Increasing Your Personal Power

Ask people to define and give their perspectives on the word “power” and you will get a variety of responses: some people may view power as something to be gained or increased, others as something that is used to exude over others to their detriment, and even others as something to hold onto for social standing.

When I started training as a shaman, my shamanic teachers talked a lot about increasing power. Initially, my mind rejected this advice, since I was defining power as something outside of myself – all the status symbols that in our society we associate with individuals that have acquired power through external means and belongings.

But as I continued my training, I realized that there was another type of power – personal power – and that this was the power that my shamanic teachers wanted me to focus on. Personal power comes from within. It is a feeling and a knowing deep within that you are connected to, and can tap into, your source at any time.

As a shaman, I connect with my personal power before doing any type of shamanic work. My personal power brings me not only the strength but also the clarity to do healing work. It also allows me to more easily connect with my spirit guides and helpers and tap into their power.

However, personal power extends beyond shamanism and is valuable for each of us. Personal power is what gets you through the rough patches in life and gives you the courage to try something new or take the first step on your life path. It allows you to be comfortable and grounded in who you are. It is a quiet stillness and strength that brings you confidence and allows you to act with integrity and in alignment with your inner truth and wisdom.

So, how can you tap into your own personal power?

• Be still and present: by quieting the mind and focusing on the “now,” you give space for your personal power to be felt in your body. For me, it lives in and begins from several areas – my sacral area, my heart, and my third eye. When I am still and present, I can feel it expanding out from these areas in all directions until I am engulfed by it.
• Breathe: focus on your breath, bringing it deep down into the sacral area of your body. Let your breath be slow, deliberate and expansive. Do this for five minutes or so. Feel it building and creating a fire within your sacral area…and fanning that fire until it becomes large enough for you to then move the fire (your personal power) up and throughout your body with your breath.
• Visualize yourself in a place of power: for me, this is one of the Mayan ruins that I explored in the Yucatan. I could feel the power energy of the site when I was there, and I created a permanent energetic link for myself to that site. Whenever I want or need to, I visualize the Mayan ruin, mentally transport myself there, and breathe in the power of the site into my body to help me connect with my personal power.
• Ask your power animal to give you power: your power animal can help “amp up” your personal power level. All you need to do is ask him or her to do so. My power animal will place his paws on my shoulders and transfer power over to me. I can feel it coursing through my body when he does this.
• Fake it until you make it: if you’re struggling with feeling your personal power through the suggestions above, you may have some limiting beliefs that are holding you back. In this case, you may want to develop a power mantra, chant or vision board that will help you focus on feeling as if you are in your power until you eventually are able to actually tap into and feel your personal power.

Once you’ve learned to identify your personal power, you can tap into it at any time. It’s a good idea to practice at this until it becomes almost automatic for you. That way, when you are facing a personal challenge, situation or crisis, you will be able to quickly stop, access your personal power, and then move forward from a place of confidence and inner wisdom.

One last thought: personal power can bring about incredible changes in your life and the lives of others. You begin acting on your ideas and intuition because you are confident in yourself and your abilities. Once you have mastered being in your personal power, you realize that this type of power exists in everyone, and can see  how valuable this can be for each individual’s spirit evolution. You become more open to helping others realize and express their personal power – and actively encourage them to do so. You become a mirror and guide for others that have not yet learned how to do this. Wonderful!