MUSA-ODODO ABDULRAHAMAN
I. Introduction
Desire is the engine of human aspiration. It is the spark that ignites action, innovation, conquest, and even downfall. Left unchecked, it becomes destructive – greed, lust, pride. But when refined and redirected, it becomes sublime – a power that can elevate an individual, a people, or even a nation.
The Sublimation of Desire is not the suppression or denial of our longings. Rather, it is the transmutation – the conscious elevation of base desires into noble intentions and constructive actions. And this sublime art, when mastered, becomes the Elixir of Prosperity – a fountain of wealth, peace, harmony, and fulfillment.
II. What Is Desire?
Desire is a natural human impulse – the craving for satisfaction, pleasure, success, survival, recognition, or power. It is neither good nor bad in itself. But it becomes dangerous when it is ruled by the ego and not disciplined by wisdom. The ancient sages taught that desire could bind man to suffering – or liberate him into greatness.
There are generally three levels of desire:
- Sensual Desire – The craving for physical pleasure and comfort.
- Egoic Desire – The hunger for status, power, control, and identity.
- Aspirational Desire – The yearning for truth, beauty, purpose, service, transcendence.
III. What Is Sublimation?
Sublimation is the process by which lower energies (like lust, greed, anger) are transformed into higher expressions (like creativity, compassion, innovation, and moral power). It is a term borrowed from alchemy and psychology, especially from thinkers like Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud.
Instead of indulging or suppressing our desires, we transmute them. For example:
Lust can become love and artistic expression.
Greed can become entrepreneurship and wealth creation for the good of society.
Envy can become motivation for self-development.
Ambition can be sublimated into service-driven leadership.
This transmutation is not done by force or denial but through understanding, discipline, and alignment with higher values.
IV. Why It Is the Elixir of Prosperity
- Inner Peace Leads to Outer Prosperity
When desire is sublimated, the mind becomes focused, calm, and creative. Anxiety, restlessness, and competition give way to confidence, clarity, and collaboration. A person or nation at peace with itself becomes fertile ground for innovation, productivity, and authentic progress.
- It Channels Energy into Creation, Not Destruction
Desire is energy. If left in its raw form, it becomes destructive (crime, corruption, war, immorality). But sublimated desire becomes creative power – it builds civilizations, produces timeless art, inspires revolutions of freedom and justice, and creates enduring wealth.
- It Attracts Sustainable Success
Desires that are selfish and base create temporary gain and long-term ruin. But desires aligned with truth, beauty, justice, and universal good attract divine grace, goodwill, enduring success, and legacy.
V. Practical Ways to Sublimate Desire
- Meditation & Self-Reflection – Helps one become aware of one’s desires and transform them consciously.
- Spiritual Discipline (Sadhana) – Practices like prayer, fasting, silence, and noble service refine one’s inner energy.
- Artistic and Intellectual Pursuits – Channel base emotions into music, writing, science, or invention.
- Service to Humanity – Turn the hunger for personal gain into a drive to uplift others.
- Sacred Relationships – Use love, family, and companionship as a path for emotional growth and selflessness.
VI. Sublimation in Culture & Nation-Building
Great civilizations practiced the sublimation of collective desire:
Ancient Egypt (Kemet) used desire for immortality to build pyramids – symbols of eternal truth.
India’s yogic traditions taught Brahmacharya (control of senses) to awaken higher consciousness.
Classical Greece turned the desire for glory into philosophical inquiry, beauty, and democracy.
Prophetic traditions (e.g., Christ, Muhammad, Buddha) rechanneled human craving into paths of sacrifice, love, and eternal values.
For Nigeria or Africa, sublimating collective desires – from tribalism, materialism, and ego-driven politics – into a higher national purpose is the secret to authentic and lasting prosperity.
VII. Conclusion
Desire is not the enemy – it is a raw force given to us by nature and the Creator. But when it is undisciplined, it leads to ruin. When it is sublimated, it becomes divine power.
Thus, the Sublimation of Desire is the alchemy of personal and national transformation. It is the secret formula that has built enduring empires and spiritual legacies. It is the Elixir of Prosperity – and it is available to all who seek to rise above the ordinary and co-create a new world of harmony, abundance, and enlightenment.
Shepherd of the Nigeria Divine Destiny
Musa-Ododo Abdulrahaman
Convener, The Conscious Creation of a New Nigeria
Chairman, National Policy Dialogue.
www.nationalpolicydialogue.org