Thinking About: self-empowerment

I realize my thinking has been programmed by the politics of power. Powerful groups telling me they know the right answers. In the US these power brokers are governmental institutions, religious institutions, corporate industrial institutions and the media that programs our thinking and manipulates us to buy toxic products.

We do not really admit it in the US because we believe in “free speech and freedom of the press,” but often the media is nothing but a bought and paid for propaganda tool. This is sad, very sad because the media can unconsciously program us with beliefs that are counter to a positive, effective, healthy life. We feel we must have a particular medical screening, medication, or treatment because everyone is doing it--and we do not want to be denied anything. We believe if we fall in line with the program we will not be alone in our fear and misery and we just might get the cure we are promised.

My strategy to discern the truth is to ask---who profits from my decision? Does the action enhance my life? Or does it make profits for others at my expense? What happens to us when we abdicate our self-responsibility to governmental institutions, religious institutions, corporate-medical institutions? We have surrendered our life energy to fear. In a harmonious world all individuals are respected and there are no losers---you would not be asked by the physician and hospital to sign a waiver absolving them of responsibility. 

When governance, the corporate-medical establishment, and religion are used to dominate and control our thinking, the common person is victimized. It is true, society or culture cannot be sustained without shared beliefs and the US was founded on a concept of shared secular values and beliefs. The hope was that the separation of State governance from Religion would give the individual freedom to practice their Spiritual and religious beliefs without fear. This high level of freedom requires tolerance, acceptance and at times insecurity. 

This essay is actually about the insecurity that lies at the heart of free-will. (Free-will [belief in the right of personal choice] is a spiritual tenant of many religions) It is the feeling of insecurity that creates a lack of faith, which leads to doubt, which leads to hopelessness. How can anyone of us be empowered when in an emotional state of hopelessness? How can we create a healthy body when we feel hopeless? 

Can the individual live a healthy life in a constant state of disequilibrium, disharmony? The empowering principle enlivening one’s Mind/Body and Spirit is faith. It is the spiritual tension between Free-will and the choice to act on Faith that creates the opportunity for personal growth and evolution. If we abdidicate our self-responcibility to others we cannot demonstrate faith. All healing is faith healing. You can have faith in a medical model or particular treatment, faith in Nature and a natural life, faith in Self, faith in God. It is the choice to act on empowered, free-will that empowers Mind/Body Spirit healing, and Spiritual evolution.

Recently life challenges reminded me that making life decisions based on faith is a moment by moment commitment. There is no one point where I can say I will never be insecure, I will never question if my decision was the right, perfect, good choice. I can only make the best choice for me in the moment. But to be at peace with my choice--for me to feel empowered--I need to seek information, meditate with my guidance, review my belief system and accept the consequences of my decision in the moment. This process centers and balances me--it is a demonstration of the respect I have for myself. Self-respect is a demonstration of love for self. Where there is Love, fear cannot exist.