The masculine principle represents the spirit and the feminine principle matter- If initiates teach that the place of the masculine principle is before that of the feminine principle, it is not because they think that the masculine principle is more important than the feminine principle, but because they bow to cosmic symbolism. Symbolically, the masculine principle represents the spirit and the feminine principle matter.

The spirit is subtle and volatile and tends to rise to the higher levels, whereas matter, being heavier, tends to sink to lower levels. But each needs the other: the spirit needs matter in order to incarnate, and matter needs the spirit in order to be animated. Creation is simply the result of the encounter between spirit and matter.

The feminine principle provides the form and its attraction is very strong
It would not be true to say that the role and the responsibility of the father of a family is more or less valuable than that of the mother. The two are equally valuable, equally important, since both are necessary for the creation of a child. And spiritualists who neglect the material dimension are as seriously handicapped as materialists who ignore the spirit.

The masculine principle is defined as active and the feminine principle as passive, but the role of passivity is just as important as that of activity. The masculine principle provides the content, but the feminine principle provides the container, the form, and the power of attraction of form is very strong.

The feminine principle draws things to itself
If the feminine principle is said to be passive, it is because this distinguishes it from the active masculine principle. In reality, however, the feminine principle is not inactive; although it appears to be passive, it is extremely effective.

Instead of thrusting itself forward in the manner of the masculine principle, the feminine principle draws things to itself. This is its mode of activity, and anything that is incapable of resisting this attraction is absorbed.

The masculine mode of activity is more visible but it is not more powerful. To be active is, as it were, to move from the centre towards the periphery; to be passive is to attract the peripheral elements towards the centre. And even if this attraction is not very visible, it is very real and very effective.

What is the rightful place of each element, the masculine and the feminine? One day men and women are going to have to settle this problem, which is a constant source of conflict. For hundreds and thousands of years, the domination of men has laid a burden on women, and now we are beginning to see a reversal of the situation.

Women are ready to take the place of men and assume their role
Women have become bolder: they are no longer willing to be subject to men, but want the same rights as men. They are even ready to take the place of men and assume their role. This is only normal; it is the law of compensation.

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov

Izvor Book 237, Cosmic Balance
Chapter 4, Man and Woman