Normally a vague descriptor of excitement or vitality, in Romantic Dynamics, this word is very specific to referring to the instincts, unconscious, automatic behaviors related to survival ("life and death" issues) on the one hand, and excitement, vitality, charisma, ecstasy and joy on the other end of a spectrum of "feeling alive."

In terms of the ideas of Darwin and Freud, the concept that unconscious, instinctual behaviors tend to exist for two prime purposes: survival and reproduction, we find that this word, "passion," tends to only be used in the English language in those two contexts as well.

Passion pertains to the feeling state, felt "deep in my bones" or at the visceral, "gut" level, when one feels sexually attracted to another individual, with the physicality of feeling, and not pertaining to the emotional or friendship-based feeling of "love," nor the intellectual aspects of partnership and lasting relationships. It is physical and sexual attraction in relevance, only.

Passion also pertains to the more spiritual, existential, "survival" variable of the instincts, in which one feels that they are "on their purpose," or "in the zone," doing the right thing by themselves, not "in a rut" or doing things with their lives that are not aligned with who they are, in identity, or purpose or mission.

These two variables - "survival" and "reproduction" - then guide us always to that which makes us passionate.

Masculinity and femininity are then, simply two types of passion, depending on which of them dominate one's core identity.