It has already been quite a year for women with the #MeToo movement picking up steam at the 
end of 2017 amid the flurry of sexual assault and harassment accusations. The #MeToo movement was founded by Tarana Burke in 2007 and erupted with a tweet that went viral from actress Alyssa Milano in October 2017.
This is an opportunity for women to feel confident in their feminine powers and get back to their inner goddess. How do us women go about doing that? Do I really feel like a goddess that is empowered, emboldened and free from judgment? These are questions I have been asking myself these past couple of months. It seems I am always trying to figure out how to balance the various aspects of my life.
In Chinese medicine and philosophy, there is the concept of yin and yang that balances the forces of nature. A feminine aspect has a masculine counterpart, dark has light, earth has heaven, rest versus activity, and so on. When too much emphasis is put on one aspect, such as too much activity and not enough rest, the body and mind will suffer. For example, the daily grind of your job or business, making money to pay for the mortgage/rent, your children’s activities and taking care of others will wear you down emotionally and physically.
The inner goddess can be summoned in very simple but effective ways. Women need to give themselves a time out. Start the day with an affirmation or a saying that makes you smile. A time out can be as simple as sitting and focusing on your breath for several minutes. It can be ramped up with a yoga exercise such as nadi suddhi—alternate nostril breathing. This yoga exercise brings increased oxygen to the brain. You are effectively increasing your brain power!
One of the most important tenants of Buddhism is being present in the moment. This seems so hard to do in our go go culture. As Eckhart Tolle said, “The past has no power over the present moment.” An important tenant of Chinese medicine is being mindful of what you are eating and to give yourself time to eat a meal. Food will not be properly digested or assimilated if you are eating on the run. Eating in a relaxed manner is another way of being present in the moment. Nourishing foods, particularly for the blood (i.e. yin building) for women should be eaten, such as chlorophyll-rich foods like kale, chard and dandelion. In addition, foods such as animal proteins, eggs and dark-colored 
fruits, such as cherries and all types of berries, should be consumed.
When there is harmony of yin and yang, you will have clarity, creativity and feel rooted in your convictions. The true nature of your inner goddess will be revealed and begin to be fulfilled.
Source: Sharon McDermott, MS, LAc, owner of Healthy Healing. For more information, call 516-410-4297.
