Published:
02/18/2014 01:49pm
Fostering Personal Power Within The Conscious Family
We humans have an interesting task. Arriving on earth in tiny physical bodies, with brains not yet developed, we rely on those around us for our survival. Simultaneously, we are unimaginably powerful beings, with the capacity to come to live on the earth, create our own lives, love and then raise other human beings—our children.
Ask most adults, and they’ll tell you they had to “find” their own personal power, usually in late adolescence or early adulthood. Personal power is not “power over” something/someone outside of the self, a type of power that tends to go haywire, like that demonstrated by recent disintegration of our economic, religious and family systems. Power over self is a more durable power, something we possess at least from birth, that, when nurtured, eliminates the necessity to “find” it later.
Conscious Parents building Conscious Families enable personal power to develop from birth, producing adults with full, loving jurisdiction over themselves and their lives. It is time for today’s parents and grandparents to consciously develop children’s personal power from the beginning of life.
“Response-ability”—the ability to respond consciously to life, learn from experience, to process choices, make new choices, and forgive our inevitable mistakes—is the joy of living consciously. Each of us bears responsibility for our own life. I have been privileged to help parents build and maintain Conscious Families for three decades, observing all family members welcome and exercise full responsibility—regardless of age or ability—aware of the innate capacity to create life’s experiences, cast of characters, “problems” and success. Members know they are each other’s partner, constantly contributing to the growth of other members. Parents offer a safe place to live and grow, nurturing food, healthful activities, and assistance with life challenges. Children offer their incredibly-perceptive selves, giving feedback by reacting to the parental areas of strength and weakness.
My son, Jon, was 12 when his cockatiel soared into the wooded neighbor’s property at dusk one Saturday. Tearfully looking for it, Jon repeated, “My bird is lost”. Frustrated, I said “If your bird is lost, why are we looking for it? If you believe it is not lost, try ‘It’s my bird; and it’s coming back to me,’ instead.” He agreed, repeating instead "It's my bird; and it's coming back to me."
Most people accept that humans are comprised of “body, mind and spirit.” With body and mind/brain severely underdeveloped at birth, it’s reasonable to consider the spirit/soul is the repository of an individual’s power. Conscious Parents begin work with their child’s soul before birth, following up in early life by orienting the child: to their environment, their humanness, their emotionality, and by appreciating growth and accomplishments. Working
with the power within Soul, they use every opportunity to support their child’s on-going connection with his/her innate power.
Sunday morning at 10, Jon’s bird flew down to his shoulder as he walked into our neighbor’s yard. The cockatiel resumed residence in our house! Having learned that where we focus our attention, we feed energy, Jon’s personal power strengthened, creating his “miracle”! Jon, now a father, retained his innate personal power, and now passes it to his children!
