To desire is to hunger, to thirst after, to crave something. We are driven and impelled into action by our desires. This activity always has some goal of attainment. When we desire a person or a thing, we wish to possess the object of our affection. Many desire after power. Power is the ability to do, to influence, and to hold sway over. Power is really the mask of desire. Power, like desire, can be either constructive or destructive.
Red is the color of desire, of embarrassment, and of fury. After intense bursts of activity, such as exercising, our entire body becomes flushed and red. Blood circulation (movement = action) increases and our breathing quickens. The same applies for when we are aroused or when we become heated during an argument. When enraged, we see red and our blood boils. Passion and anger can erupt volcanically.
Highly charged erotic yearning leaves our bodies burning. The electricity of sexual tension is often palpable. The flaming arrows of our desires direct us toward the fulfillment of our aspirations. And we charge (power, desire) forward in hot pursuit when we feel motivated or inspired.
Red Eye in the Sky? Nailed it!
When it comes to our personal desires, our personal values and intentions greatly influence what we find ourselves attracted to. Two people may hold the same intention, but have totally different desires as a result of their internal values. Example: Both intend to make a lot of money. They desire money to be able to purchase things. What they value, both inwardly and outwardly, influences what they'll purchase once they reach their goal of acquiring wealth. It also influences the way they go about it. The quality of their values determines the quality of their actions (desires).
Desire (or power) initiates and gives rise to the notion of self-hood, identity, or self-consciousness. Vision and desire are inseparable. We see, we wonder, we want, and we wander. We can be blinded by our desires when we perceive only vanity or the physical image of things, situations, self, and others. But our desires can also work toward enlightenment when we seek to penetrate the veil of appearances. Desire can dress (conceal) and undress (reveal) the essential truth of all things.
Desire is fire is power is light. When we get excited, we get "fired up" or "pumped up". We build up our muscle strength by "pumping iron" and getting our blood pumping. Desire relates to the muscles, blood, will power, and iron (the alchemical metal of the red planet, Mars; which governs the Sacral Chakra). Human's red blood cells are iron-rich. Too much or too little iron in the body is destructive, yet iron is also essential to blood production.
The same could be said about our passions. In order to thrive, we must have passion, ambition, the power to do, and the desire to live. But they can also consume (consumerism, materialism, obsession, and "I have to have it") us. Too much of a good thing becomes its opposite. Violence is always a result of desire, even if it's due to the desire to survive.
This concludes today's article of 30 Days, 30 posts challenge. Tomorrow's topic will feature the topic of Sex. How fitting that it should follow Desire. This also wasn't planned. It just so happened to be the "luck" of the draw. Yesterday's article was on the Past.