Excuse me, I have the unfortunate urge to reproduce. Would you please accommodate me?

Sex. It’s the driving force of nature; from the pollination of plants to the biological urge to reproduce in animals and humans alike. It’s therefore not surprising that most of our energy arises from our libido.

For celebrators of solitude, sex is not a subject that is often discussed. While some lone wolves are quite sexually active, others aren’t at all. But there’s a secret force that lurks within your sexual desire that can be used to enhance your life. Few of us know about it.

Sex, essentially, is the essence of creation; from the birth of all life, to the birth of passionate and artistic expression. For centuries man has tried to channel this energy into more fulfilling areas and higher states of consciousness.

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.’

Most of our energy arises from our libido.

Many esoteric groups also practice something called ‘sex magick,’ which can be connected to psychologist Carl Jung’s notion of sexual alchemy (similar to Freud’s ‘sexual sublimation’). This essentially says that, with enough will, we can transform the raw energy from our libidos into golden creativity.

Famous examples of practitioners of this transformation of sexual energy into creativity include Nikola Tesla, Gandhi, Richard Wagner, Dante Alighieri, Beethoven, Homer, Henry Thoreau and Leonardo Da Vinci.

From Sex to Intense Focus and Creativity

As part of your apprenticeship into shamanism, you are often required to perform abstinence for prolonged periods of time. In my own experience, I understood this to be an exertion of commitment to the path, a trial in developing willpower and focus despite one’s natural instincts.

Sex during this stage of your spiritual path can be seen as a distraction, wasting the body’s energy and motivation.

During this time, I noticed within me increased amounts of energy, focus and creativity. I was so fascinated by the intensity of these newly aroused qualities that I experimented with them for a few years.

My greatest personal growth occurred during this period of sexual abstinence, as did my deepest inner insights. I also experienced boundless levels of physical energy, and developed a mental focus that has lasted me up to now.

Modern society has a tendency to overindulge in sex.

My experience of sexual abstinence has shown me that the admonitions regarding sex in so many spiritual scriptures aren’t necessarily because sex is innately bad (if it was, none of us would be here!). I believe sex is discouraged because it can be your strongest distraction, your worst enemy that takes away your attention from intensely pursuing your spiritual path of fulfilment.

Sexual Overindulgence

As with everything else in our stimulation-seeking modern society, we abuse sex. And this may very well be due to the last few centuries of repression and stigma that has surrounded sex.

Now that sexuality has become more acceptable, however, we naturally react and overindulge in it, as can be seen in the media, publicity, or the nightclub nearest to you.

You don’t even have to leave the comfort of your own home to witness sexual overindulgence. The internet has played a big role in revolutionizing our excessive indulgence with the promotion of masturbation and wastage of sexual energy, the amount of time wasted browsing porn sites, and the dehumanization of women and men by teaching us to see them merely as forms of flesh to be used and discarded.

Of course, this is not all bad, and the world is never black and white. Pornography also works as a catharsis in the release of built-up anxieties, tensions and hysteria as well as a catalyst to explore our sexual guilt and denied sexual thoughts and feelings by learning to embrace more fully our shadow elements in the sexual domain.

Truth is, we are all sexual beings.

However, when motivated by sexual desire, we develop vaster imaginations, courage, willpower, persistence and creativity that we weren’t even aware of. Sometimes the sexual energy within us is so strong we are willing to actually die, hurt others or risk imprisonment to fulfill them. Imagine if we could harness this energy and use it towards other, greater purposes?

Harnessing Your Sexual Energy

Having a strong sex drive simply isn’t enough–you must also learn how to use it. Sexual transformation, or transmutation, means changing your energy and thoughts from physical expression to energy and thoughts of another, usually creative, purpose.

Truth is, we are all sexual beings. Period. The path of sexual transformation is not about rapidly indulging sex, denying sex, running away from sex, or even overcoming the desire for sex. It is about accepting sexual drive as part of your nature, as the base notes to your higher symphony. Yes we are sexual beings, but we are more than just that–sexuality is just one aspect of who we are.

I have seen many who feel they should rise ‘above’ their ‘lower nature’ elements, and thus decide to flee from or ignore the sexual elements of their natures, considering them primitive or mediocre. Don’t make this mistake, the mistake of confusing the idea of spirituality with that of escaping or repressing aspects of your authentic being.

I’ve learned that it is never good to repress anything in life. Repression is another form of postponing, in other words, whatever you repress will eventually catch up to you. Sexual energy cannot be created or destroyed, it can only be transformed.

Sexual energy cannot be created or destroyed, it can only be transformed.

The following techniques I have recommended to men and women alike in the past, who have shown interest in experimenting with their sexual energies:

• Seven Day Experiment: For a whole week try abstaining from any sexual activity–either alone or with someone else. After the week, explore how you think and what you feel. While some people will benefit immensely, others will struggle with built up negative energy (e.g. anxiety, frustration, grumpy moods etc.) This experiment will inform you of what areas need to be worked on in your life, and if you’re ready for an energy transformation in your present state.
• Observe Non-judgmentally: While abstaining from sex, allow any feelings that arise within you come, without any judgment. See them as they are, they are natural. Simply observe what these desires and feelings are telling you about yourself. Also, try refraining from labeling them as ‘sexual energy.’ Rather, treat them as a sensation, like when you experience something ‘hot’ or ‘cold,’ and experience them without any expectations of getting rid of them. Some people, by simply observing, have orgasmic rushes of energy without any physical stimulation.
• Keep Having Sex: I’m aware of how taxing becoming aware of your sexual energy can be initially (especially if you’re in a relationship). One way to overcome this is to have sex, but not reach the point of ejaculation or orgasm. This is an ancient tantric practice, and you’ll immediately begin to experience the effects, such as increased energy, focus and inspiration. To engage in sex awakens your sexual energy and, in failing to reach its climax, it will remain within your body for a few hours at its peak state.

Sexual experiences are one of our first spiritual experiences in life. It’s that moment in time when we fill ourselves with a calm present awareness, completely absorbed in the now, through a sexual orgasm. I hope this article has shown you that we must embrace the spiritual and creative power that exists within our sexuality, rather than rejecting or throwing it away.