Dragon Oak Temple

Definition: Energy is the capacity of a physical system to perform work. Energy exists in several forms such as heat, kinetic or mechanical energy, light, potential energy, electrical, gravitational, sound, light, elastic, and electromagnetic energy or other forms. Energy exist to explain all known natural phenomena. The forms of energy are often named after a related force.

According to the law of conservation of energy, the total energy of a system remains constant, though energy may transform into another form. Two billiard balls colliding, for example, may come to rest, with the resulting energy becoming sound and perhaps a bit of heat at the point of collision.

Energy makes change; it does things for us. It moves cars along the road and boats over the water. It bakes a cake in the oven and keeps ice frozen in the freezer. It plays our favorite songs on the radio and lights our homes. Energy makes our bodies grow and allows our minds to think. Scientists define energy as the ability to do work. People have learned how to change energy from one form to another so that we can do work more easily and live more comfortably.

At the most basic level, you can’t perform at a high level without enough energy, just as you can’t drive a car without gas, watch TV without electricity, or listen to your Walkman  without batteries. Athletes must have good stores of energy and use them wisely. Success, in part, is based on the proper control of an athlete’s energy level. Too low, and you may not have the intensity you need to battle a tough opponent. Too high, and you may be too wired or nervous to perform a complicated skill. “Optimal” energy level is very individualized which means that two swimmers on the same relay team may perform best at very different energy levels as an example.

The first step in learning how to manage energy is to recognize the two types of energy – physical energy and mental energy. Physical energy relates to the activation level of your body from low energy (lethargic) to high energy (heart racing, jittery). Mental energy relates to the activation level of your mind from low (no motivation) to high (racing thoughts, excessively worried). This distinction is critical because different strategies will be used to target mental versus physical symptoms.

In order to do anything we need to use energy. We can think of using our energy as accessing our power.  In order to manifest this energy we need to have a working relationship with our own personal power. We can not accomplish anything being weak, passive or lost.

Have you ever experienced THAT “draining” feeling?
The one where you feel like all of your mental energy is being sucked out of you and you can’t seem to figure out why? Such feelings develop from using your mental energy in actions and thoughts that are detrimental to ones self being.

Refrain from engaging in the following draining practices, and the end result is more mental energy at your disposal that can be put to good use and avoid that draining feeling.

One of the tenets of spirituality is “The Law of Least Effort.” What this law states is that the people who prosper in life are those who can extend beyond their ego, accept the present moment for what it is, and accept responsibility for what they’ve created. By doing so, they conserve the massive amount of energy tied to maintaining the ego, fighting the present moment, and blaming their circumstances on other people and things in their environment.

Accept the present moment for what it is: The present is simply a reflection of all of our past thoughts, choices, and actions. There is nothing we can do right now to change the present moment; however there is something we can do right now to change the next moment in our future. Release yourself from the burden of your past, and gain acceptance for the present moment as it is.

Accept responsibility for your circumstances: As long as we choose to blame the circumstances in our life on people and things in our external environment, we remain powerless to change these circumstances. We become the victims of our external environment, and in the process expend a tremendous amount of mental energy complaining about the lack of control over our lives. Only by understanding that the circumstances in your life are your responsibility will you be able to regain control over your life. You can then be proactive, and consciously improve the quality of your life by acting responsibly in the present.

Defenselessness: People waste so much energy defending their point of view. Why waste time doing this? What’s the point? While you are trying to uphold your importance in other people’s eyes and in your own, you’re wasting precious mental energy. By releasing yourself from the need to defend your point of view, you regain lost mental energy.

What you do with this mental energy hereafter is up to you. I recommend that you put it to good use, and dedicate it towards a worthy cause, something that makes a significant contribution to this world. The energy is out there. The energy is with in you.

Recognizing and using your energy is an incredible experience. As your power and energy increases you will be able to accomplish more and have a greater effect on your own life and the lives of others.

To begin to find your energy one must be able to find themselves. To look in a mirror and truly see yourself for who and what you are. Prepare to appreciate different point of views. See the world and allow it to be what ever it is. What ever happens is good. To start down your path begin with meditation.

Meditation is a mental discipline by which one attempts to get beyond the reflexive, "thinking" mind into a deeper state of relaxation or awareness. Meditation often involves turning attention to a single point of reference. It is recognized as a component of many religions, and has been practiced since ancient times. It is also practiced outside religious traditions. Different meditative disciplines encompass a wide range of spiritual and/or psych physical practices which may emphasize different goals -- from achievement of a higher state of consciousness, to greater focus, creativity or self-awareness, or simply a more relaxed and peaceful frame of mind.

Meditation has been defined as: "self regulation of attention, in the service of self-inquiry, in the here and now. A review of scientific studies identified relaxation, concentration, an altered state of awareness, a suspension of logical thought and the maintenance of a self-observing attitude as the behavioral components of meditation. It is accompanied by a host of biochemical and physical changes in the body that alter metabolism, heart rate, respiration, blood pressure and brain chemistry. Meditation has been used in clinical settings as a method of stress and pain reduction. Meditation has also been studied specifically for its effects on stress.

With the hectic pace and demands of modern life, many people feel stressed and over-worked. It often feels like there is just not enough time in the day to get everything done. Our stress and tiredness make us unhappy, impatient and frustrated. It can even affect our health. We are often so busy we feel there is no time to stop and meditate! But meditation actually gives you more time by making your mind calmer and more focused. A simple ten or fifteen minute breathing meditation as explained below can help you to overcome your stress and find some inner peace and balance.

Meditation can also help us to understand our own mind. We can learn how to transform our mind from negative to positive, from disturbed to peaceful, from unhappy to happy. Overcoming negative minds and cultivating constructive thoughts is the purpose of clearing your mind and finding the control to access your untapped energy.

The purpose of meditation is to make our mind calm and peaceful. If our mind is peaceful, we will be free from worries and mental discomfort, and so we will experience true happiness; but if our mind is not peaceful, we will find it very difficult to be happy, even if we are living in the very best conditions. If we train in meditation, our mind will gradually become more and more peaceful, and we will experience a purer and purer form of happiness. Eventually, we will be able to stay happy all the time, even in the most difficult circumstances.

The first stage of meditation is to stop distractions and make our mind clearer and more lucid. This can be accomplished by practicing a simple breathing meditation. We choose a quiet place to meditate and sit in a comfortable position. We can sit in the traditional cross-legged posture or in any other position that is comfortable. If we wish, we can sit in a chair. The most important thing is to keep our back straight to prevent our mind from becoming sluggish or sleepy.

We sit with our eyes partially closed and turn our attention to our breathing. We breathe naturally, preferably through the nostrils, without attempting to control our breath, and we try to become aware of the sensation of the breath as it enters and leaves the nostrils. This sensation is our object of meditation. We should try to concentrate on it to the exclusion of everything else.

At first, our mind will be very busy, and we might even feel that the meditation is making our mind busier; but in reality we are just becoming more aware of how busy our mind actually is. There will be a great temptation to follow the different thoughts as they arise, but we should resist this and remain focused single-pointedly on the sensation of the breath. If we discover that our mind has wandered and is following our thoughts, we should immediately return it to the breath. We should repeat this as many times as necessary until the mind settles on the breath.

If we practice patiently in this way, gradually our distracting thoughts will subside and we will experience a sense of inner peace and relaxation. Our mind will feel lucid and spacious and we will feel refreshed. When the sea is rough, sediment is churned up and the water becomes murky, but when the wind dies down the mud gradually settles and the water becomes clear. In a similar way, when the otherwise incessant flow of our distracting thoughts is calmed through concentrating on the breath, our mind becomes unusually lucid and clear. We should stay with this state of mental calm for a while.

Even though breathing meditation is only a preliminary stage of meditation, it can be quite powerful. We can see from this practice that it is possible to experience inner peace and contentment just by controlling the mind, without having to depend at all upon external conditions.

When the turbulence of distracting thoughts subsides and our mind becomes still, a deep happiness and contentment naturally arises from within. This feeling of contentment and well-being helps us to cope with the busyness and difficulties of daily life. So much of the stress and tension we normally experience comes from our mind, and many of the problems we experience, including ill health, are caused or aggravated by this stress. Just by doing breathing meditation for ten or fifteen minutes each day, we will be able to reduce this stress. We will experience a calm, spacious feeling in the mind, and many of our usual problems will fall away. Difficult situations will become easier to deal with, we will naturally feel warm and well disposed towards other people, and our relationships with others will gradually improve.

At the core of meditation is the goal to focus and eventually quiet your mind. As you progress, you will find that you can meditate anywhere and at any time, accessing an inner calm no matter what's going on around you. Meditation can be a great way to relax and de-stress, as well as to create emotional and spiritual well being. With the hectic pace of life in today's society, however, even these benefits can get lost in our lists of to-do's. Fortunately, meditation may help you overcome these same scarcity conversations in your head. So now it is time to become motivated and begin our practice.

 
  1. List the reasons why you avoid meditation. Handle the problems.
          * If you don't like spending an hour meditating, or you get frustrated easily, then try half an hour. Or ten minutes. One true moment in meditation will be greater than one hour spent fidgeting and grumbling.
          * If you feel too busy to be still (in body or mind), then give yourself permission to be completely and totally free during your meditation time. (Yes, that means turn off your cell phone.) After all, you deserve to be peaceful as much as you deserve to eat, sleep, or breathe. It is a part of who you are. Furthermore, the world around you—your family, your friends, your companion animals, even strangers—deserve for you to be peaceful, too.
          * If you are distracted by your environment, then change what you can control, wait for quietude, or find a more serene location.
          * If you feel like a failure, then remind yourself that in meditation, there is no such thing as failure. Or success, really. Do not be attached to your results. They do not tell you who you are, only where you are.
          * If you feel physically uncomfortable in your posture, then try sitting on a pillow or in a chair. Lie down if you have to do so. You can always try other postures later.
          * If you feel emotionally or physically disturbed (other than how you're sitting), then you may have some mental or emotional issues that you need to address. Meditation may help you with your problems, but usually other techniques are quite effective too, sometimes more effective. Try for example to write your thoughts down.
          * If you have other reasons for avoiding meditation, analyze them and create your own solutions. You know what you need better than anyone.
   2. Schedule meditation into your day. While it may not motivate you to meditate, at least you won't have anything else to do at that moment (it's true—check your schedule!).
   3. Try meditating first thing in the morning or last thing at night. At these times, you will probably be least busy, so there will be a limited number of excuses. Moreover, early morning meditation may help you focus throughout the day, and late night meditation may help you sleep deeply.
   4. Make meditation enjoyable rather than a chore. Perhaps you could create a "meditation zone" in your house or play soothing music.
   5. Find a community. You may enjoy meditating with others. If you prefer solitary meditation, you may be motivated by discussing meditation with a supportive friend that also meditates, exchanging insights and questions.
   6. Continually remind yourself of the benefits of meditation. (Remember that one benefit for busy people is that meditation may help you remain more aware and focused, which will make all those tasks you have to perform much easier!)
   
 Make sure you are comfortable while you are meditating. Full lotus position, for example, may look cool, but it may not be a comfortable position for you. If you are uncomfortable, you'll hardly be able to motivate yourself to practice meditation on a regular basis!

 Prolonged stress can result in serious health problems. Even if you are busy, make sure you take some time to relax, such as through meditation, for your own well being.

 If you find it difficult to meditate start with sitting for just 10 minutes at a time and gradually increase the time as you feel able. 10 minutes a day will benefit you as you become accustomed to your meditation.

 Try listening to your favorite music and if you can, wear headphones, this makes the music more personal to you as you sit with your eyes closed.

 If you want to, keep an area of your home just for meditating. Put crystals around the area and light candles during your meditation. Make where you meditate a special place, and in time you will be aware that the energy where you sit is far calmer, because it will become a special place to you.

 Have fun! Meditation should be fun. Put a little smile on your face to remind yourself to be happy. Smile with your heart, eyes and mind. If it doesn't go the way you want it to go, just laugh at how silly your mind is.

 There are thousands of styles of meditation. Mixing it up and finding new methods (even on the web often free, and most with creative visualizations) can really keep you looking forward to the next session. Then you can stimulate your imagination a lot easier, making meditations extremely enjoyable.

Your goal is to gain an awareness of your self. To learn control and to access your untapped energy. This is your first steps down a new path.