MAXIMIZE YOUR ENERGY: Secrets of Rest and Regeneration

The Pen and Sword Journal - Vol 44

Today I want to share a lesson derived from the Yin-Yang, a symbol most are very familiar with.

The Yin-Yang Symbol

This ancient concept has a great influence on our understanding of willpower, energy and its renewal. First, I want to emphasize that explaining Yin-Yang as just as the “good” and “bad” is just like saying to a 1-year-old kid that stars are balls of fire that glow. In reality, it is much more than that.

This symbol represents the natural dualities in the universe, where Yin and Yang are seen as complementary, interconnected, and interdependent forces. Yin is often associated with qualities such as earth, femininity, darkness, passivity, and absorption. On the other hand, Yang is associated with heaven, masculinity, light, activity, and penetration. These two forces are in a constant state of flux, with each containing a bit of the other, and each will inevitably lead to the birth of the other, symbolized by the small dots in the Yin-Yang symbol.

For instance, for every action in this world, involving the use of energy, there must follow a period of rest. During this time, nature rebuilds tissues and rejuvenates bodies that have been worn down and exhausted by mental, physical, emotional, or spiritual activities. No one can completely avoid periods of rest. Although a strongly built organism may endure with minimal relaxation for some years, eventually, even the mightiest beings must succumb to cosmic or universal sleep.

It is thought that during periods of cosmic sleep, the universe reconstructs its consumed vehicles. When it returns to life, it begins with a great momentum, akin to the refreshed feeling we experience upon awakening from peaceful slumber. If we don't feel refreshed after sleep, it's a sign that the systems of our body haven't relaxed properly, likely due to unhealthy eating habits or physical issues.

One of the greatest challenges in life is to truly grasp the importance and practice of relaxation techniques without succumbing to laziness and apathy.

Now, relating Yin-Yang to our energy.

The Yin energy is tied to the concept of “inner” or “hidden” power, emphasizing the importance of introspection and emotional intelligence. Yang, representing a direct expression of energy, is associated with qualities such as activity, assertiveness, logic, and strength.

In life, just like in the Yin-Yang concept, one needs to balance between action (Yang) and reflection (Yin). Too much action without reflection can lead to burnout, while too much reflection without action can lead to laziness and apathy. Therefore, the ability to maintain this balance, to know when to act and when to reflect and rest, is crucial. Hence, the saying:

“If you get tired, learn to rest before considering to quit.”

Continuous over-exertion of your body, psyche, and mind will shorten the length of its life. Since all these three aspects of your personality are means or vehicles through which your will is expressed, it’s crucial to maintain a balance between activity (yang), and rest (yin). While exercise strengthens all parts of the body, it's essential to balance it with rest. Overexertion weakens resistance and drains energy stores needed for bodily functions. Hence, it's crucial to allow specific centers to rest and recover from unbalanced use.

For instance, if you tire out studying arithmetic for an hour, and then switch your focus to spelling or geography, activating different parts of your brain, followed by a brief rest, you'll achieve more than studying arithmetic for two straight hours, or two hours of continuous spelling or geography.

Why does this work? Because when you shift to an activity that engages a different part of the brain, like geography, you allow the tired part of your mind used for arithmetic to relax and regenerate during that time. This way, when you return to practicing arithmetic, your mind will be sharp and ready once again.

It's important to give each part of your brain a chance to both work and rest alternately. This helps achieve a balanced state of mind and keeps your mind flexible. Many times, mental breakdowns happen because one aspect of our mind is overworked, and is strained without proper rest, day after day, year after year.

Another example, after completing a physically demanding task, you can shift to an activity that requires more mental or emotional energy until your body recovers.

Energy operates in two primary stages.

The first stage is the absorption phase, where energy is drawn in to fulfill various needs. This is a Yin aspect. The second stage is the emission phase, where energy is expended for various actions. And this is a Yang aspect. An individual can only release the amount of energy they have previously absorbed; they cannot exceed their energy intake.

For personal growth and development, energy must initially be directed inward. These two principles are interdependent. To safely accumulate energy within oneself, a person needs to expend some of it in their everyday life. If they don’t, they risk an energy overload. However, the amount of energy they can utilize is determined by the amount of energy they have stored within. This energy fuels their thoughts, actions, and desires, manifesting both physically and spiritually.

Don’t accumulate too much Stagnant Energy

One of the most significant harms we inflict on our bodies and overall personality occurs when we consume energy but remain inactive, expending far less energy than we consume. This energy often manifests in harmful ways. For the body, it can lead to numerous diseases, which subsequently impact our mental state. Similarly, for our psyche, when we are inactive, our emotional and mental energy fuels negative thought patterns, detrimental habits, and potentially some vices that suppress our ability to express our will. These issues can also manifest physically in our bodies, a phenomenon known in psychology as Somatization.

I've witnessed many instances, and you probably have too, where someone's life took a turn for the worse when they opted for a period of excessive inactivity and seclusion.

Life is an ebb and flow of energies.

According to the teachings in Taoism, these two forces, Yin and Yang, which govern both humans and nature, should be given alternating opportunities for self-expression. This allows them to fulfill their respective roles effectively. During the night, when the body, a biological machine, is free from conscious mental or physical activity, the restorative forces of nature take control of the organism. They prepare it to sustain and express the life within it during the subsequent period of activity. During the day, consciousness is “reactivated” into its vessel, where its growth occurs at the expense of our biological machine. This results in an equilibrium between periods of recovery and decay.

Wise individuals and those who have mastered the secrets of willpower to a remarkable extent understand the crucial significance of providing their body and centers of consciousness with the right balance of exercise and relaxation. This principle isn't limited to the body; it also applies to our emotions and mind. To channel willpower effectively, your intellect, feeling, and actions must function as a unified power unit. When rushing, people often overlook the law of periodicity, leading to health issues and reduced effectiveness.

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