I blinked, and now it’s December. What a perfect time to celebrate Light! In the past 5 Shine Your Light articles, I’ve been talking about how to open, plug in, switch on, draw current, and energize. Each of these take will power, fueled by your own resources.
When your will power starts to diminish, how do you best recharge?
One of the benefits of staying home this Thanksgiving was the quiet of Friday and Saturday, with no pressure or agenda. The time to relax, enjoy, breathe, and get some extra sleep, has helped me recharge. I sometimes think that I’ll be even happier when I get just a bit more rest (maybe a little afternoon nap!), but full satiety never seems to come (just like imagined happiness of being 10% richer).
However, I recently had an aha! moment that has helped my own process of recharging.
An inner string of power and energy
As I explain in my TEDx talk, energy begins to stir within when we “resonate” with music and ideas. These past few weeks I’ve been exploring that idea further, feeling a powerful string resonate within me when I tune into big energy concepts of God and Light.
Have you ever noticed that some people have incredible levels of energy? Some may even sleep very little, not even fueled by coffee. And others do all the “right” things and just seem…drained. Of course many variables, like diet and exercise, greatly affect metabolism and energy, but some people seem to transcend these and tune in to a higher level of energy.
We’re all born into these human bodies, which I can imagine have a finite battery power given proper nutrition, exercise, and sleep. But to me, it seems like some souls bring an auxiliary power pack with them into this life, or at least a longer-lasting battery.
And what do saints and great artists all have in common? Energy. Lots of it.
Attunement vs Pushing
What if longer battery life was ours for the asking? What if we’ve had access to full power all along, but have simply not tuned in to it?
My hypothesis is this: I believe it is possible to gain access to more power and energy by attuning to a greater source of energy, rather than by pushing ourselves with only our will.
If I want a cello string to sympathetically resonate on its own, I need to make sure it is tuned to the right vibration, the correct frequency. That takes will power and attention, but when it is in tune, it will sympathetically resonate without any extra effort from me. Pushing a cello string never sounds as good as working with and increasing the sound that is naturally there.
If cello strings, properly attuned, can begin to vibrate on their own, we can do the same with energy!
Attunement is the practice of attention, receptivity, and increasingly intuitive understanding in any endeavor, whether art, athletics, cooking, etc. In spiritual practices, attunement is this type of focus on a saint or aspect of the Divine.
Attunement is key
So I’ve taken this further: inside of me, running along my spine, is a “God” string that awakens through sympathetic resonance first by my awareness of its presence, secondly by removing the dampers that keep it from resonating, and thirdly by nurturing that resonance with attentive care. When I keep my awareness focused there and avoid the constrictive dampening thoughts of doubt and fear, I find that I can keep myself energized far beyond any act of will.
In Yogic and Christian teachings, the AUM vibration/Holy Ghost (Comforter) is the underlying vibration which sustains this amazing creation. This vibration exists without pause. What an amazing source to tune in to. It’s always resonating. All I need is to open my own string to it with attunement. Sympathetic resonance does much of the work for me.
Smart will power
In other words, I can use all of my will to push through a project, or I can use my will to open and attune myself to this source that will help me get it done.
Even as I write this, I am tuning in to energy naturally resonating within. Yes, it takes effort, but the presence that awakens is revivifying. I invite you to try it with me.
To recharge, try this:
- Sit comfortably upright for meditation.
- Visualize a cello string running the full length of your spine (it’s about the same length!).
- Visualize space around the string, giving it the room to resonate within.
- Connect mentally with a concept or source of infinite power for you. Perhaps it is an expression of God, another beloved, music, or love. Bring this concept or source immediately close, surrounding you.
- Imagine your string within resonating sympathetically, without any push or strain from you. With each breath, feel that energy begin to expand.
- Explore life with that energy. Attune yourself to it with awareness and receptivity. Allow your intuitive understanding to grow.
I’d love to hear if it works for you. I’m thrilled to explore together!