3 Tips for Awakening the Power Within

For many years, my spiritual “practice” consisted solely of attending church, reading inspirational books, and praying from time to time.  While there is nothing wrong with these things, doing them alone did not make me feel any closer to God in my day-to-day experience.  Let’s just say, I was far from seeing the Christ in everyone I encountered :-).  So, how does one make the leap from reading and hearing about the Power of God to experiencing It, and activating that same Power within themselves?

My life’s purpose has been revealed to me, and it includes assisting others in making the transition from theory to practice and, ultimately, to embodiment.  You may be thinking, embodiment of what?  Embodiment of all that God created you to be.  Fully expressing all of the gifts you are destined to share in this lifetime.

What I know for sure is that this state of fully embodying one’s highest potential doesn’t typically just come out of nowhere (except in the case of a great Master who was fully Self-realized at birth).  It takes conscious effort and intention.  This is not to say that the Power within has to be acquired; the Power within is something you were born with.

The challenge is that we have piled on so many beliefs about ourselves that counter our true Identity, so in order to remember our True Nature we have to go through a process of undoing false beliefs.  This is not going to happen solely by sitting in a church pew, reading a book, or praying.  There is action that needs to be taken on our behalf to release the old, and allow the Power of God to flow through us as It was intended to.

Here are “3 Tips for Awakening the Power Within.”  I pray they are useful to those who are currently feeling disconnected from the Power of God within, and have not yet found a path to connect with it.  These tips are geared toward those who truly want to life life in integrity with their beliefs, but have had a difficult time doing so consistently.

1.       Acknowledge the Need for Change

“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” ~Albert Einstein

I love this quote from Einstein that points out the “insanity” of many humans, including my former self.  For all those years I was going to church, reading, and praying, it never occurred to me that there was something else I could be doing differently in order to progress spiritually.  I was stuck in my familiar ways and, therefore, was stuck in my familiar life experiences (doubt, fear, worry, lack, limitation, etc.).  It wasn’t until I decided to try another way that a whole new world opened up to me.  I was finally able to release old patterns and habits that were hiding my True Nature.  I was able to see how deeply-rooted my identity was in the world verses in Spirit.  This was such a powerful shift that began with the simple thought, “There must be another way!”

2.       Follow the Path that Suits You

This is such a crucial step.  Throughout our childhood, many of us were told that a certain path is the “right” or “only” path.  It is important to do a gut check about whether or not that particular path is serving you at this stage of your spiritual development.  I truly agree with the old adage that things come into your life for a “reason, season, or a lifetime.”  Some old beliefs may have served you when you were a child, but there may be others that better serve you now.  This is not to say that old beliefs have to be totally discarded.  It may mean finding a new spiritual community that can support you at your current level of development.  Or, it may mean finding something to supplement what you are currently doing.  What is most important in this step is ensuring that you open yourself up to a new daily practice that can assist you with living your beliefs verses just reading or talking about them.

I’ll give you an example here to illuminate this point.  I was raised Christian.  I went to Sunday school almost every week, and to church service on many occasions.  In college, I was baptized, and continued to attend church service on a regular basis.  All the while, I had insecurities, fears, worries, doubts, judgments, resentments, and lack of faith in many areas of my life.  I came to a point in my life in which I needed something to assist me directly with releasing these emotions and becoming confident in my identity in Christ, and the churches I was attending didn’t serve me in that area (Note: I have since found Christian churches that do indeed address these ego-driven tendencies more directly, and that focus on helping individuals realize their union with God and all life).

In 2006, at a time in my life when I was most desperately in need of spiritual assistance, A Course in Miracles (“The Course”) came into my life.  It is a self-study course designed to assist individuals in undoing the ego (the idea that we are separate from God, or our Creator), and realigning ourselves with the Peace from which we came.  It is not a religion (in fact, people of all faiths and from all over the world follow it), but a spiritual path focused on the practice of forgiveness, and assisting individuals in remembering their true Identity.  It has a text and 365 lessons that facilitate the transition from living in fear to living in peace.  This was exactly what I needed.

There are other books, daily devotionals, classes, coaches, and resources that are available for people of all faiths that also provide practical ways to re-unite individuals with their true Identity.  There are many paths to the same Truth; that we are One in God.  Being open and available to the path that speaks to your Soul is the key.

Once you settle on a path, I would highly suggest not mixing it with other paths.  Focus on applying the principles to your daily life in order to see if that path is useful to you or not (this is hard to do when you are following multiple paths at once).  From my own experience, it wasn’t until I put all my effort into truly following the path that I had chosen that I saw results and regained my Identity.

3.       Release Fear of Going Against the Grain

Once you select your path, and really begin to apply it to your daily life, there will be a need for courage and resilience.  This is where the Holy Spirit comes in (Or, your “Inner Guide,” “Higher Self,” “Spirit Guides,” “Angels” – whatever symbol works for you on your path).  Regardless of the spiritual path you choose, the daily practice of it will indeed go against all that “the world” tells you is the right way to respond to occurrences in life.  The world promotes judgment, blame, guilt, fear, hatred, resentment, and more.  Spiritual paths generally promote the daily practice of non-judgment, forgiveness, love, compassion, peace, tolerance, non-violence, etc.  While I don’t encourage cutting off anyone in your life that causes you ill feelings (because I believe there are forgiveness opportunities and lessons to be learned from them), I do encourage being mindful of one’s surroundings.  For example, when I know I am going to be in a situation where there will be a number of people who are fully aligned to the world’s way of thinking, I go into meditation before walking into the situation, and ask the Holy Spirit to guide me in what to say and do in that situation.  Many times, I am guided not to respond.  This was difficult for me at first, but now it has become a habit that I am truly grateful for.

Instead of becoming defensive or trying to prove that my way is better, I just don’t allow that negative energy to penetrate me.  I maintain my peace.  I also have found that this has made me much more compassionate toward those who believe that the right way to respond is retaliation, anger, judgment, etc.  I know that they haven’t yet reached the point of thinking “There must be another way.”  I pray for their spiritual understanding.  I pray for their peace of mind.  Most importantly, I do not allow them to shake me from my path.  When all that you think, say and do begin to align on a consistent basis, the Power within will reveal Itself more and more until, ultimately, It is all that’s left!

I pray this has been useful to anyone who has been feeling disconnected from their true Identity.  I know that feeling all too well, and pray for your peace of mind as you progress on your path.  Please feel free to reach out to me at coach@kandacejones.com if you would like assistance as you decide the right next step for you.

Keep shining!

~Kandace

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Kandace Jones
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BLOG: http://kandacejones.wordpress.com
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About the Author: Kandace Jones

I used to live life shackled by fear, doubt, and worry. I put on a happy face while navigating my day-to-day duties, but I was emotionally drained, stressed, and unhappy. When I hit rock bottom, and was diagnosed with depression and anxiety, I was determined to live life differently. I knew there had to be another way. Out of that determination, and guidance from Spirit, the "Living in the Light" blog was born. It documents my spiritual journey out of the darkness and into the Light. After nine months of publicly sharing my journey, and consciously releasing my attachment to the ego, I experienced a powerful spiritual awakening. I went from living in fear, doubt, worry, and stress to complete inner peace. My greatest passion has become assisting others on their own journey to inner peace. My spiritual memoir, From Stress to Peace: An Intimate Journal on the Journey from Living in Darkness to Living in the Light, is available now on Amazon and BN.com. Click the tabs at the top of the page to learn more about the From Stress to Peace 21-Day Challenge, Living in the Light Retreats, 1:1 sessions, and the Living in the Light Community - all of which are designed to support your journey to inner peace. I appreciate you taking the time to visit the blog and look forward to supporting you in any way I can!