Energy of the mind

The other day I was stopped by the thought (or re-thought, rather) that life is energy -- combusting, glowing, fiery -- at its essence. I was thinking about it in terms of how we interact with others. Sometimes you can feel and almost see energy (I suppose what is called qi in Chinese), radiating from the smiles and beautiful eyes of other people as they tell you, not always in words but often in feelings, what it is that is most important and beloved to them. I can feel it pouring from me, too, on days when I am most inspired, most in tune with life. "In tune" rings true to me in more ways than one -- so much of the time I express feelings and energy with music -- the vibrations of harmony. When I was little I took violin lessons for many years from Victoria K. (who incidentally had the most golden and bubbly laugh I have yet to hear). Victoria said that she often played violin to her plants and that, after an hour or so of playing classical music to them, she could sometimes see a visible difference in the way they lifted their blooming faces upwards, towards the light. I was so taken with this possibility that I remember proposing a small science experiment involving plants and music when I took my first biology course at the local community college at age 15. I didn't end up conducting it, but I have always remembered it. I have a strong suspicion that our energies, or perhaps brainwaves more specifically, have far greater carrying power than we realize, like radio waves. Of course, there is a more ultimate explanation for how and why we influence others -- the vagaries of relationships aren't caused by errant brainwaves colliding, after all. But there is still something in the fact that we are drawn to those with warm and positive energies. And for all the times over the past couple of years when it has felt like a dark cloud has settled over me, l hope my positive frequencies are felt and mirrored and expanded by the world around me. If I could help anyone grow towards the light then I shall have accomplished something of worth.

Long Lake, Littleton MA