Three Keys to Harnessing Your Energy

by Adryan Eastin

“Go plant-based” was the first thing I heard one March morning after waking up. The message was clear, audible, and undeniable. I looked around to see who had delivered the message; however, I was alone. Confused and groggy, I closed my eyes and pretended that I did not hear it. The thought of a plant-based lifestyle seemed scary and honestly, I did not feel ready for the challenge.

The message lingered in my mind throughout the days that followed. Intimidated and rebellious, I went out of my way to eat all the meat that I could find. However, I noticed that doing so did not remove what I heard. Nearly one week after being “advised” to go plant-based, I surrendered and decided to give it a try. Within one month of my new lifestyle, I noticed that going plant-based was easier to implement in my life than what I had initially thought. For me, it was as simple as replacing meat with legumes like beans, chickpeas and lentils or extra vegetables. Also, I noticed that I was saving money by no longer buying meat. Mentally, my thoughts were clearer, and I became more focused. Physically, I felt lighter and had more energy. It’s like I was plugged in and updating to a newer and better version of myself. This update would touch every facet of my life.

The focus of me sharing my journey is to encourage others to go within, harness their energy, and become the best version of themselves. The goal is to feel more connected, confident, and self-aware.

Chakras and Energy

The Chakra system is an ancient tool harnessing ones physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Chakra is a Sanskrit word meaning “wheel” or disk” and describes the circular, vortex like energy centers in the human body. They are responsible for receiving, storing, and using energy to keep us functioning at optimal levels. Let’s use an analogy to help this sink in. Think of chakras as applications (apps) that consists of vital programs or software that enables people to perform various tasks. For most of us, apps play a vital role in our technology-centered lives. Why? Apps are the mechanisms we use to enhance our life and/or productivity. Most cultures around the world can agree that there are seven main chakras located from the root of the spine to the crown. Therefore, we have apps for the following:

· survival/security (Root Chakra),

· emotions (Sacral Chakra),

· power (Solar-Plexus Chakra),

· love/relationships (Heart Chakra),

· communication (Throat Chara),

· intuition (Third Eye Chakra),

· awareness (Crown Chakra)

According to Dr. Anodea Judith, “the body is the hardware, our programming is the software, and the Self is the user.” (Judith, Anodea. Eastern Body, Western Mind. Celestial Arts, 2004). Understanding your software is important because it acts as a set of instructions that tells the hardware (your body) what to do. Alignment of the chakras can lead to increased energy, peace, and less anxiety. Chakras can be used to replace the old and outdated programming that no longer serves us with new, fresh, and beneficial software. Here are some strategies for getting the most from your chakras:

1.) Crown & Ground

The understanding behind crowning and grounding is centered around balancing the flow of energy. Crowning involves going into nature. The sunlight enters your crown, flows down through your body and returns back to the earth. Crowning is excellent at refreshing one’s energy and renewing one’s thoughts. If going into nature is not an option, then taking a long bath or shower has similar benefits. On the other hand, grounding means connecting oneself to the present moment and the stability of earth’s energy. While there are many ways to ground, my favorite way is to drink a hot cup of decaffeinated coffee or herbal tea. I love this technique because I can do it nearly anywhere. Depending on the person, caffeine can trigger feelings of anxiety, jitteriness, and insomnia. When drinking decaffeinated coffee or herbal teas, these symptoms are less likely to occur. Personally, I prefer having these beverages on the hotter end of the temperature spectrum because their soothing effect is heightened. The heat causes me to think about how fast or slow to sip the drink, thus causing me to be present so as not to burn my tongue.

2.) Listen & Act

Listening is an action which involves paying attention and making an effort to hear. As I stated earlier, I heard the message to go plant-based; however, it took time, the message replaying in my mind and me making a conscious decision to stop resisting for me to listen. Life has a way of whispering to us that which we need to focus on to grow. It’s up to us to decide to listen. Often, when we do not listen, the whisper grows louder and more aggressive. Any form of resistance can slow down one’s response time. Practice improving response time by saying “yes” to life’s whispers soon after you hear them.

3.) Resolve Blockages

Blockages in the chakras can develop over time. Chakras can become blocked due to physical, emotional, or spiritual problems that one may be facing in their life. For example, if you live in a constant state of fear, then your Root chakra may be blocked. If your heart aches, often feels lonely and/or lacks the ability to feel, then your Heart chakra may be blocked. If you are greatly concerned with wealth and/or material possessions, then your Crown chakra may be blocked. Each major chakra corresponds to a specific area in/around the body, goals and characteristics that facilitates optimal functioning. Techniques such as deep breathing, yoga, connecting with nature, aromatherapy, meditation, visualization, journaling, and reiki are effective in restoring balance to the blocked chakra(s). Take the time to learn about the chakra system and how to make it work for you.