What’s In Our Name, by Dr. Cedar Barstow

POWER.  It’s everywhere.  Some seek or measure themselves by it, and some avoid or downplay it.

Seldom do we pay attention to how having more or less power impacts relationships.  Try reframing your idea of power as neutral—simply the ability to have an effect or to have influence.  This ability is something we all have and all need.  We grow our abilities to use our power for good or ill through many relationships and over a lifetime.

RIGHT.  Right and wrong, good and bad, black and white are easy categories to apply and can be helpful and can also become rigid and harmful.  We invite you to try out thinking about right in terms of being in right-relationship with power—yours and others’ power—understanding that right-relationship shifts and changes depending on the type of relationship and the situation.

USE OF.  Choosing and learning to use your power well is much bigger than having good intentions. Although good intentions are essential, there are skills and awareness to cultivate. 

Becoming aware of your impact on others and when your impact doesn’t match your intention, learning from mistakes, attending to relationship disconnects or conflict in healthy and skillful ways,  embodied ethics—beyond the rules, using the strength in your power with heart.

Count on Right Use of Power Institute as a place to grow your power-consciousness.  Through membership and courses, we offer unique and much-needed training and resources for being in right-relationship with your power.  These are skills and understandings that immediately increase your wisdom and effectiveness.