Maintaining energy richness
Energy states
Our energy state is pivotal to how we engage with life and how our body functions. When we are in an energy poor state we have little capacity to do anything other than survive. We typically can’t engage fully in our daily activities, our bodies are ill and there isn’t any energy available for growth, social interactions or contribution. We are merely trying to make it through the next moment or day.
Energy neutral is one step beyond energy poor. In energy neutral we have enough energy to engage in our day to day activities and be “functional” humans, but we are often tired, don’t feel like engaging with others much and have the need to disconnect or check out in order to recover. Our bodies are not in crisis, but there may be a few things not working as well as we would like them too. This is the zone where most humans hang out in their energy state.
Then there is energy rich. When we are in an energy rich state we are alive. We actively participate in our lives, our bodies are not just maintaining status quo, but instead are getting healthier and more vital. We can show up for ourselves and for others. People often describe flow states as being energy rich. This is where life seems to unfold effortlessly and in synchronicity with everything else.
We all have probably had tastes of each of these energy states at various times in our lives. More often than not when we are not in an energy rich state we are trying to figure out how we can get there again. So what are the keys to maintaining energy richness? How do we live there rather than just visit periodically?
Choosing your state of being
Realizing the power of choice
Energy state is based on your level of awareness. Let me explain. Most of us do not realize that we are choosing our lives. What this means is that we have thoughts, emotions and sensations that we believe are random occurrences; that these things simply happen to us. We are not aware that we are the chooser of such things. What is it like to stop for a moment and entertain that the sensations you feel, the emotions you experience and the thoughts that you have are not random? Do you believe it or does some disbelief arrive?
It is the disbelief that we are the chooser of the things that we experience and that there is seeming randomness in what occurs to us that makes it difficult for us to maintain the energy state of our choosing. This is because we don’t realize yet that we are choosing. So how do we realize that we are the chooser and that life is not happening to us, but instead that we are happening to life?
It begins, as with everything, with awareness. So what is awareness? Awareness is the noticing of what is present without being merged with what is. What this means is noticing your sensations, emotions and thoughts without identifying yourself with your sensations, emotions and thoughts. For example, say you have the thought “I am stupid” and you believe that thought to be a true reflection of who you are, you are merged with the thought instead of realizing it is simply a thought and not you. When you are identifying with thoughts such as these the highest level of energy you will ever experience is energy neutral. If you are identifying yourself with certain emotions you will have energy neutral to energy poor states and if you identify yourself with your sensations, such as being your pain or a physical condition, you will experience energy poor states.
Energy rich states result when you realize that you are not your thoughts, feelings and sensations, but simply are aware of them. When you are aware of them you can be present with them instead of merged with them. It can seem scary to stay and be present with some sensations, feelings and thoughts. As you do things may arise in your awareness that you have had a tendency to push down or avoid previously such as inadequacies of self, feelings of powerlessness, shame, etc., but as you stay present instead of merged with, you begin to realize that all of those things you were afraid of are just smoke and mirrors, illusions, never actually real. As you stay present and aware more and more, you being the chooser of all of your life experiences becomes increasingly apparent. This is ultimately how you claim, own and live energy richness.
Dr. Amanda Hessel, Chiropractor, Network Spinal Analysis & Somato-Respiratory Integration, Boulder, Colorado
All day long we are bombarded with things, people, thoughts, feelings and sensations. Our nervous system is pretty much always taking in information and almost never throughout our day are we completely quiet or empty of these things.
One of our fears about stopping inner or outer activity is that we will not be in as great of service to others. When we begin to value inner stillness it may require us at time to say no to things or not help people when perhaps we think we should be. So we do and we do, and our doing fills a need, a need in us to feel significant through helping others or being productive, yet we also ignore the part of ourselves that actually feels a stronger no than yes at times.
Stress and overwhelm seem to be the norm of everyday life. We go, go, go until something stops us. Sometimes what stops us is pain (physical or emotional), sometimes its sickness, and clearly death will bring us to a complete stop. These “stops” are typically not chosen. Instead they are “given” to us by life, to slow us down, so that ultimately we can wake up and become more conscious to greater degrees.
How do you engage with life being both rested and conscious? Being consciously rested is totally different from unconscious resting. Unconscious resting is what we do to decompress or unwind from the activity or stress of our day or life. However you can learn how to consciously sleep, work, watch TV, and do anything including even die consciously. One of the key questions to ask yourself when resting is are you decompressing, “taking a break” from stressful thoughts or feelings, or are you becoming more present and aware?
Most of us are afraid of our own hearts. True story. We can use a myriad of excuses as to why we can’t love, feel love or be love, but what is boils down to is that we are afraid to love. Afraid to use that thing that sits in the middle of our chest and is the core essence of what every person is striving, consciously or unconsciously, to feel more of.
Love is love. It has no limits. Its bound by nothing and is the essence of everything. Regardless of how much you participate in the expression of love has no effect on love itself. Love itself never changes, is always present and is abundance itself. It is your truest nature and core essence. However most of us do not know this, believe it or really get it. Instead we believe that we are separate, isolated, distinct beings, and thus live disconnected from the source of what we are. With this we think we can be cast out, not included and need to fit in and fend for ourselves. We fall out of alignment and feel that things are not right or could go wrong at any moment. The result of this is protection, defense and being “on guard”, which is also known at chronic stress or fight/flight.
We live in a culture where independence is the primary value for most people. From the time we are little kids on up we are praised for being able to do things for ourselves. One of our biggest fears is losing our independence or perceived freedom. Along with this there is the notion that the more detached we are the better we will be. The underlying belief is that being “detached” keeps us open and available to life instead of tying us down and threatening to take away our freedom.
Secure attachment on the other hand is healthy. Being securely attached allows you to rest in connection with yourself, others and the rest of the universe, of which you are already a part of. Secure attachment provides freedom rather than feeling threatened that it will take your freedom away. Being securely attached in relationship with others allows you to both share your desires and wants and simultaneously be ok if the other cannot respond to your desires in the way that you want. It also allows you to care deeply about others (rather than be aloof pretending you don’t care) and also to be able to let them go, be who they are and listen to their inner calls as they need even when its different than yours. When this isn’t allowed within relationship we grow stagnate, feel stuck and can’t move forward. The same is true for jobs, careers, passions, etc. Being able to show up fully, feel fully, open our hearts and also to fully let go is only possible when we are securely attached.
Perfectionism is so pervasive in our culture that we are all affected by its influence in some way or another. Our ability to be perfect is also largely connected to how lovable or unlovable we feel that we are. Most of us live with this unconscious story that we must be perfect in order to be loved.
We are both human and god coexisting in this one form or expression. This means we are both divinely perfect and massively imperfect. There really is no separation, but from the limited human perspective there is quite a gap. The mind cannot perceive how one can be both perfect and imperfect, as that seems like an impossible paradox.
We tend to identify with certain aspects of ourselves. Perhaps you see yourself as kind, gentle, fiery, accommodating, wise, giving, helpful, stern, dedicated, anxious, angry, hard working, nurturing, caring, etc. These are the aspects you most see in yourself in every day life so you believe that they are all of who you are.
Our need to belong to someone or something is strong. It gives us a sense of security, certainty and significance. The desire for inclusion and being a part of something can create community and support, which can help us achieve our goals and dreams. However when our need to belong is stronger than the dream or vision we are serving, than ultimately belonging holds us back.
So what is required to heal your need to belong? Boldness. Taking risks. Allowing what is ready to go go. Loving without conditions. Not fighting what is. Dropping perceived needs for true desires. Knowing that your true nature can never be lost, is not dependent on other people or things, and ultimately that you can’t not be included as true community includes everyone and everything. Simply because one aspect of creation appears to no longer want or accept you it does not mean you are unwanted or unaccepted. It simply means that there is another aspect of creation that wants you more.
We live in a time where everyone is trying to discover the cause of their disease. Billions of dollars, time, energy and resources are spent on finding cures. Most people look for a physical (or physiological) cause to whatever ailment effects them. They search for some biochemical process that is not working properly and then determine that that must be the cause of their disease.
Pretty much everyone experiences some level of disconnection from who/what they really are. When you are disconnected from something that means your ability to function is impaired (aka disease). You’ve got some parts and pieces, but not the essence of what is needed. Think of a lamp. If the cord is disconnected from the wall outlet (its source) then it will never function as well as its meant too. It may look pretty (which is nice), but thats about it. We want our bodies to do more than look pretty, we want them to be lit up, alive and functioning. When we connect more fully to our true nature (our source) organically our bodies health, we feel our emotions and our thoughts become clearer.
The answer may surprise you; it is because we prefer feeling right more than self-acceptance. Our preference for being right, justified and “legit” is so strong that we would rather suffer, resist, judge and hate, than accept. And even though this puts us in a miserable underlying state of being (which we often mask with “an everything is fine” disguise that fools even us), it is better than being wrong.
Radical forgiveness essentially means that you accept everything. Even the things that people have “done to you” that have felt abusive, hurtful and down right unforgivable or unacceptable. This also includes everything you have ever done or not done. What this means is that, say you said something that you felt was really hurtful to another person, you must accept that you did it and not judge yourself for it. Or say you were really harsh to your body either through physical exercise, strict dieting, compulsive behaviors or mean thoughts about yourself that you aren’t good enough, that must be accepted too. Or maybe someone did something to you that felt violating or abusive, even that to must be accepted. This does not mean that you don’t have discernment for what is right/wrong for you or that you are left powerless, instead it means you accept what is as it is and from here you find your true power.