In a world where (almost) everything can be man-made or ‘man conquered’, we have become confused and started to believe that we have the same capacity to manufacture life. We think we can shape our lives according to our desires and expectations, based on our attachments and our fears.
A couple of years ago I went through a period in my life when I felt I had lost touch with my power and the zest for life. I was physically exhausted and disconnected from any emotion, unable to tap into my intuition so I could know what to do.
Because of this disconnection and feeling of imbalance, I was suddenly on a quest to find courage and strength, empower myself, set boundaries, make time for myself - the list went on. I acted as if those things were to be found somewhere out there in the world because they felt so far away from where I was.
But Life was asking me to think differently. Who was I, who would remain, if everything was to be dropped and I showed up raw, naked, and unveiled? What if everything that we are aiming for actually lies within our own bodies, in the freshness of our every breath, and in the unconditional capacity of our very own human mind to serve us instead of ruling us?
It was from trusting Life and releasing everything I thought I had that my real power and inner strength emerged.
True Empowerment
True empowerment begins with becoming aware of how we navigate through our daily lives, it is not about performing important acts or feats. Empowerment starts small, like a seed, and it grows bigger every day if we nurture it.
It is also about finding coherence between body, breath, and mind. It is about acting truthfully and courageously to show all of ourselves without fear of rejection. It is a practice, one we must practise daily. We are surrounded by messages coming from our cultures, social circles, family, media, and even our own minds, all saying that we are not good enough. This perception is a total deal-breaker for acting from our inner power and strength because we are naturally fierce and empowered when we abide in our natural state.
The moment we coordinate and balance the energies of our body, breath, and mind is the moment we embody our biggest strength, that which is unmovable and unshakeable. The centre of our true being will shine completely effortlessly when we are able to act, observe, speak and live from this place. Here we are empowered, empowered by the limitless force of Nature.
Remembering Nature’s Power
Remember what you feel when you see the immensity of the ocean, or the majesty of a mountain range, or maybe just a little daily moment in nature that resonates with you. Visualize and feel it for a moment. That moment of silence and awe is the manifestation of the coherence between Nature’s body, energy, and presence. This is also within us. We have that potentiality, that is our power as well.
By practising yoga and awareness we can unveil this potentiality, we just need to commit to doing this. It is important to do this for ourselves, not for others, the commitment is within ourselves and the small actions we take every day.
Practice little acts of self-empowerment every day:
Connect with your body, breath, and mind on a regular basis:
- Bring your hands to your lower belly, direct your awareness there and soften it. Guide your breath towards the area of the lower belly and feel it. Stay for 5 breaths.
- Bring your hands to your lower ribs, direct your awareness there and soften the area. Guide your breath towards the lower ribs and feel it. Stay for 5 breaths.
- Bring your hands to the upper chest, direct your awareness there, and relax your shoulders. Guide your breath towards that area and feel it. Stay for 5 breaths.
Check where your energy leaks are, become aware of those moments, and commit to exploring the possibilities of change:
Find something in your daily life that is draining your energy, something that is also within your ability to change in the short term.
For example, the amount of time you spend on social media, or what time you finally switch off from work. It is in your control to change this, for the most part, and this can be a small act of self-empowerment. You can make the commitment to yourself to put a limit on social media or to disconnect anything that has to do with work after a certain time of day.
Approach the moments or situations when you are feeling out of your power with a sense of playfulness:
When we tap into the innocence of play that is innate to us all, we inhabit our power and find the creativity that helps us to move gracefully through challenging situations.
After making these daily conscious commitments to ourselves and tapping into our own capacity to empower ourselves, we will start to see this power ripple throughout our lives. Finding empowerment within ourselves changes our relationships with others and life, as we find a new way of responding to life from our limitless and transformative power.
