Transforming Yang Energy

I remember a time when I was lying in bed as a boy with my toy guns imagining how I was a hero in the Wild West. I also remember feeling embarrassed at the thought that my friends would find out about it given that I seemed a little old for this kind of stuff. Anyhow, getting lost in these fantasies was fun so I continued shooting bad guys in my dreams.

The psychologist Carl-Gustav Jung once had a strange dream. He went into a dark room that had a huge, snake-like creature towering over him. As he moved closer he suddenly heard the voice of his mother, "Behold the man-eater!" It was then that he realized that he was part of a phallus- worship.

We equate the phallus symbol with the penis, yet it really stands for yang energy. Yang is the force that is out to conquer and to dominate. We are in awe of the amazing body of the athlete. We admire - or used to in the olden days - the famous general who invades countries, and want to marry the handsome, high-powered professional.

Negating your appreciation for this energy will probably lead to frustration. If you are a spiritual traveler who wants to turn your back towards that aggressive force, you may have to ask yourself if perhaps you only wrap the same concept in holy clothes. After all, being an admired spiritual writer or a guru is pretty cool as well.

A spiritual path is a process of maturing and letting go. You outgrow the yang energy along the Way. Just as a snake lets go of its skin, you now understand and transform energies that were once subconscious. The boys puts down his toy guns and plays with girls instead. The athlete decides his body can't take these beatings any longer and he becomes a sport commentator instead, while the high-powered CEO decides that she has completed her mission with the company and starts a charity instead.

They say that energy cannot be created or destroyed, but it can be transformed. Let your spiritual path transform you.