Though difficult to define, this Vital Force may be thought of as the activating and animating energy of the universe itself. It is the basic substance from which everything in existence was first created. It condenses and disperses in alternating cycles of positive and negative, materializing in various ways, shapes and forms. It can neither be created nor destroyed, since there is nothing else in the universe from which to create it nor anywhere outside of itself for it to go when eliminated. Instead, the Vital Force simply transforms and reappears in new states of existence. It is like an infinite river, never changing in volume or strength of flow.

Since everything in creation is composed of this same Force, possesses this same Force, and is suspended in an ocean of this same Force, no simple definition exists for this paradoxical energy. A few of the terms I will use in my attempts to define this energy for you are Life-Force, Spirit Energy, Vital Force, etc. But, these are only words and, as such, are still not adequate to this monumental task.

The Grand Universe of Universes was originally one infinite, empty Void. Out of this No-Thing-Ness, two opposing but complimentary forces appeared (known to the Chinese, and recognized by many today, as Yin-Yang) and interacted with the neutrality of their source to create the relative world of physical matter. Your own personal life-force is indistinguishable and inseparable from the energy of the universe, and continually interchanges with it. When the flow is strong and unhindered, your body is strong and healthy. But, when the flow is weak or a blockage exists, your body becomes weak and sick. Should the flow be made to stop completely, the body will die.

Your daily intake of food, water and air is magickally transmuted into several different types of quasi-electrical energies through complex biochemical reactions within the digestive system. This energy is circulated via conductive tissues throughout the entire organism. Every cell of the body, then, functions like a miniature storage battery, building up substantial charges of this bioelectrical energy. Collectively, these countless storage cells create a very subtle electromagnetic field around the whole body. Under certain conditions, this fundamental Life-Force energy may interact with the oxygen molecules surrounding the physical form, ionizing them and creating a vague glow or aura effect, which may be easily seen by the untrained and naked eye.

Soviet scientists have, in recent years, begun to acknowledge the existence of this Life-Force, referring to it as "bioplasmic energy." They have even been able to measure its intensity, photograph its emanations, and observe its currents of movement. But, they are still puzzled as to its origins.

The Vital Force is actually three separate energies acting as one. First, there is the "seed" force of the physical body, rising up from the base of the spine. This is the essence of "brute strength." Then, there is the "breath" force of the Inner Self, radiating from the solar plexus. This is the same energy manipulated by the acupuncturist and source of the "inner strength" sought after by the martial artist. And, lastly, there is the "spirit" force, which emanates from the "Third Eye" at the center of the brow.

These three energies work together as the one Life-Force to animate the human being, both internally and externally, physically and spiritually. This is the primal substance of all life generated from the Great Emptiness, which courses through each and every cell of your body. It is Totality, the Mother/Father of All Things, spiraling around and above and below and through everything that is, was or ever shall be. It is the fundamental trinity of forces which science would recognize as electron, proton and neutron. It is the infinitely diverse balance of energies known as the Unified Field.

Most people think of an iceberg as just a chunk of frozen water that floats. Because they do not see it, they forget that nearly 85 percent of its bulk lies beneath the surface. In the same way, most people measure a person's power by his or her physical strength alone. Because they cannot see it, they forget that over 85 percent of a person's real power comes from the conscious mind and spirit. And, from the moment you were born until the moment you die, you have as much power at your disposal as you will ever have ---- Infinity.

A single human consciousness is more powerful than all else in the cosmos combined. Human consciousness is the only force that can alter the course of nature. Without consciousness, the course of nature is immutable, governed only by the laws of physics, and predictable. But, as modern science has observed, the universe seems chaotic. Such unpredictability arises from not taking into account the influence of human consciousness upon existence itself.

The body is a reflection of the mind. Mind and body are one. No true borders exist between them. Like steam and ice, they may appear separate and different, but they are both composed of the same primal energy, merely in different stages of manifestation. It is foolish to consider them to be two separate things. The mind cannot be seen, but its state can be determined by observing the condition of the body. If the mind is calm, then the body will also be calm and relaxed.

Water, in its natural state, is calm and without ripples. But, what about the mind? The brain is continually giving off electromagnetic vibrations, usually referred to as brain "waves." You cannot unify mind and body, or become one with the Force of the universe, if your brain waves are being disturbed by thoughts.

The following exercise is so simple that it is almost laughable. However, practice it religiously for just a few days and you will discover that you possess much more control over your own thoughts than you ever considered possible.
 
 

Think of a wave, a giant ocean wave, cresting and tumbling. Now, mentally, calm it by half. See its size decrease and its strength reduce. Then, calm it by half again. And, by half again. Continue the process to infinity, but notice that the wave is always half of its previous size and never reaches zero. If you were to stop the wave completely, it would lose its dynamic motion and become dead.

Meditate upon this imagery for three to five minutes, every time you feel yourself becoming overly agitated. If you become distracted and lose the image, do not start over from the beginning. Simply return to where you lost it and continue.

When the surface of a body of water becomes disturbed, it will not reflect an image accurately. The reflection will be warped and distorted. Likewise, when the mind is disturbed, everything it reflects upon will be distorted, also. This exercise will help you to calm the waters of your mind, allowing it to see the reflection of your world clearly and objectively.

Concentration is power. A gentle spray of water may be pleasant and refreshing, but a focused stream of liquid can cut through steel. The energy of the mind is no different. Like water gushing through a hose, energy flows freely and powerfully when the mind is calm and the body relaxed. This idea may seem strange, but that is only because the Vital Force is invisible.

Let me reiterate that you already have, here and now, at this very moment, as much power at your disposal as you will ever have ---- Infinity. Therefore, you cannot "develop"or "build-up" the Life-Force. You simply cannot produce more than infinity. Instead, think of yourself as a faucet, a tap through which the energy of the universe freely flows. If the valve is closed down, only a trickle of power will get through. But, if you open the valve wide, then a torrent of force can be put into use. It is actually just that simple. And, it does not take ten years or more of study and practice to achieve this kind of power.

The multidimensional body of the human being has eight energy centers, which may be thought of a little whirlpools of bioelectrical force, known as Chakra. They are normally invisible to the naked eye, but they are quite real nonetheless. Each one coincides with one of the ductless glands of the endocrine system (gonads, adrenals, pancreas, thymus, thyroid, pituitary, and pineal), as well as the spleen, and serves to stimulate the gland's production of hormones and other chemicals within the physical body. It is these chemicals in the blood stream, and absorbed by the tissues of various parts of the body, that controls all of the physical system's major functions -- including the aging process.

There are hundreds, maybe even thousands, of books and articles out there about these energy centers of the body. And, if that were not bad enough, none of their assorted authors seem able to agree upon anything from the number of Chakra to their functions. Even a simple definition of what these vortexes of energy are is still in heated dispute. Many "experts" have, however, come to believe that there are seven (7) centers and that each one equates to a color of the visible spectrum. I differ from these other authorities in that I use an eight (8) Chakra system and do not refer to any particular color scheme, since the energy is not usually visible to the human eye and, when it is, it will normally appear as a milky, colorless substance. So, please take everything that I say here with a large grain of salt and remember that this is still a subject of debate.

First, you must understand that the Chakra each function to affect certain organs of the body and their chemical responses. In a healthy human body, these "wheels" of energy revolve at great speed, permitting the Life-Force to flow upward through the endocrine system (gonads, adrenals, pancreas, spleen, thymus, thyroid, pituitary, and pineal glands). If a vortex does not perform properly, however, if its rate of spin is either too slow or too fast, the associated organ can deteriorate and become diseased or exhaust itself and be damaged. I know of no case where such conditions have actually killed anyone, but they can still make a person very sick and weak enough to succumb to other causes of death. Contrary to much that has been written on this subject, most externally caused diseases, which are the result of various germs and viruses, are not directly related to Chakra functions. If the system has been weakened, though, such diseases are more difficult to fend off and the body is more likely to become sick. The only difference between youthful good health and the diseases of old age is the rate of speed at which the Chakra spin. Regulate this rate and the old person will become new again.

In our so-called "New Age" many misguided people have taken up the practice of meditating upon certain Chakra in a vain attempt to control their energies and functions. This is not only a waste of time, but could even be a dangerous practice. Increasing the activity of a single Chakra would cause it to get out of synch with the others, disrupting the delicate balance of the entire system. I will not, for just that reason, bore you with any lengthy, scientific explanations of the individual Chakra and their functions. You simply do not need them. Instead, I will introduce you to a series of extremely easy exercises that are designed to normalize the spin of the Chakra, allowing them to perform the duties for which they were evolved, and blending them together to form a single pillar of energy that envelopes the entire body. This is the opening of the ninth Chakra, the "Thousand Petalled Lotus" that floats upon the waters of the Spirit.
 
 

If you were to perform only one exercise each day for the rest of your life, this should be it! No other exercise will do as much to regulate the spin of the Chakra, or to stimulate them into channeling larger amounts of energy through the pillar of your body. It is so simple, however, that most people will scoff at it and think that it is a waste of their time. Try it for a few days and you will see a marked improvement in your overall level of energy, mental outlook, physical coordination and grace of movement. Then, over time, you will come to look forward to this exercise each day almost as much as your morning coffee.

It is a scientific fact that the rotation of the earth causes water to spiral down a drain in a counterclockwise direction in the northern hemisphere and clockwise in the southern. This is known as the Coriolis Effect. But, in our everyday world, this does not seem to be the case. Water whirls down the drain in either direction, arbitrarily, and no such effect is readily visible. That does not mean that it does not exist. It may depend upon the direction of the pulse from the faucet, the slope of the porcelain at the drain hole, or any number of other factors that could deflect the water from its natural course.

The Life Energy of the body, although it flows very much like water, spirals in exact opposition to physical matter. Whereas water flows counterclockwise in a whirlpool, the Vital Force spirals clockwise within the human body. This may or may not be reversed in the southern hemisphere. As of yet, no such studies have been conducted to verify this. So, for this course of instruction, I will refer only to the clockwise spin of energy within the Chakra.

It was theorized by the ancient Mystic masters that nature travels in "creative" and "destructive" cycles, and that the Vital Force flows according to these same patterns. Therefore, if destructive forces, such as hurricanes and tornadoes, rotate in a counterclockwise direction, then the Creative Force should flow in a clockwise direction within the human body and the Chakra. By aligning your movements to this current, health and vitality should be restored.

Stand with your arms out-stretched, parallel to the floor or ground, and the palms of your hands face-down. Now, slowly at first, spin around in one place until you become dizzy. Then, stop. It is just that easy. But, be sure to spin only in a left to right direction. In other words, if you were to be looking down upon the face of a clock, you would spin around clockwise, following the same path as the sweeping hands around the dial. Spin only enough to become a little dizzy, ten or twelve repetitions for most adult beginners. Do not force yourself to keep going after the disorientation begins. Stop, and sit or lie down if you need. I had to do the same thing when I first began this simple practice. With time, however, you will be able to increase the count until you can do nearly fifty (50) turns in a little less than a minute.

This exercise should be performed twice a day, once in the early morning and once in the late evening. Never do more than fifty repetitions at one time, though. You will not benefit from extra rotations. In fact, you will only succeed in over-stimulating the Chakra and exhausting your energy, as well as possibly overdosing on your own body chemicals, which are produced by the endocrine glands. Just one minute of stimulation is enough to last twelve (12) hours, maybe even twenty-four (24). After all, once a stone is wet, pouring more water upon it will not make it any wetter.

The next exercise will demonstrate just how easy it is to accomplish complete control over the flow of your own energies. But, this is more than a static example of mental projection. It is a basic concept important to Mystical growth and, therefore, to everything else in life.
 
 

Stand facing a partner. Place your open right hand upon his or her left shoulder, palm up and your elbow slightly bent, so that you cannot "lock" the joint. Feel a warm flow of energy, originating from a point in your abdomen a few inches below your navel, coursing upward through your body and down into your arm. It expands your arm like a firehose, making it rigid with pressure, yet not tense. Like water from a hose, the energy should be felt to spray out of your fingertips and into infinity.

Now, have your partner place both of his or her hands over your forearm, just below the elbow. Using his or her shoulder for leverage, and pulling down upon your arm, have him or her try to bend it. Do not focus upon his or her efforts. Relax, and feel the warmth of the energy as it blasts out the ends of your fingers. Regardless of how slight or lacking in muscle you may be in comparison to your partner, the result will be the same ---- your extended arm will not bend. It has become like an iron bar, or a firehose under extreme pressure.

If you think that there is some other explanation for this "trick," simply try the same experiment again. But, this time, close your fist and try to prevent your arm from bending by brute force and strength alone. You will soon find that muscle power is inadequate to this task. The combined strength of both arms and the leverage of the shoulder gives your partner a definite advantage.
 
 

Light travels through space. Sound travels through air. There is no reason why the power of the mind should be any different. When the mind and body are relaxed, as you have seen, the Vital Force may be projected beyond the limits of the physical body. As valuable as this ability to project Life-Force might be, though, it can also put you at risk of another type of attack. This type of assault is subtle and difficult to detect, but not difficult to defend against.

Have you ever been near someone who seemed to just drain all the energy out of you, who made you tired and listless. Believe it or not, you have been the victim of a Vampire. No, they do not drink blood, nor do they wear black capes with high collars or speak with silly accents. But, they are Vampires, nevertheless. Psychic Vampires, if you will, and just as dangerous as the Hollywood variety. They drain the life-force from anyone close enough for them to make contact, absorbing the energy and feeding upon it. I have never heard of anyone actually being killed by such a creature, but why should you be the first? Especially when the defense against such an attack is so ridiculously simple.

Visualize a valve in your belly button. When you inhale, the valve opens inward, taking in life energy from the air. When you exhale, the valve snaps shut, sealing your power inside. Fix this imagery in your mind so firmly that you can actually feel the energy flowing into your abdomen with every inhalation. As you exhale, feel the energy circulate throughout your body.

Just like the creatures of legend, real Vampires cannot take anything from you without being invited. So, by sealing your energy off, you deny them access and prevent them from draining you of your power and life.