The translation of the word ‘meek’ in the bible, where Jesus said ‘the meek shall inherit the earth’, has always bothered me because the church has always used it to imply subservience, obedience, and submission, none of which I am very good at, in the worst and most disempowering context. How can we be both meek and powerful, trying to avoid embodying the worst of the power abuses we see in the world while being grounded in our mastery? The key lies in understanding what this word really means and how it integrates with our power.The actual word, as written in the original text, was the Greek word, ‘praus’, has a much different meaning than being weak and powerless. It actually means self-controlled or self aware and its context doesn’t imply that we should be quiet and submissive. Rather, it implies the deep, quiet confidence of the self empowered, self aware, and self controlled. Those are the ones who inherit the earth, or who are in control of the energy of the earth.
A ‘meek’ person has inner power and they don’t have to throw their weight around to prove how powerful they are. Self awareness is the most powerful way to be because we know who we are and from that we can embrace our power in a quiet way that doesn’t require others’ acknowledgement, permission, or approval.
We have the same reservations about being a master or masterful, but in the opposite sense. Being a ‘master’ doesn’t mean being bossy, the center of attention, and the one who breathes all of the air in the room. In today’s world we see those who are ‘masters’ as the ones responsible for the world’s problems, who use their power in the most selfish, self interested way. And self interest is the opposite of self awareness. A self interested person believes they need to control everyone’s energy to make sure they get what they want. A self aware person is in control of their own energy and knows that’s all they need to create their reality.
Mastery implies self mastery, being in control of our energy, having strong energy boundaries, and knowing who we are, which is also part of self awareness. That’s how we can be meek and masterful at the same time, because they are both included in true self awareness.
So how do we combine being meek and masterful in one big swoop of self awareness? Here are three ways that we will need to use in 2016 if we’re going to make it a really great year (and it can be):
Know what your energy boundaries are. What kind of energy do you want in your life? That’s part of your energy boundaries, which exist to control the flow and direction of your energy, and not that of other people. Without boundaries your energy is scattered and no one can know where you stand, or are grounded. The people in your life who you think try to tell you what to do are just responding to your lack of boundaries. My favorite energy boundary is ‘Everyone in my life loves, honors, and respects me.’
See yourself as a powerful person and define what that means to you. If you measure your power by comparing yourself to other people, you will always feel powerless. If you measure your power by criticizing and judging yourself for all of the things you don’t have in your life, you will always feel inadequate and incomplete. You powerfully create your reality in every way and when you decide what being a powerful person means to you, you can start using your energy to create that.
Acknowledge yourself as a master by celebrating yourself, your gifts, talents, your uniqueness, and what makes you special. A master isn’t the most powerfully pushy person in the room, they are the one who exudes self awareness, joy, calm confidence, and peace. Be the person that everyone wants to copy by becoming the person you wish you were — that is where your mastery lies. What comes to mind when you say “I wish I was more ____________” is a good place to begin your mastery journey.
What does being ‘meek’ mean to you? If it includes being mild mannered, obedient, putting yourself last as you meet everyone else’s needs, you may not want to be ‘meek’ and this is how you may have defined your spiritual path. So you deny yourself the power, joy, and well-being that you try to create for others because you think that the Martyred HealerTM paradigm is the way to go. And as we know, that is not a lot of fun. We all try to avoid being the pushy, controlling people we think are examples of power so we reject power and try to be humble by denying that we’re powerful. It starts with self awareness and deciding what is right and best for us, that is what being ‘meek’ entails.
What does being masterful mean to you? Is it something you embrace or try to avoid? Does the word mastery resonate with control, domination, and manipulation? We may see many examples of that in the world but it really means being in control of your own energy, aware of your power, recognizing yourself for your gifts and for who you are, and having strong energy boundaries.
Can you see yourself as a powerful person? We can be both meek and masterful when we’re self aware by acknowledging who we are and celebrating ourselves as unique. There’s no one like you in the universe, so be the most confident person in the room. Embrace being meek and masterful by being self aware and shine the light of your true being brightly. Become an example of powerful, empowered, self aware living so you create a life that resonates with the joy, love, peace, and prosperity. That is going to be a big opportunity for us in 2016, and we can begin to embrace that now.
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