Some may wonder how living from our power has anything to do with wellness. But it has everything to do with it. When we realize that we can own or take responsibility for how we are in the world, how we live and who we are, then we make choices that are pure and from our power, not from a conditioned knee-jerk, this-is-how-I’ve-always-done-it response, but from an awake experience. The power to choose. We all have this gift, and if used wisely, it will guide us and teach us, and treat us well. When we acknowledge that we have choice we acknowledge this personal power, and we make choices that ultimately help ourselves rather than harm. Enjoy the poem!
“Power”, from The Book of Qualities by J. Ruth Gendler, 1984
“Power made me a coat. For a long time I kept it in the back of my closet. I didn’t like to wear it much but I always took good care of it. When I first started wearing it again, it smelled like mothballs.
I was afraid if I wore the coat too much someone would want to take it, or else I would accidentally leave it behind in the dojo dressing room. But it has my name on the label now, and it doesn’t really fit anyone else. When people ask me where I found such a becoming garment, I tell them about the tailor, Power, who knows how to make coats that you grow into. First, you must find the courage to approach Power and request a coat. Then, you must find the patience inside yourself to wear the coat until it fits.”
