To be a man today is all encompassing with external noise and Internal Wisdom. This journey of discovery of true masculinity is complex, yet simplistic. It is much more comprehensive than the basic requirements and prevalent thought from the time of my youth and the past patriarchy concepts of the 20th century. In my youth, every man was supposed to be a badass and tough guy and if they weren’t, they were called unsavory names that denoted a lessor, effeminate man. We were to be John Wayne or Charles Bronson or Chuck Norris. The concept of a man that this age brought to us was simplistic and out of balance. They showed only one way and view. This style of manliness still sells. It was attractive then and still is due to fear. This simplistic view is ironic since that view of a real man should not be fearful, yet this idea is full of fear. This basic and fearful view I am mentioning isn’t only wrong in my opinion, but out of balance throughout the history of mankind. I would like to discuss some historical perspectives regarding true masculinity to show that an enlightened view of the masculine is not a new concept.
Ancient cultures and beliefs found a different way to understand our genders. The earliest writings of mystical origin affected so many cultures and provide profound insights into the nature of masculinity, manhood, and the journey of self-realization through gender roles. While these traditions may slightly differ in their specific teachings, they share common themes about what it means to “be a man” in a spiritual and emotional sense. These differences are beautiful as they provide variety and may uniquely resonate with each different person. Throughout time, the Truth found in historical writings emphasize personal transformation, inner awakening and connection to something greater than ourselves. When discussing how to be a man, these traditions do not give a straightforward, “one-size-fits-all” answer thankfully because we are as unique as our fingerprint. A simplistic all for one answer would be dogmatic and childish in it’s essence. Rather, these philosophies focus on qualities of the inner life that transcend gender while still acknowledging masculine principles. Principles found in ancient philosophies like Hermeticism have an entire law regarding Gender. We all have opposing, yet complimentary genders within ourselves and we see this our world. The philosophies I am going to mention are focused on the masculine gender and how it compliments and lifts the feminine and vice versa.
There are many important ideas from historical mystical traditions about how to embody our gender roles and focus on a deeper understanding of masculinity. Lets make sure that we understand that nothing has changed really. Surely, we fluctuate in time with balance where there are times we emphasize roles with different emphasis’. However, people have not changed in their spirits. I am sure in the past and certainly within various cultures there was always a John Wayne or a Juan Wayne or Johann Wayne or Jean Wayne or Sean Wayne. There was always a one-sided view of what masculinity should be, yet there was also Truth that the populace feared. All because we have the genitals that makes us a man, it does not mean we are only an assertive and overbearing force of masculinity here to dominate. We can influence others best with gentleness and respect rather than beating someone into submission.
We can embody the Divine Masculinity rather than the polarizing view of “Toxic Masculinity” that emasculates a man these days. This new woke toxic masculinity culture we may see is just a response to the out of balance concepts of the recent “John Wayne” view of what it means to be a man. We can transcend our traditional 20th century views of manliness and integrate the holy characteristics of Unity. Remember, there is not a one-size-fits-all answer. Again, we are as unique as our fingerprint and you must find your own definition of your masculinity that resonates with you and your own Path in life. Your Path of masculinity is going to be only your Path and you must respect the other Paths your brothers take. There is no wrong answer. I beg you to be skeptical, but open to the solutions for your Soul.
Ultimately, being a man is not about the cowardly conforming to societal expectations, but about standing strongly and independently by embodying personal and Eternal spiritual principles, living authentically and contributing to the greater good via the Love of yourself. It is a lifelong journey of growth, self-discovery, and service. I invite all men to go beyond conventional definitions of masculinity. This may create some fear as you define yourself and who you are. Your footing may feel shaky and uncertain. I urge you to cultivate True Wisdom, inner peace, Compassion, openness and spiritual awareness with what you discover and adopt for yourself. A “true” man is not defined by physical strength, his anatomy or societal expectations, but by his ability to embody spiritual virtues and to be in harmony with both gender concepts found within his inner self and the world around him. Our world embodies both genders in harmony as they complement and together create the great Whole.
We cannot escape the dual roles of gender. They play together perfectly. Eastern philosophy offers a different perspective on masculinity and femininity than our current culture. It emphasizes balance, harmony, and fluidity between the two forces rather than rigid gender roles or expectations. Eastern philosophies of the masculine and feminine are rooted in ancient Hermetic principles that were written before the writings of eastern philosophy. Egyptian themes of Divine Wisdom, cosmic order, creation, spiritual transformation and the unity of the divine with all things deeply influenced the development of Hermeticism. When these ideas merged with Greek philosophy, they formed the foundation of the Hermetic tradition. Hermeticism is a synthesis of Egyptian religious thought and Greek philosophical inquiry like Platonism and Stoicism. Eastern philosophy describe the masculine and feminine beautifully.
In Taoism, the concepts of Yin and Yang are a central belief. These are not separate masculine and feminine characteristics that are divisive, but rather complementary forces that exist in balance and are interdependent. Yang is often associated with qualities traditionally seen as masculine such as action, strength and assertiveness. Yin is associated with virtues seen as feminine like receptivity, gentleness and passivity. Taoism teaches that both Yin and Yang are present in everyone regardless of your physical gender. The goal is not to emphasize one over the other, but to achieve harmony through the integration and the balance of both in your lives just like we see in our perfect world. The yin and yang are fluid, meaning that each force can transform into the other demonstrating the balance of life.
In Hindu philosophy, the concept of the Divine Feminine and Divine Masculine is explored through various deities and metaphysical concepts. Shiva represents the masculine aspect associated with destruction and transformation, but also with the pure consciousness. Shakti, the feminine aspect, represents the creative and dynamic force of the universe symbolizing energy, power, and creation. Shakti and Shiva are inseparable and are often shown together in a symbolic unity. This reflects the understanding that both the masculine and feminine are necessary for creation and balance. Both forces are required to achieve the ultimate harmony in our world and within all people. In this tradition, both masculine and feminine energies are recognized as divine and equally important.
The ancient Chinese philosophy of Confucianism focuses on societal roles that often places an emphasis on familial and social duties. Confucian philosophy also stresses the importance of balance, propriety, and respect. Masculine virtues in Confucianism are often linked with leadership, responsibility, and integrity. Feminine virtues, on the other hand, are associated with nurturing, humility, and supportiveness. Confucianism teaches that balance in human relationships is crucial. Men and women should complement each other through mutual respect and understanding rather than embodying fixed roles that lead to imbalance or conflict.
Eastern philosophies often emphasize a fluid, integrated view of the masculine and feminine. Rather than placing these qualities into fixed oppositional categories. Balance, unity, and the recognition that both energies exist within everyone is the central theme. The masculine and feminine are seen as complementary forces with each contributing to the harmony of the self, the family, society, and our world. This approach is more holistic and less about assigning rigid characteristics based on someone’s gender.
I think Hermeticism gives the best explanation of the role of the masculine and feminine. Hermetic philosophy is based on the teachings of Hermes Trismegistus. It is a foundational belief system that influenced the eastern philosophies as they are flavors of it and give their own versions of the 7 Divine Principles found in Hermeticism. It is a foundational philosophy with it’s view of gender roles since it predates it. The view of the masculine and feminine is deeply rooted in the concept of duality, but it also embraces the idea of balance and Unity. A core idea is that these energies are not merely physical or gender-based, but are fundamental forces that govern all of Creation. “As above, so below. As within, so without.” This quote is a principle that the macrocosm and the microcosm have equivalent laws we can learn from.
The the Kybalion is the main text of Hermetic philosophy and the Principle of Gender is one of the seven Hermetic principles in this book. This principle asserts that gender exists in everything, not just in biological terms, but in all aspects of reality from the physical to the metaphysical. The masculine and feminine principles are seen as inherent in all things whether in nature or the body or the mind or the soul. Masculine energy is linked to the active, assertive and outwardly directed forces. It is typically associated with qualities like reason, willpower, and action. Feminine energy represents the receptive, nurturing, and inwardly focused force. It is associated with intuition, emotion and creation. Both genders are necessary. One cannot exist without the other. The masculine force is incomplete without the feminine and vice versa. This mirrors the concept of Yin and Yang in Taoism or the interplay of Shiva and Shakti in Hinduism. Hermetic teachings emphasize the notion of Unity. The One or the All is the ultimate and unified source of all things. From this One comes the two. Masculine and feminine energies emerge as complementary aspects of the True Divine Nature of all things. This idea represents the polarity we see here in our experience on Earth. We are to find balance in these poles of Truth. The goal is not to favor one over the other, but to recognize and integrate both masculine and feminine energies. This will lead to spiritual wholeness and enlightenment. There is a sacred union of masculine and feminine energies we must acknowledge. This union is physical and spiritual. It creates wholeness in a person and in a group. It represents the merging of opposites into a harmonious One which leads to the perfection of the soul.
The goal of the Hermetic path is to transcend duality and unite the masculine and feminine within oneself and your world. Hermeticism does not assign gendered roles to men or women in a strict sense. Instead, it recognizes that both men and women embody both masculine and feminine energies within themselves. A man could have more masculine traits like action and will, but he also can have a feminine side of intuition and can be receptive. A woman, in turn, may naturally express more feminine qualities like nurturing and intuition, but she too embodies masculine emotional features such as assertiveness and will. The spiritual path is about harmonizing these inner forces, transcending the limitations of outward gender roles and understanding the Oneness of Self and in our world. Both genders are complementary forces that interact and depend on one another. Balance is emphasized and encourages us to harmonize these energies within ourselves in order to Know True Wisdom and achieve spiritual enlightenment.
We must rethink the concept of the masculine male. We can be anything we desire and feel most comfortable with. We have to be brave and bold and find our Way. It is a unique opportunity and flavor we must take for ourselves despite the overwhelming cultural pressure to be one way. Remember, the pressure we undergo to do something the one way an authority or culture requires is rooted in fear and challenges others to face the dogma they accept. We are to stand strongly and independently for our own beliefs which should differ from others in order to achieve harmony and peace in out lives and our world. We are each completely unique. There is no checklist to satisfy to gauge our compliance. We must decide for ourselves our own code of behavior and our own masculinity as a man or feminine role as a woman and how that plays in our relationships to each other. I dare you to question who you are and how you are to live. Be you and live accordingly. It makes for a wild ride that is full of satiating satisfaction and Joy. Dare to be scared and overcome that fear and transform it into confidence. You will impact those you encounter and inspire them to greatness with the uniqueness you embody. We can have both masculine and feminine traits without being weak. Rather, that integration creates Power. Know that together we can combine both the masculine and feminine to make a perfect whole which is the Unity of our planet and true Unity with our Creator.
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