The Jung of Sex | The Alchemy of Libido
How Libido Fuels Your Desires, Creativity, and Power
What if I told you your libido isn’t just about sex? That it’s the same energy driving your creativity, ambition, and even your life’s purpose?
We’ve been sold a very narrow definition of libido, one that reduces it to nothing more than sex drive.
Libido = sex, right?
Wrong.
Sure, one of the foundational fathers of modern Psychology, Freud saw libido as purely about sex.
But that doesn’t make it true.
In fact, with Freud all paths seemed to lead to sex.
So much so that you may have come across some of the Freud memes…
Jung took one look at Freud’s theory and said, You’re thinking too small.
Jung defined Libido in a much more expansive way.
Jung’s definition was influenced by his broad research of Eastern Sexology and Tantra.
For Jung Libido is is the fundamental energy that fuels all human growth, creativity, and transformation.
It’s what makes us strive for more, create meaning, and evolve as individuals.
Freud’s definition isn’t the original but a reduction.
It’s interesting to note that Jung’s expansion of Libido actually brings it closer to its Latin roots, where libido meant lust or all forms of intense desire.
This shift in perspective changes everything.
If your libido is just about sex, then when we’re sexually frustrated, we feel like we’re lacking something.
But if your libido is a powerful force that shapes everything from your passions to your personal growth, then sexual frustration, creative blocks, or feeling stuck in life are all connected manifestations of the same underlying energy.
Sexuality is one expression of libido energy but it’s not the whole picture.
Libido as Flow: Energy That Needs a Direction
Jung went beyond the biological idea of sexuality and believed that libido, like water, needs to flow somewhere or it stagnates.
When libido is flowing freely, we feel:
- Passionate and motivated.
- Connected to a sense of purpose.
- Creatively or sexually fulfilled.
When libido is blocked, it often manifests as:
- Stagnation and lack of drive.
- Anxiety or depression.
- Sexual frustration or compulsive behaviours.
In short, Libido energy doesn’t disappear if you don’t express it.
It finds another outlet.
How to Work With Libido Instead of Against It
Understanding libido as energy means we have a choice:
We can suppress it and let it wreak havoc in the unconscious.
We can let it run wild and burn ourselves out.
Or we can learn to work with it, directing it consciously.
The key is recognizing where your libido wants to go.
Is it pushing you toward a creative pursuit?
Is it manifesting as a deep desire for transformation?
Is it showing up as frustration, stagnation, or obsession?
Libido is always moving, always looking for expression.
The more aware we are of its flow, the more we can use it intentionally.
Jung saw the intentional use of Libido into productive pursuits as sublimation, which is an alchemical process of turning our desires into worldly achievements.
Jung use of the term sublimation is likely influenced by his reading of Eastern Sexology and Tantra, which emphasises transmuting sexual energy into spiritual realisation and highlights Jung’s deep research into world wide pursuits of individuation.
Jung understood that libido or desire isn’t a process of wanting, but of becoming.
The way you navigate your deepest cravings determines
who you are
and
who you will become.
What Do You Think?
Have you ever felt like your sexual energy was fuelling something else, like creativity, ambition, or transformation?
Do you resonate more with Freud’s idea of libido as purely sexual, or Jung’s idea of libido as life energy?
Have you ever experienced a time when your libido felt blocked or misdirected? How did it manifest?
Can you imagine the world would be different if we all learnt how to utilise and direct our libido?
I’ll be engaging with comments all week, let’s explore this together.
Stay tuned for next weeks topic:
The Jung of Sex: Why Your Sexual Desires Are a Path to Self-Discovery
Thanks for reading and commenting!
Emma
p.s want to explore my other writing?
Why Your Desires Are More Normal Than You Think.
What If Everything You Know About Men and Women Is Wrong?
Oh, I love this idea! I've been thinking about it a lot. I believe that there could be people out there who serve almost as an indirect muse and can bring out some things in us that are irrational and inexplicable, like they tap into something primal in us that we don't understand. Oftentimes, these are things we suppress within ourselves, like spontaneity, intensity and creativity or many other things... It's a very fascinating angle. Thank you for bringing this up!
Let me also respond to the specific questions:
"Have you ever felt like your sexual energy was fuelling something else, like creativity, ambition, or transformation?" Yes! Absolutely!
"Do you resonate more with Freud’s idea of libido as purely sexual, or Jung’s idea of libido as life energy?" I favor Jung's concept.
"Have you ever experienced a time when your libido felt blocked or misdirected? How did it manifest?" Yes. At various times I squandered immense amounts of energy on meaningless negativity (e.g., anger, resentment, litigation, and other such emotions or activities).
"Can you imagine the world would be different if we all learnt how to utilise and direct our libido?" Yes, but not without a sobering word of caution. I believe Jung also noted how our intellect and our emotions may go off in opposite directions. Humanity has achieved so much power and control, yet that same power now threatens to destroy Nature. The creation of drones, explosives, nuclear weapons, and various instruments of destruction represents a high technological achievement, yet it also spawns the desire to use them. If various people -- I shall tactfully name no names -- could channel their libidinous powers still more deliberately, they might end up destroying the entire planet.