“Any significant form of consciousness, especially religious, that can’t embrace both opposites in a polarity, including male and female, ends up being one-sided—and that can lead to imbalance.”
— John Dourley, The Goddess, the Mother of the Trinity (1990)
Neo-Paganism often highlights the Divine Feminine more than the Divine Masculine. This is reflected in how the God is often described as the Son or Consort (or sometimes both) of the Goddess. This focus is seen as a necessary correction to the overemphasis on patriarchal ideas in mainstream religions.
That said, Neo-Pagans also recognize the importance of balance. They see the universe as moving between two equally powerful and complementary forces: the Divine Feminine and the Divine Masculine. These ideas are similar to Shakti and Shiva in Indian Tantra or Yin and Yang in Taoism. The Feminine is seen as receptive, nurturing, and enveloping, while the Masculine is active, initiating, and assertive.
However, the concept of “erotic polarity” in Neo-Paganism can be controversial today, especially given the diverse sexual orientations and gender identities within the community. Traditional British Wicca, for example, used to require a male priest and a female priestess to represent this polarity in rituals. But this idea has evolved significantly, especially since feminist movements in the 1970s reshaped many Neo-Pagan practices.
Nature itself shows us that gender isn’t always binary or fixed. Some flowers, for instance, contain both male and female parts, while certain animals reproduce asexually through parthenogenesis. This fluidity is a reminder that when we talk about the Divine Feminine and Masculine, we aren’t assigning fixed roles to people.
In truth, every person—regardless of gender or sexual orientation—carries both feminine and masculine energies. Erotic polarity isn’t about biological gender but about the interplay of energy in any connection. Modern Tantra suggests that in any intimate moment, there’s a “ravisher” and a “ravishee.” These roles don’t depend on gender and can shift between two people, even within the same encounter. Neo-Pagans embrace this fluidity as a natural and sacred part of life, understanding that balance comes not from rigid definitions but from honoring the dynamic dance of energies that flow within and between us.
