Ashe (ah-sheh)

Ashe refers to the active force of a living being and their capacity to exert it in various ways in life. It represents the energy produced by all living bodies, vital for survival and in everyday life, it equates to a being's stamina, as such it is expended by strenuous activity, and replenished by food, rest, and living in a healthy environment. While all living things use it just by living their daily lives, it can also be intentionally manipulated for extraordinary purposes.

Naming
The concept of vital life energy has many names in a variety of cultures. It is known as ase/ashe, qi/chi, ki, prana, pnuema, ruh, or metabolic energy depending on the cultural context.

Conceptualization

Philosophical Model
In antiquity, ashe was thought of as a mystical spark of existence unique to living things that animates them and gives them metaphysical attributes like their soul. The breath was often linked to life and thought to be life itself. It was thought the breath carried this animating force, though depending on school of thought, either the spirit or a form of animating energy.

Scientific Model

This served as a model to explain the phenomena in a society before wide implementation of the scientific method. Later, that model was revised when new information was available from observation and testing evidence.
For most physical living beings, ashe takes on the form of electric current being produced by the metabolism of biological cells and tissues (or nanobots and wiring for Anthropoids) and generates an overall electrical potential. A portion of this is the basal metabolic rate, the minimum rate of energy expended at rest just to keep the vital organs going. The remainder of a being's life force is produced to exert itself and remain active through movement and exercise, also known as stamina.

Manifestation

Aura

Ashe from all the metabolic processes of the body has a tendency to flow together, producing one collective mass of potential energy that radiates from the body or form called an aura. For most beings, this aura is very subtle and very close to the surface of the skin. For untrained beings, their aura will slowly leak and escape from the body into the atmosphere without the individual’s awareness, although it be replenished as long as they are alive.
It is possible to feel the presence of one’s life force as an aura emanating from the body even without being aware of its existence. It has also been said that powerful, refined auras produce a sensation that feels akin to static shocks on the skin. When a trained individual harnesses their stamina, their bodies electric potential dramatically increases, often radiating sparks of electricity when high enough. The aura of spirits are similar but instead composed of psychic energy.
Since every living being emits this aura subconsciously, learning to sense aura is a useful skill for those tracking living things or hunting non-living things infused with this energy. Someone sensitive to aura radiation can judge the location and relative strength of his/her opponents through reading the output of their aura.
The aura created by a being's stamina can also act as a natural barrier that if strong enough can deflect life force attacks like projectiles. This resistance can also be strengthened and improved as a skill through rigorous training.
Chakra
The pores or points on the body from which ashe flows out from are called pressure points or meridians. Different parts of a body contain concentrated clusters of life force, better known as chakras, or “pools of energy”.
In Vedism and Ayurveda, there were seven major chakra that could be found not only in humanoid beings but other races as well. There were also specific emotions and mental states linked to each, leading to specific names for each. Each chakra could allow for proper flow of energy when an individual is mentally and physical fit, but their blockage can signal emotional and physical problems.

Applications

Living things can consciously utilize their ashe for a variety of purposes. Typically stamina is the portion of vitality that can be used for activity, regardless of whether it is chemical or psychic energy converted to work.
Movement and physical exercises are the most basic uses for a being to expend their stamina. Exercise in particular can increase overall fitness which can increase overall ashe output overtime.
Martial Arts are systems of combat that expend stamina to be performed.
Neijing refers to martial arts that focus on the conscious control of the practitioner's ashe to gain advantages in combat. It can take two forms: internal, where the person uses increases their bio-electric potential to buff their own body allowing them to jump farther, hit harder, and run faster; and external, affecting the mind of the other person through subtle mental influence or projecting bio-electricity through the air as plasma projectiles.
Psychokinesis is converting ashe to psychic energy from the mind to manipulate matter. This is the most common way for spirits to directly exert their influence in a spirit realm on subtle matter, and more adept spirits can exert enough psychic force to manipulate physical matter as well.
For spirits, manifestation relies on the spirit's ashe to be projected and maintained. Expending all of their stamina will cause their form to be dispelled and leave the spirit behind in a fatigued state that needs to wait in an object or sacred space to recuperate.

Type

Metaphysical, Supernatural