What is Life Force Energy and Prana?
Evolutionary & Sustaining Energies
According to Laura Berman, Ph.D (Love, Sex, and Relationship Therapist), all of our cells emit energy in different ways, and different cells will emit different kinds of energy depending on where they’re located within the body and what their job is. So it can’t come as a surprise that there are several types of energies associated with our energy system, according to the Bhagavad Gita (7:5-6). For our purposes we will focus on two types: sustaining and evolutionary energies.
Sustaining energies flow downwards from the upper energy centers. They provide the divine spark of awareness in every living cell. Evolutionary energies flow upwards through the lower energy centers. They are being refined from matter (material energy) into spirit (spiritual energy). Both types of energies are considered to be derived from the divine light of Brahman (pure consciousness, intelligent infinity). It’s just that each type essentially represents separate ends of Source’s energy spectrum.
Evolutionary Energies
Spiritual Energy
Outside of pure consciousness, spiritual energy is considered the highest in vibration of the evolutionary energies. Spiritual energy is often linked to eternity, knowledge, and bliss or sat-chit-ananda, as explained by the Bhagavad Gita (7:5-6). What more could we need, right? Let’s dive into spiritual energy.
Spiritual energy is considered synonymous with the nurturing aspects of prakriti (para prakriti) and intelligent energy (love/light), according to the Law of One (54:26-27). It’s often associated with love and is considered the incoming, passive principle of receptivity, grace, enabling, and being. Per Vedic teachings, yogmaya is considered an aspect of para prakriti used to veil the magnificence and jaw-dropping glory of Source (Bhagavad Gita, 7:25). Basically, Source dims its awesomeness to make it easier for us to establish a personal relationship.
Material Energy
Material energy is considered the lowest in vibration of the evolutionary energies. It’s seen as the external-natured, light/love energy that’s being refined into spiritual energy by our free will and discipline. Perhaps it’s synonymous with universal light energy (Law of One, 54:26-27) and apara prakriti. Apara prakriti is considered the energy that binds and obscures. Mahamaya falls under this category. It’s pesky mahamaya that creates the cosmic illusion of maya and binds unliberated souls to the cycle of rebirth. Life force energy (prana) also falls under the evolutionary energy category, which is energy derived from external elements like earth, water, fire, and air.
Life force energy — broadly referred to as vital energy (Law of One, 63.6), prana (Vedic philosophy), and chi or qi (Traditional Chinese Medicine) — is said to power vital activities like breathing, digestion, and movement. It generally splits into two distinct principles (feminine and masculine) to create the polarity necessary for 3rd density. In the mainstream scientific community could life force energy be synonymous with adenosine triphosphate (ATP)? ATP is the primary source of energy for cells and the chemical currency that powers cellular movement. Perhaps life force energy acts as the electrical current while ATP is the battery. This would mean without life force energy, ATP can’t be used by the cell.
Autobiography of a Yogi (43:356-358) offers a plethora of information about the life sustaining energies we use for each of our bodies. Gross physical bodies are sustained by life force energy. They take in the gross elements — food (earth/water), breath (air), and heat (fire) — and extract life force energy from them through processes like cellular respiration and metabolism. In Taoism, the 5 main elements or phases of transformation are fire, water, wood, metal, and earth. The gross elements are considered the building blocks of matter but also act as batteries that hold and release life force energy for use. It’s like the elements are the hardware and life force energy is the electricity.
The notorious kundalini energy is considered a balanced, non-dual form of life force energy and potent form of para prakriti (spiritual energy). Kundalini — first referenced in the Upanishads between 500 BC and 1,000 BC — is derived from the Sanskrit term “kundal” meaning coiled and “ini” meaning power. The process of kundalini is said to represent our potential spiritual power, allowing us to fast-track liberation and harmony with Source if we can balance the dualities (negative/positive or feminine/masculine aspects) of our life force energy.
Subtle astral bodies are said to be composed of a more refined, luminous form of life force energy. This energy is drawn directly from the cosmic energy reservoir of the material universe (lifetrons, astral light) rather than the gross elements. Perhaps subtle astral bodies are considered life force energy so they don’t need to consume it. Causal bodies, on the other hand, are not composed of life force energy, but of pure ideas or thought-seeds. Thought-seeds are considered the highest vibration of spiritual energy in the material universe. Ergo, as our material bodies ascend in refinement, our sustaining energy moves from gross matter to subtle light to pure thought.
BODY TYPE
ELEMENT BASE
RELATIONSHIP TO LIFE FORCE
Earth, Water, Fire, Air
The User: Uses life force energy to move muscles, fire neurons, and repair cells.
Subtle Astral Body
Ether / Subtle Life Force Energy (Prana)
The Battery: Stores and distributes life force energy to the gross physical body via the energy centers.
Causal Body
Pure Spiritual Energy (Para Prakriti)
The Source: The blueprints that dictate how the energy should flow.
Principle of Gender
What comes to mind when we say the word gender? Gender comes from the Latin genus, which means type. This term has major social conditioning attached to it. When we mention gender, we’re generally referring to the types of feminine and masculine energetic principles, natures, or polarities often associated with evolutionary energies. Rarely are we referring to the construct of biological sex or gender identity associated with the material body (costumes we wear). Let’s dive deeper.
For example, The Kybalion’s principle of gender (39-41) suggests that everything in the organic universe manifests both feminine (yin) and masculine (yang) principles. This also coincides with The Kybalion’s principle of polarity (149-158) and Taoism’s yin and yang. They suggest that everything in the material universe is dual, has two opposite poles, and has a balancing point.
Are feminine and masculine principles seen as complementary? Our research suggests they’re essential for spiritual evolution as well as the creation, sustenance, and dissolution of the material universe since one principle represents action/function and the other enables those actions/functions. While there is agreement on the concept of these two complementary principles existing, the terms used to describe them differ.
Feminine and Masculine Principles
According to Hinduism teachings, the two complementary principles masculine and feminine are often seen in the context of prakriti and purush (Bhagavad Gita, 13:20). Prakriti is often associated with evolutionary energies and the active, manifested, and ever-changing principle. Within prakriti there are also masculine and feminine principles at play pertaining to para prakriti (spiritual energy) and apara prakriti (material energy). Purush is often associated with sustaining energies and the passive, unmanifested, and unchanging principle. Both prakriti and purush seem to represent the underlying principles or qualities of material existence itself.
Masculine and feminine qualities are also represented by celestial gods (lords) and their companions who perform cosmic functions. For example, there are the Lords Brahma (creator), Vishnu (sustainer), and Shiva (destroyer) — who are often associated with the active principle. Their companions are Saraswati (intelligence), Lakshmi (prosperity), and Shakti/Parvati (courage) — who are often associated with the passive, enabling principle, as suggested by the Bhagavad Gita (10:34). Each are said to be divine expressions of the creative, preservative, and transformative energies that operate within the material universe.
The Law of One seems to view the complementary principles in the context of intelligent energy being light/love and love/light — with the main distinction being the ratio of light to love. Light is considered the outgoing, active principle associated with action, spiritual effort, and doing. While love is considered the incoming, passive principle associated with receptivity, grace, enabling, and being. Perhaps this is similar to David Wilcock’s (Researcher of Ancient Civilizations, 1973 – 2026) model of two aethers (The Divine Cosmos, C1).
In Taoism, yin represents receptive, passive, and contractive forces, while yang represents active, assertive, and expansive forces. The Bible doesn’t explicitly state the two complementary principles, which is typical biblical symbolism. But, it does elude to them when describing Adam and Eve (Genesis: 2:21-23). Eve seems to represent feeling and enabling. On the other hand, Adam seems to represent reason, according to Autobiography of a Yogi (16:148).
While the terminology usage may differ between resources, our research suggests there’s one principle that’s associated with doing, being observed, being active, outward-flowing, wisdom, directed movement, and bringing potential into reality. We refer to this as the masculine principle. There’s also the complementary principle associated with being, holding space, nurturing, allowing), love, observing, inward-flowing, attracting, intuition, passivity, enabling, and the source of potential. We refer to this as the feminine principle.
Let’s put this in perspective. Perhaps we must first realize the inner truths of the material universe through our feminine nature and then express those truths with conscious action through our masculine nature. This balanced awareness and acceptance of both our imperfections and total perfection seems to be essential for spiritual growth and material existence, according to the Law of One (57:33).