yourself?

If you’re in a more masculine energetic phase of the creative cycle, can you tap into your vulnerability and bring in some feminine elements to avoid burnout and strengthen your approach?

If you’ve been in the creation-hibernation phase for a while, is it time to harness your masculine energy and step outside your comfort zone

These days, my life is still busy, but far less frantic, and more joyful and creative. Meditation and yoga help me rest and find space when I need it, which keeps my energy more predictable and manageable. I wish you the same. Happy creating!

Looking for support on your journey? Our Kriative Sangha is a community of creatives by trade, habit, or intent. We meet once a month to discuss topics like this, implement practical life applications, provide accountability, and learn to find center through meditation. Join us!