Personal Energy
Another amazing discussion and evening of practice in learning to detect and work with our own personal energies! We learned as a group that even though our perceptions may change and/or be completely different than someone else’s perceptions, does not make them any less real or true! Learning with an open-minded group is a wonderful experience!
If you choose to practice the exercises below for self-discovery and learning how to detect your energies – please practice caution, read through the entire exercise before attempting it, and be kind to your Self. In being kind to yourself, I mean to remove all expectations, allow yourself just to engage in the experience, and don’t be hard on yourself if something doesn’t turn out the way you anticipated. Sometimes we don’t receive what we want, but what we need – and that is a blessing. It may also be helpful to keep a journal of your experiences, objectively of course, to help look back, see your progression, and give you a better understanding of how your perceptions and experiences change with time. ~If you would like to talk about your experiences or discuss other options, please feel free to contact me!
Images found online at varying sites; Spirit of Drakaina does not claim ownership of this information.
Ideas for what ‘energy’ is and what creates it, based on our discussion:
Weather patterns
Elements
Internal flows
Energy movement – waning and waxing
Connecting with others – the Web of Life
The whole world is comprised of energy
Vibrations – how one ‘feels’ something even without naming it
“Staying out of my space” energy – ‘vibes’ you put out
Etheric – surrounds and penetrates the body
Universal
Life – all living organisms generate energy and create life
Unseeable – like the wind
Vital energy – keeps live things alive
Defining ‘energy’ can be difficult, as people may perceive ‘energy’ in many different ways. For our purposes, Energy is created by the movement and collision of molecules – the force and vibration created by the collision of molecules essentially brings all things to life. This energy is what keeps our bodies moving and functioning and what gives objects their solidity. For our practices, it may be helpful to envision energy as ‘human electricity’ – we know that electricity is created, contained in some material, flows to where it is needed, and completes a circuit for a purpose, such as turning on a light or running a microwave. In the same manner, our personal Energy is contained within the body and flows through our body internally and externally in a certain manner unless acted on by another force.
Another thing to keep in mind is that Energy is not only restricted to the physical – our thoughts, speech, breath, and emotions are also creating pathways for energies to flow at differing vibrational levels. Humans and other beings are also made up of the elements – so the elemental energies contained by Earth, Water, Fire, and Air are also contained within the body. The list of differing types of energy we can access and work with is expansive, and we will work on incorporating these into our discussions in the future.
Energy is present in all things – our physical forms and every part of the Universe – and we are constantly using, receiving, and giving energy. In this way, all things are interconnected and energy movement in one area will affect energy movement in another area. (This is where our Ethics discussion ties in – using Energy responsibly.) “Life exists because we are all intimately involved in energy exchange every millisecond of every moment of every day. This is the basis of … the belief that all things that express the life energy we all share in physical form, whether plant, stone, animal, or human, are equal beings.” ~Morrigan Oran
So how do we incorporate practical Energy use into our day to day lives? First, it is important to become familiar with our own personal energies. Once we learn to be familiar with our own energies, we may expand our practices to learn the different types of energies our bodies connect to as well as learning the inherent energies in other things; such as stones, herbs, woods, and other ‘partners’ or tools we may work with.
Our own energy body is often called an “aura”, but has also been called many other names over the centuries such as Prana, Chi, Ki, etc. The aura generally extends 12” – 14” outside of the body but may be larger or smaller depending on how your energy flow is ‘working’ at any given time. Martial arts and Yoga are practices based on the manipulation of energies in the body to train the physical body in moving the energy for extraordinary things. The Chakra system is also one way to perceive the different vibrations in our bodies. Our energy body also forms the basis of the sixth sense and our ‘intuitive’ minds.
Meditation practices are important in learning how to ‘listen’ and observe our energy bodies – this allows us to complete a body scan to ‘check in’ with our physical bodies as well as to learn to observe how emotions and actions affect the body. Connecting with our energy body enables personal growth and forms the foundation of interaction with our higher Self. Meditation also helps us to strengthen our visualization skills, to be able to immerse ourselves more fully in the practice. Visualization and meditation in turn enable us to more easily interpret the signals we receive from our body and the energy flows in and around us.
Edits and additions, based on discussion:
Tree of Life Meditation
The meditation listed below has been adjusted slightly to follow what we’ve practiced during discussion; for more information or to expand your experience please visit the original content on the Website listed.
Energy ball exercise
Hold your hands with fingers cupped about 4-6” apart and slowly bring your hands together, without touching them together. Slowly separate your hands, moving them further apart, then bring them back together. Do this a few times until you start to feel something between your hands, such as pressure, or a tingling, or a change in temperature, etc. Move your hands in and out one or two more times until the ‘change’ is more noticeable, then bring your hands together only to the point where that change is most noticeable. This practice helps you to ‘find’ the edge of your aura and to learn what your energy body ‘feels’ like.
One practice that can be done to with this energy ball, is to pass it to someone else and ask them to pass it back to you. Take note of the differences in the ball when you receive it back – did the temperature change? Does it feel heavier or lighter? Note any other changes. This is one way to observe how exchanging (sharing) our energies could affect you.
Another practice with the energy ball is to focus on the space between your hands, focus on feeling your energy flow through your arms or blow your thoughts and feelings into the ball, and make this ball stronger or bigger, or different. Place into this ball love for your Self, healing thoughts, anything you would like to add, then place the ball on your body in a place that is hurting or is physically troubling to help ease the pain. You may also place this ball in your heart space (think high heart or Chakra space) for emotional healing. Where else do you feel led to place the energy ball?
Moving personal energy
The energy ball exercise is one way to learn how to detect your aura. Another way to detect your aura is to place your hand over any place on the body – over the Heart space is generally where I start. Bring your hand(s) in toward your body until you feel a change or shift (you may move your hands in and out a few times if needed, just to practice). Once you feel the change, form your fingers into a triangle – this ‘catches’ the energy and enables you to move it around if you choose. If you move your hands toward the floor, you are lowering the vibration of your personal energy – A WORD OF CAUTION! Do NOT leave your personal energy in a lower body space – this could possibly lead to depressions, illnesses, being sluggish, etc. If you choose to move your energy to see what it feels like, remember to return it at least to where you started as soon as possible. You may also bring your personal energy toward the ceiling, to see how that feels as well.
That said, if you are having a day where you “just don’t have enough energy”, are feeling ‘down’ physically or emotionally, or just want to give yourself a pick-me-up – start with the triangle just below the belly button. Connect there, then bring your personal energy at least up to your Heart space and leave it there. This will help to bring you into balance to better face the day.
Body scan
This practice works well in combination with a meditation – bring your awareness to different parts of your body and ‘check in’ – observe the energy flows in the way most comfortable for you and practice finding areas where the flow is slower moving or stuck. You can move energy into this place (energy ball) and focus on the energy moving more smoothly to help release things that may be stored there that no longer serve your highest good. (We’ll go over this one a little more in depth in the future as well.)
While practicing the above exercises, keep in mind that our personal energy can affect how we feel physically and emotionally. Practicing these exercises help us to become more aware of our energy body and ways to keep our energies in balance. Also keep in mind that other energies are also flowing in, through, and around our bodies.
A person who is more connected to Earth (elemental) energy than say, Air (elemental) energy is not necessarily residing in their ‘personal’ lower vibrations. There are so many different energy systems that we have the capability to connect with, that sometimes it’s hard to perceive them as separate… So, while we are working on moving our personal energy around in our bodies and noting the different feelings, keep in mind that we are moving the energy that our body creates. This energy is what keeps us moving, regulates our feelings (mood), and helps boost our internal workings (immune system, digestion, etc.), and is what could cause trouble in the body.
Choosing to connect with other energies, such as a particular elemental energy, Universal energy, or any other type of energy that may flow through us, also changes our personal vibrations – but that’s not to say that the change is bad, exactly. So, what it ‘looks like’ is all of these overlaying energies that have different vibrations that interact with our own.
One other thing to keep in mind, is that we cannot keep from exchanging energies with others as this is a part of the cycle of life. Working with your personal energy can also help you detect changes in your body when around certain people or in certain situations and will help you to act accordingly to keep your Self in balance. We’ll be discussing Shielding, Elemental Energies, and other types of energy work in future discussions.
Homework: at least 2-4 times per week, consciously spend time connecting with your personal energy. Complete a body scan, ‘check in’ with the body, and be mindful of how different situations affect your daily practices. It may be helpful to keep a journal to document your observations – this helps you to understand your growth as well as provide a point of reference.
Tree of Life meditation: grounding, cleansing and protection https://www.alexandrawenman.com/tree-of-life-meditation-grounding-cleansing-and-protection/
Close your eyes and centre your awareness in your heart.
Begin to take some slow deep breaths and set the intention that you are breathing in love and light.
As you breathe out, you are letting go of all your cares, worries, doubts and fears. Breathing out anything that isn’t serving you at this time.
Letting go and relaxing into deep levels of love.
Filling yourself up with more and more light.
Picture yourself in a brilliant pillar of pure light. This light is coming from infinite source above your head and flowing all the way down into the very core of mother earth.
As you are filled with light, you begin to radiate light all around you, so that the light coming in is amplified within your heart and sent out as a vibration to every living being in creation.
Become acutely aware of your physical body. Focus on the sensations that your physical body is feeling in this moment.
Feel the weight of your body on
the chair, the bed or the floor where you sit or lay during this meditation.
Feel the sensation of the clothing against your skin, the temperature of the air around you.
Imagine you can feel a tingling sensation in the tips of your toes and your fingertips, as your vibration begins to raise.
Become aware of the sole of your feet, and imagine that you are growing roots, like the roots of a tree, out of the bottom of the soles of your feet.
Imagine these roots are growing down into the earth. Through the grass and past the rocks into the soil, the minerals beneath the surface of the earth. Smell the fresh soil and the moisture of the earth as your roots delve even deeper down.
Past the rubies, the diamonds, the gold and silver and all the treasures contains within the earth.
Down into the earth’s crust and bursting through into the molten lava at the core of the earth. Feel the intense warmth at the centre of the earth.
Imagine a crystal cave in the very heart of the earth and extend your roots now into that cave, wrapping your roots around the beautiful diamond representing the heart of mother earth.
Feel a warm, golden honey light travelling up through those roots now, into your feet, your calves, your shins, up and over your knees, the back of the knees, up into the thighs and hamstrings.
Feel this honey golden light washing up into and over your hips, buttocks, pelvis, and into your sacral area.
Travelling up into your abdomen, lower back, your waist, upper body, chest, flowing your heart with a delicious golden warmth.
Feel the golden warmth now spreading over your whole chest area, up into your shoulder, down your arms and spreading into your fingertips.
Feel it flowing up your neck, your throat, your jaw – relaxing all of your muscles – as it flows into your face, over the back of your head, filling your entire face and head all the way up to your crown.
As your whole body is now immersed in this golden liquid honey light. So warm and delicious. So nurturing and comforting. So loving and calm.
Feel the golden light now completely mixing and integrating with the pure light coming in from above, so you are now fully enveloped in a beautiful pillar of golden-white energy, with those roots stilled wrapped around the crystal at the centre of the earth.
Feel your heart begin to beat in time with the primal heartbeat of the earth mother.
With every primal heartbeat, pulses of light are being sent up through your roots and into your body. Feel this light flowing in waves up your body and when it reaches the top of the crown of your head, feel it flow up and out like the branches of a tree.
Imagine your body is the trunk of the tree and extend your branches of light ever upwards in your mind’s eye.
Feel, sense or imagine these branches growing up into infinity until they touch the light of God / Source / the Divine.
As your branches connect with the pure light of the Divine, light travels down your branches and into your body.
Down through the crown of your head, washing over your face, the back of your head, your neck and throat. Washing over your shoulders, down your arms and into your fingertips.
The pure light of Source is spreading out over your chest and flowing into your heart where, again, the golden light from mother earth mixes and integrates with the pure light from Source. With every breath, your heart is opening and expanding more and more.
Breathe the light from source down even further into your body. Let it wash down over and through your ribs, upper back, down over your waist, your lower back , abdomen, pelvis, hips and buttock.
Flowing down into your thighs, hamstrings, knees, calves, shins, and right down into your feet to the very tips of your toes.
Feel yourself now as this glorious tree of golden-white light – representing the tree of life!
Feel your roots connected into mother earth and your branches stretching up to source.
Feel your connection to everything in existence. Feel grounded and protected in this light. This is your light. This is your Divine self.
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Spend a few moments here, feeling your connection and listening for any messages you may receive. When you are ready, bring your awareness back to your body.
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You become aware that you are back in the room where you began this meditation and you start to connect back with the sensations that your physical body is giving you in this moment.
Taking a few deep breaths, draw your roots back up into your feet from the centre of the earth. And you draw your branches back in towards you from source. Finding yourself again in a pillar of light, letting go of the image of you as the tree and connecting to yourself as a human being once again.
You now become more and more aware of the shape of your physical body, the weight of your body, the pressure of your body as it sits or lies as you do in this meditation.
You feel the clothes against your skin, the air of the room around you, and allow these sensations to bring you all the way back into the now moment.
Centre your awareness in your heart space and allow your awareness to expand and become body-shaped once again.
Open your eyes when you are ready.