Feed your daemon

In Greek mythology, a daemon is a supernatural being or spirit. Daemons can be good or bad, and their influence on humans can be helpful or harmful. They can be guardians or tricksters. Being aware of your daemon is the first step to harnessing its power.

I first heard of this from mythologist Michael Maede. He says that everyone has their own daemon, a creative spirit. Our daemon can control us or we can be in harmony with it. Some daemons are highly powerful, like we see in genius artists or musicians. Sometimes we see those extremely talented people accompanied by a dark passenger and deal with mental health issues or addiction. Many people believe addiction is a result of repressed creative energy.

Princess Mononoke (1997)

Highly creative people may have destructive daemons that compel them to smash furniture in hotel rooms or drink themselves to death. They also may be pushed by a fanatic obsessive force to write or paint or practice until their fingers bleed. 

It’s untrue that in order to be a successful artist you must be also tormented in some way, or that you need to drink or take drugs to produce the art you want, or that you have to be gifted at all. 

Every human being is creative. We are compelled to create. To craft a good joke, or put an outfit together, or cook a delicious meal. It’s flames of the same fire. In Jungian terms, libido is a psychic energy that can be expressed through creativity, sexuality or intellectual pursuits. 

Maury and Connie, the hormone monsters in Big Mouth (2017)

Have you ever had a crush on someone, been overly obsessed with them, slept with them and realised you aren’t attracted to them at all? We sometimes mistake psychic attraction to other peoples daemons as a sexual attraction. Do you really want to fuck them or are you just excited by their energy? 

Gremlins (1984)

As for my own daemon, I learned that it is something that needs to be expressed in a healthy, constructive way. If I am spending no time on play (or in the feminine) - that is, creating, breathing, noticing, writing, walking - the daemon craves alcohol (because it has been conditioned to.)My daemon to looks like a Gremlin. It quibbles and squabbles and makes a mess until I notice it, speak gently to it, give it attention, love and forgiveness. Then it turns back into Gizmo.

Gremlins (1984)

“If you bring forth what is within you, what you bring forth will save you. If you do not bring forth what is within you, it will destroy you.” Jesus, Gospel of Thomas

The daemon is much happier, lighter and much more productive when it gets to indulge in feminine energy.

Here are some things the daemon enjoys doing instead of being affected by alcohol or drugs:

• writing

• cooking/baking

• walking/hiking up mountains

• watching sunrises

• swimming

• looking at plants

• drinking tea from an opulent tea set

• journaling

• playing with animals

• making fresh pasta

• dancing/performing breathtaking lip syncs

• playing chess

• cleaning

• yoga

• pole dancing

• reading

• texting someone a compliment
  

So, how do you feed your daemon?

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