As a nerdy shamanic teacher, I love research. One of the things that fascinates me is how different cultures, separated by time and geography, can represent similar spiritual ideas. For example, the practice of shamanism goes back tens of thousands of years and has been practiced by cultures worldwide.
Recently, I was asked about spiritual energy. It seems that many different cultures have very similar concepts regarding spiritual energy. So, I thought I would share just a few terms for spiritual energy from different cultures.
Different Terms For Spiritual Energy
Mana - In Polynesian culture, particularly among the Maori of New Zealand, "Mana" refers to a supernatural force in a person, place, or object. It's often seen as a spiritual energy or power.
Prana - In Sanskrit, originating from Hinduism and also used in Buddhism, "Prana" is the life force or vital energy that permeates reality on all levels, including inanimate objects.
Chi (or Qi) - In Chinese culture, "Chi" is the fundamental life force or energy that flows through all living things. It's central to traditional Chinese medicine and martial arts.
Ond - In Norse mythology and culture, "Ond" refers to a divine force or breath, believed to be the essence of life.
Ruach - In Hebrew, "Ruach" means "breath" or "spirit" and is often used in Jewish texts to describe the spirit of God, or a divine wind or breath.
Chakra - Originating from Sanskrit and found in Hinduism and Buddhism, "Chakra" refers to the various focal points in the subtle body used in a variety of ancient meditation practices, each thought to be a center of spiritual power or energy.
Kundalini - In Hinduism, "Kundalini" is a form of divine energy believed to be located at the base of the spine. It's often depicted as a coiled serpent and is associated with spiritual awakening.
Vitalism - In various Western philosophies, "Vitalism" refers to the belief in a life force outside the jurisdiction of physical and chemical laws.
Baraka - In Islamic and African cultures, "Baraka" is a concept of spiritual presence or charisma. It's often thought of as a blessing or divine grace.
Ki - In Japanese culture, "Ki" is conceptually similar to "Chi" in Chinese culture, referring to the universal energy or life force.
Lüng - In Tibetan Buddhism, "Lüng" refers to the concept of wind or breath and is associated with the flow of energy in the body.
Ankh - In ancient Egyptian culture, the "Ankh" symbol represents the key of life or the breath of life, often interpreted as a kind of spiritual energy.
Numen - In ancient Roman religion, "Numen" refers to a divine power or force, often associated with specific places, objects, or phenomena, considered as the manifestation of a deity's will.
Wakan Tanka - In Lakota Sioux Native American culture, "Wakan Tanka" is the term for the sacred or the divine. It is often translated as "The Great Mystery" and refers to the power or the sacredness that resides in everything.
Mana’o - In Hawaiian culture, "Mana’o" refers to thought or belief, often seen as a form of mental or spiritual energy that can influence the physical world.
Sekhem - In ancient Egyptian culture, "Sekhem" is a type of spiritual energy or power, sometimes linked to the form of the lioness goddess Sekhmet, representing the destructive and regenerative powers of the sun.
Prakṛti - In Hinduism and Indian philosophy, "Prakṛti" refers to the basic nature or material substance of everything in the universe, including the spiritual energy.
Aether - In ancient Greek philosophy and science, "Aether" is the material that fills the region of the universe above the terrestrial sphere, often associated with the divine or the heavenly.
Ashe - In Yoruba culture, "Ashe" represents the spiritual and creative power. It is a concept that signifies the power to make things happen and produce change.
Orenda - In the spiritual beliefs of the Iroquois and Huron peoples of North America, "Orenda" is the inherent spiritual energy in people and their environment, believed to be a powerful force that can be harnessed.
Pneuma - In ancient Greek philosophy, "Pneuma" means "breath," and is seen as a sort of vital spirit, soul, or creative force of a person.
Tao - In Taoism, a Chinese philosophical tradition, "Tao" refers to the fundamental nature of the universe, the source and guiding principle of everything in existence. It's often seen as the flow of the universe, or a force that flows through all life.
Awen - In Welsh and Cornish spiritual tradition, "Awen" is a concept similar to inspiration, referring to the divine inspiration or the flowing spirit.
Sila - In Inuit spirituality, "Sila" is a term that describes the primary component of the universe, often equated with weather, the atmosphere, or the breath of life.
Logos - In ancient Greek philosophy and early Christian theology, "Logos" is a term meaning "word," "speech," "account," or "reason," and is used to describe the principle of order and knowledge, often considered a universal, divine force.
Elán Vital - A concept introduced by French philosopher Henri Bergson, referring to a hypothetical life force that drives the evolutionary process in a creative direction.
Vril - A term from the 19th-century novel "The Coming Race" by Edward Bulwer-Lytton, and later adopted by some occultists, referring to a powerful, unknown energy or life force.
Aether - In various mythological, religious, and philosophical traditions, "Aether" is often seen as a physical substance or energy that fills the universe. In some Greek mythology, it is the pure, fresh air that the gods breathe, as opposed to the regular, polluted air breathed by mortals.
Great Spirit - In several Native American religions, "Great Spirit" is a concept of a life force or supreme being, characterized as a powerful, creative, and caring force.
Qi (Jing-Qi-Shen) - In traditional Chinese culture, "Qi" is often thought of as a vital force forming part of any living entity. "Jing-Qi-Shen" is a compound term denoting "essence-vitality-spirit" – a key concept in Chinese medicine and martial arts.
Ether - In various esoteric traditions, "Ether" is considered the fifth element (quintessence) in addition to air, fire, water, and earth. It is sometimes equated with the concept of the spirit.
Megen – In Norse magic and spirituality, Megin is spiritual power or strength.
These represent just some terms I’ve collected over the years.