Vital Energy

 

While a person is still young and in his prime, the issue of vitality doesn’t usually weigh very heavily on him. However, with middle age behind one and the passing years seemingly speeding up, one often becomes increasingly sensitive to one’s energy levels – or more to the point – one’s diminishing reservoir of vital energy. It seems harder to maintain muscle mass and fitness, and meals that formerly seemed to translate quickly into replenished vigour, are now more likely precursors to lethargy, naps and weight gain. And how great the bliss of lying down in one’s bed at the end of increasingly shorter days: one wise man once likened the daily struggle and restorative sleep to one’s total life struggle and subsequent “sleep” of death [as a necessary interlude to again taking on life].

 

Several of the insights drawn from James Redfield’s “The Celestine Prophecy” center on the issue of vital energy:

 

Nietzsche defined the “Will to Power” as essentially the rationale that “if you want it; if you can do it; and if you are convinced that you are above retribution for having done it – then WHY NOT”. This credo has been the standard of all aggressors over all time, not only at the international level, but also within interpersonal relationships. Napoleon, at his zenith, was convinced that he could do anything that he wanted because the Spirit was with him; later, after being frozen out of Russia with the loss of half of his armies, he felt that anything he put his hand to would be a failure. Hitler was pretty powerful in his day (had read a lot of Nietzsche’s “Will to Power”) but also found that his grasp was greater than his capacity to hold, and hence lost it all. Who can foretell the outcome of to-day’s crimes against humanity by “the Decider”? And what of the effect of a powerful one who deeply hates himself, and acts in such a way as to destroy others along with himself?

 

At the psychosocial level, anyone who has ever worked for another is acquainted with the domination tactics employed whereby one is made to feel diminished whilst the other’s ego is inflated; and who is so fortunate in their family relationships that another’s disloyalty and enduring malice has not had to be endured. Further, despite the admonition in all religions for people to “love thy neighbour”, it is frequently the case that “beggar thy neighbour” policies through gossip and focussed malice are the norm, so that the neighbour in his ignorance can feel better about his own circumstances. As intended, such tactics as these can have a dispiriting effect on one.

 

Now, back to vital energy. We all know how dependent we are on our daily food to sustain our lives (and no animal – man included – can make its own food, ALL food being created through plant photosynthesis), and we are aware that in North America the majority of people get more than enough food to eat, so why are so many people de-energized and in need of chemical anti-depressants? Again we are confronted by the physical-psychical dichotomy – if the erosion of vital energy can’t be laid at the physical (nutrition) door, then what lies behind the psychic portal? Dreams may yield a hint – for example, who has not eaten well and had plenty of sleep, but on awakening in the morning is barely able to stir, let alone enthusiastically arise to the new day’s challenges? Some mornings it can feel that one has been in a titanic struggle the whole night long – one’s brain feels numb and one’s needed vital energy is nowhere to be found, having been depleted by the internal “taking of sides” as one tries to resolve intractable internal conflicts. Unfortunately, if too many nights pass like this, there is a danger of core de-vitalization, immune system impairment and improper communication within the Central Nervous System resulting in disease. Aside from one’s own guilt processes in such internal dissonance, perhaps others may have some capacity - though focused ill will – to disturb a person’s equilibrium (whether awake or asleep) and thereby interfere with the person’s mind-body autonomic loops of communication with organ systems, tissues and cells – in other words adversely affect one’s information transduction in the cybernetic process of adaptive homeostasis and bodily repair.

 

One wishes that others could not have that affect on one, but perhaps life is not that simple. It is commonly understood by the enlightened and those close to nature that all sentient beings are interconnected through the web of life, and that to do harm to any sentient creature is an assault against the “web” itself. If one believes in the healing power of goodwill towards others, then the power of its opposite – ill will – would be equally real. Several years ago we spent considerable time in Virginia Beach at the Association for Research and Enlightenment (A.R.E.), and in the course of combing their huge esoteric library, came across an aphorism by the founder (Edgar Cayce) to the effect that one should not be concerned about malice and ill will projected by another, as nothing is stronger than one’s personal will to live. This was good news at the time, and later, when we extensively studied Christian Science and talked with adherents and practitioners, we were assured that the power of the projected intentional distant healing processes which Mary Baker Eddy had discovered and taught to countless others could only be used for “good” purposes; but then when we perused the organization’s own bylaws we noted that Mrs. Eddy herself had forbidden anyone else attempting to “treat” her own person, or for that matter to stand in front of her house and even appear to be sending good thoughts. I guess that one can believe anything they want to as to their effect on others, or others’ effect on themselves – but under the concept of Universal Balance, whatever works in one direction would seem to have a corresponding effect in the other.

 

Interestingly, there is even an undulation in our daily bio-strength, and Ernest L. Rossi and Brian M. Lippincott in their essay The Wave Nature of Being: Ultradian Rhythms and Mind-Body Communication report their findings in applied hypnotism - that we all go through approximate 90-120 minute cycles of high-low energy states throughout the whole day and night, and accordingly we are actually weaker and more vulnerable during the cyclical low points of the undulations. It has also been determined that chronic stress engendered by individuals who override and disrupt their own ultradian rhythms (by ignoring their natural periodic need for rest in any extended performance situation) can set in motion processes of illness. There is a 20 minute ultradian rest period between cycles which provides a "healing state" during which cybernetic/ autonomic functions can normalize (reset or synchronize) themselves and thus undercut the process of illness at source. The importance of periodic relaxation “time-outs” is seen.

 

So the issue is not whether or not there is a vital energy ebb and flow in our lives nor even what is the culprit – there is an undulation in life force: yet what to do about it?? How to accept with detachment not just the times “when the Spirit is with me and nothing can stop me” (Napoleon’s hubris) but also the counter-swing when all seems to be against us and we feel abandoned, devitalized and about to reach for one’s soma of choice? How to naturally restore one’s waning vital energy?? Perhaps the following thoughts may help:

·        One of the most famous insights of psychic Edgar Cayce was “Spirit is the Life.…Mind is the Builder.…and Physical is the result.” According to his son, Hugh Lynn Cayce, an intuitive, Edgar later refined the second item (Mind), by observing Thoughts are the functional Builder. The thinking process is like a spider constantly spinning, constantly adding to its web. Every moment of our lives we are creating the images and patterns that give our future its energy and shape.” From this it can be construed how important it is that we be aware of the quality of our thoughts – and how these thoughts impact our lives – and for us to be honest within ourselves as to our feelings concerning those we come in contact with.

·        Concerning the sense of feeling energetically depleted by the internal “taking of sides” as one tries to resolve intractable internal conflicts, some find peace in the Middle Path of “centering” – refusing to take sides or to be limited by making choices. And so as to not divide oneself, to be authentic (if in anger, DO anger rather than repressing); and try to be beyond the love-hate polarities, accepting all.

·        The importance of periodic relaxation and rest for healing self-restoration is underscored by the Rossi findings. It is good to have moments of retreat during the course of a day. Meditation – even simple day-dreaming of a favourite nature location [not of competition nor revenge for some slight by another] – provides a restorative time-out battery recharge.

·        Inspirational writings have restorative powers. As indicated in Remedy’s Homepage, quite early on in our quest for truth, we became aware that certain findings tended to center and enlighten us, as opposed to other pursuits that in a sense left us feeling depleted. Focusing more on the former, we commenced recording such findings that made us feel stronger and more connected with the vital force of our world. Through formally recording our key findings we crystallized deeper understandings which further sustained and strengthened us in coping with ongoing challenges. In time, some of this material was converted into electronic format, and later was paged into the our website “Gleanings” section with its Questers’ Journals;

·        Avoid becoming exhausted at all costs. Do not let your ego drive you into taking on too many commitments, nor let greed (easily instilled in us by media advertising specialists) drive you into becoming so run down that you cannot enjoy the fruits of your hard labour.

·        One shouldn’t be overly dependent on – and trapped within – other people’s opinions. After all, it is only yourself with whom you have to spend all of your time – the other and his opinions may have to go.

·        All things can be sources of depletion or energization, for example:

·  Natural anger can be a source of energy, if one is focussed or “centered”: then anger is transformed into energy – it becomes good. Everything natural is holy, divine and a source of life, energy. If allowed to be only pervasive and unfocussed, anger can deplete one’s force;

·  Ill will projected by another can – as it is intended to – dispirit and depress us. However if we are sure of our ethical positioning (even if we can’t explain the obvious to the impervious) we will be strengthened and rise above others’ projected agendas;

·  Work and strenuous exercise can strengthen one for greater future efforts or – with the wrong attitude – bring on fatigue and burnout;

·  Nutrition can strengthen or over-burden our systems, depending on our intake choices;

·  In the Dance of Life, sex can be either celebration or dissipation, depending on one’s love for one’s partner;

·  How one meets challenges and obstacles can define a person, or crush him;

 

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During a particularly debilitating time a few years ago we came across the writings of Jos Slabbert, a Taoist teacher from Namibia, Africa  The Way is Tao and Thinking: Winning the Battle of the Mind are two examples of Slabbert’s Taoist approach to sustaining balance in life through accepting the reality of impermanence, honouring one’s Inner Guide, and following the Taoist Way of non-attachment, humility, and equanimity. From the former is excerpted:

 

The ignorant
are guided
by their egos and ambition,
the righteous
by their principles and laws,
the wise
by their wisdom.
The sage in harmony with Tao
needs no guidance,
for she lives in emptiness,
from where
compassion and wisdom
flow
like pure water
from an eternal spring.

 

 

Now I confess that all this exploration of the topic of Vital Energy has tuckered me out, and thus I shall rest for a while.

 

 

Addendum:

Earlier in this essay there was reference to the negative effect on vital energy restoration that occurs from dreamtime internal conflicts – there is a similar effect on us when our waking lives are conflicted by the loss of a guiding “dream” or vision. After all, it is our personal mythic “dream” of our own life and its meaning to us which inspires us to push on. The powers of our mind, our will and our imagination are the keys to empowering our whole lives. I would like to close by quoting a passage from the marvellous Ebook EARTHDANCE: Living Systems in Evolution by the gifted bioscientist/cosmologist Elisabet Sahtouris:

 

Many people wonder how long we have to turn things around. It is really not a question of some critical turning point, but of nurturing more viable systems even as the old ones decay. One metaphor for our changing world is Norie Huddle's story of a caterpillar's metamorphosis into a butterfly. After consuming hundreds of times its own weight daily as it munches its way through its ecosystem, the bloated caterpillar forms its chrysalis. Inside its body, new biological entities called imaginal discs arise, at first destroyed by its immune system. But as they grow more in number and begin to link up, they begin to survive. Eventually the caterpillar's immune system fails, its body goes into meltdown and the imaginal discs become the cells that build the butterfly from the spent materials that had held the blueprint for the butterfly all along. In just this way, a healthy new world, based on the principles of living systems, can emerge through today's chaotic transformation.

 

There are as many ways to build a new world of living systems as there are creative people who want to do it! Remember that we have seen all evolution as an improvisational dance. Each person, as an imaginal disc, can contribute to the process of today's metamorphosis in some unique way. What matters is that we all understand the Earthdance and the healthy features of living systems at their best. From there we need only the will and the love to create a better future for all living beings.

 

To you Gentle Readers of Remedy, we send our best wishes for boundless vitality, great health and purposeful lives.

 

Posted 11-06-06

 

 

 

Keith and Marnie Elliott’s “REMEDY” Site

 

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