The following thoughts are opinions only and not stated as fact. Power - Friend or Foe? - Social, corporate or absolute power determines ones level of control of their environment. How one wields this power will determine the state of wellness of that environment. Much of this wellness has to do with the personality of the holder of the power.
Power has the ability to corrupt or heal, depending on the owner of such. Acquisition of power is one of the most zealously pursued pastimes on the planet, and definitely the most abused. In the hands of the weak or consciously void, power is used to dominate, control and even harm. In the hands of the wise and caring it is used to comfort, teach and empower. How individuals deal with the acquisition of power goes a long way to defining their character. Power, if not achieved by force, is either ceded from one to another or developed through the acquisition of knowledge or social adaptability. How emotional stable we become in our environments, will determine our social power. The acquisition of power can lead to willingness to share and support, but is often used to dominate. Gaining power can become obsessive and lead to the breakdown of moral ideals. Taken to extremes, abusing power can destroy the commitment to ones own conscious growth, enabling a person to become void of caring and to take great advantage over others to the point of physical and emotional abuse. Social Power Our ingrained drive to be in control of any situation that we encounter, creates a constant power struggle between all others and ourselves. How we learn to deal with the people that we socialize with, or meet in random fashion, determines how happy we become, and how much control we gain in our environment. We judge people by how they affect us with their personality and attitude. Since most of our aspirations and goals are determined by emotions, how we perceive others emotionally is also an important aspect of daily living. In a capitalistic society geared towards 'survival of the fittest', power is the key to advancement. From an early age many are taught that no one should hinder us from climbing up the ladder of success. This promotion, combined with our instinctive survival nature, and our instinct to fight when backed into a corner, has a tendency to make us take advantage of any upper hand that becomes available. The natural desire to be in control of ones surroundings drives a defense mechanism that protects us from impending harm. In the process of protecting ourselves, we will soon realize that we are in control of the situation. This subconscious realization precipitates the question, 'How do I deal with this power? Power and Love Often our daily social interactions contain power struggles in some way or another. Couples constantly have power struggles, with dominance often wafting back and forth between the two. If the ultimate goal of mates is to be in a loving and supportive co- existence, the use of power should never be abused. Crossing this unwritten line often plants seeds of discontent, which may grow into unhappiness and even hatred. Once the spirit of love has been broken is it very hard to recover, if ever, so making sure that power is only used in a positive way is vital to the continued existence of joyful love. If power is exerted by one mate over another in a constant basis, it is typically a sign of an inferiority complex, combined with a fear of rejection by the perpetrator of such. How so? If you are truly equal with your mate, and desirous of a giving and sharing relationship, there is no need to control, in fact, quite the opposite is true. You will want your mate to feel freedom and joy. Like some wise person said "If you love someone, let them go. If they come back they are yours. If they do not, they never were". Uplifting your mate is a sign of love. Dominance is a sign of a lack thereof. Spirituality and Power - Are they compatible? If gaining spiritual wellbeing is a goal, one takes many steps to improve the purity of their thoughts and actions. This will lead to good decision-making and to the healthy use of power or control. The positive energies generated by a healthy spirit will further improve ones environment. If ones spirit is strong it will survive the natural tendency to take advantage of this new-found control. The predicted result is that one can use this energy to comfort, advise, teach and generally help others. As a benefit of this empowering nature, ones own spiritual wellbeing is enhanced since, because of their desire to share, one is rewarded by the enjoyment and empowerment of others. If one thing can save the planet from self destruction before it burns up in the sun, it will be through engraining in general society that the development of spirit is a vital pastime. Unfortunately, I cannot fathom this ever happening. Todays rapid society, with instant access to anywhere in the world and screens saturated with all the amenities of modern living, offers little time or inclination for anything as mundane as the desire for spiritual growth. There are so many options, the concept of taking time to indulge in a bit of soul searching seldom reaches the cranium of most human animals it seems. Being the son of a strict preacher man, and in possession of a strong determination to fight out from under the silent dominance of his ultimate power, I began to develop a pronounced overbite when opportunities of dominance came my way. The chance to have the upper hand was like a tonic for me, and I ardently pusued the dominant role in any situation that arose. This I became very proficient at. Eventually the ease of my powerful ambition, combined with a nagging conscience, forced me to re-evaluate this domineering attitude. Introspection and idle contemplation casually practiced over a number of years revealed a gentler side of self that left me feeling guilty about the use of power over others. The struggle between using power to dominate as I was dominated, or taking the warm emotions that I was spirit-bathing in, and using my new-found peace to help empower others, was a time of great moral mud wrestling for me. I believe that the proper side won out. Without spiritual support or desire, the dark side of power often wins out. Using Power as a Tool for Teaching Lessons are either dreaded or anticipated. The usual reason for this is the personality of the teacher. Although words are important, how they are presented goes a long way to determining the enjoyment of the lesson, and consequently, how well it is learned. Teachers take various approaches to getting the point across. Some say "I want you to try this….do it like that". Another teacher would say, "Since 'this' is required to accomplish 'that', it stands to reason that the best way to achieve it is….". In one classroom a student becomes submissive to the teacher, in the other they are being empowered. Empowerment expressed through a desire for equality is a superior teaching aid. Using Power to Heal Healthy power can be used to comfort others in time of need. A lack of power or confidence can often lead to depression and a feeling of inferiority. Sharing power under these circumstances can go a long way to improving the outlook of one who is feeling less than positive about their situation. The Wise Use of Power Wisdom is not what one knows, but how one manages what they know. Using power to help and empower others, generates a pristine and progressive environment. If one considers the benefit of sharing power, rather than using it to dominate, they will realize that, not only will a more positive situation exist, but production will also increase. Corporate Power When one has power over others, such as a boss has over the employees, they may use their position in a variety of ways to attain the ultimate goal, the execution of work. A boss will create an environment that reflects their personality. One who is unhappy or used to submission will have a tendency to pull rank on employees, and will never get the productivity that a boss who treats the employee as an equal will enjoy. When power is shared, it builds a strong foundation, providing stability, strength and social peace. When abused, productivity and morality are diminished. Treating employees as teammates is a good use of power. Including others in the decision making process and sharing company growth with them, builds a healthy corporate foundation. Common goals, with the opportunity to advance, motivate employees to increased focus and energy levels. Handling Abusive Power When one is subject to abuse at the hands of a parent, mate, sibling, relative or anyone, they often assume the blame and determine it to be their fault that the abuse exists. The very opposite is true and one must fight the tendency to feel that they have done something wrong. Although it is important to remove oneself from an abusive relationship or situation, dealing with the effect of that abuse is probably just as important, or more so. Emotional scars often leave a deeper wound than physical abuse, so dealing with it is VERY important. If you feel that you cannot understand the abuse, at least accept that it happened, remove the blame of the abuse from your conscience, and try to get past it by concentrating on the good things in your life. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups ""Minds Eye"" group. 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