Life is Multi-Dimensional
The Five Levels of Human Experience
Life is experienced on five levels simultaneously, and at all times. These five levels are the Physical, Mental, Emotional, Energetic and Spiritual. All of these levels are interconnected and what happens in one influences the others too in multiple ways. Bringing about balance in each of these levels, and creating a state of harmony between all of them, leads us to fully embrace life. Happiness then automatically and naturally happens.
Let's examine these five levels in more depth:
The Physical Level
This is the level we are most familiar with, relating to the human body of course. All of the body's anatomy and physiological processes such as the respiration, digestion, etc. are a part of this level. The Physical Level is treated as the first and most tangible level, the best way we have for interaction with the physical world. Most people live primarily through this level finding motivation for a majority of activities in fulfilling the perceived needs of this level.
Balance and optimization of the Physical Level can be achieved through yoga, tai chi, chi gong, proper nutrition, adequate amounts of sleep and rest, and stress management.
The Mental Level
The Mental Level pertains to all mind-related activity. This level actually has four major sub-levels, which are the sensory input, intellect, mental processes, and personal psychology. After the Physical, this level enjoys the most attention in the world. A lot of importance is given to mental development, and this is particularly evident in the esteem we hold for education, higher learning, and earning degrees, certificates, etc., or other confirmations of how developed we are in a specialized area. (This connects immediately and intrinsically with the self-worth feature of the Emotional Level.)
Sense impressions play a major role in what we seek to experience in the world. The stimuli we receive from our senses keep us involved with the world, and greatly shape our desires.
The Intellect is our faculty for understanding, analysis, application of intelligence, discernment, thinking and acquiring information. This faculty is also used widely for problem-solving, surmising, and making sense of any situation.
Mental processes make up the unique patterns of action, reaction, memories, imagination, plus many more processes. Mental patterns completely dictate how we do things, in what order, regardless of how they lend themselves to stability.
The personal psychology sub-level corresponds very closely with to the mental processes in defining our mental state. It is tied in to our characteristics and tendencies, making us unique individuals, defining who we are, and connects with why we do what we do.
It is very significant that all activity on the Mental Level is very closely connected with the Emotional Level. No Mental Level activity is possible without at least one emotional connection; and often it is a multitude of emotions that are involved.
Here too yoga, tai chi, and chi gong are extremely beneficial, as are meditative practices, in optimizing, balancing and healing the Emotional Level. Stress management, adequate amounts of sleep, and proper nutrition also have great importance and are essential. Brain exercises which test our memory, intelligence, creativity, strategic thinking, etc., are also great ways to develop and maintain mental acuity, even with advancing age.
The Emotional Level
The Emotional Level is made up of all of our emotions, such as love, compassion, joy, fear, anger, and so many others. It is also the level that controls our self-esteem, sense of well being, and feelings pertaining to being safe and secure.
Our emotional level is actually quite ignored. Most of us develop emotionally in a very haphazard manner. Emotions are not made sense of and we find our way to some level of maturity through a hit or miss approach as we encounter all kinds of incidents in life. Our self-esteem and self-worth are the key factors that are developed at this level. The predominant feature of the Emotional Level is to attract what we like, and repel or run from what we do not. This tendency of our mind greatly influences what happens on the other levels.
Emotions are a gauge that tell us the quality of an experience. They are not necessarily good or bad, as we usually judge them, but are signals we can use to live in the world proactively. We can deliberately create experiences that are true to us and are genuinely connected with our happiness. On the other hand, we can work to purposefully work towards eliminating patterns of desires and actions that lead to unhappiness.
Activities on the Emotional Level are very closely connected with what happens on the Mental Level. Both of these levels greatly influence each other, and bringing balance in one goes a long way in balancing the other as well. If we think about it, we find there is really no mental activity that doesn't connect with at least one emotion. For example, think of a desire you hold dear, then look for any corresponding emotions.
As with the Mental Level, all of the activities mentioned above are beneficial in balancing and optimization of this level. Social activities for recreation and education, and hands-on charitable work (not just material contributions) are of great value. In addition, for those so inclined, prayer and group chanting are useful.
The Energetic Level
Perhaps, the least known, the Energetic Level has to do with our life force itself. Operations on this level have to do with the purity, use and distribution of our life force energy. This force has many names: prana, chi, ki, ru, ruah, to name some. This is the energy that is accessible through yoga, tai chi, chi gong, and certain martial arts practices, and also through certain meditative techniques.
In the 1800's it was discovered in Europe that each physical body has an energy field associated with it. Quantum mechanics later provided a basis to understand this energy further. In India and the Far East, knowledge of this energy has existed for thousands of years and ancient texts give great detailed information on how to utilize this energy in a manner that is beneficial for physical and mental health, and for spiritual development. Such knowledge also developed in the Middle East and South America.
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A photograph of the energy field
surrounding the human body
(chakras are also visible)
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Balancing the Energetic Level is often the best and quickest way to bring balance to all of the other levels, and to create a wondrous harmony between them. Optimization on this level can be brought about through the practices mentioned above, and also using energy healing techniques.
The Spiritual Level
Often misunderstood to be religious in nature, our spirituality is far more encompassing. The main component of the Spiritual Level is our life-purpose.
What is our purpose here and now? Why are we here? What are we to contribute to the Universe and what are we to receive? What is my idea of success, of happiness? When we start to pay attention to these and similar questions, we move towards discovering and fulfilling our life-purpose. The easiest way forward is to look closely at what talents and interests we are born with, what we passionately enjoy doing, what we really really wish to experience. Once there is clarity with these areas, we can find a way to share our best with others in our day-to-day activities.
In time, one contributes in the best way possible to our world, and receives the greatest joy. Happiness is automatically derived from our activities.
On a more subtle level, our spirituality leads to more profound questions such as “Who am I?.” At this point religion can be very helpful. For those not so inclined, exploration of abstract philosophy is equally of value.
Introspection and meditative techniques are of immense value in bringing about balance and optimization on this level.
When each level is functioning in an optimum manner, there is also complete coordination between all of the levels. With this harmony, we live life in the best possible way that we are capable of. We meet our potential. Conditions are created whereby we find ourselves exercising free will, and making the best possible choices quite naturally. Synchronicity develops between each person and the Universe as a whole. Peace and happiness automatically become a part of our lives. This is not to say that there will be no problems. Instead we learn to fully live life, not just exist, and deal with each problem is a manner that allows us to learn from it, and move towards exhibiting our inner nature of pure bliss.
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