All initial energy goes to access left brain and only surplus energy goes to access right brain. When we conserve energy through bringing order to the thoughts of left-brain, we have enough energy to access right-brain and it is the right-brain that accesses the unknown, which is 11/12ths of what can be known by man.

Choose your Battles Wisely

Losing energy is losing power, so carefully choose your battles. The majority of battles aren't worth fighting because the results aren't worth having. The only thing worth fighting is the illusion that hides clarity of perception. Don't view anything as a problem, but rather see it as a challenge that potentially holds the gift of power.

The decision to engage in an outer battle is done from a place of inner stillness with no personal agenda. It is a simple law that whatever we send out, comes back. If we intend to harm, we open ourselves to receiving harm. The only time it is appropriate to curtail a plan or bind another is when specifically instructed by Spirit. We won't be asked to do this unless we are free of personal agendas and not attached to outcome.

The valid battles are always to release the mystery of our beingness, it may only appear to be with another. When faced with a challenge, analyze whether this battle has an underlying lesson that you need to extract. If so, does it need to be fought now? The key is being able to cut through the drama to what is really going on. Then we can determine whether a response is needed. If the reward isn't worth the output of energy, we don't enter the battle.

If we haven't developed enough skill, it would be inappropriate and possibly dangerous to take on certain tyrants. The best choice may be to turn away. Making the decision to engage is like being an ocean surfer: we see which waves are ours and which are not; we don't ride every wave.

The challenge is seeing behind the appearances of the problems that arise in our life. When we see the lesson that the problem brings, it alters our perception and perception yields power.

Things that Drain Energy

Identifying debilitating patterns that cause energy leaks is crucial. We find these patterns by watching for knee-jerk reactions. Following are some potential problem areas to check.

Relationships

Relationships that no longer hold a lesson can drain energy so we need to assess which ones are genuinely serving us. We are either expanding or contracting at all times. If someone makes us contract, discern whether he or she has a lesson. If not, release the relationship and move on. If they do have a lesson to offer, the highest choice is to welcome the challenge because if we ignore it, it will manifest in another relationship. Have you noticed repetitive patterns in relationships? The only way to break the pattern is to embrace the insights the challenges yield. Co-dependent relationships cause a huge loss of energy. This is when we are trying to control others or trying to please them. We attempt to control others when we fear change and are desperately trying to make someone fit into our world view. We attempt to please others when we allow their expectations to determine our actions. An example is every time our mother comes over, we work extra hard because the little girl inside wants approval.

Not only do we desire to control others and the environment, but we spend a lot of time trying to 'relate to' events and people. For example, if we see a toy in a garage sale, we may say, "I had one of those." If we hear a song we say, "I wish I could sing beautifully," or "I can sing better than he can." This habit reinforces the separatism of the ego.

If we have gained our lessons and set boundaries with difficult people in our lives, and they continue to breach our boundaries, it is appropriate to release these people—even bloodline family members. It is okay to choose a new family that vibrates harmoniously with who we are. Others are waiting to play the role of being our mother, father, sibling or grandparent, who will do so from a loving and healthy position.

Ordinary Things

Everyday items and interactions can adversely interfere with our energy fields and physiology. The following things weaken our auric field and make it permeable by lower-level beings or negative energy:

Drugs

Drugs prevent us from feeling pain, but they also prevent us from accessing light. People who use drugs, including dental narcotics and marijuana, have a thick grayish mucous in their etheric body that hangs around the head and over the heart. Heavy drugs can also cause distortions in the mental bodies.

People who have used marijuana a long time or heavy-duty drugs even a few times, have overactive adrenal glands. This pushes them into a constant state of anxiety because the body interprets the spurts of adrenaline as a response to fear. They then use more drugs to calm themselves. Continued drug abuse causes the adrenal system to become dominant, when the goal is to have the pituitary system and the heart center be dominant because that is the natural condition when we are in balance. A fully functioning pituitary gland provides us with visions and insight.

Noise

Noise pulls us out of the present moment and pushes us into a state of imbalance. It is essential that we have silence. When we are in a place of silence the heart chakra opens. It also enables us to connect with the primordial earth (a time prior to manmade noises) which is very healing.

Noise is increasing tenfold every 20 years. It has become so insidious that many people aren't aware that they are constantly bombarded. Take note of your environment and see if you can acquire more silence. Check your refrigerator and the heating system. Are fans running? Does your wristwatch beep? Do you allow the dog to bark constantly? Does your computer beep or talk to you? Does the car signal you with jingles and blares?

Those disconnected from their subpersonalities cannot stand silence. They enter a room or get in the car and immediately turn on the TV, radio, or stereo. They go into the wilderness and take along music, claiming they don't want to become bored. In actuality, they want a distraction so they don't have to face the emptiness inside that silence might reveal.

Surprise

Surprise drains energy. The unexpected and the unknown can pull us out of balance, so we need to approach things with equanimity. When presented with the unexpected, role-play and act "as if" we already know, even when baffled. We merely form a hypothesis stating, "This might be true," and then we wait. This is a stalling technique to gain the time to center ourselves, see behind the appearances, and discern whether action is needed. This is developing an attitude that enables us to constantly guard our energy so we are less likely to be preyed upon by those who wish to steal it. Everything requires energy, so it is the most sought after commodity in the universe.

Words

We cannot define ourselves by who we have been. We must define ourselves by who we are becoming, and we are becoming masters of light. Consequently, we cannot insult the god and goddess within by saying derogatory things: I am poor at math; I am scared of mice; I am ugly; or I am terrible with managing money. That was yesterday--redefine yourself today. All knowledge is within us. All talents are within us. All beauty. All power. Watch your words and only speak those that reflect who you are. (A good rule is to never follow the words "I am" with anything negative—including the word "sorry.")

Self-reflection

If we are obsessing about the what, why and how of every thought and action, we are indulging ourselves. This bends the energy lines inward and places us in a weakened state. Obsessing about the questions brings the baggage of the past moment into this moment, meaning we aren't traveling lightly enough to do the powerful work of transformation. For example, if you are traveling 70 mph in bumper-tobumper rush-hour traffic and a truck attempts to sideswipe your car, you jerk the steering wheel to the left and barely squeeze between two automobiles in the fast lane. The few seconds following the incident are critically important. If you fall into self-reflection and say, "Wow, that could have been a serious accident. That man was trying to kill me!" and continue to mull it over, you are losing too much energy. Therefore, you won't be prepared for the next moment. Twenty seconds later, he does it again. Are you centered and ready to respond masterfully, or are you still shaken and feeling afraid? Which state you are in may determine whether you survive the second attempt.

Self-reflection includes feeling sorry for ourselves: nobody pays any attention to me; my boss doesn't know how valuable I am; and nobody understands me. The other aspect is giving ourselves labels and comparing ourselves to others. With comparisons, if we say we are less than another, it is worshipping another's arrogance.

We straighten energy lines by embracing life with awareness in the moment. This causes the energy around our bodies to radiate outward. The self-centered person constantly engaged in self-reflection, bends these energy lines inward. This causes decay and eventual death.

A Master is Self-referring

A master is self-referring for his approval, so he doesn't react to other's words or actions. He knows not to expect approval from the majority. Society lives by tradition and world views. In fact, society is a society because of its attachment to those world views. A master has released these views and so society rejects him.

Conditioned Life vs Un-conditioned Life

The "conditioned life" cannot grow beyond certain limits because it is imprisoned by world views and social conditioning. It is better to strive for an "unconditioned life" because it conserves energy. This energy is now available to us and can be used to access the noncognitive information of right brain, which reveals the unknown, and eventually, the unknowable.

The Person Living a Conditioned Life

The Person Living an Un-conditioned Life

Dealing with Conflicts

If one is walking a path of impeccability, it is imperative to suspend judgment when some seeming offense or disagreement occurs until we have obtained clarity. For example, some acquaintance hurts our feelings, but we realize that words can mislead. We therefore ask, "What did you mean when you said …?" or "Why do you say such and such?" This is not asked in judgment, for no conclusion has been reached, but rather with an attitude of neutrality.

When we have ascertained the true meaning of what was said through feeling the intent behind the words and getting as much clarity as possible, we can proceed. Does it still bring our hackles up or create a knee-jerk reaction? If it does, we need to ask whether it is important enough to resolve with the other person or is it merely one of our ‘buttons' that were pushed in order for us to examine some event in our own life that is waiting to yield its insights and power.

If it is important, however, it needs to be addressed. Here are some guidelines on how to decide what is important enough to merit confrontation:

The appropriate way for the other person to respond is to first make sure they understand. "Are you saying that …?" If they acknowledge that a change in behavior is appropriate, it is advisable to create a backup plan since deep-seated habits are hard to break. "Can we have a secret hand gesture or phrase to remind you when old habits creep in?" or, "Could I pull you aside to remind you?"

If instead the other person starts venting, sit absolutely still and let it run its course until it is spent. Then repeat what you said, always bringing the conversation back to the relevant point. If this does not work, write it out and request a written response within a few days. If this fails to resolve the issue, the four steps of conflict resolution, discussed later in this chapter, are introduced (in writing if needed).

Should the disagreement persist, there are only three choices remaining: