Nen (念(ネン) or ネン, Nen —lit. “Sense”; is one of the defining features of the manga Hunter × Hunter by Yoshihiro Togashi. It is a technique that allows a living being to use and manipulate their own life energy (known as aura ). The term “Nen” can also be used in conversation to refer to aura.
Hello everyone,
A few weeks ago I crossed with the power system of the manga Hunter x Hunter. It intrigued me, and made me think if its principles could be applied in real life. So I decided to try it.
Here I will only explain the basics of it.
First of all we all have an intrinsic energy field inside and outside ourselves, the aura. Without focus the aura flows without control and it can even leak a little bit. This can weak your physical body and health. To control the aura first is needed to attain control over its flow inside of the body, and open the main valves (Chakras). For this I recommend the method described in Astral Dynamics by Robert Bruce, to stimmulate the energy flow, and to open the chakras I recommend the Joy of Satan meditations.
Now with the preliminary explained lets begin:
There are four main principles: Ten, Zetsu, Ren, Hatsu
Ten (Envelope): This consists in opening the flow to the energy and let it surround you without leaking. This acts like a barrier against energetic attacks and it also helps increasing health and vitality by stopping the energy leaking.
Zetsu (Supress): This is the opposite of Ten. By closing the energetic nods, the flow of the energy is stopped (or at least the flow looses intensity). This helps to be more sensitive to other energy sources and also makes your own presence less noticeable. But it can leave you more vulnerable.
Ren (Enhance): This is a variation of Ten. The chakras are fully opened and the flow of energy is fully released around the body. This is an offensive technique that can be used to attack an alter other surrounding energy fields. But using it can be exhausting and let you without energy.
Hatsu (Act): This would be our traditional psionics, but with some extra steps. This is learning your own way with energy and what are your unique features using it. This can not be taught, it must be experienced by oneself through practice with the mentioned principles.
My experiences
At first I started practicing ten. I just go on to meditate an focus on the energy flowing through me. I feel my Chakras not like discs or pyramids, but as rings with variable radius. Through all the rings flow my energy. It is usually white (for neutral energy), but I can change it to demonic energy (by invoking the black flame) or my own energy (a blueish aura). By altering the size of the rings I control the flow and proportion of the energy inside and outside of me. I could also control the density of my external aura. I practiced this while walking in the city, and i could feel my energy compressed around my skin and how it repealed the energetic fields of the people around me.
Another thing I tried was Ren. I expanded the rings of my chakra so that it dissolved. By doing this I could feel my energy as a river inside of me and how my aura expanded through the room. This helped me to get more easily into a meditation state and for banishings and saturating the room with energy.
I havent tried Zetsu, and I think I´m starting to figure out Hatsu and my best focus on energy.
This is more like an introductory post and are more things about Nen I could talk about.
If you want to see the part two please show it in the comments.
With Love,
Glenn the Ghoul
