Positive Health Online

Previously published Self-Empowerment: Mind over Matter

https://www.pqliar.net/in-life/social-structure

We live in a material world. That much should be obvious. This makes our first observations about life materialistic too. All we encounter seems to be a matter of matter. It appears to us as if all there is to life can be understood by examining and exploring the effects and changes we notice in the material things of our world. Even though, at times, we are being made aware of a non-material aspect of life, we do find it difficult to accept that life, as a whole, actually isn’t a material thing. At least not in its essence, not at its origin. It is, however, energetic and all matter is, and all it ever can be is, an expression of this energy, an expression of the interactions and changes that happen within the energy.

Stages of Social Movements

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

We do accept that human life involves a non-physical aspect, which we call the mind. We struggle to define it properly and we definitely struggle to understand what it truly does and what its proper function is in life. However, we throw everything we cannot explain in terms of human life into the mind-basket, which does not encourage a true understanding. Authorities are keen to keep that basket as empty as they possibly can. To them, life would be so much easier if it was all just matter. Matter has properties that can be measured, tested and altered to specific requirements. Matter can be claimed and owned. The mind, with it being rather vague, is much more difficult to get to grips with, especially when you are trying to ‘rule’ a nation, a group of people. It is so much easier to apply rules about the physical part of our behaviour than it is to do the same with how we are thinking and what we are feeling. The application of rules to regulate our lives and streamline society is much more open to clear scrutiny in the material world than it is in the mind-world of each individual. It is much more straightforward to evaluate and judge someone’s actions (matter) than it is to judge someone’s reasoning (non-matter). The reasons for our spontaneous behaviour are not as clear-cut as the actions themselves. It is easy to police people’s actions, such as whether or not you are wearing a seatbelt in the car. It is impossible to police your personal reasons for not wearing the seatbelt at any particular moment in time. Should the constable fine you or does he accept your reasons for not complying with the law, which means you don’t get fined. I think we all have experienced that the explanation as to why your specific action was not exactly as the law prescribed does not make any impact on the fact that you were ‘wrong’ and therefore you deserve the punishment. It makes the job of a police constable so much more straightforward. Evaluate the action, not the motivation for the action.

And even though this is the case, it is the mind, the thoughts and feelings, that precede all actions. In other words, it is the mind that leads us to do what we do. So behind every action there is one or more reasons, even though we may not always be aware of them. Rather than arguing about those specific and very individual reasons, authorities have taken the stand that our actions need to be of a certain calibre and that no reason to deviate from that can be accepted. From the authority point of view that makes complete sense, because one cannot ‘regulate’ the actions of an entire population if one has to take into consideration every specific individual’s known or unknown reasoning. So, in order for any authority to have authority over individuals it requires the implementation of rules that focus on the actions of individuals, not on their motivation. An authority cannot allow all the actions that any individual feels justified to execute. This is not, as the authority would have us believe, because it would disrupt and damage the life of other people. The real reason is that one can only have authority, power over someone else, if one can make this other person act on instructions and not allow them to act in their own personal way. Their specific actions in similar circumstances would then appear completely random as there is no ‘reason’ why the action of that individual must always be the same in similar circumstances. The reason that randomness is not acceptable is not because it would damage the life of others. In fact, the authority is not prepared to wait and evaluate the effects an individual’s behaviour has on the rest of the community before passing judgement. Judgement is passed onto you following the rules set by the authority, not on how your behaviour influences the life of others. Not wearing a seatbelt in the car is a punishable offence, even though nobody, either in the car or outside the car, gets damaged by it or has his or her life seriously influenced by it. The rules, set by the authority, are there to be followed, instructions to be executed, and failing to do so will result in punishment, irrespective of the effect the specific action of the individual has. It is imperative that the individual understands this and subscribes to the reasoning of the authority. It is never necessary for the authority to understand and accept the reasoning of any individual. Failing to comply with authority rules results in punishment.

The exertion of power is essential for any authority in order to remain in power. This is done by policing ‘punishable offences’ and by making these actions, the policing and the implementation of punishment, clearly visible to the population. This sends a message to every individual that it is much better for them to comply with the rules as failing to do so will result in direct interference of the authority in your personal life. Breaking the rules of any authority will result in punishment and the public announcement of the wrong-doing of that individual and the right-doing of the authority. It is this system that keeps the authority in power. And it also instigates the fight for that particular power. Whomever is in charge has the power to implement his or her own rules and to be the exception to their own rules. This makes grabbing the power an essential way of improving your own life, or so it seems. When you are in charge you can roll out rules as you see fit, rules that will suit and benefit you and your supporters. In order for you to ensure compliance of the entire population you can choose one of two methods. One, you can ensure that you have enough police force to implement your rules, even against heavy protests. Or two, you convince the population that this is extremely good for them, that you are improving their lives, that you are protecting them from individuals who most definitely will destroy their lives. Either convincing them of the good you are doing or forcing them to accept the good you are doing are the ways to exert power over others.

Police enforcement uses the material part of life in order to have that power. Arms, handcuffs and a supporting judiciary will incarcerate individuals who are not complying. Making people believe that the authority is enhancing their lives is a mind matter. Whatever you believe to be the truth becomes your truth, becomes your reality. So, once you have convinced others that this is ‘the right thing’ to do, you no longer have to force the matter to comply. People will be willingly comply, simply because they know it is the right thing to do. Anybody who is willing to question it will be attacked and punished by the community itself and the authority can sit back and watch. No police force is needed. No hard hitting enforcement rules are needed. Simply observe how the community itself implements the rules that aren’t even their own. Controlling the mind of the population gives you control over the population.

The reason for the existence of any authority is so it can implement upon an entire population whatever benefit they can gain themselves. Making other people behave the way you need them to behave in order to enhance your own life is the only reason for an authority to exist. It is, in other words, a self-serving system.

This means that if you, as an individual, were to assume the power over your own life it would immediately follow that you would be serving your own life, and no one else’s. If you were the authority in your own life, you would be serving your life and no other. The empowerment of the Self is the only way that you are going to get control and power over your own life. And the only way to achieve that is to implement the actions that will enhance your personal life. Supporting the needs and requirements of your own life is giving you the authority to decide what is right and what is wrong for you, at any given moment in time. No outside authority is needed to guide you on this journey as you will know what is right for you. Self-Empowerment does away with the need for an outside authority and puts all the power in your own hands. And this is exactly what the outside authority does not want you to do. Don’t forget, it only serves its own purpose. It tells you that total chaos will ensue when everybody can simply do as they please. “We need an outside authority to streamline society and to allow it to function properly”. They regard us as small squabbling children and they want us to see ourselves in that way too, so you would find it comforting to know that our parents are there to sort it all out for us.

But what if we were to approach this junction in life as adults? If we all realize that when I, as an individual, have the personal ‘right’ to make my own decisions and to lead my life the way I am choosing to lead it, then I must accept that the same rule goes for every other individual within society too. Having grown up in a culture of whoever is in power can enrich his/her life, it is likely that individuals may see a perfect opportunity to grab power over others when the existing power has been removed. However, as adults, with a serious mind-conviction, the ‘new’ individuals are very likely to refuse to submit to any, new or old, outside authority. So an individual may attempt to grab power but will fail to make others comply as, in this scenario, the only method available to anyone with the intention of ‘being in charge’ is hard hitting enforcement. As it is impossible to have control over the mind of an awakened population, the only thing left is to use violence and open coercion. History has taught us that this system never lasts very long and always fails. Hence, very soon everybody will recognize that in order to enhance one’s own life, and in order to get assistance from others, one will have to allow those others to organize their lives the way they have chosen to do it. The rule of ‘give and take’ will play a central role in this new society. Each individual will be empowered and has no further need to rule another. If you are able to live life in the manner you would like you have no incentive to encroach on other people’s lives. You are not going to gain anything by trying to overpower others as they will refuse to comply with your rules. Humanity will understand where it came from and it will have the courage not to go back there.

Focussing inwardly, so as to concentrate on the needs and requirements of the self, will help to stay away from judging others. The first priority in any life will be the continuation of that life, driven by the power and energy of that specific life. There is no comparison to any other life, not in length, not in quality, not in content. Each person will carry the responsibility for that one life. If and when that personal life is going well and flows easily then that person may turn his/her attention to the outside world. It may be appropriate to help some others when they are going through a period of hardship and struggle. However, ‘help’ no longer consists of someone knowing what is good for someone else, and forcing this upon the other. Helping means executing what someone else is asking you to do. In other words, they decide what they need and you decide whether or not you are willing or able to give it to them. Nobody has any authority over anybody else.

This creates chaos when viewed through the eyes of the current structure as there will be no outside lines drawn to keep the flock in. However, self-empowerment also creates bliss and happiness when viewed from within the life of the individual as that person will be able to take any action that is required in that life. There will be no outside restriction or punishment. There will be freedom to live life as it was intended.

Within nature, and humans are still part of that development, there is hierarchy, which may be used to justify one creature to hold control over another. However, there is a fundamental difference between the power structure in nature and the power structure in human society. In nature, all the power that one creature holds over another, that one species holds over another, is either of a short duration with power shifting all the time, or it is dependent upon the circumstances and they change all the time too. Within a troupe of animals one may be the king, the dominant one, and yes, maybe this is a domination gained by force, by sheer physical strength. Other groups of animals ‘choose’ their leader based on age and experience. But when it is a force domination you see this being challenged frequently, eventually resulting in a new king and in the other system of hierarchy dead will automatically create a new king too. The force domination only lasts a very short period of time and then the new power will turn the tables and the ex-king bears the consequences of having been king for a short period of time. Nowhere in nature is power over others a permanent thing, not in time and not in terms of a specific birth right or an inherited lineage. The privileges of the crown will be taken away soon and the privileged one will be punished for having had the power over others.

Within human society the equivalent of the power structure we see within nature can be found too. When you need the help of someone else to finish a specific job then for the duration of that job you have given away the control over those aspects of your life. The tradesman or professional is king in your life. But only for the duration of the job. When the situation changes you automatically resume power. Basically you only ‘lose’ the control over your life when you voluntarily give it to someone else. In nature, it doesn’t make sense that another creature governs, rules, your own personal life. Humans have a craving for power and it is that craving that paints our history in a succession of forces that rule other lives.

If you were to rule your own life you would obviously have the benefits to your own life at heart. All the time. This allows you to make the choices that are required in order to enhance your life. All the time. This is, in fact, the only way any creature, any individual, is able to get the most out of the possibilities in life. Empowering yourself is the basis for a good life. It forms the foundations on which you can build the life that is filled with potential. No outside authority can ensure this for all its subjects. No outside authority has the intention to ensure this for all its subjects. An authority makes choices about who is to benefit and who is to suffer. Let’s not forget that life is energy and that, within an energy field, no energy is gained or lost. Only a transformation of energy takes place, which means that energy can shift but cannot be increased without decreasing it elsewhere within that field. In other words, if some people are winning within humanity, others will be losing. Someone’s gain is another one’s loss. When you are in charge of your own life you can divert energy in various directions but you can ensure that there is always a benefit to your own personal self. This is not an act of selfishness. This is an act of kindness as your life is your responsibility. And as you do not benefit from having anybody else governing your life, so does nobody else benefit from having you as their ruler. Remember one can help, but that is dependent upon the power given to you by that individual for as long as that individual wants and only on those aspects of life that that individual wants. In other words, the power that you may be given by anyone can be taken away from you at the drop of a head and without you having any recourse. It isn’t your life, so it isn’t your decision to make.

Your decisions should be about your own life and every human being, because it is a natural creature, is its own sovereignty. This, in human terms, is no longer the case because, for millennia we have given our power to people who convinced us they were ‘different’ to us, either because of their birth right (a human concept) or because they want us to believe they understand life better than we do. These people do not have the power because of these reasons. They have that power over us because we gave it to them, because we believe them.

When will you start given that same power to yourself? It is yours to give, even if it doesn’t feel like you still have that power. When you take it back you will become aware of how mighty that power truly is. You need to experience it because the memory of it has been erased over time.

Empower yourself so that your life is in your hands, and your hands only. The self-empowerment builds as you remove the power others have over you. As you take back the right to make your own decisions you will, step by step, feel your power increase as the world around you will be getting more and more frustrated with you. Frustration is a sign of feeling powerless. If they are getting frustrated with your behaviour, it means that they are losing power over you.

By empowering yourself you disempower others. This is not to damage others or for you to gain control over others. This is simply you retrieving the power you gave them in the first place, mostly unwittingly. This action will not diminish the intrinsic power of the other person. It will simply remove the excess power that isn’t from, and truly never belonged to, that person.

Empowering yourself does not harm anybody else. It simply restores the natural balance of things, whereby people get the opportunity to experience life as it truly is, not as some individuals have constructed it. This way we can all return to the natural balance of the human field. This will completely alter the power structure of human society but it will create living conditions that will allow growth and development in each and every one of us.

Do yourself a favour.

Do humanity a favour.

Empower yourself.

Acknowledgement Citation

Previously published Self-Empowerment: Mind over Matter

https://www.pqliar.net/in-life/social-structure