Why is energy important? Well as the above phrase suggests - energy is everything - literally. Every living organism, every object, substance or matter that you can visibly see is made up of energy. And everything that you cannot visibly see is energy too - the air we breathe, the empty spaces (or so we think) in between the tiniest particles are all made of energy. And I am not just theorizing here - this is scientific fact. 

Ok doubters.....for the benefit of the left brained (see achieving balance section!) rational proof requirers out there (and my apologies to those for whom complex science is not their cup of tea) I am going to delve for a moment into quantum physics.

Quantum Theory predicts, and experiments have verified, that so-called empty space (the vacuum) contains an enormous residual background energy known as Zero Point energy. The name is derived from the fact that at absolute zero (-273° Celsius) the smallest elementary particles continue to exhibit behavior. Thus even though we may visibly see an object as being solid, under an electron microscope, magnified to sub-atomic level we will see the particles moving. The difference between say a table and air is simply the frequency at which the particles vibrate - the higher the frequency the less able we are to visibly see it. 

With that theory established it doesn't take much to realise that we are therefore effectively living in a sea of energy - and every one of us is connected to each other by this energy. Indeed we are nothing but energy ourselves - ultimately. For the benefit of the theologians amongst you (particularly those following the Eastern traditions) - this is one step towards proving the interconnectedness of all, the notion that we are all One. For now, however, I am not going to delve into that particular subject, but keep this in the realms of what we are experiencing, and just as critically, doing, with this energy contact. And for the vast majority of us this is totally unconscious. We all operate upon the assumption that we are the only ones on this planet who are experiencing what we are individually experiencing - that we are totally separate, and that nobody really knows what is going on inside us! Worse still that what no one knows about - i.e. what we do behind closed doors, what we think in our heads, doesn't matter as long as we appear outwardly to do the right thing. In fact this is a long way from reality, as I'll now explain.

If light is a wave of energy, at a particular frequency, it isn't a huge leap to imagine that thoughts could also be energy waves. Indeed quantum physics has now also proved that particles connect at many times the speed of light and in that connection an information exchange occurs, so it's probably not far off to imagine that this ultimately suggests a physical dynamic of consciousness.  For more on consciousness - please go to the section on Consciousness De-Mystified. Ok that's all for now on the science bit!  But actually all it is suggesting is what those of us who can sense energy have known for some time. We can tell if someone is sending powerful negative thoughts our way, we can really feel it.  And we know from whom it comes. Think about that one for a moment. Just because you can't currently feel it doesn't mean that you can't develop these skills. It is simply like riding a bike - adding a new ability to your tool kit, or akin to awakening muscles that have lain dorment up to now.  From here on in - you could begin to sense where other's levels of consciousness are and just as clearly who isn't talking their real walk! All vital in your spiritual journey. 

Well where do we start? We have to start with what we know is permanent - our foundation if you like. If energy has the potential to change all the time, we need to identify what we know is our individual energy which will never change in it's basic characteristics at our core, and which we revert to when fully relaxed. It is always us - though everyone's is different. This is what I like to call our essence. It is a taster of our full soul energy - a diluted sample but nevertheless always true to itself. 

It can be very useful for a friend to give you an insight into your energy and what it feels like if you are having difficulty sensing it initially. Soon, however, it will become second nature. If you are still having trouble, take yourself off somewhere quiet, on your own, in nature perhaps, where you can totally relax (and be you!) - then you will be in it. You know you are in your own energy when you are fully relaxed, no one is challenging you, your heart is open, and all is well with your world. 

Once you have that sussed, it is not difficult to start to tell when you are not your own energy.  And this typically happens when we interact with someone else, or something externally is affecting us. To take the first example - what is actually happening when two energies meet? Anything goes as they say! And that is exactly what tends to happen - either your energy morphs into the energy you are meeting if you want to get along with them, or reacts overtly (anger, hostility, defensive etc) if you don't! Once your awareness increases, you can choose to engage with their energy or not - and this is the real difference as to how we can ultimately remain calm and at peace within.  However, a health warning if I may - lasting peace within can only be achieved through work on emotional triggers and mental conditioning - i,e fears, illusions, upbringing etc. See Spiritual Guidance section for more on this.

But why do we get tipped off balance, emotionally and mentally? Simply because the ego has already placed a set response into your brain (see spiritual guidance) for any given situation or interaction, and importantly when you pick up another's energy. So how do you know in advance what your brain is getting you to do?  You will be on guard with some people before you or they have said anything, or - a great example - you will know that your ideal partner has entered the room at the far end because all your antennae are on red alert! How do you know that your Mum or best friend is about to call, and then does a fraction of a moment later? Your awareness is being fed information quite a few steps ahead of your brain becoming consciousness of what's happening. So unless you start to get your consciousness up to the same speed you won't be able to control your energy. In actual fact - once your consciousness is increased in vibration up to the levels where "knowing" becomes automatic, your energy will be pretty constant anyway. 

If you've followed the science of this, you will be realising that you are actually reading the energy of others well before there is any conscious interaction - i.e. greeting, eye contact etc. So what is this telling you - how much info are you getting that you don't know about? The answer is more than you can ever imagine! It is known that the subconscious is a store house for a fast amount of information that we process every minute of every day. The conscious mind can only process a tiny fraction of that amount at any given moment. What we mostly do is process from our eyes, what we know and understand about body language, what we hear, and for those we are intimate with, what we are allowed to touch and smell.  We don't use this sixth sense consciously - and so cannot process or analyse it in the moment until we learn to. I could actually rephrase this as re-learning to as we all do it perfectly naturally as babies and young children, but it is generally not encouraged in schools or by our parents if they themselves have lost the skill, and so after a while the ability is lost - typically between the ages of 2-3, when we learn to use our brain. It's ironic that what we laud as a miracle of being human (the complexity of our brains) has been responsible for the demise of a far more valuable sense!    

What we have in the most part retained, however, is hunches, gut feelings, or for all us women - intuitive flashes. This is actually us acknowledging the sensing of the energy - but not many people appreciate it. And let me bust another myth - intuition is a skill everyone can develop - it is not solely the remit of women, all guys can do it too!  Intuition is an advanced form of energy awareness - and it simply requires that the head (the brain) is tuned out in order to receive the information. What is more, the information available is significantly more varied and helpful than anything the brain can come up with! This is ultimately how Beethoven and Einstein received their inspirations.

As more women operate from the creative side of their brain, dare I say it, compared to guys, it is simply easier for them to develop this particular skill.  And the more emotional baggage you are able to clear out - see the sections on achieving balance and spiritual guidance, the better and clearer the intuition becomes. 

For beginners, however, there is much to learn from simple energy awareness, and all you need to hone your skills is practice. In time this new awareness will lead to an ability to accurately sense others and how they affect you which will in turn provide you with the potential to stabilise your own energy, once you've learnt how to avoid being affected.

As you learn the necessary skills the moments when you are tipped off balance become less and less, and by definition so will your stress levels! We use up so much energy trying to be something we are not - it's not surprising we are stressed up to the hilt and exhausted by the effort of it all. It is also not surprising that we look to other sources to ease our relaxation - alcohol and drugs, as our ability to control our own energy resources is so lacking. With your energy intact after a full working week, bar the traveling, etc, you will be surprised how easy it is to relax - you will be already - in fact you will have been all week by and large, bar the pressures you place on yourself which is another matter entirely!

I can hear you interject here - what about my boss's filthy moods - how am I ever going to learn to be unaffected by them!  It is certainly very difficult to be in the same space as someone in a state of extreme anger, or extreme brooding annoyance that is nothing to do with you. The trick here is to remove yourself as quickly as you can from the room, or if that is not possible do the following: firstly realise that this is not your issue - but theirs - so you don't need to engage with it - simply detach with the emotion in the room and take on the role of observer. Secondly, make a mental note how moods affect others - and therefore by implication how yours in the past have affected others!  This is as much about understanding the dynamics in order to deal with your resultant feelings about it, and learning a new set of behavioural patterns - i.e. understanding and tolerance! If you still can't help yourself becoming uncomfortable, irritable, or whatever, there will be an issue about it that will need resolving within you - see achieving balance.       

As stated above a great bonus of energy awareness is that it increases our tolerance and understanding of others. That is not to say that we condone objectional behaviour - but through the process of learning about the different forms of energy that we have as our basic traits we can start to understand more why Fred finds it difficult to relate to Winny, or Winny gets wound up by Andy, but has a best friend in Eric, but Fred and Eric get on famously! We all have a tendency towards a particular type of energy - as our basic core, that can be associated or compared to the basic elements - water, fire, earth and air (for those who haven't seen the association - look at the names again!). By nature, water and fire do not get on! Air is fairly aloof either way - but can inflame fire types in extreme cases. Earth types are more solid and have no empathy with air types at all! What are you? In finding out - and importantly what others are too, will give you further insight into your relationship patterns, and perhaps office dynamics! 

Once you have ascertained what element is lacking in you - you can also take steps to bring more in - again to create balance. I can't over emphasize that balance is key to all advancement in sustainable energetic and spiritual growth.  Others will notice any change for the better in you too!

To learn more or to discuss how a workshop in this field can be a fun and enlightening experience for your workplace, spiritual or discussion group, please contact me for further information. Workshops can be tailored to suit any size of group and duration of time available.  Individual coaching forms part of any spiritual counseling session. For more information on corporate work - please visit my sister website www.insightworking.com.