We can survive about three weeks without food; about three days without water; and about three minutes without air. But we could not survive one moment without impressions.
There are three foods, or sources of nutrition, that support the growth and development of the Soul:
Nutrition of 'Food and Drink'
The ingestion and digestion of 'solid food and liquids' is well known to modern physiology and anatomy, and occurs automatically as a result of biological functions in three broad stages:
Stage 1 - food/liquid is ingested ('taken in') into the mouth where chewing and saliva commences mechanical and chemical digestion, respectively. Digestion ('breaking-down') continues through the stomach and small intestine. The food/liquid is still, technically, oustide the body.
Stage 2 - digested food/liquid is broken down enough to be absobred into the blood stream from the small intestine and flows directly to the liver to be detoxified (purified).The food/liquid is now inside the body.
Stage 3 - once purified, the blood flows directly to the cardio-pulmonary system (heart-lungs) in preparation for coming into contact with 'Air'.
The digestion of ordinary food and drink provides the 'molecular' basis of nutrition designed for the lower part of the Soul - the physical body.
Nutrition of 'Air'
The ingestion of all the elements of 'Air' has a higher energetic make-up than solids/liquids (ordinary food/drink) as it is in the Gaseous State of Matter.
Air is primarily taken in through the mouth, and ventures its way to the lungs where there is an 'exchange' of nutritents (such as oxygen) and waste products (such as cardon dioxide).
The purified blood from the liver is 'oxygenated' (among other things) and is now in a greater 'ionic' or 'electronic' state of function (i.e., electrically charged molecules).
The digestion of air provides the 'plasmic' basis of nutrition designed for the middle part of the Soul - the astral or kesdjan body. This is because the blood, and all the cells it reaches to supply the physical body with nutrients and energy, is essentially 'Bioplasmic' (the next highest State of Matter after Air - the Plasma State).
The Bioplasmic State is, for all intents and purposes, like a 'magnetic fluid' that is superimposed, and integrated with, the physical body.
While the ingestion of Air is an automatic biological function, its proper digestion must be done consciously by tracing its path to cells, tissues, organs and finally the body as a whole.
Nutrition of 'Impressions'
The ingestion of all conscious and unconscious experiences derive from internal (bodily sensations) and external (visual, auditory, touch, taste and smell) stimuli.
Assuming that there is sufficient supply of nutrition from food/drink and Air, these stimuli nourish the 'nervous system' by being transformed into electrochemical/electromagnetic energy - a higher State of energetic organisation than the States of Matter - Solid, Liquid, Gas and Plasma.
The electrochemical energy services the physical infrastructure of the nervous system (neurons and neuronal networks), while the predominant elecromagentic energy (or 'light'), which is mass-less (non-molecular) is not dependent on physical systems, though it can influence and interact with them.
Beyond basal functioning, impressions can only be properly digested consciously and secured by the willful action of paying attention to incoming impressions in the moment of their arrival, and following that action until integration within the field of sensation (presence).
If this can be achieved, there is a greater quality of conscious stimulation that produces a corresponding greater quality of energy for potential productive use in Soul Creation. Without this supply, Soul creation and formation is very limited at best.
Only a tiny fraction of the universe is in solid or liquid States of Matter. Gas and Plasma States more so. But it is electromagnetic energy that is, by far, more pervasive and abundant than any State of Matter.