Introduction

We sat down with Piya Haresh, founder of Chakra by Piya, to discuss precisely what energy is and where it can be found.

Q. What is energy?

A. From science we know that energy and matter are interchangeable. Energy is the subtler form of matter. Let us try an exercise. Raise your hands at shoulder height but hold them apart. Start slowly bringing them closer to each other. Slowly so we can be conscious of what we are feeling between our hands, and you may realise that as your hands get closer, you feel as though you are holding a ball of energy. You can shape and change it. Elongate the ball, shrink it further. Do you notice this? Now consider that energy doesn’t have a form, yet it is also the subtler aspect of matter. So if you become conscious and aware of energy, you can interact with it. If you drop your hands, it’s not that the energy is no longer there – it’s just that you are no longer aware of it. You may walk around thinking it’s no longer there because you are not aware of it. Because it’s not something tangible. But just this simple exercise can make you aware of your energy As you become aware of it, you can feel it, and it becomes something tangible for us in that way. You can change it, shift it, play with it, stretch it. Try stretching it. How fun is that? This is energy. Everybody and everything has energy. Because everything has a subtler aspect to it.

Q. What do you mean by everything and everyone has an energy?

A. For instance, when someone walks in to a room and your back is to the door, and suddenly you feel something and you turn around and look. Not everyone will evoke that reaction. However, when someone’s energy vibration or frequency resonates with your in one way or another – meaning it is either something that supports you or challenges you – you become aware of it. Or, someone may look at you, smile, and say ‘everything is fine’. But you know that they are not okay. Not because of their demeanour, not because of what they are doing. They may be doing everything exactly the same as they normally do. But because you sense something. We all have an energy field around us. And your energy field – touching that person’s energy field – picks up this information and conveys it to you. So even if that person may say ‘oh, everything is fine’, you will feel differently, because it is the energy that is speaking. Their energy is speaking to you and yours is speaking to them. When walking in a garden you may feel drawn towards touching a flower, or touching the bark of a tree. Or you may avoid certain plants or flowers. It may seem like there is no particular reason behind it. Yet you will avoid them or be drawn to them because of the interaction of your energy field with that of the whole environment around you.

Q. So what about ‘vibes’? Why do I feel good vibes from something (or someone) and not so good ones from something (or someone) else?

A. Well, with regards to vibes, that could be more of a personal aspect. Like when you feel that someone ‘vibes’ with you. There is an energetic element to it, but with vibes it’s more like saying that these are likeminded people, such as when artists like being with artists or scientists like being with scientists. There is an energetic component to that because the energy of scientists is different to that of artists, so we can already see that they are different. But there is also the personal aspect, because it’s not necessary that all scientists or artists will get along with each other. With regards to vibes, then, I would say that it’s both about energy and personality.

Q. What types of things affect my energy as I go about my day? What do I need to pay attention to specifically?

A. All things have energy. Everyone has a varying level of sensitivity to one’s own energy and the energy of those around you. Part of becoming more aware of your energy is also about becoming aware of the different energies about you. You become more aware of your sense of self – as something larger or more than just your physical body – because let’s face it, we are more than that. Who are we truly? That is the question, and a number of different traditions have tried to help us answer that question since time immemorial.

Q. Is there anything I can do to help raise my awareness of my energy?

A. Wear the chakra jewellery, of course! That is one excellent way that will help bring about an awareness of your energy as it unfolds. And it does this while helping to balance and support your energy as well. We will also be offering some meditations very soon to help you connect to your chakras, from the root chakra up to the crown chakra. This will help you understand your energy, sense it, and then support it. So definitely keep an eye out for that, as that will be to help you become more aware of the energy of your chakras. While you are waiting for that, meditation is a useful tool. Simply learning how to breathe deeply helps. We are not in touch with our breath. Sitting for just five minutes a day, allowing yourself to breathe deeply, allows yourself to connect to your own energy in a very quick way. And this can be done any time of the day. Especially if you chose to wear your Chakra by Piya piece of jewellery while doing so.

Dhiraj Nainani is a writer currently pursuing his PhD. His present Chakra Focus is the Mantra Throat Chakra. For him, the journey has been all about letting go of fears and having lots of fun. In doing so, he is learning to speak his truth in all its authenticity.