The concept of a universal energy force is hardly new. This concept has arisen all
throughout the ancient and modern worlds. In Hinduism, it is called prana, and includes
the concept of a universal prana, energy belonging to the universe itself. This concept
arose in China and Japan where it is called Chi, or Qi. In Europe, the ancient Nordic
and Germanic tribes had a concept they called the Wyrd or Urd, which meant the web
of life and fate. In the indigenous Polynesian religions existed the concept of Mana, a
spiritual life force energy which permeates the universe. Even among many Native
American tribal beliefs was a life force energy known by names such as Orenda and
Manitou. Thorough study will reveal many more.
The belief in this spiritual energy has been so persistent that through the 18th and early
20th centuries there was actually a field of science known as Vitalism (the origin of the
name of this spirituality). The principle behind Vitalism was that the origin and
phenomena of life are dependent on a force or principle distinct from purely chemical or
physical forces. Vitalism holds the nature of life as resulting from a vital life force
peculiar to living organisms and different from all other forces found outside living
things. Vitalists argued that life could not be reduced to a mere mechanistic process.
Although Vitalism was never widely accepted in serious scientific circles, many
scientists dedicated their entire careers to it. From these studies we get names for this
energy such as Orgone, Odic Force, and Elan Vital. The study of the history of Vitalism
is fascinating in and of itself.
Unfortunately, Vitalism was officially ‘debunked’ in 1828. Vitalist chemists predicted that
organic materials could not be synthesized from inorganic components but Friedrich
Wöhler synthesized urea from inorganic components. However, the problem with
synthetic urea was this: urea is a waste product excreted in urine. Urea is not a vital
fluid needed to sustain life, nor is urea itself alive (blood, for example, contains living
cells). And while chemists try to say that ‘urea is urea’, synthetic and organic urea are
not identical. Organic and synthetic urea, as it turns out, are atomically dissimilar, and
behave differently when used in agriculture as a fertilizer (urea’s main use). Yet, despite
this illogical debunking, the study of Vitalism persisted into the early twentieth century.
To this day, no truly organic substance has been synthesized from inorganic
substances. No biological life has ever been produced from something inorganic. And
despite the advancement of scientific technology and understanding of mechanistic
processes, scientists still can't figure out how life itself came to be. Yet, Vitalism is still
relegated to a pseudoscience and placed within the sphere of mysticism.
Einstein's theory that energy becomes matter is widely accepted as scientific fact. Even
in our time scientists have discovered that in a vacuum of seeming nothingness
particles of matter, known as virtual particles, will blink in and out of existence many
times before coming to fully exist. Wouldn't the energy that becomes living matter be
fundamentally different from energy that becomes inert matter?
This gives question to the existence of both a lifeforce and to a greater energy force that
forms all matter, including the living, a Universal Vital Force. It is highly likely such an
energy force exists, and despite the fact that it is not scientifically proven, can be utilized
for the improvement and enrichment of a person’s life.
For the purpose of Spiritual Vitalism, the definition of the Universal Vital Force is, ‘the
unseen energy field that generates and permeates all physical matter and living things,
and the spiritual energy behind all supernatural phenomena including, but not limited to,
psychic experiences and ghosts’. The existence of the Vital Force means that
reincarnation, the afterlife, enlightenment, chakras and karma are fully logical and
possible, no concept of a creator deity is needed.
Many, like me, who have turned atheist at one point or another are often led back to the
spiritual community when a person sees a ghost, or experiences clairvoyance (and then
is scoffed at by hard core atheists). The Universal Vital Force makes perfect sense
when a person such as myself consistently finds a way to disprove a supreme deity
and/or has a serious aversion to the word and concept of god (all the atrocities
committed in its name(s), for example), and yet it is obvious that there is “something
there”. With the Vital Force the idea of a god or gods becomes irrelevant, and the
spiritual energy that flows around us all is freely and directly accessible to each of us if
the right techniques are used.
The Universal Vital Force is accessed and utilized through meditation. Meditation is well
accepted as a metaphysical basic practice, and it is growing acceptance in the medical
and psychological fields as a healthy practice that can relieve stress and benefit health.
Meditation would be the key to accessing and utilizing the power of the Vital Force, and
open your psychic faculties. The only way to open the inner eyes and explore this
spiritual energy is through meditation.
There are many different techniques used to access this energy, and the two most basic
that should be mastered first are from Buddhism. While the Buddha never actually
described this Force in any known sutra, it is quite often implied. Reincarnation is
accepted as a fact, the possibility of psychic phenomena during meditation such as
clairvoyance, and the supernatural powers of the Buddha (which are probably grossly
exaggerated) such as what we call astral projection are mentioned in various sutras.
Buddha did indeed speak of the lack of a celestial deity, so what would be the source of
these experiences and abilities?
The first meditation technique is called Samatha. Samatha means tranquility of the
mind. This technique is practiced by first relaxing the body, then bringing your mind to a
state of peace where no extraneous thoughts invade your relaxed mind. There are
many techniques described in books and throughout the internet, and you will need to
find the one that works best for you. Samatha meditation will be one that you will
always come back to no matter how advanced a meditator you become because it will
allow you to rejuvenate a tired mind and body easily, and opens your mind up to sudden
insights- in Buddhism this state is called Samadhi. When you are adept at Samatha and
can easily bring yourself to a state of physical and mental peace, you will be ready for
the next technique.
The second technique is called concentrative meditation. This is where you train your
mind to focus, you bring your mental focus to a single point and hold it there. This
meditation, once mastered, will allow you to deliberately find answers, focus energy,
solve a problem, heal something specific, etc… There are countless ways to achieve
this meditational ability which are available from many sources like Samatha. The most
common and popular way is to focus on the third eye area of the forehead. The one that
worked best for me is to bring your attention to the very center of the inside of your head
space. When you are able to keep your concentration focussed at will for as long as you
like you are ready for other techniques, including mindfulness meditation, which I
recommend as the next technique to master. These aforementioned techniques are
vitally necessary to strengthen and protect the mind before attempting to directly access
the energy all around us, and I implore you not to skip them for your own well-being.
Besides meditation, it is important to relearn and adjust yourself to living in harmony
with the Vital Force. This probably won’t be as difficult as you might think, as you are
probably doing most of them already. The most basic values you can have are humanist
values- kindness, respect and consideration for yourself and the world around you. This
should really go without saying, but I have found myself disappointed time and time
again when I try to share my spirituality and it is assumed that a pure energy belief is
some sort of immoral free for all. It most certainly is not, and anyone using this
spirituality in such a manner will be in for a serious disappointment.
There is something known as the Golden Rule that is present in every single spiritual
system in one way or another. In Christianity, it is expressed as, “Do unto others as you
would have them do unto you,” in Wicca, it is, “An it harm none, do as thou wilt,” and
others simply say, “What comes around goes around”. This Golden rule exists for a
reason; this little thing known as karma. Some skeptics like to say that karma is only a
tale told to scare people into being nice. But I can assure you that it is quite real, and if
you observe the world around you carefully, you will eventually see that as well. Keep
this in mind as you learn and explore.
A quick word about karma involving attempts to debunk it. The world is filled with
random events, so please understand not everything is karma. Bad things happen to
good people and good things happen to bad people. Sometimes bad things happen to
good people because someone is earning their bad karma. It is so important to not
equate every event and circumstance with karma. In his teachings, Buddha explained
that bad past karma can be erased and good karma can be accrued through meditation
and correct living, this is so with Vitalist spirituality as well.
Thankfully, each of us, presumably, is born with three invaluable attributes: a
conscience, intuition, and logic. So no matter what ideas or advice you choose to try,
and what you experience, always utilize these three attributes. If anything violates any
one of them take a step back and reevaluate before following through.
Remember the old adage, “as above so below”? That applies to the Universal Vital
Force, as well. Observe nature, the cosmos, and human society, and notice that not
everything is safe, danger exists and deadly situations can arise. And so it is with the
Vital Force. The energy which causes both stars and wolverines to exist wouldn’t
necessarily always be kind and gentle, would it? And since it is also inhabited by the
rest of the world, anger, the poor intentions of others and even the strife caused by war
would create turbulence in this energy. You will also be accessing the realm of the dead,
and if you have ever watched ghost hunting shows, you can observe the spirits of the
dead can get quite nasty and even attack. So tread into the unknown slowly and gently.
It might sound cliche, but to approach the world in a state of loving kindness is your best
attitude in general. This does not mean allow yourself to be taken advantage of, or to
give too much of yourself. This means that we should send out a vibration of loving
kindness to the world around us, and to ourselves. Loving kindness does not preclude
being angry when appropriate or hating what truly ought to be hated. In fact, with the
Vital Force a full range of properly functioning emotions is imperative to correct
utilization of our personal energy force and interaction with the greater force.
Buddhist philosophy, in my personal experience and practice, is a great place to start
relearning behavior and attitudes which separate us from the Vital Force. But as many
of us have so often pointed out, it is sadly flawed, and is probably a far cry from what
Buddha had originally intended. The Buddha never wrote down his (or their, as the case
may be) own words, and in fact they were often handed down by word of mouth for
centuries before being recorded in writing. So don’t limit yourself to only the Buddhist
sutras. There are countless books and manuals on spirituality and philosophy from all
over the world, and also don’t forget your most important asset, personal experience.
There are certain teachings within Buddhism which might actually impede your
connection to the Vital Force, because they are too extreme. Non-attachment is
probably the best and most obvious example. The whole reason for this is that
Buddhists, in general, believe that the entire cycle of life, death and rebirth is to be
ended and escaped (although this is a matter of debate), and the only way to escape it
is to become unattached to everything. In a sense, they are right, if you completely
detach yourself from life you probably will not reincarnate. I don’t know about you, but I
would prefer to return. I sometimes think that perhaps Buddha was being sarcastic
when he said this, and was expressing that the only way you will never experience
suffering at all would be to cease to exist.
Aside from the reincarnation issue, being attached to and loving the world and others
strengthens and protects them. Their love, in turn, strengthens and protects you. Other
differences include desire- in Buddhism all desire is considered to lead to suffering
(although in reality, if you read the actual sutra involving desire, it is much more complex
than this). In Vitalism, desire can draw what you desire to you like a magnet, which
makes you more likely to get what you desire if you do the right things to get it. Incorrect
desires are what would lead you and others to suffering. Vitalism is more sex and
pleasure positive. Remember the old cliche’, moderation in everything. Yet, despite
these contradictions, Buddhism still has a plethora of teachings which are completely in
harmony with the Vital Force, and should not be disregarded.
The biggest hurdle you will probably face if you choose the path of Vitalist spirituality is
to not equate the Universal Vital Force with god. For the energies to work correctly, it is
necessary to avoid placing god-like expectations upon it. It works in its own unique way,
and usually far differently than what is traditionally attributed to god. You can not just put
your faith in it and expect to get what you want. It has been said, “where your attention
goes, the energy flows”, so if you need healing to occur, you must put your own
intentions and effort into the healing, and the Vital Force will add to it. But keep an open
mind, as it might not come the way you expect or want it. The Vital Force might lead you
to a new doctor or even an herb or medicine needed to facilitate the healing you desire,
or even away from the cause of the problem. As Yoda said in The Empire Strikes Back,
“You must unlearn what you have learned.”
All this leads to the question of evil, is it real? Evil can be very subjective; one person’s
evil is another person’s goodness. So it would depend on your definition of evil. If the
definition of evil in question is, “That which harms or destroys the innocent, damages
the quality of life for that which must exist and threatens to destroy all that exists and
obliterate life itself”, then yes it exists. However, the Vital Force did not create evil. Once
something is generated by the Vital Force, it has its own free will and sadly over the
countless millennia countless have gone astray from it. The Butterfly Effect and the
interconnectedness of all things is widely accepted in metaphysics circles and a key
understanding of Vitalist spirituality. One harmful act can set off a chain reaction of harm
that can destroy something seemingly disconnected on the other side of the world.
Everything that you do, say and think has an effect on the spiritual energy around us,
like ripples in a pond. If you throw enough rocks and pebbles in a pond, the ripples can
become waves. Evil or harmful acts do this in the energy around us and can take on a
destructive force of their own. It is up to the individual whether or not they choose to
add to this destructive force of evil, or choose instead to counteract it with a force of
goodness. Sometimes this destructive energy can hit a person for seemingly no reason,
if this does, sometimes our first instinct is to blame the Vital Force, but this is foolish
when it is the Vital Force which can provide the healing power needed to help recover
from this, and the protective power to prevent it from harming you again.
To begin exploring the Universal Vital Force, start small. Begin with a short period of
meditation each day, five or ten minutes will suffice, with the definition I have given of
the Vital Force in the back of your mind. Do a progressive relaxation and work on
quieting your thoughts. Eventually, you will be able to commune with this Force.
As well as meditation, work on caring for yourself. Your greatest asset with the Vital
Force is your drive for self improvement. Every path begins within. The Vital Force is not
interested in Buddhas, saints or holy beings, but instead in fully functional human
beings who seek to improve themselves and the world around them. Learn to be gentle
and honest with yourself and others. Work on being fully present in the here and now,
instead of dwelling on the past or having your head in the clouds of an imagined future.
Learn to overcome negative personality traits and replace them with positive- let
arrogance become humility tempered with healthy pride, greed replaced with gratitude.
The more functional you are the better the Vital Force will work for you.
Become an observer. Observe the cycles of nature, the growth of plants, the movement
of the cosmos, the effects your thoughts and attitudes have on yourself and the people
around you. The more you observe the better you will come to see the subtle workings
of the Vital Force in the world around you, and the better you will be able to harmonize
with it.
A path is made one small step at a time. The path of the Vital Force is as complex as
the Force itself. But despite this complexity, it can be a path that leads you to great
spiritual rewards.
May the Force be with you! (I love saying that!)
Here is a suggested “get started” reading and watching list; there are so many more:
Buddhist Sutras:
The Dhammapada
The Kalama Sutta
The Heart Sutra
The Diamond Sutra
Other:
Sayings of Buddha and Dharma Sutra by Tsai Chih Chung (These are very cute comic
book style translations of the most basic teachings of Buddhism. They make Buddhism
pleasant and accessible for the beginner.)
The Tao te Ching by Lao Tzu
The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield (so many points hit the workings of the Vital
Force head on)
Truth or Dare by Starhawk (This is Wiccan goddess-based, but his exploration of power
and myth was invaluable in my understanding of the Vital Force and the strange
experiences that may come with it.)
Life Force, the Scientific Basis: Breakthrough Physics of Energy Medicine, Healing, Chi
and Quantum Consciousness by Dr. Claude Swanson
The Quantum Mind and Healing by Arnold Mindell, PH.D.
The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins (Although this is not about energy, it is an
excellent read to help overcome any nagging fears there might be a god you are
offending and placing God-like expectations on the Vital Force.)
The Jedi Path by Daniel Wallace (this book is fictional Star Wars memorabilia, but
contains concepts and ideas which can be of great help in discovering the real Vital
Force)
Frank Herbert’s Dune series (Although no metaphysical force is ever specifically
mentioned in these classic science fiction works, there is meaning and wisdom in these
books that might help you, as it did me, to find it.)
Movies:
What the Bleep Do We Know?
21-87 (a short film that inspired George Lucas’s creation of the Force in Star Wars. Can
be found on Youtube.)
The Star Wars movie series (having an understanding of this fictional Force can give
you a basis for understanding the real thing.)
Final Fantasy: Advent Children (its animated depiction of the Lifestream is beautiful and
mind-opening, even if exaggerated.)
Final Fantasy: The Spirits WIthin (Their depiction of Gaia might be a bit too on the science fiction, magical side to be realistic, but it's still a good way to open your mind to the "something else". )
Bio: Alecia Windfelder has an bachelor’s degree in metaphysics and has been studying
metaphysics, spiritualities, and occult practices since her preteen years. She is currently
working on her master’s degree and ultimately on her doctorate. There has been no
other way to go for her, since ghosts and clairvoyant experiences throughout her life
proved there was more to life than the mundane world. Vitalist spirituality is her own
practice, created for herself, after years of studying countless religions and spiritual
practices in an attempt to make sense of and strengthen abilities she was taught do not
exist. She says, “Sharing this spirituality with others seems necessary after seeing so
many other Universal energy believers attacked and belittled for their beliefs, as well as
seekers who have not been given the option of exploring a ‘third option’ in spirituality.”
Image: https://depositphotos.com/purchased/view/263486970.html
throughout the ancient and modern worlds. In Hinduism, it is called prana, and includes
the concept of a universal prana, energy belonging to the universe itself. This concept
arose in China and Japan where it is called Chi, or Qi. In Europe, the ancient Nordic
and Germanic tribes had a concept they called the Wyrd or Urd, which meant the web
of life and fate. In the indigenous Polynesian religions existed the concept of Mana, a
spiritual life force energy which permeates the universe. Even among many Native
American tribal beliefs was a life force energy known by names such as Orenda and
Manitou. Thorough study will reveal many more.
The belief in this spiritual energy has been so persistent that through the 18th and early
20th centuries there was actually a field of science known as Vitalism (the origin of the
name of this spirituality). The principle behind Vitalism was that the origin and
phenomena of life are dependent on a force or principle distinct from purely chemical or
physical forces. Vitalism holds the nature of life as resulting from a vital life force
peculiar to living organisms and different from all other forces found outside living
things. Vitalists argued that life could not be reduced to a mere mechanistic process.
Although Vitalism was never widely accepted in serious scientific circles, many
scientists dedicated their entire careers to it. From these studies we get names for this
energy such as Orgone, Odic Force, and Elan Vital. The study of the history of Vitalism
is fascinating in and of itself.
Unfortunately, Vitalism was officially ‘debunked’ in 1828. Vitalist chemists predicted that
organic materials could not be synthesized from inorganic components but Friedrich
Wöhler synthesized urea from inorganic components. However, the problem with
synthetic urea was this: urea is a waste product excreted in urine. Urea is not a vital
fluid needed to sustain life, nor is urea itself alive (blood, for example, contains living
cells). And while chemists try to say that ‘urea is urea’, synthetic and organic urea are
not identical. Organic and synthetic urea, as it turns out, are atomically dissimilar, and
behave differently when used in agriculture as a fertilizer (urea’s main use). Yet, despite
this illogical debunking, the study of Vitalism persisted into the early twentieth century.
To this day, no truly organic substance has been synthesized from inorganic
substances. No biological life has ever been produced from something inorganic. And
despite the advancement of scientific technology and understanding of mechanistic
processes, scientists still can't figure out how life itself came to be. Yet, Vitalism is still
relegated to a pseudoscience and placed within the sphere of mysticism.
Einstein's theory that energy becomes matter is widely accepted as scientific fact. Even
in our time scientists have discovered that in a vacuum of seeming nothingness
particles of matter, known as virtual particles, will blink in and out of existence many
times before coming to fully exist. Wouldn't the energy that becomes living matter be
fundamentally different from energy that becomes inert matter?
This gives question to the existence of both a lifeforce and to a greater energy force that
forms all matter, including the living, a Universal Vital Force. It is highly likely such an
energy force exists, and despite the fact that it is not scientifically proven, can be utilized
for the improvement and enrichment of a person’s life.
For the purpose of Spiritual Vitalism, the definition of the Universal Vital Force is, ‘the
unseen energy field that generates and permeates all physical matter and living things,
and the spiritual energy behind all supernatural phenomena including, but not limited to,
psychic experiences and ghosts’. The existence of the Vital Force means that
reincarnation, the afterlife, enlightenment, chakras and karma are fully logical and
possible, no concept of a creator deity is needed.
Many, like me, who have turned atheist at one point or another are often led back to the
spiritual community when a person sees a ghost, or experiences clairvoyance (and then
is scoffed at by hard core atheists). The Universal Vital Force makes perfect sense
when a person such as myself consistently finds a way to disprove a supreme deity
and/or has a serious aversion to the word and concept of god (all the atrocities
committed in its name(s), for example), and yet it is obvious that there is “something
there”. With the Vital Force the idea of a god or gods becomes irrelevant, and the
spiritual energy that flows around us all is freely and directly accessible to each of us if
the right techniques are used.
The Universal Vital Force is accessed and utilized through meditation. Meditation is well
accepted as a metaphysical basic practice, and it is growing acceptance in the medical
and psychological fields as a healthy practice that can relieve stress and benefit health.
Meditation would be the key to accessing and utilizing the power of the Vital Force, and
open your psychic faculties. The only way to open the inner eyes and explore this
spiritual energy is through meditation.
There are many different techniques used to access this energy, and the two most basic
that should be mastered first are from Buddhism. While the Buddha never actually
described this Force in any known sutra, it is quite often implied. Reincarnation is
accepted as a fact, the possibility of psychic phenomena during meditation such as
clairvoyance, and the supernatural powers of the Buddha (which are probably grossly
exaggerated) such as what we call astral projection are mentioned in various sutras.
Buddha did indeed speak of the lack of a celestial deity, so what would be the source of
these experiences and abilities?
The first meditation technique is called Samatha. Samatha means tranquility of the
mind. This technique is practiced by first relaxing the body, then bringing your mind to a
state of peace where no extraneous thoughts invade your relaxed mind. There are
many techniques described in books and throughout the internet, and you will need to
find the one that works best for you. Samatha meditation will be one that you will
always come back to no matter how advanced a meditator you become because it will
allow you to rejuvenate a tired mind and body easily, and opens your mind up to sudden
insights- in Buddhism this state is called Samadhi. When you are adept at Samatha and
can easily bring yourself to a state of physical and mental peace, you will be ready for
the next technique.
The second technique is called concentrative meditation. This is where you train your
mind to focus, you bring your mental focus to a single point and hold it there. This
meditation, once mastered, will allow you to deliberately find answers, focus energy,
solve a problem, heal something specific, etc… There are countless ways to achieve
this meditational ability which are available from many sources like Samatha. The most
common and popular way is to focus on the third eye area of the forehead. The one that
worked best for me is to bring your attention to the very center of the inside of your head
space. When you are able to keep your concentration focussed at will for as long as you
like you are ready for other techniques, including mindfulness meditation, which I
recommend as the next technique to master. These aforementioned techniques are
vitally necessary to strengthen and protect the mind before attempting to directly access
the energy all around us, and I implore you not to skip them for your own well-being.
Besides meditation, it is important to relearn and adjust yourself to living in harmony
with the Vital Force. This probably won’t be as difficult as you might think, as you are
probably doing most of them already. The most basic values you can have are humanist
values- kindness, respect and consideration for yourself and the world around you. This
should really go without saying, but I have found myself disappointed time and time
again when I try to share my spirituality and it is assumed that a pure energy belief is
some sort of immoral free for all. It most certainly is not, and anyone using this
spirituality in such a manner will be in for a serious disappointment.
There is something known as the Golden Rule that is present in every single spiritual
system in one way or another. In Christianity, it is expressed as, “Do unto others as you
would have them do unto you,” in Wicca, it is, “An it harm none, do as thou wilt,” and
others simply say, “What comes around goes around”. This Golden rule exists for a
reason; this little thing known as karma. Some skeptics like to say that karma is only a
tale told to scare people into being nice. But I can assure you that it is quite real, and if
you observe the world around you carefully, you will eventually see that as well. Keep
this in mind as you learn and explore.
A quick word about karma involving attempts to debunk it. The world is filled with
random events, so please understand not everything is karma. Bad things happen to
good people and good things happen to bad people. Sometimes bad things happen to
good people because someone is earning their bad karma. It is so important to not
equate every event and circumstance with karma. In his teachings, Buddha explained
that bad past karma can be erased and good karma can be accrued through meditation
and correct living, this is so with Vitalist spirituality as well.
Thankfully, each of us, presumably, is born with three invaluable attributes: a
conscience, intuition, and logic. So no matter what ideas or advice you choose to try,
and what you experience, always utilize these three attributes. If anything violates any
one of them take a step back and reevaluate before following through.
Remember the old adage, “as above so below”? That applies to the Universal Vital
Force, as well. Observe nature, the cosmos, and human society, and notice that not
everything is safe, danger exists and deadly situations can arise. And so it is with the
Vital Force. The energy which causes both stars and wolverines to exist wouldn’t
necessarily always be kind and gentle, would it? And since it is also inhabited by the
rest of the world, anger, the poor intentions of others and even the strife caused by war
would create turbulence in this energy. You will also be accessing the realm of the dead,
and if you have ever watched ghost hunting shows, you can observe the spirits of the
dead can get quite nasty and even attack. So tread into the unknown slowly and gently.
It might sound cliche, but to approach the world in a state of loving kindness is your best
attitude in general. This does not mean allow yourself to be taken advantage of, or to
give too much of yourself. This means that we should send out a vibration of loving
kindness to the world around us, and to ourselves. Loving kindness does not preclude
being angry when appropriate or hating what truly ought to be hated. In fact, with the
Vital Force a full range of properly functioning emotions is imperative to correct
utilization of our personal energy force and interaction with the greater force.
Buddhist philosophy, in my personal experience and practice, is a great place to start
relearning behavior and attitudes which separate us from the Vital Force. But as many
of us have so often pointed out, it is sadly flawed, and is probably a far cry from what
Buddha had originally intended. The Buddha never wrote down his (or their, as the case
may be) own words, and in fact they were often handed down by word of mouth for
centuries before being recorded in writing. So don’t limit yourself to only the Buddhist
sutras. There are countless books and manuals on spirituality and philosophy from all
over the world, and also don’t forget your most important asset, personal experience.
There are certain teachings within Buddhism which might actually impede your
connection to the Vital Force, because they are too extreme. Non-attachment is
probably the best and most obvious example. The whole reason for this is that
Buddhists, in general, believe that the entire cycle of life, death and rebirth is to be
ended and escaped (although this is a matter of debate), and the only way to escape it
is to become unattached to everything. In a sense, they are right, if you completely
detach yourself from life you probably will not reincarnate. I don’t know about you, but I
would prefer to return. I sometimes think that perhaps Buddha was being sarcastic
when he said this, and was expressing that the only way you will never experience
suffering at all would be to cease to exist.
Aside from the reincarnation issue, being attached to and loving the world and others
strengthens and protects them. Their love, in turn, strengthens and protects you. Other
differences include desire- in Buddhism all desire is considered to lead to suffering
(although in reality, if you read the actual sutra involving desire, it is much more complex
than this). In Vitalism, desire can draw what you desire to you like a magnet, which
makes you more likely to get what you desire if you do the right things to get it. Incorrect
desires are what would lead you and others to suffering. Vitalism is more sex and
pleasure positive. Remember the old cliche’, moderation in everything. Yet, despite
these contradictions, Buddhism still has a plethora of teachings which are completely in
harmony with the Vital Force, and should not be disregarded.
The biggest hurdle you will probably face if you choose the path of Vitalist spirituality is
to not equate the Universal Vital Force with god. For the energies to work correctly, it is
necessary to avoid placing god-like expectations upon it. It works in its own unique way,
and usually far differently than what is traditionally attributed to god. You can not just put
your faith in it and expect to get what you want. It has been said, “where your attention
goes, the energy flows”, so if you need healing to occur, you must put your own
intentions and effort into the healing, and the Vital Force will add to it. But keep an open
mind, as it might not come the way you expect or want it. The Vital Force might lead you
to a new doctor or even an herb or medicine needed to facilitate the healing you desire,
or even away from the cause of the problem. As Yoda said in The Empire Strikes Back,
“You must unlearn what you have learned.”
All this leads to the question of evil, is it real? Evil can be very subjective; one person’s
evil is another person’s goodness. So it would depend on your definition of evil. If the
definition of evil in question is, “That which harms or destroys the innocent, damages
the quality of life for that which must exist and threatens to destroy all that exists and
obliterate life itself”, then yes it exists. However, the Vital Force did not create evil. Once
something is generated by the Vital Force, it has its own free will and sadly over the
countless millennia countless have gone astray from it. The Butterfly Effect and the
interconnectedness of all things is widely accepted in metaphysics circles and a key
understanding of Vitalist spirituality. One harmful act can set off a chain reaction of harm
that can destroy something seemingly disconnected on the other side of the world.
Everything that you do, say and think has an effect on the spiritual energy around us,
like ripples in a pond. If you throw enough rocks and pebbles in a pond, the ripples can
become waves. Evil or harmful acts do this in the energy around us and can take on a
destructive force of their own. It is up to the individual whether or not they choose to
add to this destructive force of evil, or choose instead to counteract it with a force of
goodness. Sometimes this destructive energy can hit a person for seemingly no reason,
if this does, sometimes our first instinct is to blame the Vital Force, but this is foolish
when it is the Vital Force which can provide the healing power needed to help recover
from this, and the protective power to prevent it from harming you again.
To begin exploring the Universal Vital Force, start small. Begin with a short period of
meditation each day, five or ten minutes will suffice, with the definition I have given of
the Vital Force in the back of your mind. Do a progressive relaxation and work on
quieting your thoughts. Eventually, you will be able to commune with this Force.
As well as meditation, work on caring for yourself. Your greatest asset with the Vital
Force is your drive for self improvement. Every path begins within. The Vital Force is not
interested in Buddhas, saints or holy beings, but instead in fully functional human
beings who seek to improve themselves and the world around them. Learn to be gentle
and honest with yourself and others. Work on being fully present in the here and now,
instead of dwelling on the past or having your head in the clouds of an imagined future.
Learn to overcome negative personality traits and replace them with positive- let
arrogance become humility tempered with healthy pride, greed replaced with gratitude.
The more functional you are the better the Vital Force will work for you.
Become an observer. Observe the cycles of nature, the growth of plants, the movement
of the cosmos, the effects your thoughts and attitudes have on yourself and the people
around you. The more you observe the better you will come to see the subtle workings
of the Vital Force in the world around you, and the better you will be able to harmonize
with it.
A path is made one small step at a time. The path of the Vital Force is as complex as
the Force itself. But despite this complexity, it can be a path that leads you to great
spiritual rewards.
May the Force be with you! (I love saying that!)
Here is a suggested “get started” reading and watching list; there are so many more:
Buddhist Sutras:
The Dhammapada
The Kalama Sutta
The Heart Sutra
The Diamond Sutra
Other:
Sayings of Buddha and Dharma Sutra by Tsai Chih Chung (These are very cute comic
book style translations of the most basic teachings of Buddhism. They make Buddhism
pleasant and accessible for the beginner.)
The Tao te Ching by Lao Tzu
The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield (so many points hit the workings of the Vital
Force head on)
Truth or Dare by Starhawk (This is Wiccan goddess-based, but his exploration of power
and myth was invaluable in my understanding of the Vital Force and the strange
experiences that may come with it.)
Life Force, the Scientific Basis: Breakthrough Physics of Energy Medicine, Healing, Chi
and Quantum Consciousness by Dr. Claude Swanson
The Quantum Mind and Healing by Arnold Mindell, PH.D.
The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins (Although this is not about energy, it is an
excellent read to help overcome any nagging fears there might be a god you are
offending and placing God-like expectations on the Vital Force.)
The Jedi Path by Daniel Wallace (this book is fictional Star Wars memorabilia, but
contains concepts and ideas which can be of great help in discovering the real Vital
Force)
Frank Herbert’s Dune series (Although no metaphysical force is ever specifically
mentioned in these classic science fiction works, there is meaning and wisdom in these
books that might help you, as it did me, to find it.)
Movies:
What the Bleep Do We Know?
21-87 (a short film that inspired George Lucas’s creation of the Force in Star Wars. Can
be found on Youtube.)
The Star Wars movie series (having an understanding of this fictional Force can give
you a basis for understanding the real thing.)
Final Fantasy: Advent Children (its animated depiction of the Lifestream is beautiful and
mind-opening, even if exaggerated.)
Final Fantasy: The Spirits WIthin (Their depiction of Gaia might be a bit too on the science fiction, magical side to be realistic, but it's still a good way to open your mind to the "something else". )
Bio: Alecia Windfelder has an bachelor’s degree in metaphysics and has been studying
metaphysics, spiritualities, and occult practices since her preteen years. She is currently
working on her master’s degree and ultimately on her doctorate. There has been no
other way to go for her, since ghosts and clairvoyant experiences throughout her life
proved there was more to life than the mundane world. Vitalist spirituality is her own
practice, created for herself, after years of studying countless religions and spiritual
practices in an attempt to make sense of and strengthen abilities she was taught do not
exist. She says, “Sharing this spirituality with others seems necessary after seeing so
many other Universal energy believers attacked and belittled for their beliefs, as well as
seekers who have not been given the option of exploring a ‘third option’ in spirituality.”
Image: https://depositphotos.com/purchased/view/263486970.html
