the 'chi' factor

In studying 'chi' energy recently-- (or call it prahna, soul, etc.), the thought occured how rapidly we feel drained of personal chi in this world. The need to recoup our strength is constant-- the rush of losing time is constant-- the feeling of 'lostness' is constant. When our chi is healthy- we are intertwined with the universe, at one with the rhythm it offers and the cycles of nature-- and it is easy to feel contentment.

Taking the observation further-- it seems the entire 'new western' society is set up to drain our chi. Centuries past, humans created all things necessary as though it were a special work of art, as quality meant long term use, pride, respect and, in those times-- efficiency. The time to gather materials and recreate a bow and re-tool arrows would be enormous and they might miss their opportunity to hunt for food or protect themselves during attack. A good bow and good arrows, built to last, meant survival. A well made piece of clothing or jewelry, showed admirable skills and display of such God gifted talent often received respect from others. And such talent would often be a reminder of the generosity of the Great Spirit and the Universe-- to bestow upon us the tools and the muses of creativity.

However, then came the new rules of economics. Enforce capitalism by laws of supply and demand. The most successful companies also learned to market a supposed 'demand' to a populous who did not even require the goods they produced. Before long, comparative envy became another tool in the evolving layers of the 'new rules of business engagement'. And then, a marvelous theory called 'mass production'.

In mass production, a single creator (or small creative team) -- would focus all their chi into a project and design. Every detail would be pre-conceptualized into the theory, then the best points of the theory, created into a real design. But, that prototype would suddenly have to be made into large replications, to 'supply' the 'created demand' for that item. Interestingly, to 'capitalize' on the extended potential income, competing companies, even in other countries, would stamp out 'knock-offs' of the original design to attempt to fulfill more of the 'created demand'.

With each step of urgency-- the originally intended 'chi' becomes diminished into the ever growing pyramid that re-distributes the delicate weave of the chi branches into more and more sub-chains. Like a single drop of red dye turning a cup of water red, then pouring the cup into a pitcher, then pouring that into a lake, and so on. Eventually, the red dye that might represent the original chi is so diminished, there is no trace of the life giving force at the point of origin.

Then as the mass produced items are purchased, one might recognize how much weaker and less sturdy each generation of production becomes. The company, in order to become more efficient, may even order 'stream-lining' cuts to cost of production each quarter or year-- eventually, further reducing any initial chi. Quality and pride suffers--- and at the end, there is no respect or life left in the product. The consumers who purchase them might find a fickle moment of joy in owning the item, then toss it the month as much in the behavior of the convenience store society we have become. And the employees who produce the item see more of it in the garbage, and feel more pride and more chi drained from their system as the realization of producing eventual garbage becomes a reality.

The most dangerous underlying factor is, with each low cost produced fanciful item we purchase and toss, we must devise a means of making up for it's lack of chi by losing more of our own chi. We will need more time to find a replacement-- more earnings and money to pay for its replacement -- less joy (draining of chi) after gaining the 'trash' and having to clean up -- and even give up more chi as we must spend time to properly dispose of the 'garbage'. Environmentally, we must rob the earth of resources and elements and its chi to make further replacements and then we are robbed of even more time so more chi is lost. We become the hamsters in the wheel-- trapped by the ever diminishing returns of power failure in a system that continues to break down with the multiple weak links due to lack of chi to support life in the system.

In the end, the earth is robbed, the air and water become polluted, we become ill and stressed and all of the efficiencies of mass production and mass economy become the ever enlarging black hole with no exchange of chi returned to us. The temporary spurts of energy felt become a disappointing facade that only lures to embrace the last of our chi from us.

Perhaps then, the old crafters and Amish farmers that spend the extra hours whittling with a small blade, or tilling soil with a stubborn mule --- but with inventions and crafts that last decades without fail, or bountiful harvests in unforgiving conditions---- do indeed have a secret to share. Perhaps their silent exchange of chi gives respected life to the impossible, only to mock the convenience store lifestyles with an assured efficient lifestyle of simplicity with things that never fail and are always dependable?