Power up: Why we give up our power and how to begin reclaiming it

Guest post by Bri Saussy for Oh, these Wild Women: Stories from the tribe

Festival, originally uploaded by GokturkAyan

When I was a cheerleader we had this cheer that we reserved for when the team was really exhausted, far behind, strength flagging, and all around miserable. It went like this: “Power up! Clap Clap, Power Up! Clap, Clap, Power Up and Up and Up and Up and Up!” (insert wiggling poms poms).

There is a lot of fantastic content out there on the glorious internet about power-especially for women. There are advice columns on how to gain power, find & name your power, get empowered. And I say amen to that sisters-getting thoughtful and real about power dynamics-especially where we ladies are concerned is something that we should all do. But today I want to write about a less spoken of aspect of power and women & power…the act of giving up & giving over your power.

In my line of work as a professional intuitive and ritualist I sometimes encounter a beautiful, successful client who swears to me that she is cursed, crossed up, jinxed in some way because her life path appears to be littered with detour signs and half finished construction projects. The symptoms I often observe in these clients include: feeling listless, aggravated without knowing why, irritable, distracted, unable to focus, trapped, over extended, wiped out, rigid, unyielding, angry, depressed, hopeless.

Because I move and shake in a world where intuitive knowledge through tarot cards and a blessing delivered with the lighting of a candle are every day affairs-people are comfortable telling me something that they would not tell anyone else, never, ever. “Bri…I think I’m cursed-there is no other explanation for why I feel this way.” Yowza. That is some deep and scary stuff lady!

Moreover, I know that I have felt all of the feelings I listed above at numerous times in my life and I am willing to bet a few of you have too-so what does that mean? Have we all been jinxed up at some point? There are too many fairy and folk tales that talk about curses-that place curses as their central action point around which the rest of the story turns, for me to say that a curse is not real.

Uh uh, I know from firsthand experience that they are. But what most people don’t know is that a curse, a funk, a feeling of doom and gloom or plain old exhaustion bordering on why the hell am I doing this? is often brought on by one specific move (as well as a host of extenuating circumstances) and you may not even know you did it-you gave away your power to someone, something else. Period. Simple.

Think about it…your job depresses you, how come? Maybe the work is bad, maybe its totally not where you are supposed to be, but you get to determine how you act and react to and in those circumstances-unless you have given your power away to your jerk supervisor or the horrifying abstract idea of “your job.” The boyfriend who broke you heart and you went back to him three times anyway before it was finally over? You know you gave up your power to him. The girlfriend that you think is smarter, prettier, better? Betcha she is just waiting for you to take your power back so you can look in the mirror and see how truly rockin’ you are. Even the really heavy and serious stuff—chronic illness for instance. Talk to people who have a chronic illnesses and they will tell you in many different ways that the trick is to see your illness, your pain, in all its truth and detail-and not give into it, not give up to it, not let it become your entire life. You don’t give your power to it.

The sucky news? These states of funk are going to last until you take that power back.

The awesome news? You can take that power back anytime you want to darlin’! It’s not always fast or easy and its often painful, but these three steps will get you moving in the right direction:

1. Name it-did you give up your power to love to the deadbeat partner? Did you give up your power to create to the cubicle job? State specifically what you gave up and who or what you gave it up to.

2. Remember it (and yourself)-what do you feel like when your power to love fills you up-how do you shine, shimmer, and pulse? What does feeling empowered to create make you do? Do you take down the dusty watercolors-get vicious when it comes to carving out time for writing? Re-member what your power feels like.
3. See it-visualize your unique power as a big sphere. Give it color, taste, texture. It may even have a sound or a vibe. When you have it firmly in your mind’s eye step into it-firmly, proudly, head held high-let it surround, protect, and showcase your beautiful self.

Repeat as often as needed-I find this to be especially strong when I do step one in front of a mirror.

Be blessed, blissful, and powered up!

I am a full time intuitive counselor & root magic ritualist living in San Antonio, Texas with my amazing family.

My website is a popular destination, featuring my latest writings on spirituality, ritual, magic, nature, and of course divination.

I run a small in-house spiritual boutique, Milagro Roots, where I craft magical oils, cleansing baths, sachet powders, charms, amulets, mojo bags, and botanical talismans for clients around the world using many herbs, roots, and botanicals that I cultivate and grow myself.

My writing has been featured on the Association of Independent Readers and Rootworkers – where I am one of the founding members – and Elephant Journal.