Energy States

The world is characterized by impermanence. Any reasonably thoughtful person can see that the only constant in our lives is change. This is a common theme amongst all the Dharmic traditions of the East, especially that of the Sankhya school of philosophical thought.

The Sankhya system of understanding the world speaks of 3 qualities that work together to create impermanence, combining in various degrees to influence all things that end. While they're commonly translated as goodness, passion, and ignorance, perhaps a more intuitive way to describe them is by using terminology from energy transfer: Equilibrium, Exertion, and Exhaustion.

Equilibrium is where we feel happy. Decisions influenced by perfect equilibrium are in harmony with our inner values. At the risk of complacency, an environment in equilibrium is grounding without being numbing, and things in equilibrium will naturally present the right amount of stress to keep you alert but not enough to overwhelm you. It's like Goldilocks' porridge: not too hot, not too cold - it's just right.

Exertion is when we're very active. We work hard - perhaps even too hard - for the things we desire. Decisions influenced by exertion are more motivated by outer validation than by our inner values. This is why there's always something new to achieve: our inner world hasn't been satisfied. An environment that fuels this exertion will light a fire in you, and things embodying exertion give you more stress than you can comfortably handle.

Exhaustion is when we're helpless. We're overcome by our inertia, unable to penetrate the fatigue resulting from our lack of clarity. Decisions made in exhaustion are blind to outer validation and inner values, reinforcing a cycle of unhappiness. Things characterized by exhaustion perpetuate this ignorance and can be quite intoxicating, and environments of exhaustion are numbing without being grounded. When appropriately used, exhaustion can facilitate rest, relaxation, and restoration. When misused, it hides the true nature of things.

Equilibrium is the goal, but that's not to say the other two states don't have their place. Sleep is primarily characterized by exhaustion, but it is a necessary component of good health, just as exercise is exertion and also required to maintain an equilibrium of the body and mind.

These three states are tools that can be applied for our benefit or detriment; the key is a proper understanding of how to use them. There are applications in various places: the theory of entropy, psychological phenomena, and environmental protection.

Rarely is just one state acting alone - they combine in various ways over time. For example, someone can work out (exertion, clearly) to either be healthy (equilibrium), have a great body (exertion), or deal with muscle dysmorphia (exhaustion).

Everything degrades over time, so perfect equilibrium isn't a state most of us can achieve - we'll always have to work hard to keep from falling into a different state of energy. The only constant, after all, is change.