"I have the power," said the HeMan!

I remember Heman's line and the transformation that he undergoes each time he says it far more than anything else from this cartoon from my childhood. The meek and weak looking guy becomes a well sculpted powerful soldier for the Good. Skeletor, on the other hand does nothing quite as dramatic.

What really is power? It is the ability to do something. It requires a task. The energy to accomplish it and the result. The attractive power is one that we experience from mentors who allow us to discover our own inner capacity and strength. They nourish our soul and make us believe in our ability. They empower us to do what we can. This kind of nutritive power enhances the human and the humanising nature of our existence, making power struggles unnecessary. True power is the kind Vivekananda had. He believed each individual could be raised to a level of optimal living. There is no need for leaders as this presupposes followers who would be less than the leaders. According to him, all could be raised to teh level of so called leaders and integrated into the league of performers and doers. True power is not insecure. It works with all it touches to raise everyone through co-operation. Synergism is when each of both ( or all of several) individuals involved in an interaction produce a bigger result than they would add to. That is the power in action.
However, as the saying goes- power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. It takes a great soul not to lord over the less fortunate ones. It takes a truly powerful individual not to abuse teh power he is vested with and allow all to grow. These people try to exploit and manipulate those that they lead for their own personal gain. In these cases, the led are losers and the leader cannot long remain a winner... This expression of power tends to incite violence and war. It kills all- the leader and the led. There would be none left to be led... and no leader can then be called a leader.
These powers survive on mob mentality. Such people speak convincingly and mislead masses on religious or caste basis and divide rather than uniting. They encourage poeople to join Institutions and project that the Institution is bigger than an individual. They sacrifice humans just as in teh olden days humans sacrificed animals. They kill in the name of a noble cause. They fight in the name of God they say they want to protect from sacrilege. Is their God so weak as to require them to defend Him?
God, in any religion, promotes love and justice. Religion is just another way to get several people together and give them security to be able to discuss and practice certain tetnets that allow for growth, peace and love.
True power allows people to work together without the fear of losing; to come together and create a world order that is safe and just. It allows for social justice to prevail as a natural law. It allows all to express their soul and realise its purpose and desire. It allows people to feel empowered enough to influence the course of history... without fear or ulterior motive.

True power allows society to grow and nurture its people in safety without competing for basic life needs... it allows every one to be... secure and contented.