Psychic Energy

First of all, this is not about crystal ball gazing and clairvoyant phrenology!   It’s about the “electrifying” energy that comes from the “Psyche” … variably referred to as the “pneuma, the anima, the inner being, or essence … “.  In simpler terms, it’s “mental energy” or “brain energy”.  But, in this context, it is distinguished from metabolic or electrolytic energy. 

At almost any major sporting event in the 21^st Century, you will see contestants pause to replenish their electrolytes with “Gatorade”.  In the 1950s, sports team managers would give players “salt pills” (electrolytes) and “sugar pills” (dextrose/metabolites) at half-time.  Neither mind nor body will function well if out of balance in any context.  But, all things stabilized, it’s the “psyche” that calls the shots.

By “Psychic Energy”, I mean that internal, ethereal, captivating driving force that rises up inside us – ready or not – to make stuff happen.  Without it, not very much of any consequence happens unless EXTERNAL energy is applied or a “fight of flight” response is engaged.  

The question raised here is: How do we capture, focus and better utilize MORE internally-generated “Psychic Energy” toward more profitable ends? 

The unbridled, non-focused psychic energy of ADHD is something with which an expanding array of victims, parents, teachers, managers and behavioral psychologists increasingly struggle.  And the annals of psychiatry are full of manic disorders (which many of us seem to have in variably milder forms!)

But a more fundamental problem is how to get more specifically “Psyched UP”, “Fired UP”, “Animated” and “In Gear” for doing useful things.  Fundamentally, we want to find out: “What turns us ON?”  

The book series “What Color Is Your Parachute?” by Dick Bolles, first published in 1970, has been an excellent guide for helping multiple generations define and design personal vocational aspirations, including purpose, passion and mission, to help guide “energizable” career choices.  However, whatever parachute we adopt or cobble together, we need to put “Psychic Wind” under it every day to keep it aloft! 

So, what drives the floatation of your parachute?  How much “Psychic Wind” have you got, and how much MORE of it can you generate or access? 

For me, much of my “psychic energy” came from a compelling “Need to Know” … a burning urge to know how the world worked … how to cure cancer and aging … how to test the next most viable hypothesis … how to get better results … how to become more efficient … how to make more sense of the universe …  

There was also an “avoidance” component to my psychic energy … a compelling desire to avoid deprivation, censure, embarrassment, “losing”, illness, weakness, “second class” status, etc.

And there was an “affirmation/validation” component: I needed external validation that I was held in some level of esteem by others – not only by “belonging” to a community of achievers, but by being a contributor … not only “pulling my own weight” but “making a difference” in some significant way – not merely “wasting oxygen”.  

Importantly, so many things can sap or zap our psychic energy, including: Uncertainty, indecision, procrastination, illness, imbalances in electrolytes, hormones or metabolites, anxiety, depression, stress, over-commitment, under-engagement, boredom (really?), competing sources of negative energy (including drugs, alcohol and “tribalism”), and what I call “sludge” (TV, social media and video games, as well as junk food and the negative impact it has on our “Biome” and overall wellbeing). 

Worse than diminishing psychic energy is its usurpation and misdirection.  Distractions, misperceptions and dallying in any or all of the vices can misdirect psychic energy in counter-productive ways.  Novelties are a particular nuisance.  We like to buy new stuff … the latest gadgets.  How many of us have “Prime” accounts at Amazon, or will have such by the end of this calendar year? 

[At this writing, I’m debating about acquiring a newer car with more “bells and whistles”.  Totally unnecessary!]

Attitude and enthusiasm require barrels and boat loads of psychic energy, but it’s got to be profitably directed!  TOP DOG discipline, focus and goal tending can engage seemingly bottomless wellsprings of psychic energy … almost always involving significant others – coaches, mentors, role models and miscellaneous “cheer leaders” (note “bandwagon effect”).    

A healthy spectrum of psychic energy absolutely depends on a healthy and well-balanced spectrum of metabolic, electrolytic and interpersonal “connecting” energies.  Get rested!  Exercise!  Eat right! Cultivate energizing, “enlifening”  and inspiring associations!  And seriously reduce or eliminate all the energy-sapping and zapping “Dark Matter”.  Finally, DREAM BIGGER!  A large enough Dream produces its own “fire in the gut” psychic energy.  Burn, Baby, Burn – and Sail ON!   Quartermaster