Energy Battle


the Basica




  People exchange energy all the time. It is part of normal, healthy human interaction - in public socializing, in private intimacy, in business transactions, in political discourse. Some exchanges are spontaneous and unorganized. Others are more planned, sometimes down to minute details. That there are situations in which people might make a point of intentionally playing with energy or directing it for some particular purpose is not a cause for alarm, so long as there is true, fully informed consent amongst all participants, with reasonable guidelines that are mutually agreed upon and followed throughout, and so long as no one suffers serious, long term, or permanent damage as a result of the activities.

  Energy exchange ceases to be healthy and becomes a cause for concern when it crosses over into the nonconsensual realm. Nonconsensual energy exchange can generally be divided into two main categories, with most real life examples being some combination of the two. One type involves the drawing off of energy from another, against the will of the one from whom the energy is taken. This theft is often (but not always) seen when one person deliberately commits a disturbing or disruptive act for the simple purpose of causing upset or other strong emotion in another. With this emotion comes a buildup of energy that can then be drawn off, leaving the upset individual feeling drained and shaken, while the instigator feels invigorated and powerful. Instances of theft can involve multiple attackers and targets.

  A second type of nonconsensual energy exchange involves the pouring of energy by one person into another. This is done by the offending individual creating a field or burst of some sort that is then absorbed by anyone close enough to be affected. Tantrums, batterings, rapes, and acts of revenge usually fall into this category. The effort being made by the offender is to dump off unwanted emotions by forcing them to be hosted by someone else. But disappointment is common, as offenders sooner or later realize that the rejected feelings remain. What has occurred is that the attacker has become exhausted by throwing energy into the victim. But it is not possible, as the offender eventually may realize, to remove emotions and transplant them into someone else. When the attacker checks to see if the transfer has occurred, which is the reason for looking to see anguish in the victim, what is really observed is new emotion that has been generated in that individual. People can sense the feelings of others, but they cannot take them on. They experience their own emotions. Only energy has moved during the attack, rendering the offender drained and miserable, while the target is left overloaded. As long as the offender doesn't understand what has transpired, can not come up with a better option for dealing with undesired feelings, or is disinterested in doing things any other way, this person will continue doing the same thing over and over, regardless of the failure inherent in the result. As with the draining of energy, this type of act can involve multiple participants on one or both sides.

  And what becomes of those who fall prey to the forced movement of energy? They may find that being robbed leads them to become thieves or being unloaded into makes them dumpers, thus passing the problem on to still others rather directly. Alternately, they may discover that they settle into having their energy pulled away or absorbing whatever is thrown off by others and begin to look for opportunities to continue in that manner, as if the loss or gain were inevitable, feeling that the only control they can have is to seek out the exchanges on their own terms. As a third option, they may simply close up, becoming increasingly unable to have even healthy exchanges, fearing that to consent is to agree to be abused without putting up a defense - or even to automatically become an abuser. The more severe the attacks, the greater their number, and the longer the period during which successful attacks are suffered, the worse the situation becomes. Freedom and security can only be found by learning to recognize when there is an issue, leaving or avoiding attack zones when possible and reasonable, doing whatever is appropriate to heal the inflicted wounds, and learning proper self-defense.

  What must be understood here is that the struggle against such violations is an internal battle more than an external one. There is a point at which those who believe they can engage in the combat by taking up arms and lining up on sides may actually find that they have unwittingly joined the ranks they sought to oppose. This is not to say that the threat should be ignored or dealt with only in "fluffy, feel-good" terms. But we must realize that the first step is to look honestly and boldly within - and not only once. On an ongoing basis, we must keep ourselves in check, because we have all done these things, to varying degrees, without thinking, on multiple occasions in our lives. The battle lines are drawn within when we see what we do and actively decide whether we want to continue or not. The sides between people are then divided by those who actively wish, knowing what they do, to continue to pursue a life of theft and/or dumping by outright force, subtle coercion, or covert manipulation and those who oppose such actions both in themselves and in others even as they honestly recognize that they are imperfect and may sometimes make mistakes which they may then need to address.

  Why has there been so much damage to the environment, so much war and other violence, such neglect of the needy? The reasons are complex. But the root of the trouble can be traced back to nonconsensual energy exchange. Both kinds have their limited and temporary appeal for those who believe they have a right to immediate gratification on demand, without regard to the rights and wellbeing of others. After all, what is power to such a one if not the ability to simply take from or burden others at will? The greedy accumulation of all kinds of wealth, no matter how earthly and material, represents the hoarding of energy. Indiscriminately foisting off garbage onto others so that only they must deal with its toxicity and distasteful presence represents the disposal of energy. Those who would do this by force seek the power of having unilateral control over such events. From their corrupted point of view, they see nothing greater or more worthwhile. But their way leads not only to annihilation of the physical but also to spiritual death.

  Here, then, is our moment. We must, each one of us, decide. Be true to yourself. Know where you stand. This particular moment is not about error and accident. It is about intent. While meaning well is only a beginning and must be followed up by corresponding action, the distinction of intent must be made. Open your eyes and make your choice. Let all else flow from there.



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