Stalking the Vital Force

Last night I was having a conversation with a friend who, having experience with both, was discussing the similarities between Core Energetics and the another therapeutic approach.  I was uneasy with the comparison.  Then this morning in yoga the teacher mused, "Does the leaf let go of the tree or does the branch release the leaf?"  This question helped me to articulate what I believe to be the difference between Core Energetics and other paradigms. 

It is clear to me that the leaf falls when the Life Force, the Vital Substance, is withdrawn from the leaf.  In Core Energetics it is this substance that we work with, learning to track how the Vital Force which emanates from the Core of our being, manifests into matter; into our body shape, our emotions, thinking patterns, behaviors, belief systems, attitudes and more.  It is a concrete thing that is actually happening right before our eyes, something we can track physically.  It is not just an idea, theory, or concept. 

There are so many valid and useful approaches in the world, but I like Core because it is tangible, and it is always the "Now".  In Core we can learn to bring space and light into our body to allow our Vital Substance to manifest our true self into the world.  For it is clear from the leaf metaphor that when the Vital Force is held back or withdrawn there is no longer connection!