While this chapter is meant to address energy work, I found it focused on spiritual development. "Spirit first, technique second," as the quote goes. We are introduced to the concept of chi or breath-energy. Breathing exercises are among the first I like to start with when I work with students and teach energy work.
The first part of this chapter then addresses preparing to raise energy. It looks at:
- proper diet
- regular exercise
- adequate rest
- flexible habits & routines
- and eliminating obstacles
A proper diet with nourish body, mind, and soul. It will give the body needed fuel for your energy working. Observing the effects of diet is important to understand your energy. For example, I know that coffee will only make me lethargic or nauseous. This helps not at all for energy work (despite what people say to me about how coffee is a booster. I am like part of that small maybe 3% of the population where coffee has the opposite effect). I know I need bread and cheese in my diet. If I go more than a couple days without bread of some sort, I become this "monster" that is not me. I am snarly and moody and very not me at all. I am not sure what is in bread that balances me, but something is there and my body needs it to function normally.
Regular exercise. The bodies we have were meant to be used, meant to be in motion. By exercising, you tone the body and move the natural energies within the body. And you find that as your body grows accustomed to it, you increase your capacity to handle and manipulate energy. Exercise energizes you! In Martial Arts, exercise helps hone and tone the body, as well as discipline the mind.
All living things need adequate rest. Rest helps sort the knots out and helps you recuperate energy. It is increasingly more difficult to do effective magic when you are tired.
While it is often said that a warrior has no routines, that routine is a danger, I disagree. Adults need routines as much as children do for a sense of security. The adult, however, needs to have a flexible routine, needs to be able to roll with the changes of life or create them to stir energy.
Eliminating obstacles is key to moving forward along the path. "If your house, your business, or your everyday activities are disorganized, then it is a pretty safe bet that your magick will be too."
It is at this point that the chapter moves to actual energy working techniques, basic ones. Breathing is the first energy work I recommend. This chapter then describes resonating sounds, which by extension can lead to the use of song and chant and music for raising energy. Also, mantras, like chants, have been used to induce a state of consciousness, raise an energy vibration, and/or connect with Divine. One cannot think of music and leave out such things as Drumming and then even dancing! Mudras, and katas can fall into this category of energy work.
The last part of energy work mentioned in this chapter is grounding. I would have made it the first part as I feel one must first be anchored before raising energy. But I do see the purpose here as it is referred to as a technique of regaining balance post energy work. It is for this reason that we eat after rituals.
