Divine Masculine: 9 Ways to Awaken Your Inner Shiva

If any human being is to reach full maturity both the masculine and feminine sides of the personality must be brought up into consciousness. 

– M. Esther Harding

We hear a lot these days about wild women, female spiritual ascension, and the awakening of the sacred feminine.

Go on any form of social media and you’re bound to find discussion surrounding sisterhood, female mysticism, womb magic, and contacting/worshiping the goddess within.

While it’s important that we honor the divine feminine, we must not forget that the divine masculine is alive within each and every one of us as well.

The only way we can truly balance our spiritual awakening is to integrate both sides of our nature as men and women – not simply one above the other.

What is Divine Masculine Energy?

Divine Masculine energy is something we all possess, no matter what gender (or lack thereof) we are. Also known as yang, shiva, or solar energy, the Divine Masculine is ruled by the elements of sun (fire) and sky (air).

As the sacred counterpart of the Divine Feminine, the Divine Masculine is an active force that is responsible for order, structure, passion, willpower, and courage.

Why Has the Divine Masculine Been Ignored?

How often have you seen the Divine Masculine discussed or revered (as opposed to the Divine Feminine)?

Be honest … not that much.

Maybe a few people here and there have touched on the matter … but overall people aren’t paying that much attention to the topic.

Let’s face it. There’s not an overwhelmingly large number of positive role models out there of the Divine Masculine. In fact, to come across a truly mature and integrated male is rather like stumbling upon a rare delicacy or mythical unicorn.

Why is this the case?

The unfortunate reality is that up until this point in history, we have mostly been presented with the shadow side of the masculine.

We have seen how bloodthirsty, arrogant, domineering, and destructive masculine energy can be. Therefore, most of us have lost our interest, and dare I say respect, in this fundamental aspect of existence.

Sadly, most of the large-scale suffering in history has been instigated, inflicted, and/or carried out by men or masculine energy.

Even until this very day “The Man” (a phrase that refers to governments/authorities) continues to inflict oppression and spread greed, prejudice, and corruption.

Take a moment to reflect on the forces behind the crusades and witch hunts, the two major world wars, genocides, tribal race wars, dictators, terrorist groups, fundamentalist religions/cults, and the mass rape and murder committed across the world …

Fuelling these atrocities and crimes against humanity is immature masculine energy.

It’s no wonder that many people have a bad taste in their mouth and the Divine Masculine is being ignored.

Divine Masculine and the Spiritual Awakening Process

When the Sacred Masculine is combined with the Sacred Feminine inside each of us, we create the ‘sacred marriage’ of compassion and passion in ourselves.

– Matthew Fox

People are often surprised to hear that the very force that is responsible for so much pain in the world is also responsible for sparking their spiritual awakenings.

Yes, you heard me right. If you’ve experienced some kind of life-changing crisis, an awakening, or a thirst for more depth and meaning, you can thank your inner Divine Masculine!

The Divine Masculine is an active force, one that is given to seeking truth, freedom, and self-sovereignty. Unlike the Divine Feminine which is a more passive and receptive force, the Divine Masculine energy has a will to power – it loves action, and it will do everything it can to find spiritual guidance and its true life path!

To feel empowered on our spiritual journeys, we need to hone, harness, and celebrate our inner Divine Masculine, because it is he who is the fire within us that burns for Self-realization, Oneness, and Liberation.

Benefits of Awakening the Divine Masculine

So other than enriching our spiritual paths, what’s the point of awakening the Divine Masculine within us?

Here’s what you can expect to experience once you begin this type of work:

• More self-confidence
• More grounded
• Enhanced ability to be objective
• Improved critical thinking/analytical skills
• Emotional balance
• Connection to the Warrior within
• Increased ability to set strong personal boundaries
• More self-assertiveness
• Enhanced will-power
• Improved self-discipline
• Mental clarity

These powerful qualities are developed through openness and commitment to the following practices described in the next section.

9 Ways to Awaken the Divine Masculine Within You

As I said previously, spiritual maturity is about nurturing, honoring, and balancing both sides of your nature.

ALL men, women, and non-binary people/trans, possess both the masculine and feminine aspects inside themselves.

Ignoring, suppressing, demonizing, or treating one type of energy as “less than” another is immature and ultimately creates suffering.

Don’t give fuel to your shadow self. Don’t perpetuate more division within this world.

Learn how to awaken both types of energy within yourself in a healthy way. Here’s how to hone and harness your inner Divine Masculine:

1. Examine your wounds surrounding the Masculine

As a male or female (or non-binary), what has your experience been like with men?

Have you had supportive male figures in your life (e.g., your father and/or brothers)?

Have you experienced mostly abusive relationships/connections with men? Or have you experienced a little bit of both?

Examining your wounds will help you to uncover any unconscious beliefs, biases, or prejudice you have towards men.

These mental and emotional blockages can be very revealing and will help you to develop and strengthen a healthy bond with your inner Divine Masculine, thereby experiencing deep-seated spiritual healing.

Write down your experiences and reflect on the themes that arise such as abandonment, friendship, alienation, love/hate, emotional connection/distance, etc.

2. Take self-responsibility

Look after yourself. Own your actions. Take responsibility for your happiness. Don’t permit yourself to become a victim who needs to be “rescued.”

To awaken the Divine Masculine, you need to be accountable for your thoughts, feelings, and choices.

Don’t blame other people when things go wrong; this is pointless and a waste of energy. Respect yourself, be mature, and reclaim your warrior energy.

3. Contact your inner Father

We all possess many sides of our nature known as inner parts or subpersonalities. Psychologist Carl Jung called the different faces of our psyches “archetypes.”

The Father is a universal archetype that we all carry inside, regardless of whether we’re male or female. One powerful way of awakening your Divine Masculine is to contact this inner Father and develop a relationship with him.

I recommend practices such as journaling, various forms of artistic expression such as painting, automatic writing, and even using tarot/oracle cards as a way of contacting your inner Father.

Explore what he wants to share with you using the dialoguing technique. You can also connect with his personality, physical appearance, and demeanor to make him more three-dimensional.

Remember that by his very nature, your inner Father is kind and benevolent (his role is to be a ‘protector’ after all).

In what ways can you father yourself better or be the father that you never really had?

Learn more about how to journal.

4. Deconstruct your conditioning

What have you been conditioned to believe about “what it means to be a man”?

We collectively and individually carry so much baggage when it comes to defining masculinity.

Common forms of conditioning that many of us have received regarding masculinity include, for example:

• Men shouldn’t cry (because it makes you a “wimp/sissy”)
• Men must be stoic and not express their emotions
• Men must have a successful career
• Men must be the head of the household
• Men are primarily logical and left-brain oriented
• Men have to be interested in sport
• Men are the saviors of women and children
• Men must “dominate” women physically, sexually, and career-wise
• Men are expected to be aggressively self-confident
• Men must look strong and have muscles

Can you think of any other forms of conditioning that I’ve left out?

Once you’ve discovered what your culture has taught you about men, you’ll be more capable of consciously redefining what masculinity means to you. This redefinition process will allow you to develop a healthy relationship with your inner Divine Masculine.

Ask yourself, “What does mature and balanced masculinity look like to me?”

5. Find a masculine teacher/guide/figure you admire

Thankfully there are some wonderful examples of embodied Divine Masculine energy out there. These mature men may be among your inner circle of friends or family members (and if so, feel blessed!).

However, if you don’t know anyone who reflects the Divine Masculine in your life, don’t worry. There are expressions of the Divine Masculine out there! For example, there are many teachers alive today such as Adyashanti, Eckhart Tolle, Mooji, and the Dalai Lama who embody the Divine Masculine.

There are also deceased teachers from the past such as Krishnamurti, Lao Tzu, and the Buddha who express masculine energy in a mature way. Don’t be afraid to use fictional heroes or mythical gods as your guides either. Just ensure that you don’t idealize or worship these figures – simply admire, respect, and learn from them.

Ultimately, the most important thing is that you learn from these role models which will help you to feel confident in embodying and expressing your own inner Divine Masculine.

6. Connect with your inner Warrior

The inner Warrior is another face or expression of the Divine Masculine. But please don’t mistake what I’m saying for the way warriors are portrayed in modern times.

Your inner Warrior isn’t interested in dominating, killing others, or “fighting for peace.” Your inner Warrior supports and protects you. He takes no bullshit. He will defend your rights peacefully but assertively. He will cut through the lies and see with clarity. He values truth, courage, and inner strength.

When you bring more of the Warrior energy into your life, you’re awakening the Divine Masculine. You’re reconnecting to the Wholeness deep within yourself.

To build a strong connection with this energy, you might like to explore the look and feel of your inner Warrior.

What is his personality like? What does he enjoy doing? How does he already appear in your life? And in what areas could you benefit more from his presence?

Examples of ways to connect with your inner Warrior include practicing martial arts, boxing, doing vigorous exercise, guided visualizations, becoming an activist, exploring yang yoga, experimenting with artistic self-expression … and the list goes on.

7. Be assertive and stick up for yourself

Being assertive isn’t about being angry or confrontational, nor is it about throwing yourself in another person’s face.

To be assertive is to respect yourself and your needs. If you’re a quiet person or are an introvert, it’s likely that you struggle with assertiveness.

One of the best ways to start with being assertive is to define your needs. What need is not being met? How do you feel when your boundaries are being overstepped?

Assertiveness requires courage, so it’s important to take little steps – the best way to start, in my experience, is to learn how to say “no” (there are many different ways!).

Above all, always remember that your needs and opinions are just as valid as anyone else’s.

8. Stand in a confident way

Our body language has a powerful impact on how we feel (and vice versa).

Try this experiment for a moment: let your shoulders drop forward, hunch over, and cross your arms so you’re in a “C” shape. How do you feel? Now straighten your back and shoulders and let your chest be exposed so you’re in an “l” shape. How do you feel?

Although it might be uncomfortable and foreign at first, improving your posture will help to send biological signals to your brain that you’re confident, calm, and secure in yourself. This is an amazingly simple way to get in touch with your Divine Masculine side.

9. Stop being passive, start being active

Make a habit of being the instigator, initiator, and giver within your relationships (and life in general).

Take the initiative to go out of your way to set goals, make plans, and work towards what you dream about.

Don’t let passivity make you apathetic and lazy. Feed your inner fire and do something with it!

10. (Bonus) Work with nature

Spend time in nature. Observe how male birds, dogs, and other animals in your surroundings behave. Reconnecting with primal masculine energy can teach us a lot about the true nature of the Divine Masculine.

If you work with essential oils or herbs, you may like to explore herbs such as licorice root, damiana, ashwagandha, and essential oils such as cypress, cedarwood, sandalwood, and vetiver to supplement the advice in this article.

If you work with crystals, you may like to incorporate the following stones into your life: shiva lingam, red jasper, green tourmaline, tiger eye, pyrite, malachite, and labradorite.

Takeaway

Ultimately, there’s no division in life – it’s the human mind that likes to label and separate things. The masculine and feminine are therefore two sides of the same coin. Neither energy is “superior” to the other.

In fact, both the Divine Masculine and Divine Feminine need each other – and need to awaken within us – for there to be harmony and wholeness.

We are reaching a point on this planet where the masculine desperately needs to mature. Our ecosystems, our societies, our children, our very lives, and spiritual awakening paths depend on this truth.

What is your relationship like with the Divine Masculine? Do you have any advice to share? Let yourself be heard below.

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