[Kirism is the contemporary philosophy of life that I’ve been developing over the last several decades. It is psychological, philosophical, and existential and takes into account human nature, the human predicament, our contemporary understanding of the world, and our pressing individual and species-wide challenges. I hope that you’re enjoying learning more about it in this series of posts. To learn more about Kirism, please take a look at Lighting the Way, in which Kirism is introduced. To be in touch with me about Kirism, please drop me an email to [email protected].]
What about states of high alert? States of vigilance? All that energy gathered to make sure that you can still see your child playing on the monkey bars. Suddenly she’s gone. Where did she go? Shock waves, electric current, adrenalin, energy!
So, it is completely possible to both crave intensity and to fear intensity. Think of that movie we have all seen a million times. An allied spy, dressed as a German officer, is dropped behind enemy lines. He has a vital mission, an unparalleled mission.
The very outcome of the war hinges on his success. We sit on the edge of our seat. Everything is heightened. When he snaps a twig, we jump a foot. When a light comes on, we stop breathing. All of our energy is balled up, just as is all of his energy!
We want to be him, living that intensely, living out such an important mission. At the same time, we absolutely don’t. Such are the contradictions that make understanding human energy and managing human energy such a complex affair.
Our life purposes drive us to high intensity. That very intensity startles us, frightens us, wears us down. So, we return to a more inert state—and now we aren’t living our life purposes. Now we feel low energy. So, we try to wake ourselves up again!
Even if we want to live intensely, can we? How are we to get from our ordinary state to that heightened state? Just by wishing it? Can we really generate intensity, passion, energy, and a ton of additional life force just by saying, “More energy, please”?
That Allied spy is in a set of circumstances that demands intensity. But are we? Does your commute demand intensity? Does sending out emails at work demand intensity? Is much of anything that you need to do calling to you or driving you to a heightened state?
We expend energy all day long. We use up calories. But that is hardly the same thing as intensely living our life purposes, as generating massive energy in the service of powerful intentions and then having to deal with the energy we roused into being.
And what about passion, that amazing energy state? We pay lip service to “wanting more passion.” But do we really want to light ourselves up so that we glow in the dark? Do we really want to live that intensely and deal with those consequences?
You observe the headstrong, egocentric, obsessive, heroic passion of a Beethoven or a Van Gogh and you think, “Yikes! I’m not up for that!” You announce that you are for calmness, tranquility, serenity. Then you discover that you feel listless.
No wonder we go up and down, up and down! We are on such an energy rollercoaster that we can easily talk ourselves into the belief that all forms of energy are dangerous. Uncontrolled mania may well be dangerous. But is passion that dangerous?
We talk ourselves right out of passion, not wanting to get on that energy rollercoaster. We train ourselves not only to avoid displays of passion but the very feeling of passion and as a result we settle for a life of safety, one that does not satisfy us in the slightest.
Kirists understand these dangers. They understand that they had better risk passion, for the sake of their life purposes and their self-obligations, even if that means riding a wild energy rollercoaster that leaves them breathless and shaken.
And what about the flip side? What if your experience is that you have too little energy? That’s what millions of people feel. Is that a matter of natural endowment? A medical issue? Difficult circumstances? Formed personality? Feeling cheated by life? Some sort of theft in childhood? Kirists want to know!
Well, we know some things. For instance, we know that we are more energetic when life feels meaningful than when life feels meaningless. We know that meaninglessness is an energy drain. And yet, how exactly can that be? How can meaning and energy possibly be related?
Well, consider. A neglected baby will first react energetically by crying and crying. But if she continues to be ignored, she will begin to lose her energy until she is practically inert. We call that “failure to thrive.” Deeply demoralized, she may even die.
Kirists think about that. Maybe a given person’s low energy is a direct result of her demoralization. Like that neglected infant who has failed to thrive, maybe she, too, is not thriving. No doctor can help with that. She needs a revitalized life, hope, more experiences of meaning.
Human things reduce human energy. Being sick reduces our energy. Likewise, demoralization. Likewise, boredom. Likewise, regrets. Likewise, forced marches. Likewise, subjugation. Our energy supply is held hostage to our experience of life.
There is a direct relationship between what is going on in our mind and our energy supply. Even the most innocent thought can rob us of energy. We have an idle passing thought about the lawn needing mowing—and suddenly we feel exhausted.
Energy can drain away, just like that. And energy can also get hooked. We have all this energy: but instead of marshaling it, we turn it over to a worry, a fear, a craving, an obsession with the latest video game or the hottest television series.
Our energy can and does get hooked, squandered, stolen. Think of obsession, that high energy state where our energy gets hooked on a worry. Think of that peculiar high energy state called mania that steals a thousand kilowatts of our energy.
Our life force is easily lost and easily squandered. And what if you have constitutional low energy? Then you have very little energy to lose or squander! How much energy are you wasting on that powerful compulsion? Maybe all the energy you have!
Kirists ponder this energy rollercoaster. Understanding it matters!
**
To learn more about Kirism, please take a look at Lighting the Way, in which Kirism is introduced. To be in touch with me about Kirism, please drop me an email to [email protected].]
—
This Post is republished on Medium.
—
Photo credit: iStock
