Exploring the Balance of Life: Vital Units and the Path to Inner Harmony
By Aidan Hellrigel
Over the past year, I’ve immersed myself in researching various unconventional yet essential topics subjects rarely discussed around the dinner table, but deeply relevant for personal growth and understanding the world.
In March, I began reading The Stellar Man by John Baines, a book that explores how individuals can rise above their base instincts and evolve into what Baines calls the “Stellar Man.” A key concept in the book is the idea of Vital Units, which represent the energies we expend throughout the day across different facets of life.
Around the same time, I came across the work of Stuart Wilde, who also discusses a framework resembling Vital Units. In his book Life Wasn’t Meant to Be a Struggle, Wilde identifies ten core aspects of life that must be brought into balance to avoid unnecessary suffering:
- Physical Body
- Emotional Balance
- Relationships
- Living Situation
- Finances
- Attitude
- Conflict
- Stress
- Psychological State
- Spiritual Balance
Meanwhile, Baines presents his own set of Vital Units:
- Riches
- Power
- Moral Nobility
- Love
- Intelligence
- Health
- Happiness
Though the terminology differs, the underlying principle is the same: imbalance in any area leads to struggle. For instance, someone may possess great financial wealth yet lack moral integrity or inner joy. Baines emphasizes the importance of distributing our Vital Units evenly to live a fuller, more integrated life.
What’s fascinating is how these two authors approach similar truths from different angles. Wilde’s list is more concrete and practical almost diagnostic while Baines offers a more abstract and philosophical lens. This duality is useful: Wilde helps us identify specific areas to work on, while Baines invites us to reflect more deeply on the meaning of qualities like Power, Love, or Moral Nobility.
Correspondence Table
| Stuart Wilde | John Baines |
|---|---|
| Physical Body | Health |
| Emotional Balance | Moral Nobility, Happiness |
| Relationships | Love |
| Living Situation | Health |
| Finances | Riches |
| Attitude | Happiness, Love |
| Conflict | Power |
| Stress | Power |
| Psychological State | Health, Happiness, Intelligence |
| Spiritual Balance | Moral Nobility |
This comparison reveals how struggle often arises when certain energies like conflict or stress are overemphasized while others like spiritual or emotional balance are neglected.
I’ve noticed this personally. Much of my energy has gone toward managing conflict and stress, often at the expense of nurturing peace and balance.
Ultimately, both authors encourage a journey of self-examination. Take time to reflect on how your own energy is distributed across these areas. How do these concepts show up in your life? What might need rebalancing?
Struggle isn’t necessarily a sign that something is wrong it may just be a signal that something is out of alignment.
“There are only two mistakes on the path to truth: not starting, and not going all the way.”
Love,
Aidan Hellrigel
Note: This article has been peer-reviewed and reformatted by ChatGPT due to my current writing limitations.
