So, most of you are probably aware that I have a teenager living in my house. One thing I’ve noticed over the years is that the more I can empower him, the better he does. This is especially true since he’s become a teenager. Let me give you a few examples.
He used to whine and complain about wanting expensive clothes and shoes and it was a constant battle between he and me and our budget. Then one day I doubled his allowance and told him that, with the exception of a winter coat, he was on his own. Not only did the arguing end, he became a connoisseur of our local consignment shops and Goodwill.
It was a nightmare getting him up in the morning, except when we absolutely stopped trying and let him be late a couple of times. He would wear several outfits a day and refuse to wear jeans twice in a row… until I told him he was doing his own laundry from now on. And we’d long ago given up on bedtime so if he wanted to nap all evening and write essays all night, well, whatever.
Recently he’s been not wanting to eat, well, anything in the house. Nothing we cook is interesting, nothing in the cupboards appealing. I asked if he wants me to pick something up for him to snack on and he can’t think of anything. Finally, I told him to drive himself to the grocery store and spend $100 or less on whatever he wanted… and then stop bitching.
Ok, we all know parents never shut up about their kids, so what’s the point? The point is that empowering him benefits him in many real ways. But not because we’re giving him power. Instead when we empower him, we’re allowing him to claim his own power. Just as when you empower yourself, you aren’t taking power from anyone else… you are claiming your own power.
We each have a well of power within us. And empowering ourselves allows us to claim that power and use it. We don’t all manifest the power in the same way, and — unfortunately — we don’t all use it for good. But we have it.
When you feel powerless, remember that power doesn’t come from without. It’s not given by governments or families or churches or jobs. It’s not something you fight for or steal or beg or borrow. It’s something you already have within you. And no matter what your circumstances are or how oppressed or challenging your situation, that is your sovereignty.
When we do magic, we often start by aligning ourselves in space and time — circles, directions, hours, days, lunar cycles. But in addition to all that, we must take a moment to empower ourselves.
If you are feeling particularly powerless (and let’s be honest, there are times when all of us feel powerless) then an empowering ritual might be just what you need. The Headless Rite, Drawing Down, Assumption of the Godform, Clearing the Crown Chakra, Kundalini yoga, or Tummo meditation — all are empowerment techniques. Some involving empowerment through identification with a higher power of some kind. Some are energy focused.
The Lunation Rite includes empowerment (For you are I and I you…) through identification with the Agathos Daimon, which it why I think it does such a good job. But you can easily craft your own empowerment ritual based on the modality that resonates with you.
I hereby empower you to to empower yourself.
