Instead of getting your energy from food, work or other people, spiritual author Deepak Chopra suggests finding infinite energy from the spirit that lives within you.
Where do you get your energy? Until you know the answer, your sources of energy will be limited. Food can only supply so many calories, and quite often, if those calories come from fat or sugar, there is actually a falling off or dulling of energy. If your energy comes from being with people, you won't be energized when you are alone. If your energy comes from working, it will last much longer and be more renewable but eventually bring fatigue.

What I'm suggesting is that everyone needs a supply of energy that is renewable, vibrant, unstressful and uplifting.

Such an energy supply is within you. It's your spiritual energy, and it comes from everywhere. The universe is grounded in infinite energy—I don't think anyone would argue that—and throughout the world's wisdom traditions, sages and teachers echo the same truth: You are the universe. The mystic Persian poet Rumi puts it beautifully when he reminds us that we aren't a drop in the ocean; we are the ocean in a drop.

So many people are focused on personal energy that they neglect to explore spiritual energy. Food, work, loving relationships and personal creativity all have their source in spiritual energy. Your whole body runs on it. I know that's hard to grasp at first, since two things stand in our way. The first is our current belief system, which holds that energy, like crude oil and natural gas, must be physical. Yet we all know that there's an enormous difference between being joyful and inspired, and being depressed and hopeless. If you can tap into the source of joy and inspiration, the existence of spiritual energy will never be doubted again.

The second obstacle is that we tend to block the flow of spiritual energy, mostly through things we never consider. To deny yourself spirit, to lose hope, and fail to trust and believe in yourself—all these are subtle, but powerful blocks. You cut off your spiritual source whenever you say "no" or when you obey the impulse of fear and anger. You cut yourself off from life energy when you get depressed or treat yourself as a victim.

In its natural state, life flows without obstacles. It evolves and grows. It brings new insights and creativity with every breath. We can say this for certain because your cells depend on vibrant, creative energy every second as they meet new challenges and respond to the 1,001 activities going on at any given moment. If you can change your belief system to be more in accord with your body, the physical side of life would begin to channel energy, in a nourishing way, to your mind and spirit.

Understand the power of "no"

Published 11/18/2009