The drive - domination of the body and the unconscious

The human drive belongs to the unconscious. It consists of "programmes" that are anchored in the body and function automatically.

The drives and consciousness

The drives as part of the unconscious

Consciousness in an animal body

Man, born in a formerly animal body, is initially still under the influence of his animal nature. This is very vividly addressed in the Babylonian epic of Gilgamesh. Animals are controlled by their drives and instincts.

The shoots: automatic functions

The drives belong to the unconscious (see The Conscious and the Unconscious). They control the human being via inner body programmes and cause reflex-like reactions, independent of thinking. That is why they are faster than the consciousness, which must first examine and reflect on the situation and only then can decide what to do.

The rule of the urges

A person who is controlled by his drives can be so occupied by them that he is completely inwardly unfree. Then he is not able to do his own will, namely what he has recognised as good and right. Instead, he does what he (actually) does not want and hates himself for it. [S. I wretched man! - Paul and the Law.]

Human consciousness and kingship

However, consciousness (the mind) is what distinguishes man from the animal. For it means the ability to think about himself and his situation and to direct his actions accordingly. [S. The human consciousness.]

Goal for the human being: Kingship of loving consciousness

It is therefore consciousness that makes man a man. That is why the great traditions all deal with man's heroic path to kingship in his own life. This means nothing other than that man learns to rule wisely over his urges and resources with his loving consciousness. 

Victory over the enemies and liberation from the bondage of the urges

On this royal road, resistance and enemies must be overcome. The greatest enemy is the dark shadow ruler who oppresses the whole country. He is an image of the ego, which enslaves man under the yoke of urges and deficit. The true heroic path of man therefore means to overcome the ego, which always seeks power, in the power of love (see From Ego to Self).

The urges and power instead of love

If something important is missing, the body gives an unconscious, strong impulse to cover this lack. In this way, the drives are also activated via needs, which then become desires.

The sex drive, formerly an animal instinct for the preservation of the species.

Accordingly, the human sexual drive has developed from the former animal instinct to preserve the species, which had the goal of ensuring the continuity of a community. Where, however, the naked drive prevails in humans, who are endowed with a consciousness, sexuality degenerates into a means of power.

Sex as a means of power

This applies to both men and women. On the one hand, women exercise power over men by appealing to their sexual drive. On the other hand, men use their physical and financial superiority to oppress women and consume sexuality.

The power instinct, the formerly animal instinct of self-preservation

The ego, the identity of power and dominance

The instinct of self-preservation has become the ego. It has seized consciousness and wants more and more power, for it is boundlessly greedy and seizes everything it can. Where power rules, love dies.

The Drama of Humanity: Power, Sex and the Death of Love

Thus the dying of love and the abuse of sexuality is the great drama of humanity. This was already reported in the earliest traditions, whose images and contents have been incorporated into the Judeo-Christian tradition. Legends and fairy tales also revolve around these themes.

For love is ultimately the strongest force in the universe. It alone can unite the most extreme opposites and create new reality from them.

[S. The Sumerian Tradition of Inanna, the Goddess of Love (Introduction); The Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh (Introduction) and The Biblical Account of the Fall].

The negative emotional drive from suffering

Man's addiction to negativity

While the bodily drive is known to everyone and is quite an issue, the emotional drive is present everywhere but less declared. It means people's addiction to negativity. Whether it is gloating or building up on the suffering of others or getting a "kick" from negative feelings such as anger or indignation.

This drive is also responsible for the fact that a large part of the entertainment industry cannot do without depictions of misery and violence or negative headlines. So here are a few more thoughts on this:

Cause: Materialism and lack of love

Basically, the soul has a hard time in earthly reality, because it is immaterial. Because it is not matter, many claim that it does not exist. Thus it is already occupied with negativity (i.e. denied). Moreover, where the immaterial has no place, love also comes up short.

(But the definition of the soul is the immaterial part of the personality with will, mind and feelings. S. The human being 3-in-1: BODY - SOUL - SPIRIT and What is the soul and where in the body is it located?)

The soul, women's suffering and the addiction to negativity

The soul is also associated with femininity. For the woman feels at home in the realm of the soul and spirit, of love and relationships (see The Feminine Way). And this is where the problem already begins. For while perfection is easily conceivable in an immaterial existence, it is usually doomed to failure in the imperfect earthly reality.

Thus, frustration, especially of women, is often already pre-programmed. Moreover, this can become self-perpetuating if one resigns and accepts suffering as part of their existence. This may also be the reason why women tend to fall into a victim role and negativity. The latter is symbolised by the underworld and is already a theme in the first human traditions.

[S. The Great Feminine in the Underworld.]

Drive and desire in the three realms of body, soul and spirit

The drives work in the three different areas of life - body, soul and spirit - and in "male" and "female" forms. (Once again, it is important to note: Both have both. Men also have female parts, women have male parts, see Male and female - the elemental forces of creation).
Basically, the drive always aims at taking and consuming instead of giving.

The body instinct

Consumption - the "male-active drive

Because the body in its storm and urge phase is associated with the young man and because it is also related to the inner man of the woman, it is referred to here as the "male" drive. It is rooted in the physical need for food and closeness and can lead to a desire for food and sexuality.

Emotions - the "female-passive" drive (in the realm of the soul) 

Emotions also belong to the realm of the body (the word comes from the Latin ex = out/out and motio = movement). An emotion is a strong feeling accompanied by physical symptoms such as increased pulse, sweating or blushing. As unconscious manifestations, emotions usually occur involuntarily and spontaneously and reflexively. They attach themselves directly to the body and move it from the unconscious, independent of thinking and willing. That is why they are also difficult to control. 

The drive on the level of the soul

Perpetrator and victim, pleasure and suffering 

In the realm of the soul, the drive is related to the dynamics of power and submission, or lust and suffering. This results in an interplay between perpetrator and victim. The drive shows itself here as an addiction to being "carried away" by strong emotions. It is rooted in the longing for security in the greater and revives that state when one was small, completely dependent and at the mercy of others.

If the suffering still feels "right", then one is more likely to be a victim. If, on the other hand, an inner decision has been made that says: "Not with me!", then one tends to fall into the role of the perpetrator.

The lust instinct(Libido, "male") - (life) taking and consuming

The lust instinct is associated with the body and thus with the masculine side of existence. The physical needs go hand in hand with the longing for fullness and satiety. That is why the focus here is on consumption, which is enforced with violence if necessary.

The death, pain or sacrificial instinct(Mortido, "female") - desire for suffering

A victim identity can develop from the experience of suffering. This then secretly gains vitality and meaning from being a victim. It can also hide itself better and at first glance looks "nobler" than the perpetrator, and therefore also feels "more exalted".

In addition, the victim can also take life and strength from others by pulling them down into his negativity and building himself up at their expense. Furthermore, he can manipulate his environment by "sacrificing" himself and demonstrating passive-suffering. In this way, it draws its secret profit from powerlessness, depression, illness and pain.

When suffering feels right as a sacrifice, it becomes a pleasure or even a compulsion.
But perpetrator and victim are not always clearly separated.

Often the victim
later becomes the perpetrator
.

The drive on the level of the spirit: power and magic

Power, in turn, has a masculine and a feminine side:

• "Male": oppression and violence ("black magic").
• "Feminine": Seduction and delusion ("White Magic").

The realm of the gods or archetypes

In this area, the archetypes now come into action, which as spiritual factors or "gods" influence the motivation and actions of human beings. Examples are "the king", "the magician", "the witch", "the goddess", "the snake", "the whore", "the beast" or "the devil", "Christ" or "the virgin".

White magic - power through seduction and delusion ("female")

Through seduction and delusion, people can be manipulated and instrumentalised. This kind of magic leads to power of women over men by means of eroticism, but also in collective entities such as religious communities or folk communities. As white magic, this side of power abuses the noble aura of beauty, pure ideals and perfection. In this way, people who long for goodness and perfection in the brokenness of the world are seduced and blinded.

Black magic - power through oppression and violence ("male")

The male side of power uses force and violence to assert itself. Thus, people who are traumatised are easy to manipulate and subjugate. The reason for this is that their anchorage in love and trust is weakened or destroyed by negative experiences. That is why, for example, a man can exercise power over women by putting them in negativity, devaluing them or causing them pain. Worldly structures of power are also always dependent on assertion by means of power through violence (police, military and wars). This side of power consumes and ultimately destroys life. That is why it is called - as black as death - black magic.

We continue with:

Strong emotions and the unconscious
Overcoming in temptations - the drive and the power

Mentioned over-deliveries:

The Sumerian Tradition of Inanna, the Goddess of Love (Introduction)
The Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh (Introduction)
The Fall of Man narrative
The 10 Plagues of Egypt
Wretched man! - Paul and the Law
The Whore and the Beast
George the dragon slayer and the virgin

Further texts:

The Ego
The Ego and the Self
Life and the Serpent: Ascent and Descent
The Conscious and the Unconscious
The great feminine in the underworld
The human being 3-in-1: BODY - SOUL - SPIRIT
The human consciousness and the meta-level

Kingship in life
The Hero's Path
Archetypes
The negative animus as devil or body of pain
White and black magic