Energy is one of our most vital resources, personally and collectively. It is the vital force that animates our life, allowing us to engage in ordinary daily activities, pursue goals, and realize our potential. If we begin to observe more closely, we will see even more subtle activities like thinking, distraction, or the simple act of being require energy.
How we use our life energy is an essential choice we make every day. How do we use this precious resource? What habits govern the ways we channel our energy, both intentionally and unintentionally? And how can we can to steward this resource more wisely?
In the Buddhist path we learn about the energy required for awakening, known sometimes as “courageous energy.” This is the energy required to be present. It is a subtle form of energy that is sustainable and renewable, and that arises from a sense of willingness and interest in the heart. The more we understand and experience this energy in our spiritual practice, the more it can inform our lives.
Here are a few questions you can reflect on to begin to explore your relationship with energy in life:
- When do you feel most balanced and at ease in yourself during your life? What are you doing and how does it feel?
- When do you feel a sense of pressure, rushing, or a need to over-exert yourself? How do you notice this in your body?
- What avenues do you have to replenish your energy? What do you need to prioritize these more in your life?