The great meditative traditions of the world—Tibetan Buddhism, Daoism, Sufism, Shaivism, contemplative Christianity, Kabbalah, Shamanism—seem wildly different from one another. Their outer cultural trappings, dress, music, language, and organization seem to simply mirror the time and region of their development. Yet on closer examination, it can be seen that the inner practices are part of a same toolbox. While every path that seeks to transform mind, body, and spirit relies on these methods, no single tradition uses them all. And clearly each focuses heavily on a few core practices, and minimizes or ignores others. Used in any number of combinations, and in different sequences, they share the same transformative goals. Also, they are almost all outside the realm of purely philosophical, intellectual or psychological systems. Their focus and possibilities are fundamentally different and thus do not involve internal and bioenergetic work, without which real change is not possible.
Among these tools, based on 50 years of observation, teaching, healing and spiritual practice, and a very long list of missteps, I consider energy sensitivity to be of the highest priority. Yet in spite of being extremely powerful, in the modern era, it seems to be the least utilized and understood. For the layperson, the healer, or just someone interested in improving their health and well-being, it is a missing key. And for those involved with sophisticated and highly organized spiritual systems, its absence is a cause for disappointing results, even after years of effort. Each of these tools has a huge scope and numerous variations. But here we are most interested in seeing where energy sensitivity fits into the mix, and why it complements every other method.
There are also a few fundamentals worth mentioning that are woven into most of the methods we will look at. The more Basic Sanity, Presence and Stillness we can bring to these tools of inner transformation, the more enriching the journey will be.
Basic sanity
While energetic methods are extraordinarily effective for psychological change, a certain amount of maturity, openness, and ability to self-observe are paramount. The kind of mental distortions that are rampant today, including borderline personality disorders, psychopathy, and malignant narcissism, are severe impediments to inner work. Sometimes life provides the knocks and tumbles that make us grow up. And sometimes well-established traditions can correct what society has broken. But often we need to make the time and effort to face our various weaknesses and inner demons. With the right knowledge and skills, we can reclaim all the goodness that is our intrinsic nature.
Presence
While this might seem a mainstay of the “mindfulness” world, the core is often missed. Being present in the body, as a continual part of experience, rather than being absorbed into the movie of life, should be our natural state. But our fascination with what is “out there” puts us in a hypnotic daze. Waking up to life and being “in it” all the time is a challenge. But every time we return to our embodiment, with no particular agenda, we re-own our humanity.
Stillness
We live in stress. Everyone. For relief, we might watch TV at the end of the day or go on vacation. But time off, muscular relaxation, or a day away from our problems in not enough for inner work. No matter the method, no matter the tradition, no matter the epoch—we are looking for something further. Stillness is the possibility of re-establishing our original state before we became emotionally entangled and mentally overwhelmed. When mind, body, emotions—and energy—settle down, something else enters and a sense of unity arises. Stillness is a “goal without a goal” but still we can prepare the ground so that it informs all our efforts.
Unpacking the Tools
Consciousness
Without being present (“paying attention” as our grade school teachers would say), change is somewhere between unlikely and impossible. Naturally, there is a very wide spectrum of different qualities and depths of consciousness. Mind is the canvas on which we are painting our road to liberation, the paint we are using and the brush we are wielding. While this is obvious, less so is the effect of consciousness as a crucial ingredient in the crucible of transformation. Indeed, it is the catalyst, the seasoning that makes this “stew” gel together. Combining sound, breath, sensation, and other different kinds of energy, of energetic substance, mixed in the right way, requires us to be there fully. Otherwise, it is trying to bet “blood from a stone.”
Intention
This might be defined as “will power,” drive, or motivation, but without it we would not even engage in this kind of work in the first place. We have endless wishes, hopes, and inclinations regarding every aspect of life. Choosing to live on a deeper journey is a unique human possibility, a remarkable opportunity to go beyond the wheel of suffering and misidentification. As such, intention is absolutely fundamental and just as important as attention. It informs every intelligent move we make and every mistake or fumble, as well as the getting up and trodding forward again.
Higher forces
One could use the word grace, blessing, spirit, or a wide variety of terms, but information-energy-consciousness issuing forth from higher sources is essential to transformation. In many ways, this resource is always present but we do not have the structure, the equipment to receive or assimilate such powerful forces. Some traditions, such as Tibetan Buddhism, accentuate this higher connection or guru yoga right from the start, linking to both lineage and various sacred embodiments. Others, such as Daoism, minimize or ignore this until the very late stages of training or development. Of course, mainstream theistic religions pay great attention to ultimate source. But hope and aspiration in isolation from stillness and bioenergetic development make it difficult for our prayers to reach the object of devotion.
Sensing
Energy sensitivity needs to be explored fully since it is a way to expand our natural senses and travel inward with increasing precision and depth. The purpose is to learn about the inner dynamics, create alchemical change, gain control, and assist in the process of true transformation. The key is to understand that sensitivity is an energy, not a neurological byproduct. Sensitive energy is a subtle substance that, like sound, intention, or breath, has a specific vibration, quality and “frequency level.” Leaving this out of practices, be they visualization or devotion, misses a key element in the process of inner alchemy.
Breath
An indispensable and ubiquitous aspect of transformative work, breath-work provides endless cascade of techniques, both ancient and modern. No less is it central to energy sensitivity training. As an always-present object for meditation, and with rapid effects on mind and emotions, breath is well studied in the field of health and psychology. But there is much more here, beyond Western science and oxygen exchange. Breath is a direct pathway into more subtle energy fields. And like sensitivity itself, breath is an energy, not just an exchange of gases. Combining breath with sensation, focus, consciousness, and other bioenergetic forces, we can ignite the alchemical crucible for generating precious higher substances that are the stuff of transformation.
Imaging
Images appear in our mind constantly, but visualization, creative imagery, guided imagery, imaginal healing, or archetypal imaging repurposes this everyday experience into a psychological and spiritual practice. Some traditions, like Tibetan Buddhism and Shaivism, rely heavily on visualization, as does much of New Age chakra and healing work. Others, like Daoism, use it sparingly or eschew it altogether. Energetic sensing is a missing ingredient for imaging connoisseurs that can salvage visualization from becoming mere fantasizing, since it grounds the visual energy into the body.
Sound
Sound is a pervasive element in every form of spiritual work. This runs the gamut of song, hymn, chant, liturgy, voice, and every conceivable form of percussive and musical instrument. And the purposes are just as varied, from devotion to exorcism, social cohesion, and as a meditation aid. There is no need to survey this vast collection of methods and uses, but to stress that, once again, inner sensation, energetic sensing is often missed while intoning syllables or mantra, as well as longer liturgies. Within the Hindu traditions there is a particularly sophisticated form of mantric science with the felt vibrations of different vowels placed in various locations and energy centers in the body. Sound and mantra recitation can be overshadowed by visualization, although some modern works such as Humming and especially Toning (Laurel Keyes) focus on the inner sensations of sound, exploring how different sounds and syllables move within us.
Meaning
While we use energetic, non-rational, and sensory techniques of all kinds, that does not mean they are “dumbed down.” Although we may go beyond thoughts or concepts during practice, we continue to remind ourselves of what we are doing and why. The appreciation of one’s teachers and opportunities, the extraordinary nature of the methods, remembering one’s altruistic motivation, generating confidence and courage toward the goal, and many other ideas are powerful for getting over inertia. And during our work, “re-membering” what it is all about can get us out of distraction or boredom. Also, if remarkable insights come, we don’t need to feel too elated. Bad memories are similarly just a flow to be noted and left behind. We are not fixated or attached to the content as we are experiencing it from a deeper perspective.
Emotion
The emotional aspect of practice can be profoundly meaningful as expressed in prayer or devotion. This is implicit or greatly accentuated in some traditions, while for others it is minimal. Clearly the intensity or even presence of emotion is a matter of personal preference as well. There are those for whom surrender into deep feelings of reverence, awe, or appreciation is the way to go. As in all the techniques outlined here, bringing in embodiment and taking these feelings into overall body awareness helps balance any excesses. There is no need to go over the negative potential of our runaway emotional life. Yet this double-edged sword of emotions is wonderful food for cultivating detachment, patience and self compassion.
Posture
Every single tradition makes definite statements about sitting, lying, or standing while meditating, training, or into daily life. Understandably, there is a wide range of methods, as well as similarities. This has much to do with the reality of human anatomy as the insights of meditation. In Vipassana and Daoist standing practice, posture assumes a central position. Staying in one place for hours, or even a full day, is a way to enter in the minutiae of the subtle energies that surge through the body. But even a short time in the right posture is a prime way to allow sensing, awareness, and stillness to deepen. Ever-popular yoga, in all its variations, goes from a healthy form of exercise and stretching to deeper postural meditation. However, the inner experience of following the energy movements and pathways of the body is forgotten. Similarly with hand mudras this is rarely emphasized. Certain forms change the energy flow in mind and body. Feeling that happen is not just an indulgence, but a necessity.
Movement
Today, apart from the many traditional methods, such as Indian yoga and Tibetan tsa lung, there is a plethora of modern systems. Some, like Pilates and Lowen, focus on changing posture, and the musculoskeletal and neurological re-education of the body. Others, like Feldenkrais, Alexander, Hannah Somatics and Body-Mind Centering accent feeling the body and uncovering trauma and restrictions that impact wellness and physical mental health. These have had immense therapeutic value, especially compared to the cognitive therapies that ignore the body. Yet only a few go deeply into sensing what is inside our form, nor is there a framework (such as provided in tantra or Daoism) of an internal energy system, which would add a much needed dimension.
Outer input
There can be all kinds of beneficial bioenergetic effects from working with trees and natural phenomena, lying on uncontaminated ground and using various substances (gems, oils), herbs or flower essences, talismans, yantras, and so on. However, simply being exposed to these powerful forces does not necessarily penetrate our depths. However, to the degree that we consciously draw energy into the the body’s energy grid and actually feel (not imagine) the effects circulating in our physical form, we will experience benefit. This can extend to drawing in the five elements (according to Western or Eastern systems), colors, forms and much more from the natural world, or energy wellsprings created by spiritual vision.
Conclusion
Today we have an overwhelming richness of possibilities for our inner work. Life is more complex and conflictive than ever before. But those fortunate to have met with teachers and trainings are well equipped to turn lead into gold. And as a great assist in that work, all the tools we have briefly touched upon can be augmented by an emphasis on the energetic sensing of their action within the subtle body. It is with us at all times, right there, right here.
The above article is based on sections of Asa’s forthcoming book, Energy Sensitivity, part of a quartet that includes Energy Clearing, Energy Transformation, and Energy Union.
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