Valentine’s Day is upon us and love is in the air. While love is big business, from the sappy and slurpy to the giggly, to the romantic, to the steamy sexy, it seems to me that the power of love as a creative and sustaining force in the universe doesn’t get nearly enough attention.
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote:
One of the great problems of history is that the concepts of love and power have usually been contrasted as opposites – polar opposites – so that love is identified with a resignation of power, and power with a denial of love. . . . What is needed is a realization that power without love is reckless and abusive, and love without power is sentimental and anemic.
This statement inspired the soul mission of the Center for Transformational Presence: We ignite and sustain Power-Love. Transformational Presence, simply defined, is living in the dynamic alignment and balance between power and love. When you live in this alignment and balance, you become an embodiment of evolutionary intelligence in action. You radiate an authentically powerful presence that creates the optimal energetic conditions for transformation to occur. This presence opens a door through which a greater potential can emerge, and you become a steward for that potential. The more authentic and dynamic your personal presence, the more effective you can be in serving the positive transformation and evolution of our world.
We tend to think of love as a gentle caress, a kind deed, a romantic embrace, or a blissful feeling, yet love can is also a power and a force. It can knock down barriers, heal deep emotional and spiritual wounds, and turn your world upside down.
Lately I’ve been tapping into the power of love for my next steps. I’ve been focusing on the power of my heart and asking it to lead the way as new opportunities arise and challenges surface. We all experience those moments when we just don’t know what to do next. Sometimes we are feeling lost or overwhelmed by challenge; other times there are so many opportunities to choose from that we don’t know where to begin. Either way, we can’t seem to find our next step, the right words, where to go, what to do. Yet if we just get quiet and ask the heart for guidance, we usually find our way.
That can sound like a sappy statement. But if you’ve ever experienced the power of your heart come barreling through and showing you in no uncertain terms that, in fact, the step that scares you the most is exactly the next step you must take, you know differently. With all of your senses on high alert, you proceed only because your heart is not giving you any other choice. It won’t let you back down. And somehow you get to the other side and you realize you have just made a huge breakthrough.
This is Power-Love – love that will not let you live anything less than your greatest potential. This is warrior energy. This is energy we need more of in today’s world.
On this Valentine’s Day, celebrate the light and fun sides of love with all those who are dear to your heart. That’s important, for sure. Enjoy a glass of wine with someone special, share some chocolates with good friends, and indulge in the sweetness of life. And go a step further – celebrate the power of love in your life. Remember the times when love has moved through you with a force. Acknowledge how you are now different because of the power of love. And then tap into the power force of your heart once again and ask what your heart wants next from you.