The Promethean Theft

By Sadhika on

Reflections on Ch. 3 - The Transformation of Libido, Part II, Symbols of Transformation by Carl Jung.

A cursory knowledge of Freud might lead one to believe that his theories on psychosexual development and the concept of libido explain every act of behaviour in terms of sex. However, upon reading further, one understands that Freud talks about libido as an intrinsic energy that albeit has sexual expressions in sexual as well as non-sexual situations, but is a broader component of the life force. In short, it is a “bundle of instincts”, of which, the sexual instinct is a constituent and seems to encroach in the domain of other instincts. 

“The Indian fire-bringer was called Matarisvan, and the activity of fire-making is always referred to in the sacred texts by means of the verbmanthāmi, ‘to shake, to rub, to bring forth by rubbing.”

- Carl Jung, Symbols of Transformation.

That being said, Jung explains the discovery of fire from the sexual energy in man by means of rhythmic activity. Rhythm and repetition are instrumental in impressing truths upon man’s mind. Towards the end of the chapter, Jung proceeds to draw out the connection between fire, speech, light and sound brought about by the “transformation of the libido”.

“Legend always conceives the discovery of fire as a robbery, and to that extent it is akin to the widespread motif of the “treasure hard to attain.” In many myths fire-making is something forbidden, a criminal act of usurpation which can only be accomplished by cunning or violence, but mostly by cunning.”

- Carl Jung, Symbols of Transformation.

Fire was a secret wrested from nature by man; it was no wonder that his theft should incur the wrath of god. Besides providing the comfort of warmth and light, and serving as an agent for preparing food and frightening off predators, fire weaved its way into the religious beliefs of man. Across different religions, fire symbolises purity, passion, desire, resurrection, rebirth, destruction, hell and eternity. It takes many shapes: the sacrificial fire, the fire that cleanses the sins of man, the fire from whose ashes the phoenix is reborn, the fires that burn in Hell, the eternal flame, the fire that is used as a rite of passage. More specifically, in Hindu culture, fire is used in almost every ritual: weddings, havanas, cremations, festivals (Holika Dahan and Diwali), monastic initiations, etc.

“Then he drew forth a Person (purusha) from the waters and shaped him. He brooded upon him, and when he had brooded him forth, a mouth split open like an egg. From the mouth came speech, and from speech fire.”

- The Aitareya Upanishad (trans. by Hume)

These lines from the Aitareya Upanishad find their echo in the following lines from the Bible:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” - John 1:1


“And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.” - Genesis 1:3

The phrase “let there be light” is symbolic of the creation of consciousness, for light is the symbol of consciousness. It is no surprise that several educational institutions have used this phrase as their motto. “Light” here symbolises knowledge or awareness. Let us not forget the example of Buddha, who “saw light” at the moment of his enlightenment. Etymologically speaking, the word “conscious” comes from the Latin word conscire, which means “to be privy to”. We came into existence to be privy to all that takes place in the world. Perhaps, it is no surprise that our visual systems are extensively developed. We are here to observe.

“The coming of consciousness was probably the most tremendous experience of primeval times, for with it a world came into being whose existence no one had suspected before. “And God said:‘Let there be light!’” is the projection of that immemorial experience of the separation of the conscious from the unconscious.”

                          - Carl Jung, Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious.


Explore more:

1. Symbols of Transformation - Carl Jung

2. Dreams and Myths: A Study in Race Psychology - Karl Abraham

3. Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious - Carl Jung

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