Understanding Empowerment

Empowerment is the autonomy and motivation that we have in our life. It’s a way of taking responsibility for what you can control but also serenity in what you cannot. But how are we supposed to find this balance within the daily chaos of life? Well, let’s discuss this in today’s episode. 

We’re continuing with the Life Journey series, which is where I examine the Major Arcana within the practice of Tarot and relate it to psychological terms that each card representatives. Now, in the last episode, I explained how Tarot is a practice of letting your intuition guide you to certain cards when laying them out in a spread. I’ll explain more about this spiritual practice in later episodes, but for now let’s jump into the next card in the series, which is the Emperor. 

The Emperor can be seen as the opposite of the Empress, which we talked about in the last episode. Whereas the Empress represents a queen or motherly energy who nurtures you, the Emperor represents a king or fatherly energy that pushes you to act and take control of a situation. It’s self care versus self empowerment. They’re two sides of the same coin. Sometimes we need to pull back and reserve our energy, and other times we need to push forward and act. Knowing when to do either is a balancing act than can be achieved by listening to ourselves and gathering support and guidance from others. 

So let’s look at this concept in three parts: when we overextend ourselves, when we’re afraid to use our talents to the fullest, and the societal issues and examples around this concept of self empowerment. 

Part 1: Overexerting Ourselves

So, as I’ve said before, self care is an important activity that many of us don’t engage in enough. Sometimes we simply can’t because of work or other obligations. Sometimes we may not know how to slow down and listen to our mind and body when it needs to rest. We may fear that if we take a break, something bad is going to happen. That we’ll lose some progress from our hard work. The risk with this is that we overextend ourselves and can experience easily burn out. We think we are being our best self by constantly being productive, but it will only catch up with us one day. We may get sick more often. Our ideas and efforts will start lacking in some capacity. We’re won’t be as energetic as we used to be but feel that we can’t slow down or else. This is again related to self care. Facing those fears and adequately caring for yourself so that you can continue being productive without sacrificing your health and well-being. 

But let’s look at another point. Sometimes we come across situations that we have little control over. We’re told to push forward, that giving up is akin to failure. But empowerment is knowing when to give up; when to walk away. Perhaps you need take a break and let your mind simmer over the problem until it finds a solution. Or the issue is simply too large for us to tackle on our own. I watch a lot of commentary-style YouTube videos that look at complex issues such as capitalism, social issues, crime, and other widespread news and events. These can be disheartening to watch and read. I find it educational because I love learning about complex issues, but engaging too much with this type of content can leave us feeling powerless. No one person can solve the housing crisis. No one person can fix the education system. All we can do is realize what is within our power and choose the best course of action that we can. And then make peace with these issues.  

Now, this doesn’t mean that we stop caring altogether. You can join an organization that does charity work towards these large issues. Maybe you’re the type of person who recycles because you care about pollution. Or some other act that makes a small difference. No, it won’t solve the problems overnight. But it’s an action that makes you feel you’re doing your part or being part of the solution is instead of the problem. We can also at the very least at be aware of the efforts by activists and leaders who are working towards those solutions. This alone can give you a sense of optimism when the world feels bleak. 

This sense of serenity and peace may take a while for some people to understand and cultivate. That’s okay. The bottom line is that this is part of achieving a sense of balance in life and strengthening your sense of empowerment. 

Part 2: Undervaluing Ourselves 

So let’s go to part two, which is when we swing the pendulum in the other direction. Sometimes we’re afraid to move forward in life, although we have the resources to do so. We may be afraid of making a mistake or standing out. We can even be afraid of asking for help and strengthen our talents. 

This sense of undervaluing ourselves can stop us from pursuing what we’re passionate about in life. It can also stop us from simply exploring a desire we have and learning more about the world. This can quickly lead to a sense of anxiety or simply feeling like you’re not good enough. I’ve found that sometimes this stems from some moment in childhood when someone we trusted told us we weren’t good enough or made us feel that way. So we internalized it and now every time we get triggered, we shrink back and go into hiding so to speak. We never fully step into our power or at the very least work with it. 

On the other hand, some people may feel like they’re entitled to the world or show off a sense of arrogance. Now don’t get me wrong, there are some talented and smart people that are just simply jerks, but that’s a different topic that we’ll discuss later. I’ve seen people wholeheartedly spread misinformation, but when challenged with new and accurate knowledge, they shut down, insistent that their information is what’s right. They aren’t willing to engage with the new information and see what is actually true and what’s false. This close mindedness keeps many people stuck in life, and they have the hardest time adapting to change. 

In fact, many of the social issues we see today stem from one side believing they have all the answers and never listening to the other side. Men and societal leaders, with women and their issues, straight people especially conservatives with queer people and their issues, everyone with trans people and their issues. Those who have the most influence aren’t really listening to the other side for who those issues actually affect the most. 

Part 3: Society’s Judgements  

And this brings us to my final part: empowerment and society. Most of us have the heard the phrase “pull yourself up by your bootstraps”. It is a gross oversimplification of this concept and ignores the real challenges in place with societal issues and why people struggle with them. 

I immediately think of the poverty issue. Many people who live in poverty are stuck in what’s called the poverty cycle. They come from families that don’t have easy access to resources. They weren’t taught how to build good financial skills or taught adequate financial literacy. It can also be hard for these individuals to move to a city that has better resources altogether. It’s a complex situation that stems from the failures of our economic and educational system. 

But many people who don’t come from a background of extreme poverty are quick to put the blame and sole responsibility on the victim. These are the politicians and influencers who are ignorant of the nuances of poverty or simply don’t have the empathy. This is especially evident when discussing poor people who are also struggling with mental health issues, drug addictions, and even homelessness. Many people feel these victims should again “pull themselves up by their bootstraps”, go find work, and stop being a burden to society.  

This lack of empathy and understanding stems from us believing that these victims have way more power and autonomy than they actually do. It’s hard to succeed in society when you are the victim in these oppressive systems. There’s only so much you can do and handle before you feel like giving up. Especially when those with more power and privilege than you aren’t listening or even trying to help. Just think of those from an older generation telling us younger folk that we’re lazy. It’s the same concept and attitude.

Now thankfully we live in a day and age where more people are spreading awareness of these systemic issues and the failures of resources meant to solve them. I’ll share a brief story as an example. I was on food stamps many years ago and was desperately looking for a job. I had to attend a job readiness class in person, in order to receive these benefits. Now already there’s a problem. Some people had transportation issues, or they had an issue finding a babysitter. Or they worked a part-time job and the classes conflicted with their work schedule. And worse, if you missed any of the classes, you know, because of the valid issues I just listed, then you were at risk of not receiving any benefits at all. Oh, and if you had an interview at the same time the classes were scheduled? Same rules applied. And when someone pointed out that this restricted a lot of access to these benefits, you know what one instructor said? “Well, that’s the rule. This is how it works.”  

Now thankfully I got hired at a job soon after, but I remember the disgust I felt when I realized that the very system meant to help those who really need it ended up failing them before they could even receive the support. This is just an example of how these complex issues can really only be solved by a massive overhaul of the systems in place. The solution is making more resources in places that desperately need it while simultaneously making access easy to get. Unchecked greed for money and power, especially by corporations and government leaders, will always be the root of the problem. 

Conclusion 

So in conclusion, I’ll try to end this on a positive note. Self empowerment is about knowing what you can control and having serenity for what you cannot. Life may not seem fair, but finding your strength amidst the chaos and adversity is the goal. Know when to charge forward and step into your power, and when to back off and care for yourself. Self care and empowerment are two sides of the same coin. Reach out for help and have faith that you’re doing the best you can with the resources you have. 

Stay tuned for the next episode where we’ll discuss the next card in order, which is the Hierophant, and what to consider when you are lost in life.