For the birds, bees, you, and me, desire is a driving force. No matter what you long for or what you’re motivated by, there’s an undeniable tie between sexual energy and creativity worth exploring. For centuries, artists, psychologists, and sexperts have said our most naturally abundant energy stems from our libidos. And there’s plenty of science to back that up.
Historically, many masters of their craft have transformed sexual energy into creativity, including Leonardo Da Vinci, Nikola Tesla, Gandhi, Beethoven, Henry Thoreau, and Lady Gaga. “It has been long understood that creativity and sex are linked. Lovers often express their feelings and desires through creative forms, such as poetry, love letters, and painting, regardless of whether it is amateur or masterful works,” per HuffPost.
Have you heard people talk about”sex magick?” For those unfamiliar, it’s any spiritual or ritualistic use of sexual energy. The practice of achieving a higher state of consciousness with sexual energy is nothing new and has many forms. All over the world, harnessing sexual energy has been a spiritual practice for centuries. For instance, harnessing sexual energy for other purposes is one of the eight pillars of Taoist philosophy.
When it comes to “sexual transmutation,” all of the old and new methods have some key things in common. And if you’re looking to open a powerful and underutilized channel for creativity, the power is in your hands.
Overcoming the Desire to Overindulge
These days, sexual outlets are instantly accessible at all times, especially online. Some of what you’ll find is healthy and helpful, but like all things, moderation is key. Many aspects of modern-day sexuality are more casualized and commodified than ever before. In turn, it’s all too easy to overindulge in what’s readily available.
George Orwell once wrote, “The sexual impulse, not to put it any higher, is a fundamental impulse, and starvation of it can be almost as demoralizing as physical hunger.” And as well all know, being really hungry can lead to a “eyes bigger than the stomach” situation, especially if there is a free buffet right there.
No matter how starved we might feel, overindulging rarely results in a feeling of fulfillment. And it can flatten our energy level. Expelling our sexual energy too frivolously comes with similar consequences to our drive, especially when it comes to creativity. When we overindulge, we run the risk of undercutting our sexual energy’s deeper power, never allowing it to reach its most potent form.
Harnessing Your Sexual Energy
Whether you plan to engage in sexual activities or not, sexual energy is most profound when it’s harnessed. According to sexperts, anyone can tap into and repurpose sexual energy to reach a creatively heightened state. That’s why philosophers, writers, psychologists, musicians, shamans, and monks have been exploring (and relying on) the relationship between sexual energy and creative energy for centuries.
Many never make the connection between their sexual self and their creative self, but it’s always there. It all goes back to our driving forces. “Think of the times when all of your passion and sexual energy is focused on winning someone’s affection, your mind is vigorous!,” per Medium.
There’s no denying that sex is good for our health. Thanks to a flood of feel-good chemicals (and namely “the love hormone,” oxytocin), the positive impact of a healthy sex life shouldn’t be written off. However, many believe there are uniquely powerful benefits to abstaining too. And the proof is in the practice.
“Apart from the tantric and Taoist sexual energy practices, there are countless other references to the hidden powers within sex. The Kabbalah, for instance, sees sexual desire as the deepest spiritual expression one can have. And in yogic philosophy, our pure sexual energy is dormant until awakened in its highest form known as ‘kundalini,” per Uplift.
In deeply rewarding ways, you might be able to transfer your latent passion into your work, your dreams, your daily to-dos, and your creative process. It all starts with understanding how “sexual transmutation” works.
What Is Sexual Transmutation?
Transmutation itself is the conversion of one element into another. Harnessing your sexual energy to be used in another way is widely known as sexual transmutation. The goal is to develop a deeper understanding of how you tick, and how you can use your sexual energy for creation and purposefulness.
“Napoleon Hill, in Think and Grow Rich, wrote that the key to higher intellect and creativity is lying in the ability to tune into one’s sexual energy and transmute that sexual energy into one’s life,” per Medium. Hill goes on to discuss the value of channeling sexual energy into more fulfilling areas, allowing a higher state of consciousness, and transforming the energy of our libidos into “golden creativity.” And he’s not alone in that belief.
Carl Jung believed our sex drives weren’t just a source of abundant sexual energy, but “generalized psychic energy.” Through sexual alchemy, the father of psychology theorized that the libido held transformational power that could be healing, and everyone can (and should) be making the most of it.
No matter your art form, interests, or sexual appetite, how you express and explore your sexuality is up to you. If you’ve hit a creative roadblock or you’re just in the mood to create, experimenting with “sexual transmutation” could potentially do wonders. Like Jung, many believe it could also be spiritually healing. So why not give sexual transmutation a try?
To “Transmute” Your Energy, Get in Tune With Yourself
Sexual energy exists on a physical, mental, emotional, and even astral level. The key to unlocking your libido’s deeper power is to get in tune with yourself. However, don’t expect results immediately. Like any practice, reaping the benefits will require some self-discipline, self-awareness, and openness.
“You have to physically be aware of that build of energy and instead of right away going to the release of it (orgasming), you take it and maybe you clean the house,” per MindBodyGreen.
If you’re already into meditation, you’re a step ahead. Transmuting your sexual energy will require you to pay attention to your body in a similar way. If you’re not into meditating, take this opportunity to develop a practice that allows you to focus fully on what is going on within you, even if you just lie on your back and stare at the ceiling for ten minutes.
Pay attention to your breathing. Notice the sensations that occur throughout your body, and how they come, go and change. Like yoga and meditation, knowing how to work with your breath will be useful. With sexual transmutation, the most important thing to do is remain present and aware. Once you’re able to focus your attention on your state of being, you can begin to take in everything around you from a fuller, more present place.
Read More: 8 Creative Types of Meditation
Explore With Your Senses
Our senses can stimulate creative flow, especially when we are fully present. Sexual transmutation involves sending your harnessed energy through every part of the body, through your “heart space”, and outward. Once you feel in tune with yourself, explore your surroundings, inside and out. Allow your senses to take over, letting smells, sights, sounds, and bodily sensations freely pass through you. Take it all in with cultivating creativity in mind.
“Take yourself to an outdoor café for the ambient sounds. Close your eyes and smell the coffee and croissants. Taste them, eyes still closed. Now open your eyes and look around. Capture snippets of your surroundings and the cast of characters through doodles, write down fragments of conversation, or listen for sounds and spell them out phonetically. Make use of your senses and you will increase your creativity,” per Psychology Today.
Seek Out a Fruitful Activity
If you’re feeling in tune with yourself and you’ve harnessed your energy, it’s time to channel it. Figure out where you want to focus that energy and don’t hesitate to use it. And remember that when it comes to creating art, there is always an element of connectivity.
“Sexual energy can be seen as the most powerful kind of creative energy. Even if you choose not to procreate or if you engage in sex that would never lead to conception, you are co-creating an experience with another human being,” per Ageist.
Whether you want to focus on painting, making music, making homemade soap, writing poems, or dancing in the mirror, dive in when you’re ready. That harnessed sexual energy is creative energy, after all.
You can also channel your sexual energy into more athletic endeavors. Many athletes rely on their harnessed sexual energy for a major energy boost. No matter what you do with yours, it’s there to be used in one form or another. But before you can employ it, it’s important to ensure you’re in a healthy head space.
Tend to Yourself (And Your Sexual Wellness) First
Sexual transmutation can be a powerful practice. While sex itself may be off the table, sexual wounds and trauma don’t disappear just because you’ve stopped having sex. What’s left unaddressed might lie dormant, but it doesn’t go away on its own. So focus on your healing first.
“Before attempting to go into any advanced practices around your sexual energy, I would recommend healing practices. If you haven’t actually dug into any healing work, then going into the advanced states could actually be triggering,” per MindBodyGreen.
If you are dealing with deeper issues surrounding sex, you should prioritize your sexual healing and your health above all else. To get the most out of your sexual energy, you need that energy to be good for you.
Yes, sexual transmutation can be healing in various ways, but only if you’re able to embrace the process. If you decide to practice, you will be deeply exploring your specific relationship with sexual energy. In turn, avoiding your sexual traumas and/or hang-ups will prove counterproductive to your overall aim. So tend to yourself first.
When you’re ready, there’s no limit to the things you can channel your sexual energy into. With enough patience and practice, you’ll learn to cultivate that potent, inspired creative energy and make the most of it more often than not.
