QUOTE(Ilmatar @ Sep 5 2006, 10:25 PM)
I usually only absorb enough energy to attempt the task at hand ok maybe a little more but i have always wondered what would happen if i went on an energy draining spree without showing any restraint. What would the limitations be and would i be able to store this energy indefinitely or would i simply overload. Any ideas.
You can absorb too much energy, but it's not what it sounds like. It's difficult to define 'quantity' when it comes to energy, but you could discuss density or intensity, in their energetic context.
In any case, in most cases you will reach an upper limit and simply be unable to experience more energy than a certain level, which will gradually increase. In the case of those particularly pushy individuals (myself included) pushing past that natural limit can result directly in muscle spasms, increased blood pressure, and flashing spots in the eyesight often thought to be energy seen visually (false). If you know how to reach past your natural limits, though, chances are you'll know that you're doing something dangerous when it happens. Doing it is hard to explain, and frankly explaining it would be irresponsible.
Within the energy system, there is an optimum 'energy level' which is to say that everything must be in harmony with everything else. When you attempt to store energy in any of the centers in your body (all capable, but some are better for it than others), you must keep that harmony in mind, and excercise control over the energy that is there. The real issue arises when you draw in too much energy and then turn your attention away. Anytime you are finished with an act of magick, or any sort of energy manipulation, just make sure that you shunt the excess out somehow - grounding, generally, although I also like to shunt the energy out as a blessing into the wind, being particularly attuned to elemental air energy myself.
When you are wielding energy, initally you store it in the aura your energy system regulates. There is an active and passive aspect of this as with everything else. You store it as potential in the passive state, which becomes 'bloated' so to speak. if you were to fill yourself to capacity and then some, and hold onto the energy consciously and turn your attention away, the energy system, your chakras (major, minor, etc.) will absorb that energy in a similar fashion to the way water might move from one space to another to equalize pressure. It will follow the path of least resistance, and that means that the chakra with the closest frequency will absorb the energy the quickest, and that will determine what function the energy plays in your system. So for instance, you might do a solar meditation, and absorb energy until you are sweating, then sit around and watch tv. Solar energy is supposed to be associated with the Third eye chakra, I frequently associate it with my crown chakra. In the more traditional case, leaving the energy in your aura, and doing nothing constructive with it, may cause the excess to force itself into the third eye and cause it to be overactive. This would probably manifest itself - varying a little in the specifics depending on the state of the rest of your energy system - as personality shifts, you may become a bit more egomaniacal, controlling, "A.D.D.", you might become preoccupied with your daydreams, or space out a lot. That happens a lot to particuarly psychic teenagers.
When energy centers are overactive, usually the corresponding functions they regulate become hyper active, which can be as daunting as underactive centers. You can google some information on chakra activity, or possibly find some in the library here.
My method of balancing the centers is to start at the bottom and become aware of the extent of energy in the root chakra, get it cycling twice the speed of my heart (imagine a point at the edge of a whirlpool or wheel that is spinning counterclockwise, facing forward, passing the highest point at twice the rythm of your heartbeat) Then withdraw your control, but maintain your awareness, until your mind becomes more still. Perform this action all the way up to sahasrara. You may notice that when you withdraw control, the excess energy simply flows out into your aura, until all seven chakras are in rythm and balanced, at which point you ground or release the excess energy in your aura.
Coping with overactive energy, learning to control the energy, to the point where it is second nature, is the sign that your chakra is become accustomed to storing more energy.
peace