Conception: an easy task for some, foolhardy for others, a mistake often, accidental even, unconscious or intentional.

Conception is the genesis or origination of an idea. Inception is the process whereby the seed of an idea is received. Fertilization infers that the idea bears promise, and is united with its opposite, creating life and starting to grow of its own accord. Implantation means the idea took root in the uterus or in the feelings, behavior, or mind, and needs to surrender some of its autonomy to its host – the mother or the soma. Gestation infers that the original idea (the seed) is evolving along its path which is predetermined. The seed is contained in life (the feminine ova) and together they differentiate from zygote to morula, thence to blastocyst to embryo, and ultimately fetus and child.  Birth ensues.

In this journey through life, we will meet many beliefs; all of which carry a force.

These forces can be described in physics as the four fundamental forces (although a fifth elemental force is thought to exist–Quintessence): electromagnetic, strong nuclear and weak nuclear force, and gravity. Philosophers et al have postulated that there are levels of being that possess a different combination of forces. They articulated:

The material elements have mass; each contains a particular frequency or range of vibrational states, and although not alive in the classic sense  contain different potentials that may initiate movement (as in decay, or a change of state as in graphite and diamond, or when combined together create another element which transforms into a different compound–gas, liquid or solid.)

The next realm is the vegetal kingdom, which transforms material elements as building blocks into simple or complex life forms, and thus contains mass + (the) energy [of the vegetal elements]. So it goes on, the animal kingdom has mass + life (energy) + movement. The human kingdom contains what has been before and (mass + energy+ movement) the energy of thought, belief, concepts, innovation, language, and music. The human contains all four energies each a higher octave, for example, than the one below. Philosophers postulated a  hierarchy of energies.

The Chinese differentiated five aspects of qi (chi).  Qi carries the various energies or life forces that exist at the vegetal level in humans and provides humans, with the wherewithal to adapt, accommodate, protect, nourish, and be nurtured by the natural cycles of life:

1. Material kingdom: Material Qi

2. Plant kingdom: Material Qi + Living Qi

3. Animal kingdom: Material Qi + Living Qi + Sensitive Qi

4. Human kingdom: Material Qi + Living Qi + Sensitive Qi + Rational Qi

5. True Human: Material Qi + Living Qi + Sensitive Qi + Rational Qi + Heaven’s Qi

Hindu philosophy also indicates a hierarchy of forces by differentiating five pranas or life energies. They were more concerned with the force(s) that kept us animate–material elements within us– rather than alive, which I believe the vegetal life force provides. When you are on your death bed you possess prana but not much qi. When you are dead, you have neither. Prana yoga is primarily about the material body, and the five prana relate to physiological health at a very primary level. I would suggest that prana exists as the energy of the material human, qi (chi) at the level of vegetal-human, power-force at the level of animal-human, and thought-force at the level of the mental human organism. The fifth level is the portal for Higher energies to support and inform us.

In our lives, we will meet seed ideas. These may be from our parents, peers, or cultural environment; these can be called memes. A meme is a cultural gene that is transmitted from person to person, and due to our present level of technology, social media have a very fast inception and gestation. They are ideas, behaviours, or styles that are transmitted by non-genetic means. (The word memes was coined by the scientist Richard Dawkins.) We may also meet some sort of push from within, and this epigenesis and consequent inception, implantation, and gestation of a vibrational state from deep inside us starts a process whereby some seed, deep inside us, has expression.  This may be initiated by something outside of us, triggering the fertilization process.

A book, or particular written word, a gesture, a smile, abuse, a trauma, a song, a television program, or a vista may all initiate the implantation or the watering of a seed within us. These all possess a force that can touch us. At that moment when we make contact with this force, its conception occurs. It needs to be invited, of course, otherwise, there is no inception. We need to then allow it to grow and then make a decision to accept it; the process of implantation.

The birth of this idea gives us the wherewithal to go on our journey. This might be the wish to learn a specific profession, to pursue a particular sport, to marry a particular person, or to go searching for meaning, purpose, and love.

The following articles relate to the journey:

• Gestation

• Emergence

• The ordinary human

• Integrity

• Flexibility

• Reflectiveness

• Surrender

• The Noble Human

• Value

• Undifferentiated human