Invoking the Power
This year, I chose two powers: Imagination and Order. It seems like every year, the spirit moves me during the ceremony to pick something that I might not have chosen if I used traditional "logic." For weeks, I had planned on choosing Imagination, just based on what I had read about it as I prepared the programs and the music for the ceremony. But last night, during the meditation and the responsive reading, the power of Order spoke to me. I'd be interested in hearing how you chose your power(s) and what you might be expecting over the next year or so based on your decision.
Labels: faith, power, spirit, spiritual, spirituality, success
posted by Joe Cooke @ 12:35 PM
2 comments
2 Comments:
I have heard it said that after choosing a particular power, I can look forward to increased challenges, the politically-correct way of saying "turmoil," "facing my demons," "coming face-to-face with my prejudices," or otherwise submersing myself in those things I particularly can't stand and would gladly condemn straight to hell, or at least to jail. My own experience has not confirmed this maxim, however. In fact I have not noticed any more or less "difficulty," one way or the other, then I did in previous years of "difficulties."
This is the fifth time I have "chosen a power," and each time I elected the Christ power, the one that contains all the rest. Maybe this is why I seemed not to notice the "increased difficulties;” Christ being Christ, of course He would protect me from all my foibles. It seems good to me to let Spirit decide where I need work, and the more unbeknown to me the better. I most often refuse trusting that elusive "still small voice.” It has let me down too often. But faith keeps me looking for the real lessons that only the Holy Spirit can authentically teach, sometimes still and small and sometimes frantic and unbearably loud. So, I tend to plunge in head first with decisions like these. I figure if taking the plunge turns out to be a mistake, then I will learn, and if not, well I will learn then too. I have found most often there is no wisdom to be got in the actual decision “to plunge or not to plunge.” Wisdom is rather learned in the subsequent sinking or swimming.
My intent is always to pick a way, in the moment of my “inspired” decision making, that puts Christ fully in charge of teaching me about the decisions I make. This intent keeps leading me to the Christ power... every year so far.
What I have noticed as a result of my choosing the Christ power, is a keener awareness of an array of lessons, no doubt lovingly presented to me, that encompass just about all the characteristics in the entire twelve-power lineup. I don’t know, maybe by working on all of them at once, I avoid being inundated by the lessons of any one in particular, being acutely focused all in one year… or maybe not. One thing is for sure, it seems to work for me, and I went that way again this year. Next year, who knows?
This is certainly a good time of year to talk about the Christ Candle. In our spiritual community, we allow the central candle to represent all twelve powers at one time. That part of the ceremony may be unique to our little enclave. Perhaps Barbara Eckhardt can elucidate on it.
I have heard Barbara say to choose your power carefully. For instance, by lighting the love candle, you will bring more capacity to love into your life. Barbara often asserts that this may mean that you will come into contact with people who are harder for you to love. This does make some sense. Any power grows stronger by overcoming increasing levels of resisitance.
If that is the case, lighting the Christ Candle could be risky, and yet, God does not give us more than we can handle. Besides, the entire ceremony is more about our own personal intention. The candles themselves hold no mystical power. We provide meaning and context to them through our own thought and energy. Would you agree?
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