Power is a descriptive term that defines a relative state of energy. Like the term "ice-cream" it provides a clue but doesn't tell you which flavour, whether it comes as a single or double cone (or with a cherry on top).

Most people equate power to the stuff that makes their entertainment unit light up, heats their home or lights their office. But what about political power, sexual power, or personal power? What do these all have in common?

Within the realm of perception that we call our "known universe", all things can be described by their level or state of energy. Within our given framework of knowledge this varies from -273 degrees Centigrade (0 degrees Kelvin or absolute zero) where even atomic movement ceases, through to the billions of degrees of a super nova (exploding star) within which most of the stuff we call "matter" originates.

What is wrong with this picture, is that it appears to be a brutish and absolute description of something that is in essence capable of infinite variation and subtlety.

Perhaps a better description of power would be; energy applied with intent.

Whether this requires consciousness or sentience is irrelevant since these terms are relative to our limited perception. As we take the time to get to know some of the species with which we share this planet, it is becoming obvious that self-awareness is not solely the domain of Homo sapiens.

Personal Power

If power is the deliberate application of energy, then personal power is a measure of how much energy you have at your disposal at any time. It takes energy just to stay alive. When you have more than this basic "survival level" of energy, there is the possibility for achievement. The ability to change one's existence and interact with creation.

This brings us to Karma, the intricate and endless cause and effect relationships that exist between all things. Karma is a result of power.

There is no good or bad Karma (good and bad being very subjective terms), there is just Karma ... action, reaction ... cause and effect. Karma is the result of choices made about the application of personal power.

Just as there are a multitude of uses for the energy we call electricity, there are endless applications for personal power. Not all of them will have "beneficial" outcomes.


Power and Meditation

The more personal power you have, the more you can achieve.

One generally learns to meditate in stages, beginning with learning to focus one's attention. This can then be applied to focus personal power for maximum effect.

Another, even more useful outcome of meditation is to gain an understanding of the appropriate application of power, ie: when to use it, and when not to. When seen from the perspective of Karma, this allows you the opportunity to steer your spiritual evolution.

With continued practice, meditation itself becomes a vehicle for accessing power.

A line near the end of one of Rama's tapes puts it nicely: "So, now you know all about Power ... You can go out and do nice things for people ... Like stay out of their way, right?"


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