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!
It's a topic that's been on my mind for years, but I didn't know how to structure it in my mind. More and more, I noticed that certain people can bring out certain sides of us, and while it has something to do with them, it’s often also about parts of ourselves we tend to bury. Some people act almost like a mirror, helping us reconnect with the parts we're ashamed of. When we allow ourselves to integrate those sides, we become more at ease with who we are. It’s less about sex itself and more about a certain shared energy that trickles into the rest of us. Don't know how much sense this makes.
"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.
Great question! I'll be exploring that more in depth next week! In short it's about directing the energy consciously- what projects, art works, fitness, learning, exploration are you doing? What are you drawn towards? This is libido.
Glad to see someone writing about this. This is something I have often thought about in my studies of Tantra - how desire essentially is an expression of Prana (life force) - and our creative force, when suppressed, drains our Prana. Thank you for your thoughtful writing!
Based on my personal experience, Freud’s view resonates more with me although I can appreciate Jung’s view. I might just not be evolved enough to get to it myself yet.
Thank you for initiating what promises to be a fascinating thread. I think the Romans had the right idea: "libido meant lust or all forms of intense desire." I also agree that "sexual frustration, creative blocks, or feeling stuck in life are all connected manifestations of the same underlying energy." In fact, the statement seems quite logical (unless one rejects the notion of "energy"!]
The libido may be expressed in various ways, of which the sexual most immediately comes to mind. However, I agree with your assertion that if it is not expressed sexually, it may of necessity find some other outlet, possibly a creative one.
Here, alas, a question arises. I have enjoyed great spurts of artistic creativity (as composer and novelist) during sexual "droughts," but I have also been enormously productive during periods of heightened sexual activity. As there is no way to quantify one's libido, I must ask why it may seem so powerful one moment and so relatively inert another. Will my libido feel satiated as I rush through the first draft of a novel, or will it then turn and prompt me to write a concerto?
This topic deserves much more discussion and research. Meanwhile, sincerest gratitude to @Emma for getting the ball rolling!
Hi Emma. Thank you for being so kind in the way you phrased your question. (You could’ve deleted it. I want to)
I read this before I boarded a plane wild with exhaustion but also a little in love with the writing and immediately wanted to comment what I thought was a coherent sentence but was just garbage.
Here is my question (and I hope I now sound sufficiently human) - and this is the line I was referring to - "Jung understood that libido or desire isn’t a process of wanting, but of becoming."
Do you have any thoughts / point me to some ideas you might having on the "becoming" aspect of this? It really blow my tired mind because we always tend to associate libido with want.
ooo thanks for explaining! I understand now. Hope your travels went well!
That's a very astute observation- yes we do associate libido or desire with want- but what I have uncovered and focus on in my work and coaching is that our libido/desires point us towards our authentic selves. To not express our libido/desires leads to depression- i.e a repressed version of our selves. To explore our desires, whether that be by questions, fantasy, or literal exploration- often leads us to a greater understanding of who we are. I.e. we are becoming through our desire, not wanting. Let me know if that answers your question! I'll be exploring this deeper in my Jung of Sex next week so stay tuned!
SEX SEX SEX DOES MAKE THE WORLD-GO-ROUND!--THIS PARABLE of SODOM & GOMORRAH--The peoples make women hide in shame & blame in this 6-sixth generation reincarnate STILL TO THIS DAY!--they saw 2-two moons and did not find the LOVE of VENUS--GODDESS ISHTAR!🌬
Human emotional energy powers our 9-planetary solar system & the galaxy!👁
🙏NAMASTE💜
P.S. WE ARE HEADING INTO ICE-AGE #7-SEVEN VERY, VERY SOON!👁
From a Tantric perspective, we talk about this as life force energy. This potent second chakra energy is the same stuff that can make babies, or businesses, or fuel whatever project that you want to pour it into.
When I was celibate early on in my adulthood, I fueled a lot of my creative life force energy into music, composition, and flamenco dance. It was such a rich season of creativity as a result. I didn't realize that this is what I was doing at the time, but it was a wonderful way to channel all that energy, to give it somewhere to go.
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!
you are most welcome! ah, yes the ever elusive muse!
I"m curious to know- why have you been thinking about it a lot?
It's a topic that's been on my mind for years, but I didn't know how to structure it in my mind. More and more, I noticed that certain people can bring out certain sides of us, and while it has something to do with them, it’s often also about parts of ourselves we tend to bury. Some people act almost like a mirror, helping us reconnect with the parts we're ashamed of. When we allow ourselves to integrate those sides, we become more at ease with who we are. It’s less about sex itself and more about a certain shared energy that trickles into the rest of us. Don't know how much sense this makes.
Makes a lot of sense actually. I’ve thought about the same thing a lot at various stages in my life.
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.
So how can I direct it where I want?
Great question! I'll be exploring that more in depth next week! In short it's about directing the energy consciously- what projects, art works, fitness, learning, exploration are you doing? What are you drawn towards? This is libido.
Glad to see someone writing about this. This is something I have often thought about in my studies of Tantra - how desire essentially is an expression of Prana (life force) - and our creative force, when suppressed, drains our Prana. Thank you for your thoughtful writing!
Based on my personal experience, Freud’s view resonates more with me although I can appreciate Jung’s view. I might just not be evolved enough to get to it myself yet.
Thank you for initiating what promises to be a fascinating thread. I think the Romans had the right idea: "libido meant lust or all forms of intense desire." I also agree that "sexual frustration, creative blocks, or feeling stuck in life are all connected manifestations of the same underlying energy." In fact, the statement seems quite logical (unless one rejects the notion of "energy"!]
The libido may be expressed in various ways, of which the sexual most immediately comes to mind. However, I agree with your assertion that if it is not expressed sexually, it may of necessity find some other outlet, possibly a creative one.
Here, alas, a question arises. I have enjoyed great spurts of artistic creativity (as composer and novelist) during sexual "droughts," but I have also been enormously productive during periods of heightened sexual activity. As there is no way to quantify one's libido, I must ask why it may seem so powerful one moment and so relatively inert another. Will my libido feel satiated as I rush through the first draft of a novel, or will it then turn and prompt me to write a concerto?
This topic deserves much more discussion and research. Meanwhile, sincerest gratitude to @Emma for getting the ball rolling!
What are your thoughts on the "being" that he meant with directing your energy?
Hi Shubha! I'm not sure what you're referring to exactly, can you tell me more?
Hi Emma. Thank you for being so kind in the way you phrased your question. (You could’ve deleted it. I want to)
I read this before I boarded a plane wild with exhaustion but also a little in love with the writing and immediately wanted to comment what I thought was a coherent sentence but was just garbage.
Here is my question (and I hope I now sound sufficiently human) - and this is the line I was referring to - "Jung understood that libido or desire isn’t a process of wanting, but of becoming."
Do you have any thoughts / point me to some ideas you might having on the "becoming" aspect of this? It really blow my tired mind because we always tend to associate libido with want.
ooo thanks for explaining! I understand now. Hope your travels went well!
That's a very astute observation- yes we do associate libido or desire with want- but what I have uncovered and focus on in my work and coaching is that our libido/desires point us towards our authentic selves. To not express our libido/desires leads to depression- i.e a repressed version of our selves. To explore our desires, whether that be by questions, fantasy, or literal exploration- often leads us to a greater understanding of who we are. I.e. we are becoming through our desire, not wanting. Let me know if that answers your question! I'll be exploring this deeper in my Jung of Sex next week so stay tuned!
Thanks so much for this Emma! Keeping an eye out for your next post :)
you are most welcome! The Jung of Sex series continues on Tuesday!
THANK YOU for this!🩷
Human requirements for 3D-PRIMAL🌎EARTHLING LIFE:
EAT SLEEP PROCREATE
SEX SEX SEX DOES MAKE THE WORLD-GO-ROUND!--THIS PARABLE of SODOM & GOMORRAH--The peoples make women hide in shame & blame in this 6-sixth generation reincarnate STILL TO THIS DAY!--they saw 2-two moons and did not find the LOVE of VENUS--GODDESS ISHTAR!🌬
Human emotional energy powers our 9-planetary solar system & the galaxy!👁
🙏NAMASTE💜
P.S. WE ARE HEADING INTO ICE-AGE #7-SEVEN VERY, VERY SOON!👁
From a Tantric perspective, we talk about this as life force energy. This potent second chakra energy is the same stuff that can make babies, or businesses, or fuel whatever project that you want to pour it into.
When I was celibate early on in my adulthood, I fueled a lot of my creative life force energy into music, composition, and flamenco dance. It was such a rich season of creativity as a result. I didn't realize that this is what I was doing at the time, but it was a wonderful way to channel all that energy, to give it somewhere to go.