7 minute courses
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The 7 Minute Course inSeven Practical Principles of
Self Empowerment
Introduction
Power is energy with a purpose. Each one of us is energy, and our energy
is for use. When we use it in a purposeful and focused way we are powerful
and empowered. Unfortunately we were not taught to stand in our power,
and to use our power in the right way. In fact, most of us learn the
opposite. We learned that power is force. We learned that you have to
force your way to the top, force others to do what you want, force your
self to change. But force drains our power, simply because within the
intention to force there is resistance to what is, to the way things
are, to the way other people behave. And where there is resistance, fear
and resentment must also be present. And fear and resentment are the
greatest but often quietest drains on our power. The purpose of this
short course on empowering the self is to help you see the futility of
forcing, struggling and battling your way through life. It may help you
to see and allow the power you already have in abundance – the power
of your own wisdom – to guide you through your life. But then again,
it may not!
1 See and know your self as a source of peace and love in life
You are not your body, gender, nationality or profession.
You are a spiritual being, and your true nature is peaceful
and loving. The only way to translate this information into
self-knowledge, the only way to convert belief into experience,
is through meditation and an ongoing spiritual enquiry.
As you practice meditation and study spiritual truths you
will increasingly access and release your inner peace which
is your inner power. The more the power of your peace is
present in your heart the more you are able to give love
and support to your self and to others. There cannot be
love unless there is peace. If your own heart is not at
peace you cannot give love. There are no greater powers
in this life than your innate peace and your unlimited love.
- Question : What do you perceive within
yourself that is disturbing your peace and blocking
your love?
- Reflection :
Recall a time when you felt deeply peaceful – see the
scene – feel the peace – let go of the scene – stay
in your peace
- Action : Today,
practice the art of appreciation in all your encounters.
2 End ALL blame and embrace self responsibility
One of the deepest patterns which we all learn to create within ourselves
is to blame others for what we feel. Many of us seem to spend a large
part of our life looking for reasons to be offended. This comes from
the deep belief that the world should dance to our tune and when it doesn’t
we draw on the learned concept of the ‘victim’. Each and every time we
point the mental and emotional finger and blame another person or situation,
however subtly, we give our power away. Self-responsibility is the first
principle of self-management. Once we learn not to blame others for how
we feel or whatever happens to us we only need be careful we don’t turn
and point the finger at ourselves. No one is to blame but we are all
responsible. There are three essential steps if you wish to empower yourself.
Step one is to know who and what you are. Step two is the acceptance
of complete self-responsibility. Step three is to break the deepest patterns
which we all learn in some form or other, that of self-rejection and
self-blame.
- Question: Why do you blame others, what is the deepest
reason?
- Reflection: What
would the world look like if no one blamed anyone
for anything
- Action : What will you do instead
of blaming, what do you replace it with?
3 Create an inner culture of continuous learning
All change in the physical world around us requires an input of energy.
All change within the spiritual universe within each of us requires a
‘conscious output’ of energy. However we are not able to see and do this
because we are blocked by false beliefs and illusions such as ….you
have to get money to be secure…. and you need to buy something to be
happy…you need to please someone to feel OK about yourself. These,
and many other illusions can only be dispelled by the power of truth.
Truth is already within you. The truth that the ultimate security is
knowing and loving oneself. The truth that you do not have to please
anyone in order to be content within yourself. The truth that buying
something does provide a moment of happiness but it fades as fast as
the evening light. Real deep enduring happiness is a constant contentment
within. These, and many other truths, set you free and allow your energy
to flow outwards with ease, and as it does, you are the first to be empowered
by it. This is an ongoing process that has no end. It requires only the
humility of the student, and to remain in a process of continuous child
like enquiry, self-exploration and learning.
- Question: Why do such beliefs mentioned above block
your energy?
- Reflection: How would
you know when you are acting in an empowered way as
opposed to a disempowering way?
- Action : What could
you change today that would allow you to empower yourself?
4 Choose your life every day
Most of us learn to live life reluctantly, (I HAVE to go to work I
HAVE to do this and that), few of us realise we drain our own power by
forgetting we always have choice and free will. Instead we make ourselves
feel like prisoners of our culture, our environment or ‘the system’,
and as a consequence we fall asleep to our choices, preferring to attribute
our attitudes of reluctance and misery to others. Start to consciously
choose the day every day, consciously choose to do everything you do.
Even if you don’t particularly enjoy what you do, choose it. Remind yourself
that joy is not something you get from a particular place or activity,
true joy is something that you generate as you give yourself whole heartedly
to whatever you do. Be whole hearted in everything you do and watch how
it transforms life from ‘have to’ a ‘want to’. Then watch the ‘prisoner
feelings’ disappear, the ‘victim feelings ‘evaporate, and feelings of
mastery appear. The first word on your lips as soon as you awaken in
morning … YES!
- Question: In what situations today do you feel like
a prisoner?
- Reflection: Visualise
yourself giving freely your time and energy to everything
you do.
- Action : Take a break
for 30 seconds every two hours tomorrow and reaffirm
your appreciation for the opportunity called LIFE!
5 Affirm your purpose and exercise your creative capacity
In practical terms, the day-to-day, moment to moment use of your power
could be described as ‘energy focused by a clear purpose’. You are a
source of the most powerful energy on the planet because you have the
capacity to create thoughts, ideas and action. If however, there is no
purpose to your creativity, no focus or direction, your energy will simply
dissipate and your power will leak out in a variety of directions. You
will be left with a drained feeling and the subtle guilt that you wasted
precious time and energy. Just as a light bulb focuses and radiates the
energy of electricity so a clear purpose focuses and radiates the power
of the self. Take time out to consider your purpose in life and then
how you can translate that purpose into your day, everyday. Don’t rush
this. Turn it into an ongoing conversation with a close friend. Be patient.
You will ‘feel’ your purpose more than create it. You will see your purpose
in your minds eye much more than a statement on a piece of paper. One
day it will occur to you, perhaps unexpectedly, perhaps in one single
thought, or a clear single image of stunning clarity, but you will know
it with a certainty that needs no questioning.
- Question: Who is someone you know who has a clear
sense of life purpose and what are the signs that they are living life
on purpose?
- Reflection: What would your life look
like if it was focused by a clear purpose?
- Action: Talk to someone with a clear
life purpose and find out exactly what it is and what
difference it has made to them?
6 Hold out the hand of co-operation
To empower and help others is to empower yourself. The most successful
people in life are not go getters, they are ‘go givers’, they always
hold out the hand of co-operation and ask, “How can I help you achieve
your goals?” As they empower others with their encouragement, they empower
themselves with their own energy and, in time, this is magnified by the
blessings of others which come back in return. The power of others blessings
can heal the deepest wounds. The one thing that kills this spiritual
dynamic within our relationships is competition. Any victory that appears
to be won through competition is a false victory. It is only a short
trip for the ego! While it feels that power is gained it is, in reality,
lost. Which means never compete. That’s hard because we have all been
conditioned to believe competition to be vital to a healthy, happy and
a satisfying life. It took me a little while to fully recognise this
nonsense! But don’t believe me! Explore this belief inside out upside
down and see for yourself what competition does to our home planet and
therefore to each other.
- Question: Write down all the advantages of competition
then all the disadvantages of competition.
- Reflection: Reflect
on the meaning of the words you used to answer the
above e.g. if you wrote down ‘competition creates progress’
in the advantages column what do you mean by progress?
- Action: Have a competitive
conversation with someone tomorrow and then go
and ask yourself if it was lastingly satisfying, empowering
and fruitful?
7 See everyone around you with a spiritual vision
Lets imagine you know who and what you truly are – an eternal soul,
a spiritual being that is unlimited and infinite. If this is true of
you it is therefore likely to be true of everyone else around you, though
they may not be aware, just as once upon a time you were not aware! Now
see them also as spiritual beings, as souls, as sources of peace and
love in the world, and you will cease to build barriers, division and
separation between you and them. As a consequence, you will gradually
end your creation of fear towards them. You will also cease to base your
happiness on others meeting your hopes and expectations. This will free
your self from all anger and animosity. With fear, anger and all sadness
now gone your ‘power drains’ are closed and your spiritual and mental
energy will gradually increase and stabilise. The only other ingredient
is patience. Be infinitely patient with your self! Infinite patience
creates instant results remember !
- Question: Why does fear and anger drain
and not empower?
- Reflection: Imagine
the person with whom you have the most conflict
today as simply a spiritual being like yourself, beyond
the labels of name gender, form and position. When
you see them like this what difference would it make
to how you think, feel and act towards them?
- Action : What can
you do differently tomorrow which gives expression
to your new perception of others?
Any Questions?
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