Discover Energy

“Energy System Science (ESS) is an umbrella term for disciplines that use energy-flow networks to understand [and support] systemic health and development in all kinds of systems.”
Dr. Sally J. Goerner, Research Alliance for Regenerative Economics

This article was written by Curtis Ogden, the creator of the brand new Gaia Education online course 'Energy Systems' starting 23rd February 2026

When I was in graduate school a couple of decades ago, I was eager to explore across disciplines. The more I dug into different areas of study, however, the more frustrated I became that I was not feeling drawn to any particular perspective and that not much effort was being made to make connections across areas. Then I came across a biography of Howard Thurman in the campus bookstore. Thurman is known as a quiet leader of the American Civil Rights Movement. He was a coach and confidant to many more well-known and visible movement leaders. And he was a man after my own heart.

Thurman was raised in the state of Florida, a victim of the vicious racism of the times and a lover of the natural world, where he found great solace. He was sensitive and curious, attuned to both suffering and spiritual subtleties. With the support of those who saw in him great potential, he went on to do advanced academic studies and to many accolades, including ministering a multi-racial church, exploring connections between Eastern and Western religious traditions with the likes of Gandhi, advancing a more modern day form of mysticism and yes, championing civil rights. His life was an inspiring example of what it means to be a trans-disciplinary and deeply engaged human being.

Copyright: © 2005 Boston University

A quote of Thurman’s that I often reference when I summarize my most important learnings in graduate school is this:

“Don’t ask what the world needs, ask what brings you to life and go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”

These words feel truer to me than ever, and when I share them with others, they are often met with smiles and vigorous nods. Yes, what the world needs is people deeply connected to Life and to their own liveliness!

At the core of Thurman’s work was an attention to human vitality, to energy, and its importance in making the world whole. And he was not alone. Albert Einstein once said:

“Everything is energy, that's all there is to it.”

It is the current and currency of life. Jiddu Krisnamurti said further:

“Energy is thinking, feeling; it is interest, enthusiasm, greed, passion, lust, ambition, hate. Painting pictures, inventing machines, building bridges, making roads, cultivating the fields, playing games, writing poems, singing, dancing, going to the temple, worshipping - these are all expressions of energy.”

From an “energy systems” perspective, energy refers to the crucial “flows” that are important to the long-term vitality of any system, whether a person, a community, an ecosystem or an economy.

⚡Yes, you are energy. You are an energy system.

You are made up of smaller energy systems (circulatory, lymphatic, respiratory) and are a part of larger energy systems (family, neighborhood, organization, society). These systems are not fixed or static. They are diverse and dynamic. Energy systems keep you alive and you in turn are charged with supporting the health of those systems, small and large.

Seeing and understanding energy flows so that we can engage with them in positive ways is core to the role of being respectful, responsible and effective human beings. As a very skilled sustainable builder and agriculturist once said to me, “The most important question to ask is ‘What am I not seeing?’ Too many still do not see or consider the importance of the flows that bring health and vitality to Life. As a result, we see the proliferation of intersecting “crises” around the world. The good news is that there are ways we can learn to better attend energetic flows and exchanges of all kinds, at and across different scales, to align with Life’s inherent wisdom and trajectory towards wholeness.

If any of this is of interest to you, I would like to invite you to join me for an upcoming interactive on-line course through Gaia Education called Energy Systems Science and Practice for Just and Sustainable Communities starting 23rd February 2026.

The course will happen through four 2.5 hour sessions over 5 weeks, starting late February and going to the end of March. These sessions will give an overview of ESS and explore frameworks and practices to the four pillars of ESS. You can learn more at this link:

Energy Systems:
Science and Practice for Just and Sustainable Communities

With warmth,

Curtis Ogden