E Is for Energy - Connecting with Your Energy

Emotions are energy. The more we are in control of where we spend our energy, the more we are in control of our emotions, and the more we are in control of our lives. We blame others, become a victim, and wither away, or we take responsibility, stay conscious, and thrive. We may not want to admit it, but how we feel often controls our day, consciously or not. And BEAM LiFE is all about conscious living.

For the sake of metaphor, we can use a light bulb controlled by a dimmer, a “dimmer-light.” The more electricity (energy) we release to the light bulb, the more the light bulb will shine. We have the dial in our hands.

We control how much attention and energy we put into accomplishing a task, and, conversely, how we may be allowing our attention and energy to be diverted or blocked. We control the dimmer. The question is how much are we willing to see that in ourselves?

If emotions are energy and we need energy to accomplish our goals, we need to know how to allow our emotions and use them as fuel for our passion. Then we can harness and direct our energy accordingly. We can feel into our body and recognize where we feel energetic and where we feel stuck or lethargic. We can take note of which thoughts and images drain our resources and leave us unmotivated and maybe even depressed.

With clarity about how our emotions can support or block what we want to accomplish in life we gain insight into how to maneuver within our internal emotional landscape and toward our goals. I have an exercise that can help you recognize the “red flags” of resistance (blocks to action) so that, when an adverse situation arises, you have a tool that will help you resist feeling small and, instead, stay in your strength and stick with your plan of action.

This is a sitting practice I call “Connecting with Your Energy”:

Step 1. Sit in a comfortable position in a safe place where you are not going to be disturbed for the next 15 minutes. Relax into your body. Notice that you do not need to control your breath. Your body is capable of breathing without your help.

Simply let go of your breath…exhale…and…wait...watch yourself as you are waiting for your next breath, and for your lungs to inhale. Are you noticing any hesitation or anxiety? What happens when you let go and trust that there will be another breath?

Sit for a few minutes and watch how you can sink into yourself with your breath. Exhale, just watching your exhale, and notice that your body is inhaling when it needs to, not when you feel it’s time.

Notice how you can develop trust in your lungs. You can trust that they know when your brain needs more oxygen. How does it feel to trust that “something” will always be there for you, your breath?

Even if you do not have a spiritual belief system, you can recognize an internal sensation as a connection with your breath, a connection with you. And as this connection becomes stronger, you may feel a surge of energy, a sensation of warmth, light, or your own recognition of a connection with a higher self. You can enter into an agreement with your self that you will “act as if” just to see if this will work for you.

On the other hand, if you have a spiritual practice, a religious background, a faith of some sort, use what you already have as the connection.

This sense of connection is an internal sensation, and when we work on staying connected to it, we can notice that it’s always there, similar to what Dr. Gendlin, in his book, Focusing, calls the “felt sense.”

Often, we are the ones who block this connection with emotional discomfort and fears.

Step 2. As you are sitting there, again, I will use an analogy, this time to an hourglass. Notice how you can fill up your body with your attention. Scan your body and see if there are areas in your internal landscape that feel more alive than others, as if there were more energy there, more tingles, more something…just a sensation maybe.

Step 3. Pick one area that you would like to explore. Bring your attention there and relax into the space. Let go of your breath and notice what happens if you just give it some room, more attention, as if the area were in a balloon and you could blow more air into the balloon to allow the feelings to expand as needed. You can drop into the space with your attention and then hold your attention there. This is safe. Remember that you are in control of how much you will allow.

What happens? Can you just be with it? Often, if you allow what is there to expand, it will feel stronger and more solid. This may feel threatening. But keep in mind that it is only a feeling. Being able to have a relationship with that feeling means having a relationship with you. This is your connection.

Step 4. Spend the rest of your time just “being with it.” Feel how you can “anchor” into a place inside that is alive and well. Sink deeper in and sit there for 10 minutes and connect. If this feels supportive and safe, as if the “glove fits,” you are on your way to forming a solid connection with your self. Only you know if you have.

To use BEAM LiFE terminology, you have found your “yes.” The place inside that knows what’s good for you, what you can say “yes” to. In times of doubt and fear you can drop into this place and “ask your body” a “yes” / “no” question about what to do, and you will feel the answer intuitively.

If you are interested in learning more about getting unstuck from life-limiting habits or my BEAM LiFE program, connect with me on my website at:  www.evaangvert.com or email me at: [email protected].