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. Here’s an introduction to divine masculine energy, plus how to tap into yours. 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.” So even though these archetypes are historically male, they’re more of a frame of reference or a touchstone when thinking about what the divine masculine is all about, which brings us to our next point. 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. Where divine feminine energy can be very internal and reflective, divine masculine energy relishes in doing things out in the real world, like having adventures, making change, saying what’s on your mind, and taking risks, she adds. It’s also an energy that’s often associated with things like logic and critical thinking. 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? It’s important to note that this balance won’t look exactly the same for everyone. “Some people that have more of the divine feminine or the divine masculine may find that works really well for them—it’s not about making everyone the same,” Kilkenny explains. Be willing to take risks, hope for the best, but remain unattached to the outcome. What’s meant for you will be, so trust that things will work out as they should, and go for it. It’s about “being able to assert oneself but still maintain that integrity with who you are—just having confidence and not downplaying it,” Kilkenny adds. Kilkenny suggests asking yourself what you can learn from these archetypes and how you can integrate some of their energies while staying true to yourself. One approach that could help, she notes, is leaning on your intuition to tell you when to take action, as this leans on the feminine as well, but just try to recognize when you may be overthinking it. Kilkenny suggests looking at those moments when you may be stuck in a historical reaction to the masculine, particularly if you’ve had trouble embodying it before. Delve into your own ideas of what the divine masculine is, why it matters, and how you can start integrating it. Kilkenny adds there are certainly moments when you will have to put up a fight—and that’s OK.