Dear Beloved,

Power.

It's a an asset we all strive for, even our superhero-loving kids. But what does it really do for us? Is it really the happiness guarantee or a security blanket against loss and pain? Certainly, during this election it's all about what party has the power. And what the ultimate authority of this country - the president - will do with such power.

But just as importantly, how do we relate to power in our relationships, our work, our ability to survive and thrive? Is it individual power we hunger for? Or power over someone? Or many? We can see what power a group of people can wield for better or for worse. I hope everybody exercises their right to vote. Having a say is a great power.

Of course, in our culture, money and power are close cousins. But the mansions we inhabit can often be easily blown away in a hurricane or swept away in a flood or burnt to ashes or bombed to utter destruction. Billionaires die just like the rest of us. And whether or not you believe in God (or whatever name you ascribe to Divine Intelligence), power over our circumstances is not really in our hands.

So what can we rely on when we seek some sustainable security that we think power might give us? Of course we've heard about developing personal power in the context of cultivating good habits and eliminating the bad ones. There are practical steps that really work to achieve that. Personal power has been defined as having control over ourselves. We certainly can’t change others. Trust me, I’ve tried, thinking I could save them from their own destruction. It always comes back to me changing myself.

I return to both yoga and Sufism to find the answers on how to cultivate true power. I find that both lineages of thought have a practical and spiritual means to exerpeince our inner power.

In yoga, we have our chakras, energy centers. The third chakra, Manipura Chakra located between the naval and the base of the sternum, a couple fingers above the belly button. It is more in the center of the body than the front. It is a Sanskrit word that means “city of jewels” because of the luminous fire that is said to burn within it. Yellow is the color associated with this naval center, which is also been called the power center.

When in balance, this chakra helps with digestion, metabolism. But it also has to do with how we digest what is going on around us. Developing this chakra can boost self-esteem and confidence. Activated, it can help us to choose wisely, saying yes to what aligns with our purpose and no to what doesn’t. We will focus on this chakra in our Sufi Yoga class.

Sufis practices include accessing “the seven spiritual centers” (related to chakras) as named in the Qur’an, by contemplating and invoking Divine Qualities as portals to the inner qualities we all have. These qualities chanted repeatedly and rhythmically in Arabic are sound codes that help us access and gain insights into aspects of our own heart and soul. We will be invoking the Divine Quality of “The One Who has power, the One Who determines everything.” This quality will help us connect to a much greater power within, one that is connected to the higher source, the interconnectedness of us all. The Unity. When we align with that higher source, we exponentially multiply our power within and actually influence others by living our purpose and gifting it to ourselves and the world.

Whoever wins the election, elect yourself. Join me for the next Sufi Yoga Class.

To your sunlight!

Love,
Elissa Amina