What is daimon?

Thomas Carlyle said that a person without purpose is like a ship without a rudder. Nothing is so true and few things have as much impact on our happiness as having a goal. In this way, an ideal way to find direction in the midst of the coming and going of life is by awakening our daimoninvoke it from the depths of our being so that it allows us to develop, propel ourselves…

It is said that Socrates was possessed by a demon who, at one point, whispered to him what his vocation would be. The same thing happened to Goethe, who explained in his book Poetry and truth, who had to thank his demonic creature for his poetic and scientific prowess. Now that “daimon” In reality, there was little that was malevolent and much that was inspiring.

This concept has its roots in Greek tradition and defines the highest source of inspiration and creativity. It is, to put it even more metaphorically, the refuge of the muses and that inner voice that not only whispers ideas to us, but illuminates us. The figure who picked up this term and included it within the bases of his psychotherapy was Carl Jung.

So, in his book The development of personality It tells us something important. If we want to discover our vocation we are obliged to listen to the voice of our Daimonbecause each of us has a private demon that advises us, that offers us ideas and perspectives on where we should direct our attention…

What is daimon really?

A daimonin reality, is not a demon, although in Greek tradition it was translated this way. It is an entity that we can conceive almost as a genius, a divine being that for the Egyptians was the Ba. In Aristotle’s ethics, daimon It symbolized virtue and wisdom, the most illuminated essence of the human being, where potential is hidden.

The problem with this entity is that it lies hidden. All of us have it inside, we all come into this world with that presence in the depths of the mind, which contains the voice of creativity, intuition and the ability to innovate. However, society is not always conducive to the daimon feel free.

Sometimes, education, stress, anxiety and a somewhat rigid approach and, above all, routine imprison that entity, that much-needed genius. Dr. James Hillman, one of the most important representatives of Jungian psychology, points out something interesting in his book The Soul’s Code: In Search of Character and Calling.

wake up the daimon It requires knowing ourselves. Only when we grow inward (like the roots of a tree), do we reach that entity to hear its voice. Doing so also results in our happiness, hence the term eudaimonia.

Keys to training your “daimon”

Carl Jung reminds us that sometimes the daimon wants things that the environment does not understand. Sometimes, we have such revolutionary and innovative ideas that they do not fit with what surrounds us. That inner genius is usually very unruly, it can whisper ideas to us that are sometimes contradictory, strange and daring. However, we do not always pay attention to them or we simply leave them aside because they seem unfounded or impossible to carry out. All this generates discomfort.

Rollo May, existentialist psychologist and psychotherapist, pointed out that living in accordance with the daimon is not easy, but if we dare, life can become very rewarding. Let us therefore analyze what keys can allow us to give it a voice.

Get to know yourself and you will discover yourself

He daimon He doesn’t want insecure or changeable people. That voice is linked to our authentic essences and only when we truly know ourselves will that singular genius emerge. to whisper to us things that will reverse our growth.

Thus, the person who still advances through the world without having worked on his self-knowledge will not understand what his particular “demon” tells him. It will be as if he spoke to you in another language.

He daimon wants you to be disciplined

The daimon requires that we transform our monsters into muses. What does this mean? Creativity emerges with daily disciplinewith the person who knows what he wants, who sets goals on the horizon and who works daily being scrupulous.

Listen to yourself, the need for a calm mind

It is often assumed that the stormiest minds are the most creative. There we have as an example figures such as Virginia Wolf, Vincent Van Gogh, Gustave Courbert… Now, the tormented of art had a tragic end and the daimon what it brings us is happiness. The well-being of those who use their creative potential to achieve a full life.

Therefore, let us be clear. The most productive creativity emerges from a calm mind and a harmonious heart. Let’s remember what the director, screenwriter and artist David Lynch points out so often: practices such as meditation or relaxation are the best channels for innovation. Emotions like anger or stress are fearsome disruptors.

There are many channels where the daimon speaks to you

Each of us must find the best creative channel and this requires exploring. There are those who need to walk, others find inspiration with music, sharing experiences with other people. Some prefer their solitude and many turn to art to let ideas flow… Let’s open ourselves to new practices to listen to their voice.

Thank you for your presence

It never hurts to be grateful for your ideas, your energy and your will to make us better. and guide us in the conquest of happiness. He, after all, is part of us and loving that corner of our being is also recognizing ourselves as extraordinary beings, as people capable of making the most incredible dreams and making them come true.

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