When is Enough...Enough Part 2
Recommendations, Suggestions, Solutions
by Pamelah Landers
Expert Master Hand Analyst and Intuitive Leadership Mentor
Last week I shared about the wound of feeling powerless and applied it the example of the Supreme Court Justices with "How Much Power is Enough?" (if you didn't see it and would like to, go here to my blog page).
This week we are looking at suggestions, recommendations and solutions to address the wound of feeling powerless. I know I have my moments of this. I imagine it's familiar to you at times as well.
When I heard that Roe v. Wade had been officially overturned, I asked my Guides, “What is the purpose of this? What is up now?”
What I heard was, “It’s time for women to step into their power in a way they haven’t really yet. Women are very powerful and yet sometimes they underplay, under-express. With the support of men behind them, it’s time for women to be honest about how powerful they are.”
As I pondered this, I could feel that how power has been defined is changing. It’s not power over which has been modeled in so many ways.
Power from a feminine perspective
~ It's the power of love.
~ It's authentic, honest self-love that emanates through one’s being.
~ It’s contagious.
~ It’s self-honoring thus honoring others.
~ It’s not divisive or something to be feared.
~ It’s creating connection a deeper levels of trust.
~ It's based in truth telling - with oneself and others.
The feelings of Power exist on a spectrum: from powerful to powerless. Today we are looking at Powerful from the master path experience.
How you can recognize if you are on the master path of feeling powerful, these (some or all) may be your experience:
Powerful Master Path language:
- Feeling powerful in the moment
- Your vision is clear – your next step of inspired action is clear
- You identify your passion(s) and express yourself through them
- You accept that you are an influential person, people listen to you
- You see your leadership qualities
- You feel good about being a leader
- You have identified the realm where you are a leader
- Your self-respect keeps you focused on what is important for you and your realm
- You are aware of when you feel tempted to give your power away to another, or step into a power struggle; you acknowledge it and then make a choice for your sovereignty
- You feel faith in yourself and others authentically
- You honor your magic, whatever that is for you.
Moving from powerless to powerful is a journey. One step at a time.
Recommendations, Suggestions, Solutions:
Some of the tangible expressions and actions I've seen recommended or heard, or recommend myself to step into feeling powerful include these:
A post on Facebook within a week after the Supreme Court decision was this: Boys get vasectomies, which are reversible, when they are entering puberty. As a adult when they demonstrate being emotionally and financially responsible, they can have it reversed. I thought this was brilliant!
When we hear women say, “my body, my choice,” apply it across ALL relationships with a woman’s body and her relationship to her power. This actually applies to all of us. It won't only be women who help shift this imbalance of power. Everybody is being asked to take a deeper look inside.
Becoming conscious of ALL choices a person makes about their body, as a place to start, come into play:
~ Your thoughts about your body and how you speak to yourself about appearance (so much power or powerlessness here). Do you stand in front of a mirror and tell your body how much you love, appreciate, honor it? Or do you choose a path of feeling powerless like demeaning your appearance, ignoring it, numbing out so you don't feel it? Where on the spectrum are you? Do you feel your body is a sacred vessel or the enemy? Where are you about feeling powerful about your body's appearance?
~ Caretaking of your body in all ways - are you making choices that come from a place of feeling powerful or powerless? What is your routine for self-care of your body? Are you conscious of what your thoughts about what you eat? Do you listen to your body's desires to move? Not your mind's thoughts but you actually body's desires? What choices are you making for rest? Where are you on the spectrum of feeling powerful about body care?
~ Clearly defining boundaries for you then communicate when it's relevant with others about respecting your body - do you know when it's OK to be touched or not by another? Are you conscious of what happens when your best friend hugs you vs when a family member hugs you? Do you feel a difference and what works for you? Every relationship could feel different and that is absolutely normal. Is it OK to say "no" to a neighbor who likes to touch your arm every time you see them while walking your dog? (I could write an entire article on this one point! There is so much to body boundaries to take into consideration.) Who has consent to touch you and how? Do they know it? Have you shared what it feels like for you? Where are you on the spectrum of powerless to powerful about boundaries with your body?
When women act and live as if they are actually powerful, at a body level, maybe using the above questions as guidelines, then automatically people will treat them differently. The same is true for all of us.
One more thought - considering letting yourself be supported in new ways - not taking on so much for yourself. Maybe ask people to help you in ways you always "do it myself" through self-sufficiency. I'm sharing this because you changing your relationship with asking for support could change how you receive being supported.
I know we've had years and years, decades and decades, of being told so many things from a patriarchal perspective that demean women. It's taking many choices, one after another, to stay connected internally with one's power. For all of us - how we treat ourselves, how that is projected on to others. Again, it's a journey.
I hope some of these awareness will support you to be more aware of your relationship with power for you and what is then projected on to others. It starts with self.
Love,
Pamelah