Sacred Masculinity

Conscious Masculinity and Non-Binary Explorations

How can a woman write about conscious masculinity? How can a man honour the divine feminine? How can a human who doesn’t relate to their biological gender, or believes that gender is a construct, find relevance in the idea of conscious masculinity? 

In this age of widespread exploration around gender and biology, it is important that we do not lose touch with the essence of the soul. Just as the body is born from feminine womb and masculine seed, the soul is made from feminine container and masculine creativity. If we have trouble accepting these words, because of the many associations they can evoke, then we need to find a way to move through that because these qualities are the twin tantric medicines that will help humanity outgrow the problems that we are facing individually and collectively. 

We could change the terminology and talk about yin and yang or dark and light, but there is something profoundly human about the language of masculine and feminine and in our dreams – which are nightly masterclasses for our soul-making – the masculine and feminine energies that we are working with to heal and awaken show up as men and women in our dreams. 

This does not invalidate those who are exploring what it is to be non-binary or gender fluid or any of the other multifaceted expressions of human experience. Dreams are not meant to be taken literally. They are symbolic. If we can recognise the value of masculine and feminine energies as sacred medicinal symbols, which arise out of the matrix of nature, we can nourish the soul without becoming enslaved by identification with physical traits. We can embrace the body, accept its profound value and intelligence, without believing that it represents the fullness of who and what we are. 

It is the conscious masculine, which we will explore more below, and the conscious feminine that holds the space and consciousness needed for a soul to fully accept its unique human journey. These energetic archetypal powers can either heal or disempower us, depending on our courage and wisdom to work with them intelligently.

Sacred Medicinal Symbols and Soul Dialogue

The masculine and feminine are archetypal forces and living sacred symbols for the soul and hold energetic qualities that can either heal and awaken the soul, or undermine and damage it. The outcome depends on the quality of consciousness that we have brought to the expression of the masculine and feminine in our own soul. We need to recognise them first and then learn how to creatively explore, process and heal these energies within our own souls.

Studies have shown that images cause effect in the immune system, with beautiful images and horrifying images evoking different effects in the body. The soul is impacted by the images of our dreams, and working with those images in the soul’s own language is vital if we are to embrace the divine feminine of nature, our bodies, and our soul journeys. Dream imagery can be brought to life through art, in journaling, in writing about dreams and creating offerings such as poems or altars to various facets of the soul journey which show up in our dreams. This might seem abstract, but it is a way to dialogue with the soul. 

If we deny the value or relevance of masculinity and femininity as though there were merely irrelevant or historically dated concepts, we put our souls in peril. Whilst I am embracing of progressive thought, the idea that masculine and feminine are politically or socially irrelevant would be a dangerous one and not in the exciting dangerous thinking of the mystics that challenge us to become spiritually wild and free. Rather it is dangerous in the sense that it is founded on dissociated, fragmented foundations and can push humanity further along a dysfunctional, destructive path. Such a notion is an expression of escape and denial rather than freedom and genuine healing progress. 

“We need to embrace the masculine and feminine energies, not to be bound by stereotypes, but to make these energies more conscious so we can heal and build the quality of soul that our world so desperately needs.”

Without soul, there is no love for the feminine realm of nature, and technology is not utilised with wisdom for the greater good. We end up with confusion, anxiety and depression – all symptoms of a soul in distress because the healing medicines of conscious feminine and conscious masculine have not been discovered and taken in at a soul level.  

We have to take care to not throw the proverbial baby out with the bathwater. A helpful approach is to deconstruct the associations with masculine and feminine, to discern what qualities are universal and essential, and what are outmoded stereotypes. Then we learn how to recognise awakened and healthy masculine and feminine ways of being, and we are in a position of surprising healing power in our own lives and for our collective. 

The Toxic Feminine and Conscious Femininity

Conscious femininity or healed sacred feminine energy is genuinely beautiful, yet when that energy is unconscious or wounded, it can be simultaneously terrifying and weak. In unconscious form, the feminine refuses to allow for individuality and difference. It is ‘her way or no way’, and if you dare to stand against the norm, the collective, the mainstream as the unconscious feminine defines it, then you are shunned and attacked. There is no strength to handle difference and any attempt at space is experienced as an unacceptable rejection. 

In the wrath of the unconscious feminine, your reputation, your value, your happiness and all the work you have invested in your dreams can be consumed in the single devouring moment of “be who I tell you to be or I will destroy you.” The unconscious feminine can be narcissistic and destructive. We can see this in political violence of all kinds, obvious and subtle, from torture of political prisoners to cancel culture. These are examples of wounded, unconscious feminine energy. 

The conscious healed feminine however loves humanity, supports human beings in embracing our individuality whilst simultaneously experiencing our spiritual unity. She urges us to bring heart wisdom into social consciousness. 

In the peace-loving, spiritually-attuned divine or sacred feminine realm, the soul seeks to outgrow issues, to evolve beyond them through healing and spiritual awakening, rather than attempting to bop life on the head with the club of your will, and force it to submit to your personal view of what life and other people should be. Lower-level consciousness provides faith without awareness. Loving the mother who is unawake can manifest as that crazy-making phenomenon of violence against others supposedly justified by religious beliefs. In this age of rising secularism, that pseudo-justification switches seamlessly from religious beliefs to political ideals, which can become a new religion of sorts. 

The great paradox is that in the unconscious feminine’s ability to accept difference, she creates terrible division amongst the human family. The conscious feminine is so focused on what she can give – love, healing, light – because she has learned how to be held and supported by Life, that she doesn’t need to control others. She has transformed fear into aliveness and wisdom. You can perhaps sense the incredible value of this and how society will change as the feminine continues to awaken and heal. 

The conscious feminine feels so much better for all involved, so why is it still so relatively rare in our culture? Firstly, healing and consciousness is not an on-off switch. It is a journey and we are making progress as a culture towards that. Much of the turmoil in the world is actually our collective soul trying to heal past traumas. We just need to learn how to do so more skilfully. Which leads us to the need for conscious masculinity – for these two energies are actually expression of one, and work together always. 

Do we need masculinity? Yes!

Healed masculinity is an inner expression of energy with outer effect. The soul needs masculine expression regardless of our gender or biological identifications. 

I want to use two examples of a Sabian astrological symbols, one in the sign of Pisces, the other in the opposing sign of Virgo, as prompts to understand the potential spiritual radiance of conscious masculinity. 

The Sabian symbol for Pisces 13 is ‘a sword used in many battles now rests in a museum’. Museums are places for historical relics. The artifacts in museum exhibits tell us stories of the past that can help us understand what was, become conscious as to how that may be conditioning us now, and make a choice as to what is really needed in this moment. We don’t put something in a museum if we still need it now. The sword on display is a rich image of hard-won battles acknowledged and also, that either the war itself is over, or the means to fight it has evolved.

The theme of war – and power and masculinity – arises in the Sabian astrological symbol for Virgo 28. This symbol is “a bald-headed man in uniform seizes power”. Baldness and uniform represent both masculinity and authority, as does seizing power rather than allowing it to spontaneously arise from within. The latter is the experience generated through feminine intelligence. This symbol describes the masculine urge to push, rise and conquer.

In the feminine-honouring sign of Virgo, this symbol invites deeper reflection. It is an opportunity for us to consider how we can heal the masculine energy drive. We neither want to promote toxic masculinity – for it needs compassion and healing, yet in order to accomplish this, we need healthy masculinity to differentiate and discern. So we cannot unduly outlaw the masculine drive within us either. 

“We need discerning wisdom combined with compassion so that the masculine consciousness can find his way to the heart, liberated from power drives to conquer regardless of consequences.”

Abhorring the instinctual masculine drives for dominance can drive masculinity underground and in doing so, generate a rebellious reaction of worshipping power at any cost, whilst denying the love that the masculine needs to mature. We also become weakened and fall prey to the unconscious feminine demand for conformity and consumption of ever more ‘stuff’ (mother is also matter or physical form, which we can cherish and respect as a method of wise awakening or become obsessed with and buried within as avoidance of the deeper challenge of growing up spiritually). 

The innate expansive, exploratory and assertive qualities of masculine consciousness infused with love can generate life. Without love, unchecked masculinity can be devastatingly brutal. Yet there is no benefit to decrying all masculinity as toxic. Castrating the masculine and turning him into a boy-child is a toxic matriarchal response, and that is not the answer either. 

The human desire to climb the proverbial mountain can be channelled for the good of all if it is allowed to become conscious and infused with compassionate wisdom. Then it can mature from self-aggrandising ego stroking, destroying anyone and anything that gets in the way as a defence against feeling small into the drive needed to tackle the hard work of self-mastery and protection for the values of the heart to benefit all beings.

Through spiritual growth, the masculine consciousness is given the space and presence needed to develop. The desire to change the world to meet our personally preferred image matures into the realisation that being in uniform, at the symbolic level, can represent belonging to something greater than one’s own ego preferences. With toxic masculinity, it is all about power drive to get one’s personal way at any cost which is an expression of spiritual immaturity. Such toxic entitlement is typically also an expression of unresolved trauma. With healed masculinity, the greater collective and purpose to which we humans belong is recognised as a sacred ecosystem. It is not about conformity, it is about belonging.

Sacred Ecosystem

When one realises the innate connection with all of life, one is truly connected to a clear heart. The message of ultimate unity is our oft-repeated reminder from the cosmic teachers – then our seizing of power is not about dominating others but about learning to master ourselves and the negativities in our world so that they do not throw us off our spiritual game. We become more refined instruments of a greater guiding spiritual authority that genuinely has the best interests of all beings at heart, and also possesses the skill and wisdom to know how to best serve them through us.

Sacred Tantra of the Soul

As we learn to identify toxic and healthy masculine expression, the soul becomes able to stand against unconscious femininity, without disrespect or destruction occurring as a result. Then the feminine can heal. As the feminine heals into love, she becomes able to hold even greater space for the masculine to heal. They dance like the twin snakes on the Cadeceus, the healing staff of the mystic god Hermes – Thoth, or the rising intertwining flow of Ida and Pingala, the subtle energy channels that stimulate kundalini rising. 

In Alchemy, this healing dance into integration and eventual unity is the sacred marriage. The healthy awakening and healing relationship of the masculine and feminine within allow for the soul to become stronger, transformed from disparate bits and pieces into a cohesive radiant whole being of uniqueness, purpose and beauty. These energies working harmoniously allow the soul to gather energy and realise its most sacred fulfilment of destiny. All beings benefit from the presence of such a soul in our world. 

If you want to join us for sacred play, deep soul nourishment and spiritual empowerment, we have beautiful pathways available into our Community of the Sacred. You will find a warm, wise and welcoming group of humans who honour individuality and connection, and are working together to bring spiritual benefit to our planet. In Saraswati Healing we connect with many divine beings, such as Archangel Michael and Bat Kol, to Melchezidek and Mary Magdalene, and of course, our beloved Saraswati, her cosmic voice echoing through the Universe helping all beings realise their higher purpose and fulfil their divine destinies. Find out more here 

Art by Jimmy Manton from the Isis Oracle by Alana Fairchild