Sublimation of sexual energy - what is it from a scientific point of view?

This article was developed under the heading: Psychology.

Section: Processes.

Hello dear reader. In this publication, I would like to touch upon a rather sensitive and interesting topic from a psychological point of view related to the term “sublimation”. Some people to this day do not know what it is and how sublimation can be used to achieve harmony in life.

The concept of “sublimation” is used in many fields of science, but in the modern sense this term is directly associated with psychology. Let's take a closer look at what is called sublimation, how to apply it in your life, and I will also give examples of sublimation in men and women. This is interesting!

Sublimation is an important part of everyone's life, so don't neglect it

What is sublimation in psychology in simple words

I would immediately like you to answer this question: have you ever had internal irritation, anger or rage force you to go for an unscheduled jog, or maybe you started actively cleaning, playing musical instruments, singing or drawing? If yes, you have already felt what sublimation is, but did not know what to call this state.

Sublimation (sublimare) from ancient Latin is translated as “replace” or “replace.” In simple words, this is when one action is replaced by another.

In psychology, this term refers to the integration of negative and socially disapproved feelings into useful actions. It is known that suppressing one’s thoughts and desires that are incorrect from the point of view of society can lead a person to mental disorders. Accumulated feelings, emotions, desires can create a real “Pearl Harbor”. A psychological explosion occurs spontaneously, and a person cannot immediately understand why this is happening.

To balance a person’s internal desires and feelings, sublimation is used. In fact, we already use it in certain cases, but we simply do not know that this is the notorious “replacement” of actions.

Sublimation can be expressed in different actions: playing your favorite instrument, sports, etc.

Origin of the term sublimation

The term sublimation was introduced by the well-known twentieth-century psychologist Sigmund Freud. He noticed that the human psyche, with the help of internal defense mechanisms, can transform tension into active actions. In his opinion, all people sublimate. After a person has replaced anger with work, he experiences satisfaction and joy from the work done. The tension is relieved, the person returns to the normal course of life, without posing a threat to society.

The most understandable ways for a person to transform anger are creativity and physical activity. However, given that Freud was studying the sexual sphere of human life, he considered “replacement” as the transition of biological energy into social energy.

But in modern psychology, “replacement” extends not only to the sexual sphere. They sublimate in absolutely all areas: at work, at home, in personal relationships, etc.

Sublimation allows a person to throw out excess energy

Way to success

The West has a very developed system of various trainings, which are actively gaining popularity in our countries. Almost every one of them is aimed at training participants in energy transformation. It is at the moment of falling in love that a person’s thinking becomes flexible and skills develop faster. Immersion in a state of love is carried out with the help of psychodramas, as well as Gestalt and Art therapy. In addition, people are reminded of what they were like as children. It is thanks to artificial loves and “falls” into childhood that training participants are able to reveal their deep potential. They learn to master new behavioral lines and look for non-standard solutions, which subsequently helps them to successfully run a business or reveal their creative inclinations.

How is sublimation used in human life?

Consciously or not, we all redirect our mental and emotional energy into constructive channels. This process allows us to eradicate the created internal conflict and derive additional benefit from it. We have the ability to release feelings of anger, irritability and aggression by allowing feelings and emotions to come out through creativity or physical activity.

In any case, sublimation is explained as a release of internal tension. Everyone can independently choose ways to sublimate into a productive direction. Some are accustomed to playing sports, some like to draw or dance, others prefer to clean the apartment or rearrange the house.

If something “unsettles” you, try to integrate this psychological spasm into some activity. At first, the activity will be accompanied by sudden movements, even neurotic twitching, but during the activity you will calm down without noticing it.

Thus, we can conclude that to sublimate is to give an outlet to one’s energy.

Sublimation allows you to convert excess energy into useful things.

What is human energy

I'll start from a little distance. The human body consists of organ systems, those of organs, those of cells, cells of atoms, an atom of a nucleus and electrons.

Now remember your school physics course: what is the distance between these parts of an atom? Answer: The radius of electrons is 10,000 times the radius of the nucleus. That is, the atom is practically empty.

It turns out that everything that surrounds us is, by and large, emptiness. This emptiness is energy. This is something that cannot be touched or seen, but can only be felt.

Let me give you another comparison with the room. You can determine the boundaries of the room, that there is a table to the right of the window, and a sofa near the door. But what is sama

room?
This is a space
limited by walls, floor and ceiling.
cannot see or touch
this space itself .
Only what is in
this space is visible.

Human energy is the very emptiness outlined by the body. This is what allows organs, tissues and all cells to exist. This is what allows the mind to exist, to carry out any actions externally or processes internally. Energy is responsible for everything that happens to you in life. That's why it's so important to understand how to manage your energy.

How does sublimation work?

Our psyche tries to “save” us from internal confrontation through sublimation. If, for example, criminals watched crime programs, their level of need for crime would decrease significantly. The same can be said about sexual maniacs.

Many complexes of the sexual sphere are sublimated by watching an “adult film.” However, it is worth mentioning that in some cases, the activity of murderers and rapists is not related to the fact that they do not sublimate, but to mental abnormalities. And that's another story.

By doing some extraordinary actions, you clear your brain of unnecessary information and energy

Sublimation according to Freud

The father of psychoanalysis believed that “replacement” is a positive and useful defense mechanism of the psyche. An individual has the opportunity to maintain self-control and dignity even when it is impossible to satisfy his true sexual needs. Moreover, he believed that it was this protective mechanism that was the “engine” of all human progress.

As an example, he cited the artist Leonardo da Vinci. This personality brought many discoveries in various scientific movements. Freud stipulated that da Vinci was a genius in everything he undertook, but was absolutely not interested in sex, women, and did not have any special need for it. The psychologist indicated that all his sexual energy was transformed into art.

Having analyzed the biography of artists, poets, and writers, the psychoanalyst concluded that the most masterpiece works were created by people who did not have love relationships and were not dependent on them. He explained that the sexual energy of the creators was integrated into science and art, which allowed them to achieve such high results.

Today, of course, psychoanalysis has become much broader and more voluminous than in the concept of Sigmund Freud. Sublimation is an effective tool for transforming any unacceptable impulses and experiences.

Freud argued that sublimation is a certain defense mechanism of the brain

Sublimation in women

Let me say right away that the replacement of activities for men and women is strikingly different. This is due to the fact that women are more likely to encounter misunderstandings on the part of their partners. The fair sex tends to sublimate about love relationships.

Typically, women integrate their dissatisfaction into creative energy:

• Dancing;
• Drawing;
• Needlework;
• Beauty treatments.

They also tend to use their accumulated energy in housework, raising children and careers.

While drawing, the girl sublimates

Sublimation in men

Male psychology is more active in terms of activity. If a woman, during a period of depression or dissatisfaction, can engage in fine motor work (embroidery, drawing, etc.), such integration is not suitable for the male sex. They need to actively drain their dissatisfaction as much as possible. For these purposes, men choose:

• Sport. Usually they prefer more physical activity in the form of weightlifting or bodybuilding. They often attend boxing and martial arts sections;
• Career. Men tend to replace any failures on the personal front with work. It saves them from dissatisfaction and fills them with significance;
• Hobby. Such as fishing, hunting, car repair, etc.

If a man has an internal conflict, he almost never experiences it at home. They need a change from their usual picture. Women, on the contrary, experience confrontation in home or familiar conditions.

You can also sublimate while preparing any dish

Chakra in the lower abdomen

For every person, the sexual center is located in the lower abdomen. According to yogis, the one who controls this chakra has great power over sexual energy if he develops knowledge, mental stability and strength, and can also control his own feelings: curb anger and greed, blind love and affection, jealousy and anger, learn patience and attention, part with misconceptions and have the strength to admit your mistakes. Sexual energy belongs entirely to the physical world, and you can learn how to master it if you fully accept this entire world, feel yourself in it, listen to your body and take for granted the opposite sex with all its characteristics and dissimilarity to your own perception of the world around you.

The Adorno effect or why it is useful to sublimate

The famous philosopher, musicologist and sociologist Theodor Adorno, studying the topic of sublimation, stipulated in his works that the replacement of activity is very beneficial for human health. The conclusion suggested itself. For example, a person who in everyday life is a true opponent of any violence and harshness, when choosing a channel on TV, will choose a program with forbidden content.

Or another option: a person suffering from sexual inhibition or a prude will secretly watch 18+ videos, releasing accumulated energy. It is also interesting that people with increased anxiety prefer to watch films in the horror/thriller genre.

Why is watching or focusing on taboo topics good for a person? By watching taboo scenes, a person releases all his feelings and emotions, satisfying his hidden needs. Not everyone can and wants to share their innermost desires, but it is necessary to let off “steam”. In this case, sublimation is the best method of avoiding constant reflection, cleansing the psyche of emotional stress, according to Adorno.

By sublimating, you become calmer and freer from unnecessary thoughts

Examples

Many experts have worked to study this process and have come to the conclusion that sexual tendencies can be sublimated into more positive manifestations that will be useful to society. For example, psychologists propose to transform the tendency towards sadism into medical work, namely into the profession of a surgeon. But for people suffering from erotomania and a constant need for contact with the opposite sex, experts suggest directing this energy to creativity.

Such people make good artists, writers and composers. Aggression during sexual intercourse can be directed towards studying martial arts or other sports. Thanks to such sublimation, sexual energy does not harm anyone, but bears fruit for the person himself, manifesting himself in other areas. You can also transform your fears by making them visible and tangible. For example, Alfred Hitchcock once said that every film he made was a desire to get rid of a phobia. And as soon as he completed his paintings, the fear passed.

How to get the maximum benefit from sublimation - Advice from a psychologist

We have analyzed quite deeply and in detail what sublimation is, and now we can move on to the question of how to benefit from it. Considering that this protective mechanism has a beneficial effect on our psyche and health in general, the conclusion suggests itself: we need to learn to sublimate consciously.

Include easy practices in your life that will help you live consciously and promote inner satisfaction:

1. Relax. First of all, you need to achieve relaxation, both physical and mental. That is, try to live here and now, and perceive surrounding events as a useful experience. After all, even a bad experience is beneficial in the end, as it allows you to draw a conclusion and avoid a repeat negative phenomenon. Therefore, we learn to meditate, devote time to ourselves, without using devices;
2. Dream. As practice shows, people are so trapped even in their thoughts that they do not allow themselves to dream because it is not constructive. But that's not true. It happens that even the most unimaginable mental images can be transformed into a new idea and become applicable to life. Stereotypical thinking rejects fantasy, but with this approach, life is boring and monotonous. Good, sparkling ideas and solutions are achieved through dreaming.
3. Cheer yourself up. If everything is sad and sad or you are tired of everyday life and so on, you can cheer yourself up with the help of thoughts. How? Close your eyes and imagine the most beautiful event in your life. Try to feel your body, the surrounding interior, the smells - immerse yourself in this atmosphere again. It is important to accurately reproduce the situation, people, your feelings in which you received the best emotions. This way, you can be filled with energy again and get rid of the feeling of hopelessness.

We should not forget that our thoughts are material and can be integrated into real life. We ourselves can either lift our mood or ruin it. If the blues set in, the best way is to sublimate and change your attitude towards the current situation.

Relax, try to think about what makes you happy and do it

How to manage your energy - the main tool

Human energy needs direction. You yourself send it where you need it. This is done with attention

.

Yes, the body usually works autonomously, you don’t need to constantly remind yourself that you need to breathe and contract the heart muscle. But, if you show awareness, then you can manage these (and not only) processes.

External manifestation also depends on where you direct your energy. If you constantly pay attention to the fact that you cannot afford some product, and you look for discounted items in the store, then this is exactly what you are fueling with your energy. And again you have to save...

Where you direct your attention is where your energy goes. This is fueled by your vitality and manifests itself in life more and more.

But the horror is that the vast majority of people do not manage their energy consciously. They live on autopilot, so their internal supply of vitality is distributed subconsciously, without the conscious participation of the person himself.

Where to get energy for sublimation

Without energy, we cannot fully function and enjoy life. With a lack of internal “uplift,” a person usually procrastinates, takes a passive position, is sad and complains about circumstances or life. Men and women can get energy from different sources. Not everything that suits women will suit men.

10 Powerful Sources of Energy for Women

A woman is more emotional and subject to mood changes. In one day, she can experience a whole range of different feelings: joy, pleasure, fun, despondency, annoyance, etc. Therefore, more sources are needed to increase energy than men.

How to draw energy:

1. Healthy eating. Women's metabolism, unfortunately, is not as intense as that of men. Therefore, it is better to avoid fried, salty and fatty foods. It is also known that the bulk of endorphins (hormones of happiness) are found in the intestines;
2. Dream. The fair sex absolutely needs to get enough sleep - at least 8 hours a day of sound sleep. When you lack sleep, not only your skin suffers, but also your emotional health;
3. Loneliness. Almost every woman strives to be alone at least 1-3 times a week, getting rid of everyday, routine chores and responsibilities. This is important for her psycho-emotional health. Therefore, you should not neglect this point. Give vent to your thoughts and take care of yourself;
4. Loyalty. This is a powerful source of energy for women.
5. Keep a personal diary. Writing practice is quite effective for women, but not for men. Write down your thoughts, even the most intimate ones, get rid of mental burden, write down your grievances, problems, share your joy in order to be filled with a new flow of energy;
6. Journey. To gain energy you need to change your environment. To do this, you can either visit your favorite city or go to another country. This is an excellent “recharge” for women in the form of accumulation of positive impressions;
7. Help others. This way you will feel needed and blossom before your eyes;
8. Get creative. A great way to get a sip of powerful energy;
9. Buy beautiful clothes, jewelry, accessories. For many women, a new look in the mirror inspires and motivates them to change;
10. Be grateful. Make it a habit to be grateful for something every day. No one? Then thank the good weather, the warm sun, grass, trees, the house you live in, etc. This will help you change your attitude towards life and remove possible complaints against others.

It is from these sources that a woman usually draws energy

5 Powerful Sources of Energy for Men

Men can get energy from the following sources:

• Enjoy the little things. Considering that men are fixated on global things, they are unable to notice the joy in front of their noses. Therefore, turn your attention to small joys, for example, your environment, loved ones, car, etc.;
• Avoid stress, depression and anxiety. Life is not given for the purpose of ruminating in your head all day long about the topic of work or unsuccessful relationships;
• Start playing sports. This is the best source of energy;
• Find something you love and give yourself completely to it;
• Try to eat right and get enough sleep. Vigor begins with a rested body. We must not forget about this.

For men, the list is not very different, but it is also important to follow

Increased sexual energy

In order for women to receive an influx of sexual energy, they need not only to internally desire it, but also to perform certain actions:

• Dancing. Any kind (belly dance, striptease, half-dance) - any type of dance with erotic content. Learn to feel your attractiveness and femininity;
• Attend yoga courses, learn to relax through meditation;
• Train your intimate muscles. Kegel or other exercises can be used in this regard;
• Be sure to include skirts and dresses in your wardrobe;
• Engage in creative activities;
• Take care of your own appearance.

It is important to like yourself and enjoy what you have.

This side of life is important, so respect your sexuality and give it its due time

Transforming Negative Energy

We completely provide ourselves with negative energy on our own. You just need to change the course of your thinking and learn to stop negative thoughts by transforming them into a positive direction.

1. Don't allow yourself to get caught up in negative thoughts. You shouldn’t feel sorry for yourself, be angry with someone, or be offended. Eradicate these thoughts, stop them and transform them into positive ones. We tend to think more intensely about our dissatisfaction, finding confirmation of these thoughts. But negativity is not constructive. It destroys only us from the inside, but not circumstances or our offenders;
2. Close your eyes, put on your favorite music. Get rid of negative thoughts;
3. Imagine your negative energy and try to transform it into a positive direction.

If you don’t let negativity into your life, which loves to feed on your energy, you can develop the habit of finding a positive moment in everything and soberly assessing any situation that arises with you.

Negative energy can go away after sublimation

Male sexual energy

Male seminal fluid consists of millions of sperm, which are directly involved in the creation of sexual energy. The moment a man experiences sexual arousal, sexual energy awakens and quickly becomes active. If male sexual energy did not possess such colossal power and strength, then the human race would have ceased to exist long ago.

In a calm state, when sexual desire, passion and libido do not bother a man and do not distract his attention from spiritual development and self-improvement, his sexual energy is formed and stored in sperm. The sexual energy contained in the seminal fluid, which can rightfully be called a higher power, helps to maintain and preserve life throughout the Universe, because it is directly involved in the creation of new life!

Any average representative of the stronger sex who does not have health problems loses about a hundred million sperm during orgasm. But every wasted sperm could fertilize an egg and give life to a new person.

Thanks to sexual energy, a man has the opportunity to create millions of new lives in just one ejaculation. Male sexual energy is so strong and powerful that one average man at a time is capable of recreating the population of our country.

To produce such powerful and strong energy, the male body has to spend a lot of vital energy and internal resources.

Experts say that every day a man’s body spends about 30-45% of its vital energy to reproduce spent seminal fluid.

Almost all organs and systems of the male body begin to suffer from such a daily and rather heavy load.

Sages who lived in ancient times argued that to create just one drop of sperm, a man’s body needs to spend 40-100 drops of blood.

Blood, being one of the most valuable fluids of the human body, takes elements and substances necessary for the normal functioning of all organs and systems in order to use them for the production of seminal fluid.

Examples of sublimation

Using the examples presented, you can find out for yourself that sublimating people are satisfied people. They most often have developed goal-setting and justifiably high self-esteem.

Sport

After leaving a job or ending a relationship, a person may experience excessive emotions that completely consume his life. The girl was abandoned by her boyfriend, and instead of shedding tears and grieving, she bought a gym membership. Pain, sadness, and frustration were integrated into the sport and made the girl happy and balanced.

Through sports you can throw out all the negative energy and get rid of unnecessary thoughts

Drawing

Routine affairs, constant care for children and family, lead to a state of complete despair. The drawing technique helps a lot in this matter. It relaxes the brain, helps get rid of obsessive thoughts and gives a feeling of self-worth.

As I have already described, da Vinci transformed his sexual energy into art. Through this practice you can relieve stress and reduce anxiety.

By drawing, you concentrate on the action, which also helps clear your mind.

Music

Music is a great way to sublimate the flow of energy in a positive direction. Songs about sad, broken love were written as a result of sublimation. Experiencing mental pain, melancholy, resentment, sadness, humanity has written many beautiful, wonderful songs and music.

Music is also a great activity for sublimation, as it concentrates you

Religion

Many people, disillusioned with life and having received deep mental shock, are saved in religion. Having lost a loved one, the meaning of life, having suffered failures, a person seeks protection from higher powers. Religion in this regard helps a person to regain peace through the idea that he is needed, important to God, and that he is loved with unconditional love.

Religion helps you tune in and find peace in your head

Dancing

Through dancing, women awaken inner confidence in their own beauty and grace. Many older women, realizing that they are losing their attractiveness and youth, again sublimate at dance. This release of energy allows them to stay afloat and feel satisfied.

Dancing is also a sport, but it also involves creativity.

Poetry and prose

Soul-tearing lyrical poems and dramatic novels are again the result of sublimation. Freud's psychoanalysis precisely clearly notices the withdrawal of a person from mental shock to the platform of creativity. All the great writers who wrote their best works sublimated actions into art and philosophy.

You can throw out all your negative thoughts on paper.

Ways to improve for women

In order for the improvement of female sexual energy to be successful, it is necessary to activate the passage of energy through the chakra. For women we recommend:

• active dances - oriental, Latin American, African, tribal;
• yoga classes, but always with a female trainer, who has not boyish, but more attractive feminine forms;
• train intimate muscles - imbuilding;
• spa treatments and massages to relax muscles and activate all organs of the body;
• preference for wearing skirts over trousers, as they block sexual energy;
• creative activities that promote good relaxation and release of energy;
• meditation to restore sexual strength.

Books about sublimation

If the topic of “replacing actions” appeals to you, I recommend reading books that are directly related to the topic of sublimation:

1. Of course, the first book is Sigmund Freud’s “Psychology of Sublimation according to Freud in Examples.” There the topic of replacement, which concerns the sexual sphere of a person’s life, is clearly revealed. Although, from the book you can also glean information applicable to other areas of our lives;
2. Vanya Kirpichikov "The Abyss". An entertaining plot, the theme of sublimation in the practical life of the main character is revealed in detail. You can also read another work by this author, “The Black Triangle”;
3. "The Story of a Celibate" by Elizabeth Abbott. An interesting presentation of material about abstinence and celibacy.

If you are interested in the topic, be sure to read these works! This will help you develop your own sublimation instructions.