As I’ve studied human behavior, consciousness and stages of readiness for change. There seems to be a direct correlation between one’s willingness to be more defenseless, i.e., in one’s inner power and knowing, which allows the person to be in higher states of consciousness, thus respond, rather than react in life situations. Allow me to explain this idea.
Lesson 153 in A Course in Miracles says: “In my defenselessness my safety lies.
1. You who feel threatened by this changing world, its twists of fortune and its bitter jests, its brief relationships and all the “gifts” it merely lends to take away again; attend this lesson well. The world provides no safety. It is rooted in attack, and all its “gifts” of seeming safety are illusory deceptions. It attacks, and then attacks again. No peace of mind is possible where danger threatens thus.
2. The world gives rise but to defensiveness. For threat brings anger, anger makes attack seem reasonable, honestly provoked, and righteous in the name of self-defense. Yet is defensiveness a double threat. For it attests to weakness, and sets up a system of defense that cannot work. Now are the weak still further undermined, for there is treachery without and still a greater treachery within. The mind is now confused, and knows not where to turn to find escape from its imaginings.
3. It is as if a circle held it fast, wherein another circle bound it and another one in that, until escape no longer can be hoped for nor obtained. Attack, defense; defense, attack, become the circles of the hours and the days that bind the mind in heavy bands of steel with iron overlaid, returning but to start again. There seems to be no break nor ending in the ever-tightening grip of the imprisonment upon the mind.
4. Defenses are the costliest of all the prices which the ego would exact. In them lies madness in a form so grim that hope of sanity seems but to be an idle dream, beyond the possible. The sense of threat the world encourages is so much deeper, and so far beyond the frenzy and intensity of which you can conceive, that you have no idea of all the devastation it has wrought.” ̶ A Course in Miracles, Lesson 153 (1-4).
Force, a Distorted Power
It is the Victim energy (why me, poor me, I lose, I hate myself), thinking and behaving). Or the Fighter energy, with its (resentment, hatred, blame, greed, I win, and you lose), thinking and behaving. These are lower forms of consciousness and behaviors, and energy drainers. They give the victim or fighter a distorted meaning and use of true power, that is based on fear not love.
Most of humanity is in one of these two energies and consciousness or a combination of the two. People in these lower levels, have unresolved emotional trauma and wounds and they are too responsible for their traumatic experiences/wounds. “All my fault.” Or they take little to no responsibility for their painful experiences, “All someone else’s fault.”
Many people with fighter or persecutor energy and beliefs will seek power and control in intimidatingly and forceful ways. They often felt as victims growing up, being bullied by an adult figure or peers, so they struggle with insecurities and the way they hide or protect their insecurities, is to become a bully or persecutor themselves.
The victim and fighter, also struggle with a misunderstanding of responsibility. How the individual has learned and decided to show up in life. These two ways of being are on the extreme ends of the responsibility continuum, so its distorted and out balance. They either take on too much responsibility (emotionally owning much more than is really theirs to be responsible for) or they take little to no responsibility for their own choices and actions ; thus blaming others for the outcomes. In life, this becomes, more dysfunctional/unhealthy than functional/healthy. Their way of seeking power is by forcing to get their needs met. In their ego mindset it seems empowering to them, yet in true reality its actually disempowering them.
Many people have a distorted understanding of and use of “power.” Many equate power as authority and the right to use force over someone or something. Often people who are wounded, especially emotionally and if these wounds aren’t reconciled from within, the wounded person likely hurt others. Just look at the amount of violence occurring these days. How people are hurting other people or destroying property as a way to have a sense of power and control in their lives. The reality is, we hurt others because we are hurting.
This is not true power or freedom. Rather in these forms of consciousness their way of gaining power by force, is making them more powerless and creates more inner discontent, bondage, not true freedom. This way of thinking, acting and being is the opposite of how our soul and higher realms intend for us to be and live. It is ego and fear based. The ego has gotten too defensive and reactive for survival. A person has walled off their heart (their life force energy and love) for protection from further hurt at the expense and neglect of the soul and higher wiser knowing.
True Power
True power does not include force, true power comes from surrender, what I call “Spiritual Surrender.” With spiritual surrender is not about giving up or giving in as the ego believes. Spiritual surrender is the willingness and ability to “let go” in order to gain or benefit for self and/or others.
Higher levels of consciousness, involve a willingness to understand others, offering acceptance, compassion, forgiveness, and a sense of oneness, i.e. connection with all. This is the path and acts to obtain the true sense and use of Power. For these are components and acts of Love. In these forms of consciousness the individual has likely reconciled or is on the path of reconciling their emotional and spiritual wounds and false beliefs. They take healthy and appropriate responsibility for how they show up in life. These ways of consciousness and behaviors enhance one’s energy, offering a sense of empowerment, and often impacts those around them in positive ways and seeks to empower others. True power seeks power-with, not power over. In these ways, one has no need for force, for they understand as Jesus said and lived: “In my defenselessness my safety lies.”
The more I Accept “what is”, the more I let go, the greater my sense of inner power, confidence and freedom will be. These higher levels of consciousness are driven more by opening to and accessing the wisdom and knowing of our three higher minds, located in our heart, our gut and parts of our brain. These higher levels of consciousness are driven more by, seeking to Understand, by Acceptance, Compassion and Forgiveness. The lower conscious levels view life experiences as: “life is happening to me.” Sees life as the “threat and enemy.” Higher forms of consciousness, view life as happening “for me and through me.” Views life as the “opportunity and teacher.” Which is the true intent of our life as a soul having this human experience, here in the earth school.
Much of the chaos and such, happening with humanity, not just currently, but throughout human history, in individual countries and globally, can be view and a countries leaders, a group or individual need to compete for others energy, thus the need for Power by using Force, i.e., react to life. They struggle with fear, perhaps even hate life, so they resist, give up, or fight against life and others. While some countries have leaders and/or individuals, groups who stay present and centered in their inner power, have the knowing that in their defenselessness their safety lies, i.e., they respond to life, rather than react. They embrace and love life, so they flow with and through it, in more loving and thriving ways.