Episode 131 - Feeling Stronger Every Day
Strength is our ability to endure, stay the course and persevere. It can also be expressed as patience, tolerance, steadfastness and balance. True Strength is not rigid, but flexible, like the tree that blows in the wind but remains firmly rooted. It does not seek to dominate or control. When we need to set healthy boundaries, endure hardship, quit a habit, stand up for ourselves, start a new practice or move through loss or fear, it is the power of Strength that we call upon. This is one of many gifts of Spirit that each of us has. Honing the power of Strength will serve us well during these times of transition. In this episode, we share how we express the divine power of Strength in our everyday lives.
NOTES:
No matter what we are facing in life - easy or hard - our ability to navigate through it with ease and grace rests on the rigor of our spiritual practice
12 Powers of Man - a spiritual practice
Unity co-founder Charles Fillmore identified 12 Powers of Man
Agents that direct our mind
Each power assigned to a disciple of Jesus
From the Unity Correspondence Course, 1924: "These twelve apostles are the twelve thought agents in man and they preside over and direct the work of the mind. As man develops his spiritual nature he becomes conscious of the whole twelve and calls them to the work as Jesus called his disciples."
The fundamental power that everything is based on is Faith. Faith is knowing truth without having evidence. Covered in Episode 96: Got Faith? and Episode 106: From Fear to Faith
Strength is our ability to endure, stay the course Persevere, exercise resolve, patience, tolerance and balance. It is inot rigid, but flexible, like the tree that blows in the wind but remains firmly rooted.
Ways we can exhibit Strength:
Setting and keeping healthy boundaries with people
Staying committed to a project or relationship even when it becomes hard or requires more from us
Staying the course during a break up
Enduring hardship, criticism, or projection when necessary
Allowing the winds of life to hit us but not uproot us
Quitting a habit
Starting a new practice (i.e. diet, exercise, meditation)
Exercising patience or courage
Stepping up and doing what is necessary
Speaking our truth even if/when it makes us unpopular
Standing up for ourselves or another
Moving through loss
Moving through fear
Standing firm in own convictions
Communicating a difficult message
Taking responsibility for the consequences of a decision or action
Dialogue and Inquiry
How do you express Strength in your daily life?
Do you think this is a power you have mastered? Where are you on the scale of 0 to 10 with 10 being mastery?
What aspect of Strength do you want to step up this year? (list above)
Share a story of when your power of Strength served you.
How do your powers of Strength and Faith work together?
Closing Thought
I embody and express spiritual strength. No matter what I face, I have the strength within to do what is mine to do. At times, I may face a giant challenge that appears impossible to overcome. Yet each challenge presents an opportunity to use my strength. I go within and draw upon my inner strength to face the world with fortitude. I persevere because I have the strength of Spirit within me.