Finding The River by Sally Topham

Chapter 8

Bliss Fields, Energy Pathways, and Star Stuff

The first understandings about the energetic relationship between life and the Universe happened thousands of years ago in ancient India and China. Not surprisingly, this knowledge didn’t come about through the use of scientific experiments or special instruments, but through the sages and seers of the time attaining profound levels in meditation.

You see, with regular and disciplined practise, it’s possible to reach a point in meditation where waves of deep peace or fields of bliss can be felt moving in and around the physical body. Adepts from almost every kind of spiritual discipline attest to the existence of these fields that became known by different names across the cultures. In India it was called Prana. In China it was known as Chi or Qi. And in the West, it became known as Universal Energy or Subtle Energy.

The ancient sages and rishis (holy men) of India explored these energy fields through long periods of contemplation and meditation, and in so doing came to understand that this energy permeated everything, including the planet we live upon and the Universe itself. They saw these fields to be the cosmic breath of life that was breathed by the Universe, infusing everything with its subtle energy. Through their perception of the existence of Chi, they divined the human being’s intrinsic connection to all things. This meant that, in essence, there was no difference between man and the animals, a rock or a plant, or between nature and the sun, moon and stars.

This knowledge teaches us that we are part and parcel of the cosmos and the idea that “we are all made from the same star stuff” (as Richard Gerber says in his book Vibrational Medicine) is pretty mind-boggling, isn’t it? For left-brained, science-driven people, the concept is mostly unacceptable and cultures in the West dismissed this knowledge as a figment of the mystic imagination for hundreds of years. And so it wasn’t until the beginning of the 20th century when Einstein’s famous equation of E = mc2 proved that absolutely everything, from a grain of sand to a human being, is made up of particles of electric energy interacting with electromagnetic fields.

Einstein and his peers were pioneers in a brand new field of science called Quantum Physics. Their findings rocked the foundations of previously held Newtonian thought that saw the universe as ordered, disciplined and behaving in nicely predictable ways. Suddenly, we had quantum theories showing us an extraordinary world of simultaneous chaos and order, a world where energy shape-shifted and behaved in all manner of extraordinary ways. Gary Zukav describes this beautifully in his book The Dancing Wu Li Masters, “…the world (is composed of) …sparkling energy forever dancing with itself in the form of its particles as they twinkle in and out of existence, collide, transmute and disappear again.”

Don’t worry! I’m not going to lead you into an exploration of Particle Physics! (I couldn’t take you there even if I tried!), but what this all boils down to are a couple of basic facts about energy which are very interesting:

• First, to quote Fritjof Capra in his book The Tao of Physics, “Quantum theory reveals….(that)…..as we penetrate into matter, nature does not show us any isolated ‘basic building blocks’ but rather appears as a complicated web of relations between the various parts of the whole.” In other words, the discoveries of modern physics imply that everything is interwoven, and we are all part of the same thing. This highlights a fascinating and unexpected relationship between Eastern mysticism (All is One and One is All) and modern scientific thought.

• Second, what’s considered to be solid matter is actually made up of atoms that then break down into microscopic particles. For example, a chair or a table aren’t solid matter at all, but vibrations of energy which have taken on a solid appearance. As Dr Richard Gerber says in Vibrational Medicine “…all matter is energy and light in its myriad forms and manifestations.” In other words, the ancient sages were right!

If everything is energy, then we have to accept that the same is true of the home in which you live, the roads and pavements, your car, the lawn mower, a supermarket trolley, your pet dog or cat, Big Ben, your TV, computer and mobile and anything else you can think of—including your body!

You might find it hard to think of your body as lots of bits of energy but that’s exactly what it is. Deepak Chopra explained this perfectly when he said, “We tend to see our bodies as ‘frozen sculptures’—solid, fixed, material objects—when in truth they are more like rivers, constantly flowing patterns of intelligence.”

We have to thank those amazing Indian rishis and sages again for perceiving that we are more than a dense amalgamation of flesh, muscles and bones. For in addition to their understandings about the nature of life and the universe, they were also able to perceive clairvoyantly that we had a subtle energetic anatomy—a sort of ethereal counterpart to the manifestation of our physical bodies—that was nourished by the cosmic breath of Chi. This body, known as the Energy Body or Subtle Body, is an exact replica of the physical body, but instead of holding vital organs and various bodily systems, it’s made up of non-physical energy centres, pathways and circuits along which the subtle energy of Chi flows.

What these Eastern mystics realised was that energy pathways (which they called the Nadis) criss-crossed all over the energy body. They also perceived that numbers of Nadis converge at various points along a central line of the body extending from the base of the torso to the crown of the head. They identified these meeting points as energy centres and called them the Chakras (meaning wheels) because they constantly spin and turn. As they rotate, they pull in the subtle energy of the Universe (the Chi) that is then distributed out into the physical body via the Nadis.

They also perceived that there was an electromagnetic field around the human body (and indeed, around all living organisms), which they called the Aura. This is described as an egg-shaped, multi-layered sphere of energy that is generated by the spinning of the Chakras. It extends beyond the physical body to a distance of 2 to 4 feet—sometimes more—depending on the health, vitality and spiritual evolvement of the person.

These understandings of the subtle energy body formed the basis of the Indian medical system which is called Ayurveda (meaning Science of Life). Ayurveda is a completely holistic practise for the enhancement of life and spiritual unfoldment. It encompasses not only the concepts of the subtle energy system and how it works, but yoga, herbal medicine, a detailed understanding of the human body types and constitutions, diet guidelines, therapeutic treatments for all ailments, and meditation. Their mapping of the subtle energy body with its centres and pathways is more complex than the one I’ve outlined above, but there are plenty of books around which can give you further information on this if you are interested (see Further Information and Suggested Reading at the back of the book).

The knowledge of Ayurveda was shared with Tibet, which had a similar medical system, and it spread to China through visits from pilgrims and traders. Here, it was integrated into the Chinese system of medicine (Traditional Chinese Medicine or TCM for short) and developed further according to their own understandings. Under the Chinese system, the Nadis became known as the Meridians and less emphasis was placed on the Chakras than in the Ayurvedic model. Instead, the Chinese chose to focus more on the meridians, and in particular, a loop of energy or meridian line in the body, that they call the Microcosmic Circuit. This is an energy line that runs vertically round and round the body moving from a point under the groin, up the back of the spine, over the top of the head, down the centre of the front of the body (through all the Chakras) and back to the groin again (Exercise 1: The Magic of Memory and Imagination, clarifies the direction in which the energy moves).

Figure 2 The Microcosmic Circuit

You might like to try Exercise 20 to help you get in touch with this energy circuit.

Exercise 20: Sensing Your Inner Energy

Look at the diagram of the Microcosmic Circuit in Figure 2. Notice the direction of its flow that runs up the back and down the front of the body in a never-ending circle.

The visualisation I’m going to teach you can be done standing, sitting or lying down, so you can choose whatever position you prefer. When you’re ready, close your eyes and come into your breath. Spend some time following the breath and calming your body and mind. Take whatever time you need to get yourself into a nice relaxed place in yourself.

Now bring your attention to an area about the width of two fingers below the navel. Place your hand there and use your fingers to measure it and make sure you’re in the right place. Let your lower finger press lightly into this place to concentrate your mind on this area. This is an energetic space within you which is known in Chinese as the Dantien and in Japanese as the Hara. (Because I’ve always known it as the Hara, that’s the name I’ll be using to refer to it.) Keep in mind where the Hara is, as it’s an important place to know about and I’ll be talking about it again in other chapters.

Now bring your attention back to the Microcosmic Circuit. Imagine you can see this energetic “ring road” inside of you. You might like to imagine a small bead of golden light travelling round and round this circuit to help you in your visualisation.

Begin imagining your Chi travelling round and round your body—under your groin, up your spine, over the top of your head, down the centre of your front and under the groin—and round and round and round again.

Do this several times at your own speed, but don’t go too fast. Do 5 to 6 circuits. Enjoy getting a sense of your energy moving around within you.

When you’re ready to finish doing this exercise, bring your energy down the centre of your body for the last time and let it come to rest in your Hara. Place both palms on this area as if you were a pregnant woman feeling your precious, unborn child.

Be aware of how it feels in this area. Spend a bit of time there. Being in your Hara is very grounding and a great way to centre yourself.

Exercise 20 is an endorphin exercise by William Bloom.

Consciously moving energy around the Microcosmic Circuit like this and allowing the Chi to collect in the Hara (explained in Exercise 20) can improve health and vitality. The practise of Tai Chi and Qi Gong place a lot of focus on these areas.

The Hara is seen to be the energetic centre of gravity in the human body and the seat of one’s inner Chi. Have you ever seen those statues of Buddhas with big round bellies? Well, those pot bellies aren’t meant to imply the Buddhas are a bit greedy and eat too much food. They actually represent Buddhas who are very powerful because they’ve got large amounts of Chi in their bellies!

Chi is a substance without physical form, so it can’t be seen by the naked eye. The subtle energy body isn’t detectable through x-rays or microscopes, although it has always been seen by those with clairvoyant eyesight, so you won’t be surprised to hear that, for a very long time, the West—with its “prove-it-to-me-otherwise-I-won’t-believe-it” mind set—dismissed these ideas as mumbo jumbo for hundreds of years.

It wasn’t until the 1940s when the scientists Valentin and Semyon Kirlian (a husband and wife team) discovered how to take photographs of this energy, that credence was finally given to its existence. This photographic method became known as Kirlian Photography and you’ll find demonstrations of this technique at most Mind and Body Exhibitions these days. Further scientific evidence was provided in the 1970s, when Dr Valerie Hunt of UCLA University confirmed the existence of coloured energetic emanations from the Chakras and the Aura which could give an indication of the health and wellbeing of the individual.

Now, if you’ve never come across any of this information before, or you’ve heard about it but always thought it was a bit flaky, you may be finding it hard to get a handle on any of this. Either way, let me reassure you that it’s all a lot more accessible than it might seem at first. First and foremost, the good news is that you don’t have to be a saintly meditation adept living in a cave to experience these waves of energy. Why? Because you can get a very good sense of them every time you trigger your endorphins and have a joyful, blissful or ecstatic experience! So, if you’ve done the earlier exercises, you’re already on your way to getting a feel for all of this.

The second bit of good news is that you don’t have to be a psychic or a healer to be able to feel this energy in tangible ways! Exercise 21 shows you how easy it is to feel your own energy field with a little bit of practise.

Exercise 21: Feeling Your Own Aura

Rub your hands together briskly so they become very warm. Now, using your dominant hand, very slowly bring the palm of that hand towards the back of the other one, getting closer and closer all the time.

You may feel a subtle resistance in the palm of your dominant hand as it approaches the back of the other one.

What you’re feeling is your own aura.

Another way to do this is to again rub the hands together very vigorously. Then hold the hands about 18 inches apart and slowly—very slowly—bring both palms together. You may experience a kind of bouncy feeling as though you’ve got some invisible balloon between the two hands. If you don’t feel this at first, draw your hands apart and slowly move them back towards each other again. Keep doing this until you feel that resistance I’ve described above.

If you haven’t got it yet, keep practising and you will. It will suddenly come to you and you’ll wonder why you didn’t feel it before.

Exercise 22 explains another way to feel an aura, but you’ll need a friend to help you with this one:

Exercise 22: Feeling Someone Else’s Aura

First, do some body movements to loosen yourself up. Do some dancing or jump up and down. Or shake out your arms and your feet. Imagine you’ve got some chewing gum stuck on the ends of your fingers and toes and pretend that you’re trying to flick it off. Or imagine you’re a dog that’s been for a dip in the sea and has come out wanting to shake all that water out of its fur. Go on! Shake! Shake yourself from top to toe. Do it several times.

Now, have your friend stand still and go and stand about 4 to 5 feet away, Extend your palms outwards with them facing towards your friend. Now, v-e-r-y slowly, start walking towards that person. As you get closer, you may feel that subtle resistance in your hands again or a sense that the air is thickening around them.

That’s you feeling your friend’s aura!

You might like to try feeling the energy field of different things like trees and plants and animals in the same way. The more you practise, the more sensitive your hands will become.

Now, let’s take all this a few steps further.

Do you remember how, in Chapter 2, we looked at how the body and mind are linked? In light of what I’ve been explaining so far, it therefore follows that if the body is composed of energy, then the mind must also be composed of energy. And if the mind is energy then your thoughts are energy, too!

Thoughts are waves of energy. They radiate in all directions and are constantly transmitted and received by yourself and others. Every time you think a thought you’re firing off a small bolt of energy. Thoughts produce vibrations which continue to pulsate even after you’ve forgotten what you were thinking. Thoughts build up atmospheres that, sometimes, can actually be felt. Some thought vibrations, depending on their strength, can last for centuries!

To demonstrate this, work through Exercise 23.

Exercise 23: Sensing Energies in Rooms and Buildings

Go back in your mind for a moment and recall a time when you’ve been in a room where people were having an argument. Try to remember what the atmosphere in that room felt like.

When we walk into a room or experience an environment full of tension and bad feeling we talk about how you can cut the atmosphere with a knife. This is because the kind of energies released by anger, resentment and rage are so thick and dense they feel tangible. When an argument has taken place, the vibrations in that room are completely imbued with a fiery, toxic, energetic discharge.

OK. Pause and take a breath. Breathe out that unpleasant sensation you’ve recalled. Do this a few times if it still feels uncomfortable.

Now switch modes. Think of some great cathedral or temple you’ve visited, preferably one which is still in use. If you don’t have a memory of a cathedral or temple, instead bring to mind when you were in a room where people practised meditation, or when you visited your local church or some similar place of worship. Take a few moments to recall the atmosphere.

You’ll almost certainly feel that this time, the place you’ve chosen to recall, contains much lighter vibrations of peace and calm which may cause you to feel quiet and reflective. That’s because it is filled with the energy of prayer which has been created by worshippers who have visited that place for years—sometimes centuries. The longer similar thoughts and energies have been released into an atmosphere, the more they build up and the stronger they become.

Both the atmospheres described in Exercise 23: Sensing Energies in Rooms and Buildings were created through energy and thought.

Thought follows energy and energy follows thought.
As we think, so we create

Thoughts are amazingly powerful. Do you remember how, in Exercise 4: The Power of Thought, you recalled an unpleasant incident that caused uncomfortable feelings and memories to return? And do you remember how in Exercise 1: The Magic of Memory and Imagination and Exercise 2: Creating a Safe Place Within Yourself, happy, enjoyable memories of being out in Nature created a sense of well-being within you? Both these exercises were demonstrations of energy following thought. You created something by thinking about it. Be very careful about the kind of thoughts and energies you link into because, as we’ve seen with these exercises, they can have a direct effect on your mental and emotional state.

Just as eating a healthy, balanced diet is good for our physical bodies, so we need to ensure that we’re feeding wisely in terms of energy. You see, whatever we give attention to mentally, emotionally and spiritually can be seen as “food”. We’ve already seen how negative thoughts don’t do us any good in terms of the hormones they release. Well, they don’t benefit us energetically, either. Feeding on worry and negativity is the equivalent of existing on a diet of junk food! So it follows that when you make yourself feel good by thinking about a happy time or doing something you enjoy, you’re feeding yourself very healthy and nourishing food. It’s therefore extremely important to pay attention to the kind of energies we’re feeding on in all areas of life—the environment you live in, the places you frequent, the books you read, the people you mix with, the films you see, the music you listen to, etc. All these things provide food on an energetic level. When we talk about food in this way it’s called energy nutrition. So, watch what you’re taking in, because the wrong foods can give us energetic indigestion!

We’re nearing the end of this brief exploration of how we’re all energetic beings connected to everything else in a Universe entirely composed of energy. But there’s just one more aspect of the subtle fields we haven’t yet covered. Chi also flows through our planet Earth, and through our environment, and we need to see how that affects us too.

Everything in the Universe has its own magnetic field. This means that bodies like the sun and the stars and the Earth emit huge energy fields. The ancient sages divined that powerful currents of Chi flowed within the Earth’s aura that were believed to move along paths that criss-cross the planet, sometimes for hundreds of miles. In the West, these lines of energy are called Ley Lines and they are the Earth’s meridians.

Many early sites of worship were built and aligned to these earth meridians. These areas have always been connected with increased levels of earth energy and were used extensively by our pagan ancestors as places of healing and areas where sacred ceremonies were performed. The ancient Celts“…perfected an art of living in harmony with the land that recognised the creative Life Force that animated it” (From The Sun and the Serpent by Hamish Miller and Paul Broadhurst).

Sometimes, circles of huge standing stones were built upon these lines, as in Stonehenge and Avebury in England. These were constructed in order to concentrate the Earth Energy and then spiral it out into the surrounding countryside. As Christianity spread slowly throughout the British Isles, pagan practises were forbidden but continued in secret. Sacred sites were razed to the ground and churches erected in their place, often with the full knowledge of the powerful energies running through the earth beneath them.

These terrestrial flows of energy are seen to be important for the health, well-being and good fortune of the human race, and the ancient science of Feng Shui arose out of detailed studies of this concept. Maintaining a free and even flow of Chi through our homes and environment is just as important as clearing obstacles to it within our subtle Energy Body. Blockages in both areas can cause difficulties in all parts of our lives.

There are ways of accessing the Chi within us to manage challenges, negative thoughts and emotions, our physical well-being and our environment. This can be achieved through using techniques which have been developed through Energy Psychology, Energy Exercises, Energy Medicine and Feng Shui, and we’re going to be looking at some of the ways you can work with these methods in the following chapters.