As we advance up the ladder of consciousness, we find that each successive level has more life energy. Need is the first level where we see empowerment to fulfill desires and to create change. For this reason, need can be a springboard into higher consciousness. As one moves to fulfill desires, the inertness of apathy and other lower emotions are transcended. Need can be a great motivator to create a better life.

Although very few people are born at the consciousness level of need, most people are familiar with this energy throughout their lives to one degree or another. For many, life seems to be about pursuing one thing after another to fill a void. As a result, we often see certain people as "needy" when they can't seem to get enough of the attention they crave. This unprocessed energy puts one in a state to be taken advantage of. Advertisers specialize in creating a feeling of need for certain objects, experiences, and lifestyles by taking advantage of our instinctual drive for security and survival.

The difficulty with desire is that the energy of wanting, followed by fulfilling the want, can easily become an addiction. There is a tendency for the energy of desire to become a chronic wanting and craving that can never be fulfilled. This is the level of addictions of all types - food, alcohol, drugs, sex, excitement, danger, and attention.

Qualities of the energy of desire include: