EMPOWERMENT
The Virtue is Empowerment and the Saboteur is Addiction.
The power to love is always stronger than the love of power.
Empowerment is a revolution of the heart. Even though the heart has all the power we will ever need, sometimes a revolution is required because our heart has become out of balance. When our insecurities begin draining our personal power and we begin to blame others more often, then it is time for a revolution of the heart, without it, we may deteriorate into vanity, arrogance or even hate.
Balance is all about knowing where the tipping point is. All virtuous qualities can deteriorate into their opposites if we do not use a system of counterbalances. We must revolt against the invaders of the heart.
Love, without the counterbalance of discernment becomes obsessive.
Truth, without the counterbalance of wisdom becomes self-centered facts.
Respect, without the counterbalance of love becomes defiance.
Unity, without the counterbalance of inclusion becomes divisive.
Love and discernment team up to keep us from falling into our desires and losing ourselves in obsessive love entanglements.
Truth and wisdom come together to help us refrain from turning information into explanations of why — we are right and they are wrong. Truth is inherent in facts, but if it is not tempered by wisdom, then facts become a junky pile of blaming and shaming.
Respect is earned, never demanded. When love is added to respect, we find ourselves feeling humbled and inspired to move forward. When there is not a counterbalance to respect, it can easily deteriorate into demanding and threatening defiance.
Unity is like a quilt that is made from many pieces of cloth, each differing in color and texture. They are arranged to create a cohesive pattern that is appealing and beautifully balanced. Unity implies diversity, making each piece necessary to the whole. When multiple colors and textures are included, the quilt becomes powerfully unique and interesting.
Empowered individuals are not addicted to the love of power, rather they know what needs to be done and they can do it with anonymity and humility. Love of power makes us become obsessed with wanting others to be obsessed with us. Lack of empowerment leads to deep insecurities which produces glorified self images, vanity and fear of being forgettable. These feelings make us want to blame and shame others.
A disempowered heart is insatiable and bound. An empowered heart is free enough to pray or send light to those who live in hate and to those who suffer from blaming, shaming and power-addiction. This is the revolution of the heart, this is empowerment, this the most powerful thing we may ever do.
Sending love to those who have succumbed to hate, has the power to save all of us. Empowerment is overcoming one’s own dark side and having the strength to be a protector of the light. People want to change the world, I say, — it would be better, if we would aspire to protect it. Empowerment protects us from becoming the bad things we see trying to nest in the hearts of human beings.
Peace be with you,
Namaste