Power is something the modern Western world is seemingly obsessed with; power over each other, power over money, power over health, status, stability, but when there’s so much focus on what’s happening outside of ourselves, we may notice that the power we once felt within ourselves begins to feel… well.. not so powerful.
Reflect for yourself – how powerful do you feel right now? If you had a battery within you, would it be empty or full?
The quote every Yoga teacher and likely Yoga student has heard a million times before is one that will resonate with everyone no matter what situation we find ourselves in:
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.
~ Marianne Williamson
So what are you afraid of?
Often, we try to obtain power, happiness or security from things we have no control over, like money, a job, relationships or social status. When we do this we automatically give our power away. The only person who has the power to control how you feel is you.
The Brahma Kumaris; a worldwide spiritual movement dedicated to personal transformation and world renewal were founded in India in 1937 and has since spread to over 110 countries. Their commitment is to helping individuals transform their perspective of the world from material to spiritual. They support the cultivation of a deep collective consciousness of peace and the individual dignity of each soul (partly transcribed from www.brahmakumaris.org)
The Brahma Kumaris study is fascinating, in-depth and truly transformational, and there are certain powers that – when practiced – lead us to becoming powerful within ourselves, giving us the power to overcome difficulties we face, and to remember our natural state of freedom and fearlessness.
“You can’t always change situations. You can never change other people. The only thing you can change is yourself. The eight powers of Raja Yoga are always available to help you in every situation that you will face in life. With self-transformation as your goal, your life will be a great journey of discovery. You will discover how to cope with every challenge and how to live well in every situation.
- the power to withdraw is the ability to step back and disengage from the world around you
- the power to pack up is the ability to bring things to an end and to stop wasteful thinking
- the power to accommodate is the ability to expand and accept the presence, ideas and desires of others.
- the power to discriminate is the ability to discern the subtle, and separate what is true from what is false.
- the power of judgment is the ability to assess the quality of choices, decisions and actions in yourself and in others.
- the power to face is the ability to confront and resolve external and internal obstacles, tests and challenges.
- the power to co-operate is the ability to give attention, time, experience and wisdom in the service of others and to work alongside them.
- the power to tolerate is the ability to respond to external and internal events positively, yet not be affected by them.
You can think of yourself as a superhero, who has been given eight powers. As you learn how to use your powers, they become stronger in you. Just like any superhero, you learn the skill of applying the right power at the right time and in the right situation”.
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