In Search of Endless Energy

Stress is not the only thing that motivates people to experiment with drugs. For a small number of users, these illegal substances are used to boost stamina and physical strength. The logic behind how some drugs work is simple: they briefly and instantly increase dopamine levels in the brain after being consumed, creating a sudden feeling of euphoria. Because of this sense of pleasure, the body no longer feels tired during strenuous activity, such as exercise.

I am not talking about an athlete caught in a doping scandal, but about a personal story from my own “dark age.” Several years ago, when I was still an active user of a drug called Lexotan, I took it shortly before swimming on a hot afternoon. The sensation of flying through clear blue water made my body feel light, free from fatigue even after hours of swimming. It felt as if I were receiving a constant injection of energy, without any need to pause and climb out of the pool.

After swimming, my body did not feel sore. I was still fit enough to do household chores and complete my daily work as a freelance writer and translator. New ideas seemed to flow effortlessly, saving me the time I would normally spend reading, doing online research, and so on.

However, Lexotan is also commonly consumed by punk kids before pogo dancing at music gigs, often with the intention of finding an outlet to release grudges against old enemies. I, too, experienced how easily emotions could explode under the influence of this substance. For example, I once dragged my youngest child (who was eight years old at the time) out of his room simply because he refused to eat. 

Illustration: private collection

From Unlimited to Limited

Although Moldova has been independent from the Soviet Union since 1991, the term “native faith” there usually refers to Slavic Native Faith, which also exists in other former Soviet countries such as Ukraine and Latvia. This belief system, also known as Rodnovery, holds that all discomfort in life stems from a disconnection between humans and nature, a spiritual and existential crisis caused by human choices themselves.

A harmonious relationship between humans and the natural world means giving nature the time it needs to renew itself, so that what it contains will always remain available and never truly run out, even as it continues to meet human needs. In the Rodnovery worldview, traditional systems of resource management are based on taking from nature only what is necessary. Nature is not treated as a lifeless object responsible for human survival, but as part of a vast interconnected network: a silent partner that never speaks, yet consistently provides everything we need.

Failure to respect and honor this silent partner gives rise to excessive desire, to endless consumption and extraction. Eventually, a turning point is reached, when nature can no longer provide, due to modern humans’ inability to control themselves and their urges. As natural resources are depleted, basic needs can no longer be met as they once were. Abundance turns into scarcity, and an economic crisis emerges.

Unlimited Energy Is Not a Myth

So does this mean that unlimited energy is nothing more than a hoax? Looking back at the story from my dark years at the beginning of this text, unlimited energy can indeed be created, even summoned, with the help of drugs—along with all their consequences. Clearly, this is not a wise choice. Human stamina has limits, but with a healthy lifestyle and proper exercise techniques, we can slightly extend the distance between our current condition and the boundary we cannot cross in terms of physical fitness.

Rodnovery shares a similar view regarding both human vitality and the surrounding natural world. Attention and care are required by all living and moving elements in this world, so that harmony can emerge through interconnectedness, maintained by various actions that symbolize reverence—such as rituals and offerings. This harmony ultimately brings a sense of joy to everyday activities, without dependence on external substances like drugs. (dswas)