Our vital force is the light which shines within all of us, our source and cause of life. It has long been believed that any living organism is different from non-living entities, simply because they contain some non-physical ‘element’ or are governed by different principles rather than material things. Berzelius a Swedish chemist was the first to use this phrase when he proposed the theory… There is some homework for you, if you care to find out more!
The Vital Force or life force as it is also known, is just that. The force or energy that enables all living things the ability to self-heal, maintain and control homeostasis, as well as preserve their life by adapting to environmental challenges and changes around them. Ultimately, it’s the ‘thing’ that brings life and health to you. The ‘thing’ that keeps you going, ticking along. We are all born with this force, it is part of what keeps us alive and kicking and we will live with our vital force from birth until death, as long as we shall live. We have a duty and a responsibility to support and nurture this very important inner force. So how can we do that?
Well, it’s simple and mainly common sense really. If you see any practitioner of a holistic or naturopathic nature, they will mention this to you. However as we know, it is not always that easy to practice such simple acts in life, as staying healthy, vital and abundant in energy! Here are some key points to take away in regards to protecting your inner light as well as some tips to keep that beacon of light shining bright.
- First things first, we should aim to protect our vital force from the bad and promote the positive and good. By doing so, we will live in alignment with mother nature and our very own balanced state. This includes everything from our environment! Therefore, the places we frequent, the people we surround ourselves with, what we put into & on our bodies etc etc… Our vital force is our inner life, our inner air. Make it clean, light and pure.
- Anything which is taxing for us expends the forces power and energy and in turn, indicates that we are being the opposite of what we should be. This can be emotionally, spiritually or physically. We are all made differently and therefore whatever doesn’t sit well with us or feels “off”, that is going to effect our force directly. We are going against our natural grain. This creates disharmony and eventually conflict from within. Eliminate where possible, the things which do not gel well with you. Again, it can be things, places, people or even our habits, which we recognise to be less than ideal for our true self. Remove completely or adjust these expenditures and things flow with more meaning and sense.
- As above, having a strong, healthy and happy vital force means living with good conditions – physically, mentally and emotionally. Therefore by eliminating what is no good for us, helps our inner force remain vital. Which is what we want it to be. Everybody has the ability to achieve this state of equilibrium, it is actually one of the largest and purest desires of humankind. Yet we may need to nurture our vital force even more with the obstacles modern life throws at us. Try to recognise when you are not being kind to yourself. Acknowledge the moments you put yourself – both inner and outer versions of you, under strain and pressure., our life force is challenged during these times.
- Our vital force helps us to be more resilient when faced with challenges, supports us through stressors and aggressors, gives us the strength and ability to recover from unexpected traumas, events or even procedures we may face. Whilst helping us navigate the path of life and to age gracefully. Of course over time, this light will begin to dim as we progress through life, however we can help it along its way, following good practices and living with intention and honesty. Our life force is senior to the body, it controls the body and can override our functions and reactions. If we bear this in mind, we will always live and act with good intention.
This ‘vital force’ is not a new age phenomenon, it is just now we are now hearing about it more and more. It has been recognised and acknowledged long before the recent wellness movements began. Every culture and even religion, has some terminology or understanding for the deeper and inner workings of our universe and the human body. In many parts of Asia and Chinese medicine it is referred to as “Qi”, India and Ayurveda refers to the vital force as “Prana” and in parts of the African continent (such as Ghana or Nigeria for example) ‘Ase’ is recognised as the spiritual energy.
Many philosophies and traditional healing practices believe in the life force or “Qi” and believe that when disease does arise, this is due to an imbalance with the individuals vital force. This is something that allopathy and western medicine does not really consider, however most of us know there is some truth to this notion despite we don’t delve very deep into this understanding! There are so many books, articles and influential people studying, discussing and working with our vital force, now more than ever. Many of the cases we can explore, are just like you and I. Yet they are individuals who went through huge life changing events or medical conditions which made them see something that often, only the most challenging and unfortunately darkest times can present. Therefore, it is easy to explore this topic and discover more, to find out what it may mean to you. This is also a wonderful topic of conversation, spiritual yet scientific, to make us reflect on what we are as well as who we are. Of course, many may have never even contemplated the notion of their inner energy and true self in such a way when considering their health, which is often just a physical thing to many.
The only way to explain and express this energy that we talk of, is the life force that is in everything, every cell! This is why, when we go outdoors in the fresh air and daylight we feel recharged. When we swim in the sea, we feel refreshed, or when we walk on grass or sand we feel grounded. We are once again in unison with, not working against nature, our one true place of residence. When we feel off balance or disconnected, this is when we should call on nature and animals to help bring us back in touch with ourselves, whilst nurturing our deeper needs. When our energy is depleted, this is where we need to go, electrical activity is sent around the body, recharging us. When we lack “Qi”, we lack protection, this results in poor function of our minds and bodies, which then in turn makes us more susceptible to becoming unwell. For our vital force to flourish, we need to nurture it, to help us function as effectively as possible and give us the drive of energy that keeps us alive, vital and present in every moment.
I hope this briefly explains the meaning of the vital/ life force and provides you with something to think about and delve into for some real mental and spiritual nourishment. If it helps, visualise yourself as millions of cells, think of everything you do, say, read, think, eat and drink, as nourishing those cells. This will help the regulation and the production our life force can provide for and sustain us with. Every single action holds energy, make it the right type!
