Power Struggles Versus Intimacy

[Hopefloats]

"Every Power Struggle is a fight from emotional awareness"

There are many ways to struggle for external power as there are individuals who struggle. Some shout or scream, and some brood. Some hold grudges, and some gossip. Some withdraw emotionally, while some withhold affection. Some smile, others cry. All create distance. A power struggle does not depend on behavior. It depends on intention. The intention to manipulate and control creates a power struggle when it meets the same intention. A POWER STRUGGLE COLLAPSES WHEN YOU WITHDRAW FROM IT. It cannot continue without your intention to manipulate and control. When your intention is to observe your inner process, everything changes. You withdraw energy from the struggle. Your attention is on your emotions.

When your goal is to heal the pain within you that creates your need to control and manipulate, you are no longer interested in manipulating and controlling. This is the way to challenge an impulse to be righteous, right, stronger, smarter, or LOUDER. POWER STRUGGLES BECOME UNINTERESTING TO YOU WHEN YOU CHANGE YOUR INTENTION FROM WINNING TO LEARNING ABOUT YOURSELF. Self-awareness becomes important. Intimacy is the goal.

Examples:

Power Struggle: Emotionally closed.
Intimacy: Vulnerable

Power Struggle: Right, righteous.
Intimacy: Compassionate

Power Struggle: Walled off.
Intimacy: Open Heart.

Power Struggle: Controlling
Intimacy: Cooperative

Power Struggle" Win at all costs.
Intimacy: Win-Win.

Power Struggle: Territorial
Intimacy: Shares

Power Struggle: Blames others.
Intimacy: Self-responsible

Power Struggle: Discord
Intimacy: Harmony

Power Struggle: Avoids Pain
Intimacy: Wants to heal.

Power Struggle: Resists fear
Intimacy: Faces Fear.

Power Struggle: Self-concerned
Intimacy: Self-aware

Power Struggle: Seeks external power
Intimacy: Seeks authentic power

Power Struggle: Spiritually stagnant
Intimacy: Spiritually growing

Power Struggle: Attached to outcome
Intimacy: Detached from outcome

Power Struggle: Rearranging outer world
Intimacy" Changing inner world.

Power struggles prevent intimacy

~~~~~~~~~Gary Zukav