FUNDAMENTALS |
BELIEFS A — Z |
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INSPIRATION |
ENCYCLOPEDIA |
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Life EnergyVital Breath and Other Life Forces
Maybe life energy could simply be explained as a symbolic way of celebrating the joy of being alive: the breath of life, without which we quickly perish.
Life Energy FundamentalsAlthough life energy beliefs have existed for ages, modern biology is yet to prove or disprove it. So, how has the life energy emerged in human thought? What does it describe and what does it say about how we perceive life? I speculate on the possible answers to those questions here (click the header to read it).
Life Energy Concepts Around the WorldThere are countless examples of life energy ideas in the many cultures of the world, from the dawn of human civilization to the present. I've gathered all these concepts and similar ones (it took a few years), listing them in a little Life Energy Encyclopedia.There are indeed many near-synonyms to the life energy concept, as we know it from the Latin spiritus, the Greek pneuma, the Indian prana, the Chinese qi (or chi), and so on. But here are also many concepts that have been regarded as examples of a life energy, although at closer examination it's clear that they are not. Beliefs from distant times and cultures are not that easy to comprehend, so we frequently fall into the trap of expecting them to be exact counterparts to old ideas of ours. That's far from always the case. Those concepts that are indeed examples of a life energy, though, show several similarities — but still some significant differences, which help us to understand the life energy idea in the human mind. Here is my little encyclopedia of all those examples of life energy and similar ideas, as well as the concepts erroneously regarded as belonging to this category (click the header).
Life Energy ExercisesThe most common life energy concept, the breath of life — qi/chi, prana, etc. — can be stimulated to increase. Thereby the life energy rises to something far more than the mere consumption of oxygen, and extends way beyond the reach of our bodies. You will definitely feel the difference.You don't have to believe in the life energy to try it. Keep an open but also critical mind, and make your decision afterwards. Life is a wondrous mystery. What brightens it up is precious, whether it can be seen in a microscope or not. So, give it a chance if you're the least bit curious about what has kept the idea of a life energy present in human minds through thousands of years. Here's my website about the Chinese life energy concept qi and how to exercise it (click the header to go there).
About CookiesMy Other Websites
Qi Energy ExercisesThe ancient Chinese life energy qi (chi) explained and how to exercise it.
Creation MythsCreation stories from around the world, and the ancient cosmology they reveal.
Cosmos of the AncientsWhat the Greek philosophers believed about the cosmos, their religion and their gods.
TaoisticTaoism, the ancient Chinese philosophy of life explained. Also, the complete Tao Te Ching online.
Other Books of Mine
The Greek philosophers and what they thought about cosmology, myth, and the gods. Click the image to see the book at Amazon (paid link). |
Life Energy Encyclopedia
Qi — Increase your life energy
Cosmos of the Ancients
Archetypes of Mythology
Tao Te Ching
Fake Lao Tzu Quotes
Stefan Stenudd