Something that tends to become an issue at some point in time is dealing with persistent low energy states, which may come about for a variety of reasons. For the vampire, this is somewhat par for the course, but it doesn't need to be more severe than it already is. There are tools we can use to assess whether our basic environment, relationships, and history are contributing to our low energy state, and methods we can use to reduce the unnecessary drains in our lives so that our need for energy can be sated more easily and frequently, leading to a better quality of life. Existing manuals and articles on energy vampirism usually fail to address this particular topic and often leave vampires fending for themselves. I hope my article can be of some use and help with this issue.
When we talk about energy, the important thing for us to consider is what we mean. In this situation, energy is defined as the subtle substance of our thoughts and emotions, which can have tangible qualities and which one practicing vampirism can use to improve their condition. Energy is found where and whenever people exhibit strong emotions and the thought processes which go with them, and may be experienced as emanating from people or as residue in places, on objects, etc.
Another issue is that we need to define what we mean by saying "high" energy versus "low" energy. This metric is usually interpreted as a quantity, when in reality it's usually a quality. High energy is often used to describe lighter emotional states, and low energy usually describes heavy energy states. Low energy often precipitates lack of enthusiasm, low will power, physical weakness, etc. and high energy often precipitates excitement, zest and zeal, power, and so on. Much of the time, what we experience as high energy or low energy is subjective, although there are some situations which are objectively high or low. For example, stale air, poor lighting, and disease vectors like insect or rodent infestation, create objectively low energy environments that threaten one's physical health. Emotional abuse is also an objectively low energy situation.
It's important to learn how to keep track of your energetic state in order to assess your need. I have tried visualizing percentages, or fills, or what have you, but the only reliable metric I have is my mood and mindset. If I'm feeling depressed, my energy is low. If I'm feeling hot and angry at other people and feel they owe me something difficult to place -- well, it's energy, because I'm feeling desperate for energy. If I feel angry because someone I don't even like and usually avoid seems to be ignoring me -- yeah, my energy is way too low. Because why should I care, right? Low energy can cause you act crazy and sometimes cause you embarrassment. It is better to keep your energy up, but you might find that you're in a situation where that's not easy.
Other issues with low energy are that you might find it a lot harder to filter out other people's feelings and information, you may feel confused and bewildered by information that's hard to place, and worst of all, the psychic abilities you rely upon every day will become so dull you'll forget you ever had them. That situation doesn't help with the depression that settles in as low energy situations continue.
How, then, do we work through such a situation? It's not easy to pick back up on energy feeding when in a low energy state. If you don't have any energy proficient friends to help you out -- or if they're simply unwilling to help -- getting out of a low energy state can be extremely difficult. Ideally, you would be gently fed by others until you were able to do so on your own. If left to one's own devices, trying to feed can make you feel just as sick as not feeding -- a bewildering situation that leaves most vampires feeling deeply confused as to whether vampirism is the correct path for them to follow.
The first thing to remember is that feeding on energy is a priority in your life, so it is worth your while to try to make life style changes which will bring you into contact with energy more often. Do you already come into regular contact with other people but don't usually socialize? Try to work in small talk -- even just exchanging greetings with people -- to open up channels of energy towards you. If you're usually homebound, is it possible for you to go out to stores that allow you to hang around for a while, like a cafe or some bookstores? Malls are also good, provided any are near you, and if all else fails you can go walking around your nearest big department store (Target, Walmart, or what have you). Online interactions don't always get much and can usually be more difficult to feed from than in person interactions. Online, you really gotta fight to keep a someone's attention, whereas in person it behooves one to pay attention.
You should also assess your glamour. This is something that strongly LHP orientated vampires tend to talk about, but I have found it to be indispensable. The fact is, most people you encounter are rather shallow and absolutely judge people based on looks -- one's presentation, that is. They may claim they don't, but they definitely do. There are also various tricks you can use to ensure they like you. Liking you doesn't mean they want to be your best friend right then and there, but that they feel open towards you and are inclined to offer basic support and assistance if asked. A vampire who is clean, neatly groomed and styled in a fashion which suits their shape, colorings, and personality is more likely to be accepted by others than a vampire who looks awkward, messy, uncomfortable, etc.
Working on social skills and presentation are important, because it makes it much easier for you to get energy from other people -- they will simply give it to you. While it seems much more attractive to only feed surreptitiously without direct interaction, direct interaction is going to be much more efficient. On top of this, you tend to feel better about yourself when you can be sure of decent and rewarding social interactions. Feeling better about oneself, one tends to be less reactive, lose less energy through instability, and have better stores to deal with energy droughts.
Another important factor is performing an Energy Inventory. This is one where I first heard about it through Webb, but I have since seen the same idea in a variety of forms and places. It's similar to the Is This Mine exercise common in psychic training books. The idea is to look at what in your life -- your daily activities, concerns, interactions, and so on -- which might be causing undue drain on your energy and might be excised. Familiar with the KonMari Method of decluttering your possessions? This is more or less the same thing, except a little more abstract.
There are common sources of drain that you can work on right away, such as reevaluating social media usage and perhaps trimming down those follow and subscription lists. Social media is a massive energy drain that tends to give you very little in return for what it takes. Energetic exchange online isn't very efficient, and most of what you see online is intended to grab and redirect your attention and focus (to advertising, to sponsored and promoted "content", etc) so that you pour energy and even money into various corporate interests.
Common sources of drain include negative and otherwise difficult relationships and interactions, anything which causes worry and stress, unhealthy environments and diets, and incompatible activities/work/hobbies. Some of these things we can't help or do anything about. If you have a shitty job, it's definitely draining you of energy, but my guess is you don’t need me to tell you that it's a crap job, and significant factors must be in play to keep you there or you would have left already. If your relationship or marriage is fraught and difficult, it's draining you of energy. This could be resolved by leaving (although, again, there are usually pertinent reasons why people stay when they know they should not), or by finding the correct methods to work out the problems in the relationship. If you had kids you didn't really want/can't actually raise yourself, again, this is a huge energy drain -- and there is nothing you can do about that one.
Last, if you are not already in the habit of regular exercise -- both for physical and energetic health -- then now is a good time to start. Yoga and qi gong are both intended to help the energy as well as the body, and both come with breathing instruction too. Knowing how to breathe properly will make a world of difference. Loosening the muscles and viscera will also make it easier for energy to circulate through your body, and reduce blockages that can occur when your energy is low. It won't fix a low energy situation for a vampire, but it definitely makes life a lot easier, including weathering prolonged periods of energy drought. Aerobic exercises are excellent for the same reasons. My personal favorite is jumping rope -- simple, cheap, and easy, jumping rope can help redistribute your energy, especially if it tends to rise and get stuck in your head (a very common issue). Going for 30-60 minute walks is also good -- again, moving the body helps the blood, the breath, and the energy. Walking outside means you rest your mind and eyes, allowing your energy to expand much more than it usually does while inside of doors.
Many sources of energy drain don't need occult or energy based interventions in order to solve them. I have found a few psychology "self help" books useful -- for others, seeing a competent therapist is very useful. The point is that sometimes we become so inured to a bad situation or habit that we don't realize it's there, and it's that inertia which keeps us in a low energy state. I'm not suggesting that if you "clean up" your life you'll cease to be a vampire. I am suggesting that managing your energy levels and feeding will greatly improve, meaning that vampirism will be much less of a burden or a chore. A healthy relationship will be an easy source of good energy -- for all involved!
When all else fails -- you can't choose where to live, you can't choose with whom to live, or where to work, or which stressful activities to drop, and so on, for whatever reason -- then it's time to work on perseverance. Unfortunately, one may find themselves in a bad situation they can't get out of, or at least not quickly or easily, and then one needs to take more drastic measures. In that case, you may need to scale back any practices that make use of energy -- no magick, no spirit work, no metasurgical work, etc -- simply because you cannot make up the loss afterward. You may need to look online for energy sources, but be prepared for that to take a very long time. I hope that we can develop some sort of shared energy source that people can feed on when they have no other options.
No matter how much experience one has with energy vampirism, low energy states and difficulties with sourcing energy can happen to anyone. Sometimes this is because we don't understand what energy we're feeding from, sometimes this is due to common errors in the material aspects of feeding. Additionally, we might have people or situations in our lives which are draining us of energy that we could seek to change or adjust in order to make them less burdensome, which can free up a lot of resources and make energy run out less quickly, as well as finding energy more easy. Occasionally, one's situation is so bad that they can only choose to take austerity measures until a better situation is attained. I hope that we can work together as a community and develop better resources to share online among vampires so that these situations are less common.