Energy

     A current that flows through the universe, through the world, through us. Produced by the vibrating atoms found in everything we see and do not see. Various sensations can be felt by energy, like heat, shock, and cold. Sometimes, energy cannot be sensed. Whatever the case, energy is everywhere, and it is used in everything.
    From automobiles and airplanes, to the healing arts of spiritual healers, energy is what gives us life, and creates action in the universe.
    Sometimes, the energy within us is low, and we fall victim to fatigue, stress, and illness. Sometimes, we are full of negative energy, also creating stress and illness.
    The purpose of energy, in Spirituality, is for us to learn how to sense it and how to use it in day to day life. And it is really not that hard.
    The easiest energy to sense is Chi (also known as Ki, Qi, Reiki, Prana, or Love Energy). It is located a few inches below the navel and a few inches away from the body, concentrated into a ball known as the Lower Dan Tien. From this source, Chi enters the body and flows through it, healing all ailments.

    To sense this energy, place your hands a few inches below your navel, palms facing each other, and imagine you are holding a balloon. Look forward and close your eyes. Take a few deep breaths, keeping the image of the balloon in mind. Now, visualize the skin of the balloon vanishing, leaving the air concentrated in a ball. Feel your hands surrounding this air. Breath in and breath out. Imagine the air from your exhalation spiraling down towards the space between your hands, feeding the ball of air and expanding it. Do this for each exhalation, and do at least 10 exhalations.

   Depending on how naturally sensitive you are to sensing energy, and how healthy you are, you should feel a tingling or a warmth (or both) on your palms. If not, it is perfectly okay---just keep doing this exercise at least once a day and eventually you will sense it. After a while, the tingling and warmth will grow more powerful as you become more sensitized and more powerful in controlling Chi.
    Some martial arts forms exist to help the Chi flow through the body, such as Tai Chi and Qigong. If you are interested in these, here is a sample from a video series of the Yang Chen Fu Tai Chi form. All the postures are divided into parts and explained in detail so that you can learn it yourself. (Try to learn one part everyday and master it. I recommend one, as it helps you memorize the sequence faster. If you feel like you can learn more a day, then by all means do so.)

    Other techniques to help the flow of Chi are Yoga and various meditations. The link below is from the show Namaste Yoga, an easy sequence of postures accompanied with relaxing music and setting. Each episode is divided into 3 parts: Warm-up, the main sequence, and relaxation and savassana. Doing one episode a day will greatly improve overall health, reduce stress, add flexibility, balance your chakras, and get the Chi flowing.

    Remember when I mentioned Chakras in “Basics?” Chi flows through your 7 main chakras, allowing them to function. The 7 chakras, from bottom to top are: Root, Sacral, Solar Plexus (or Navel), Heart, Throat, Brow, and Crown. Each chakra has its own specific function, although they all work together like a system. If one part of the system is flawed, the rest suffers. So, if you have an under-active Root chakra, for example, then other chakras will compensate by becoming over-active. Know that if this is so, it is unhealthy and is hindering you from full optimization. This link will take you to a chakra test, and will assess how each of your chakras are functioning.  http://www.eclecticenergies.com/chakras/chakratest.php At the end, there will be suggestions on how to open them using matras (sounds) and mudras (hand positions).
     Now, this test is not 100% accurate, since the answers to those questions depend on the mood you're in. To get more accurate results, try doing it in the morning on a day where you are relaxed and nothing much is happening. The results of your test will indicate how active your chakras are when you are calm. And though it still will not be 100% accurate, perhaps closer to 80-90%, it is a good guide to see which chakra(s) you need to focus on.


     Attempt to open your chakras at least once a day. Doing it soon after waking is preferred because it will set you off to a good start.
    There are other ways to work with your chakras, some that do not involve opening, but balancing all of them. These individual healings are usually all you need to help you balance and re-energize. There are, however, healers who are very experienced and summon enormous amounts of Chi with little or no difficulty. If you have a serious condition, (either physically, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually) going to these healers would be very helpful.
    Sometimes, those of us who are Spiritual like to take the path of the healer, and help others recover from illness. If you would like to do so, seek out a Spiritual healer in your neighborhood and see what you can learn from him or her.
    On the negative side of this is what are called energy vampires. They suck up energy from their surroundings (people, animals, vegetation). Oftentimes they are unaware, because they do not consciously know they are on the spiritual path. Usually, these people are frail, chronically fatigued, depressed, and so, the body naturally absorbs energy to keep itself alive. These people should not be labeled as vampires. They require help and energy healing.

    Here are some videos of incredible Chi power:

    Most likely you will not be able to shoot sparks between your hands or light paper on fire, but you can amplify the amount of energy you produce. Crystals are immensely useful when it comes to energy and meditation. They are able to absorb energy and do different things based on what type they are. If you already have a crystal, try summoning Chi in one hand while holding the crystal in the other. It will amplify your results. I strongly recommend getting clear quartz, as it is useful in almost every application. Remember, before you use crystals for Chi work, make sure you cleanse them, either by using a tuning fork near them (as crystals respond very positively to pure notes), holding them over incense, or breathing on them and visualizing the breath cleansing all the negative and replacing it with positive. 

 

      Even with crystals, it takes practice to do Chi work, so practice everyday and you will gain results. Though, it will be no good if you are aggressive in your practice. Getting angry for not having results and pushing yourself harder out of anger and disappointment will only hinder you because of all the negative energy that will be produced. Instead, think positively by knowing that with each attempt, you are increasing your skill with Chi, even if you do not sense it. Everything happens for a reason, and that is to learn.
      May you succeed in all your attempts.
      Namaste.