Notes that translate the heart’s breathing between feeling and language.
Chapter 5: The Theory of Energy Flow
— The Structure Behind “Inner and Outer Breathing: Six Circulations Through the Heart”
I. Seeing the Heart as a System
In Chapter 4 of the main text, I wrote: “The heart, too, must circulate—otherwise it clouds over.”
This perspective is based on systems thinking.
What Is Systems Thinking?
Systems thinking is a way of viewing things not as isolated elements, but as interconnected systems.
For example, the body.
Looking at the heart alone, health cannot be understood. The heart works in tandem with the lungs. The lungs work in tandem with the blood. Everything circulates.
The heart is the same.
Introversion, introspection, inner observation. Extroversion, externalization, resonance.
These are not independent abilities— they are a circulating system.
Closed Systems and Open Systems
There are two types of systems.
Closed System:
- Does not exchange energy with the outside
- Self-contained
- Eventually entropy (disorder) increases
Open System:
- Exchanges energy with the outside
- Circulates
- Can maintain order
What introverted people tend to fall into is a closed system.
They try to complete everything inside. They don’t release energy outward.
Then, eventually, energy stagnates, thinking goes in circles, and the heart grows heavy.
Negentropy (Negative Entropy)
Physicist Erwin Schrödinger said that the characteristic of life is negentropy.
Reducing entropy (disorder). In other words, maintaining order.
Life takes in energy from outside, processes it internally, and releases it outside.
Through this circulation, order is maintained.
The heart is the same.
Inhale deeply (inner), exhale slowly (outer).
This circulation maintains the order of the heart.
II. The Correspondence of the Six Layers
The six layers shown in the main text:
Introversion ↔ Extroversion — Charging and Releasing Energy Introspection ↔ Externalization — Thought in Circulation Inner Observation ↔ Resonance — Expanding Consciousness
Let’s look deeply at these correspondences.
Introversion ↔ Extroversion: Charging and Releasing Energy
Introversion: Charging
- Time alone
- Quiet environment
- Processing internally
- Energy accumulates
Extroversion: Releasing
- Interacting with people
- Engaging with the outer world
- Energy flows out
- But circulation is created
Introverted people are good at introversion (charging), but struggle with extroversion (releasing).
But charging alone leads to excess energy, creating anxiety and restlessness.
By releasing appropriately, balance is achieved.
Introspection ↔ Externalization: Thought in Circulation
Introspection: Understanding
- Reflecting on experience
- Finding meaning
- Self-understanding deepens
Externalization: Expression
- Putting thoughts into words
- Sharing with others
- Thoughts become clear
In psychology, there’s a concept called externalization.
By putting inner thoughts and emotions outside, they can be viewed objectively.
For example, writing in a journal.
Before writing, thoughts are hazy, but after writing, they become clear.
This is the power of externalization.
With introspection alone, thoughts don’t circulate.
By externalizing, thoughts begin to flow.
Inner Observation ↔ Resonance: Expanding Consciousness
Inner observation: Inner stillness
- Noticing one’s own sensations
- Being here and now
- Consciousness converges
Resonance: Echo with the outside
- Connecting with others
- Boundaries dissolve
- Consciousness expands
Inner observation and resonance seem opposite at first glance.
Inner observation turns inward. Resonance turns outward.
But actually, they’re continuous.
The deeper one can observe inwardly, the deeper one can resonate.
Because by becoming sensitive to one’s own sensations, one becomes sensitive to others’ sensations too.
Inner observation is the foundation of resonance.
III. Breathing as Metaphor
“Breathing”—used repeatedly in the main text.
This is not a mere metaphor—breathing and the heart’s circulation truly mirror each other.
The Physiology of Breathing
Breathing is regulated by the autonomic nervous system.
Inhaling (inspiration):
- Sympathetic nervous system dominant
- Activation
- Arousal
Exhaling (expiration):
- Parasympathetic nervous system dominant
- Relaxation—calm and stillness
In other words, the rhythm of breathing is the rhythm of the nervous system itself.
The Heart’s Breathing and the Body’s Breathing
The heart’s breathing has the same structure.
Inhaling (inner):
- Taking in energy
- Processing information
- Deepening
Exhaling (outer):
- Releasing energy
- Expressing
- Letting flow
When body breathing becomes shallow, the sympathetic nervous system dominates, and anxiety increases.
When the heart’s breathing becomes shallow, stagnation occurs inside, and thoughts grow heavy.
Conversely, when body breathing deepens, the parasympathetic nervous system dominates, and relaxation occurs.
When the heart’s breathing deepens, energy flows, and the heart lightens.
HRV (Heart Rate Variability) and Breathing
Recent research focuses on HRV (Heart Rate Variability).
HRV is the variation in intervals between heartbeats.
Healthy people have high HRV.
In other words, heartbeats vary flexibly.
This indicates good autonomic nervous system balance.
And the most effective way to increase HRV is slow breathing.
5-6 breaths per minute. Inhale deeply, exhale slowly.
This breathing regulates the autonomic nervous system and increases HRV.
And it regulates the heart’s circulation too.
IV. Energy Stagnation
In the main text, I wrote about “when circulation stagnates.” Here, we’ll look at the psychology behind it.
Thought Loops (Rumination)
When introspection becomes excessive, one falls into rumination.
Rumination is repeating the same thoughts over and over.
“Why did I say that?” “Back then, I should have done it differently.”
This thinking doesn’t solve problems.
It only depletes energy.
In the brain, this reflects an overactive DMN (Default Mode Network)— the network that loops us into thought.
By externalizing, one can escape this loop.
By putting it into words, thoughts are externalized and can be viewed objectively.
Emotional Stagnation
When inner observation is insufficient, emotions stagnate.
Emotions are felt, but can’t be verbalized. Can’t be understood. Can’t be processed.
Those emotions accumulate in the body.
In psychology, this is called somatization.
Emotions manifest as physical symptoms.
Headaches, stiff shoulders, stomach pain, insomnia.
These may be expressions of stagnant emotions.
By externalizing, emotions flow.
Crying, talking, writing. That’s emotional release.
Excess Energy
With introversion alone, energy becomes excessive.
An overcharged state.
This manifests as restlessness, impatience, anxiety.
The feeling that “I must do something.”
But not knowing what to do.
This is energy that has lost its outlet.
By turning outward, energy flows.
Creation, exercise, dialogue. That’s energy release.
V. Flow State and Circulation
Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi studied the flow state.
The flow state is a state of complete immersion.
Forgetting time, forgetting self, simply being there.
Conditions for Flow
Entering a flow state requires several conditions.
- Clear goals
- Immediate feedback
- Balance between challenge and skill
And one more thing. Circulation between inner and outer.
Flow and Circulation
In a flow state, inner and outer are integrated.
Feeling inside while expressing outside.
Inhaling deeply while exhaling slowly.
This circulation continues uninterrupted.
That’s why time is forgotten.
For many introverts, creation in solitude becomes their natural flow— because in that silence, the inner and outer already circulate as one.
VI. Polyvagal Theory and Circulation
In recent neuroscience, polyvagal theory is gaining attention.
This is a theory proposed by psychologist Stephen Porges.
Three Nervous Systems
Polyvagal theory divides the autonomic nervous system into three.
Ventral vagal complex:
- Social engagement
- Safety
- Connection
Sympathetic nervous system:
- Fight-or-flight
- Activation
- Defense
Dorsal vagal complex:
- Shutdown
- Dissociation
- Freeze
Safety and Circulation
When the ventral vagal nerve is activated, people feel safe.
Only in this state does circulation between inner and outer occur.
One can resonate. One can express. One can connect.
But when threat is felt, the sympathetic nervous system dominates.
Fight-or-flight mode activates, and circulation stops.
When threat intensifies further, the dorsal vagal nerve dominates.
Shutdown occurs, dissociation occurs.
The “fog” described in the main text may correspond to this dorsal vagal shutdown.
The Importance of Safe Spaces
Therefore, to restore circulation between inner and outer, safe spaces are necessary.
Not evaluated. Not criticized. Can be as one is.
Only in that environment does the ventral vagal nerve activate, and circulation occur.
What I wrote in the main text as “trustworthy places” refers to this neurological safety.
VII. Bridge to the Main Text
Chapter 4 of the main text spoke poetically: “Inhale deeply, exhale slowly. That breathing is what it means to live.”
This commentary unpacked that structure.
Summary of Structure
- The heart is a system
- Without circulation, it clouds over
- Functions as an open system
- Maintains negentropy
- Correspondence of the six layers
- Introversion ↔ Extroversion: Charging and releasing
- Introspection ↔ Externalization: Understanding and expression
- Inner observation ↔ Resonance: Convergence and expansion
- Breathing as metaphor
- Body breathing and heart breathing mirror each other
- HRV and autonomic nervous system
- Deep breathing regulates circulation
- Risks of stagnation
- Rumination
- Emotional stagnation
- Excess energy
- Flow and circulation
- Integration in immersed states
- Uninterrupted flow between inner and outer
- Polyvagal theory
- Neuroscience of safety
- Ventral vagal activation
- Circulation requires safety
Dialogue with the Main Text
The main text spoke to you: “Inside alone, you suffocate. Inhale deeply, exhale slowly.”
This commentary explained the reasons.
The heart is a circulating system. I proved this in the language of systems thinking and neuroscience.
But proof isn’t necessary.
You’ve always known it— in the quiet fullness of being alone, and in the faint suffocation of staying there too long.
In the value of thinking deeply, and in the heaviness when thinking becomes too much.
You’ve experienced all of this.
To the Next Chapter
In the next chapter, we’ll look deeply at “externalization.”
Abstraction and concretization touched on in Zip theory. The technique of translation.
What I wrote in the main text as “finding the 10 that holds 100 echoes”— I’ll translate this into the language of cognitive science.
Inhale deeply, exhale slowly. Within that breathing, the heart quietly circulates.
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