What The Divine Masculine Is All About (And How To Balance It With The Divine Feminine)

Divine masculine and divine feminine energy exist in all things—people included.

Not to be confused with male versus female, divine feminine and masculine energies can be accessed by all of us, and part of the spiritual path is getting them into a state of balance.

The concept of the divine masculine comes from masculine archetypes seen throughout many spiritual traditions, from Hinduism to Greek mythology to Christianity (think Shiva, Zeus, and even the idea of a masculine God or "Father" in Christianity).

These figures represent divine masculine through the qualities they embody.

As intuitive counselor and sacred space designer Elana Kilkenny emphasizes to mbg, "Divine masculine is about archetypes—it's not about men and women."

The divine masculine is very action-based, focused on doing rather than being. Where the divine feminine represents Universal Motherhood, spiritual author of The Self-Love Experiment Shannon Kaiser explains that the divine masculine is Universal Fatherhood energy. It's all about things like structure, logic, and taking charge.

Kilkenny adds that divine masculine energy is at play with things like assertiveness, confidence, speaking up for yourself, and sometimes, fighting the good fight.

Where divine feminine energy can be more passive and willing to compromise, Kilkenny notes that sometimes, "there are things in the world we do need to fight for, and situations where we need to draw a line in the sand about what's right or wrong." The masculine is good at setting boundaries in this way.

Similarly, this plays into the idea of strength, she adds, and not just physical but emotional strength as well. Divine masculine energy is deeply connected to the warrior within each of us.

Again, everyone has access to both masculine and feminine energy, regardless of sex or gender.

The divine feminine and divine masculine can be thought of like yin and yang—they're both necessary for balance, but they are different. Too much feminine energy can lead to indecisiveness and not enough action. And too much masculine, Kilkenny notes, can lead to a domineering nature and even war.

The objective is to strive for your own balance of the two. Take the example of a leader, for example. Leadership may be thought of as a more divine masculine quality, but how can one be a leader in a way that honors the feminine, considering compassion and the needs of others as a primary function of leadership?

As Kilkenny notes, the divine masculine doesn't shy away from a little risk. If you're someone who has lots of great ideas, for example, "but you're afraid to put it out into the world, divine masculine qualities are necessary to make your vision a reality and meet your goals," she explains.

Similarly, be willing to start where you are, even when you don't feel 100% ready. Excess feminine energy can cause stagnation and inaction—so when in doubt, do something.

Consider the areas you feel strong in, where you may struggle, and how patterns play out for you as a result. Figure out what areas you want to work on, and call on any divine masculine archetypes, deities, or even modern teachers to help inspire you.

Along with taking risks and starting where you are, Kilkenny says it's important to start recognizing when you're "keeping a lot of ideas internal and wanting to perfect it before putting it out into the world."

Perhaps you've had bad experiences with the masculine before, whether the result of your interactions with men, overly aggressive people, or even your father.

And lastly, remember that sometimes we do have to set boundaries and stick up for ourselves, even if it means pressing someone else's buttons. It's not that you want to hurt anyone, but when we don't stand for what we believe in, we actually hurt ourselves.