Life Energy Beliefs
from A to Z

Life Force Ideas Around the World

The idea of a life energy, or life spirit, a vital force that flows through all living things, exists all over the world, in many cultures all the way from the distant past to the present.

       Here is a small encyclopedia from A to Z of such life energy beliefs — and of terms mistakenly presumed to be such.

       There is a multitude of them to be found, in just about every culture and era of human civilization. Thenature of life itself has been an enigma since humankind evolved to be able to contemplate the world and how it might work. What made creatures come alive, and what happened to them when that life ceased? Where knowledge of facts was scarce, there was all the more room for speculations. And people speculated a lot, as far back as we have records of human thought.

       This A to Z of life energy ideas shows the vast variety of speculations regarding what life might be and how it operates. But it also shows a lot of resemblances between those ideas — across vast distances in geography as well as time. The patterns of human thought are revealed both in the differences and the similarities of those speculations: The differences can often enough be explained by cultural specifics, and the similarities remind us that there is so much we human beings still have in common.

       An edited and expanded version of this Life Energy A to Z is published in my book Life Energy Encyclopedia.

Life Energy Beliefs from A to Z

My Life Energy Books Life Energy Encyclopedia Qi, prana, spirit, ruach, pneuma, and many other life forces around the world explained and compared. Click the image to see the book at Amazon (paid link). Qi — Increase your life energy The life energy qi (also chi or ki) explained, with several very easy exercises to awaken, increase, and use it. Click the image to see the book at Amazon (paid link).

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My Other Websites

Qi Energy Exercises

The ancient Chinese life energy qi (chi) explained and how to exercise it.

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Creation Myths

Creation stories from around the world, and the ancient cosmology they reveal.

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Cosmos of the Ancients

What the Greek philosophers believed about the cosmos, their religion and their gods.

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Taoistic

Taoism, the ancient Chinese philosophy of life explained. Also, the complete Tao Te Ching online.

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Other Books of Mine

Cosmos of the Ancients

The Greek philosophers and what they thought about cosmology, myth, and the gods. Click the image to see the book at Amazon (paid link).

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Archetypes of Mythology

This book examines Jungian theories on myth and religion, from Carl G. Jung to Jordan B. Peterson. Click the image to see the book at Amazon (paid link).

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Tao Te Ching

The Taoism of Lao Tzu Explained. The great Taoist classic, translated and extensively commented chapter by chapter. Click the image to see the book at Amazon (paid link).

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Fake Lao Tzu Quotes

Erroneous Tao Te Ching Citations Examined. 90 of the most spread false Lao Tzu quotes, why they are false and where they are really from. Click the image to see the book at Amazon (paid link).

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Stefan Stenudd

About me

I'm a Swedish author and historian of ideas, researching the thought patterns in creation myths. I've also written books about Taoism, the Tarot, and life force concepts around the world. Click the image to get to my personal website.

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