Sharing the Ether
Perhaps one of the most satisfying and ultimately fulfilling ways to experience the subtle energy is by sharing it with others. The combined energy of two or more people acts as a powerful magnet, drawing the living forces into the charged spaces between the participants. Actually doing this requires great trust and cooperation, however.
As with the solitary connection with the ether, a group effort must take place in a secluded spot with few distractions. Twilight or evening is also preferred for the same reasons. And it would be best to draw on the energy while nude, though for some this may be more difficult in a group setting. Being naked with others requires self-condfidence and, again, trust. If the practitioners are lacking these, then it might be better to be clothed. But it must be pointed out that, as mentioned before, clothing interferes with the flow of subtle energy and the results may be disappointing or mixed.
Once the location has been selected and all else prepared, the participants should stand -- or sit cross-legged on the ground, if preferred -- face to face (in a circle if there are more than two). It is advised that your first attempts take place either with one other person or in an experienced group. Several people lacking experience might add confusion and undermine the whole process. Above all there must be a sense of focus, though the effort should not be strained or forced. Complete relaxation is essential for the mind and the body to open up to the flow of energy.
As the session begins, each participant should consciously attempt to synchronize him or herself to the rhythms of each other and breathe steadily. Constant awareness of the unity of the participants will encourage the flow; feelings of love and gratitude towards the other person or members of the group and the world in general will serve to lower the barriers which stand in the way of fully experiencing the etheric joining. Just as you watch the energy of your hands and the energy of your body blending with the natural world, you should notice the same thing taking place with the other person or members of the group.
The experience of the energy can become a very intimate one. In some ways it can be likened to a sexual encounter since the blending of the participants is not unlike the total involvement of sex. But it is important to channel the energy in such a way that it is not "squandered" in a brief and fleeting act of passion. A sexual encounter discharges the energy which flows between people whereas an etheric encounter builds upon that energy endlessly. While sexuality may bind it's participants in many ways (though it often diffuses the attraction and can end in estrangement) the etheric experience sends increasingly wide spirals of love out to the world if it is carried out in the right spirit. While the etheric encounter may feel erotic and even be erotic in a sense (since "eros" means love, and the interweaving of the subtle energies evoked is perhaps the most fundamental and profound form of love) it is the direction of that energy not into a closed circle but towards the entire universe which distinguishes it and makes it more spiritually and emotionally fulfilling in the end.
As you draw upon the energy of such an encounter you will find that it can be applied to people who are not themselves particularly aware of it. It can become a healing balm and the basis of a very effective and rewarding form of "therapy". It is, in fact, the basis of such healing processes as the "laying on of hands" and other touching forms of therapeutic treatment. Bringing this experience to others will not only heal them but provide for the practitioner a richer, more rewarding life. But it is important to remember that you are only a conduit of this force. Believing you are the source or using the reserves of the ether within you without recharging yourself can lead to disaster.