Ahura Mazda: The Sublime Wisdom

Zarathustra saw Mazda as a personified form of Divine Wisdom, present as a seed within every human. Unlike a gendered God, Ahura Mazda isn't just masculine or feminine – it's both and neither. In the Persian language, Ahura (Lord) is masculine, and Mazda (Wisdom) is feminine. According to Zarathustra, femininity embodies wisdom's spirit (Mazda). It's like a life force linked with water and the moon (Anahita, an ancient Persian feminine symbol). On the other hand, masculinity is linked with light, consciousness, having purpose and direction in life, and the material world (Mithra, an ancient Persian masculine symbol).

The feminine force (Mazda) is like the energy that gives life to matter. Similarly, without a form (Ahura), life cannot express itself. It's like a flower needing a pot to grow – a plant can't thrive without a container, and a container without a growing plant is lifeless. Masculine and feminine forces are like partners, not opposites, much like Ahura Mazda. Imagine existence as a river: feminine is like the flowing water, while masculine is like the riverbed that contains and guides it. They rely on each other, just like Ahura Mazda.

Both masculine and feminine aspects are present within each person (Ahura Mazda, both masculine and feminine). This idea was later developed in concepts like Tantra (Shiva and Shakti) and Taoism (Yin and Yang), where the interdependence of these forces is further explored.

Zarathustra didn't see Ahura Mazda as a strict or punishing god. Instead, he believed Ahura Mazda was a spirit inside all of us, guiding us to a happy and peaceful life on Earth. This guidance is based on qualities like kindness, truth, and wisdom, and it involves balancing both masculine and feminine aspects within and around us.