There are many names for the energy that powers your life, chi, life-force, prana and vital spark are but a few, here I will simply call it life. Life energy provides the power for you to move, breathe, digest food, think, experience, feel, imagine and exist as a being. This energy is depleted by the act of living, but can also be replenished. In a sense we have an internal battery which stores this energy and when the charge gets low we suffer from low energy. We need to take some time out to ‘recharge our batteries’ and this usually consists of some form of recreation, fun or healing.
If our batteries get critically low, or even flat, this can have an effect on all levels of our being- we start by becoming tired, moody, accident prone and may have ‘bad luck’ financially or have relationship and work problems. If we do not recharge our batteries at this stage we can become physically ill, develop mental illnesses such as depression, lose our jobs, become bankrupt and end relationships.
If the situation continues we desperately try to grab energy from anywhere we can, usually from those closest to us, we literally become draining. When this fails to provide us with enough life energy we sink further and may even die. The more depleted we become, the more difficult it is to recharge our batteries or even utilise the energy we grab. It is analogous to a car battery that goes flat, to begin with it can be recharged, but if left for a long period of time it becomes incapable of recharging. This can be seen in physical diseases such as ME, CFS, post viral syndrome and in mental diseases such as depression and agoraphobia.
When our batteries are in good working order and are just a little depleted, then recharging them can be as simple as a walk in the park or dinner with friends, but there becomes a point when this will not recharge your batteries. This is when techniques such as meditation and complementary therapies become useful. These techniques work by either trying to fix your battery by moving energy blockages (shiatsu, acupuncture are good examples) or try to top up your battery with a supercharger- such as with Reiki.
Everybody has their own recipe for recharging their batteries. Some get their energy from a rock concert, others from rock climbing! It is important to know what your sources are. You can tell what energises you as it makes you feel alive. Some things will energise you more than others, you may find watching a film leaves you uplifted, but climbing a mountain and looking at the view makes you feel ecstatic, inspired and bursting with energy.
Life energy has a natural flow related to your most important needs. This can be illustrated by Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Imagine your energy battery is a barrel of water and that there are taps at various heights on the barrel. The bottom tap will be for basic security and needs such as shelter, food and drink. The next tap will be the well-being and health of your physical body, maintaining all your body systems and being free of physical illnesses. The next tap will be your psychological well being and the experience of positive states such as joy and peace, and if the water is not high enough in the barrel to reach this tap you will suffer from anxiety, depression and other mental disorders. Next will be your sociological well being, such as positive relationships with family, friends and colleagues. It is not until you get near the top of the barrel that the higher needs are catered for, such as appreciation of art, the ability to be inspired, the ability to excel. To fulfil your human potential you need to have a fully charged battery!
If we extend this analogy further you will see that there are some people with devastating physical illnesses, but have excellent mental health and overcome the odds to fulfil their potential. In these people it is not that their battery is flat, far from it, they are usually brimming with energy. In this case it is like a blocked tap rather than a lack of energy.
Having a fully charged battery and a good source of energy is what leads to abundance on all levels. Abundance of health, positive emotions, nourishing relationships and of course money. Money is a form of energy, financial energy, and there are many ways to obtain it, most consist of converting your life energy into it. A good example is earning money by working, you put in your time, literally your life energy, and it is converted to money.
Some jobs have a really good conversion rate whilst others leave you depleted for little reward. The best work is that which inspires you as it replenishes your life energy, people who do this sort of work report that it is not like work at all. Often this sort of inspiring work leads to positive feedback and the energy builds up to enormous proportions, think of successful authors, musicians, actors or athletes. Wage slave jobs on the other hand, deplete your life energy quickly and for only a minimal financial return. People doing these jobs often become ill as they work long, draining hours just to afford basic needs.
If you want to live a full and abundant life, find out what energises you the most. Generally life is replenished from nature, some find most alive in mountain areas, whilst others at the ocean. Look for what makes you feel alive, inspired, awake and ecstatic, these are the places you will find life energy. Avoid or change situations that leave you feeling drained or depressed, whether it is your job, location, associates, partner, lifestyle or diet. Modern society tries to hide this basic truth to keep people bound to wage slavery and there is no end of energy vultures out there (be especially careful on the Internet!) Be intuitive, you will soon learn to identify what nourishes you and what depletes you. Even if your situation seems hopeless, you can live consciously and slowly build up your reserves. Remember positive thinking and dreaming are not enough by themselves, you need to find nourishment and guard your life energy.
Originally posted on the Tribe of the Phoenix blog
