In Search Of Personal Power

Power Lost? These days the perception that we as individuals have little power over the quality and direction of our lives is common. As our society gets larger and larger our lives get more and more complicated, which is a kind of trickle down affect as a result of the fact that the infrastructure of society gets more complicated in proportion to the growth it experiences. This seems to always translate into less and less efficiency on the part of the bureaucracy and more and more frustration for the average citizens. This interaction between the individual and the social systems designed to maintain those systems leaves us with the impression that we don't have any power over our reality. The truth is that we didn't lose our power, we lost a particular kind of consciousness regarding the nature of power.
Generally speaking, we don't think much about the ideas of perception and consciousness, yet they are both very important factors in how we experience reality. For example; what is the difference between perceiving life as something that happens to us and perceiving life as something that we make happen? The perspective depends on whether we have the knowledge of personal power or not.
The Realities of Power
There are some strange realities regarding personal power. The first of which, and maybe the most significant, is the fact that many people don't want to have power, they experience fear at the very idea of having power over their own lives. I believe that this is because we realize the full implications of this kind of power on an intuitive level, and those implications have other implications, many of which are not clear but nevertheless are somehow perceived as a threat to those things upon which we base our feelings of security. This is basically the usual response to any idea of change, especially any major changes in our belief system.
One of the most important implications of personal power is the idea of personal responsibility. Personal responsibility is also a big factor in why some see life as something that happens to them. Because of this perception they don't feel that they should be held accountable. Power brings the responsibility for its knowledge and use. Personal power requires and demands courage and faith. There is no stampede for the acquisition of personal power. It is there for the taking, but we must be ready for it.
The Demands Of Power
Power places certain demands on those who would possess it. The first demand is that we have the knowledge of power which includes the realization that power is a tool and like any tool it can be used to destroy or create. Also, powerful tools can have a powerful affect on the user, if the person using power doesn't have a strong enough character to use this tool wisely then power can use the user.
Another demand of power is that we have a certain level of awareness and consciousness conce ing ourselves and reality that we may not wish to be aware of because of the implications that come with such awareness. The first of which is the obvious reality that we are not powerless but have complete control over our own lives and therefore are responsible for the consequences of the use of our power. Also, we must take responsibility for all the mechanisms of personal power such as desire, will, vision, intention, commitment, determination, perseverance, courage, faith and patience. These are the human characteristics that are instrumental in the application of personal power and each of these is a force to be reckoned with and we must be aware of them and conscious of their use.
The Key Factor
As you may already suspect, the key factor in personal power is self awareness. In order for this to be real, it can't be based on some fantasy version of ourselves, like our wish list or the version that is convenient or most pleasant. We're talking about the real deal with all our strengths and weaknesses, and yes, this is the hardest part of the equation. Power itself doesn't care about whether or not we are self aware, but if we try to use power from a position of weakness such as from a fantasy reality, the consequences can be and usually are very unpredictable. This constitutes power that is not under conscious control and therefore is out of control. Use it or get used by it, which would you like to be responsible for?
It is because of the importance of self awareness that I always recommend at least including a daily meditation regime when thinking about taking on personal power. I know that the whole idea of self awareness is a little scary at first, but it can get to be an addicting adventure and exploration in which yes you probably will encounter some unpleasant things about yourself, but you will also encounter some wonderful things as well. And most importantly, when it is all said and done, you will be free from the tyranny of the world outside of you and you will know the liberating feeling of having personal power.
Of course, a subject like personal power is far too involved to do anything but scratch the surface in a short article like this. But if you are serious about pursuing this subject, there is a really good e-book that drills down into the details of power. You can find it here.