The results are not only remarkable self therapy, but a very new and real acceptance of myself, of other people and the life around me.
From a CALM Participant who does not wish to be named.
Many people have used their inner strength without consciously knowing what they are doing. They have used it in a way that might be called instinctive or intuitive. Many others have used this strength in a conscious way knowing it to be there when they need it – these people used their inner strength deliberately. Can you imagine the results if you started deliberately using your reserves of inner strength to overcome challenges and create opportunities in your life?
What then is inner strength? And can we pin down the concept to a neat definition, a scientific formula of words that will be true in every situation? ....... Probably not. Instead, the best way to look at inner strength is by giving a series of examples that are the evidence of, the tell-tale signs of, the existence of inner strength. For this reason a number of true stories have been included in this book at the conclusion of each chapter and occasionally in the body of a chapter.
I will also attempt a working definition of inner strength. This is because, as a Civil Engineer graduate of Sydney University, I just cannot resist the urge to start with a definition. It satisfies my engineer's need to work with the known, for everything to be logical and for all parts of the structure to be measurable. I will, however, call it a working definition because I am fully open to the idea that my definition may be improved upon. Indeed by the end of this book you, the reader, may wish to formulate your own definition which may be quite different from mine.
My definition is this: “Inner Strength is that deep quality of our mind and spirit that enables us to create opportunities in life or rise above adversity. I'm saying you don't have to go through it to rise above it – you can just tap it. It is an inherent part of our creation (or existence) as beings and it allows us to rise above adversity if and when it strikes.”
These wonderful words from Marianne Williamson were used by Nelson Mandela in his 1994 Inauguration Speech.
Our deepest fear
is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are
powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness
that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves who am I to
be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are we NOT to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small doesn't serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened
about shrinking so that other
people won't feel insecure
around you.
We are born to make manifest
the glory of God that is within us.
It is not just within some of us
it is in everyone.
And as we let our own light
shine we unconsciously give
other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our
own fear our presence
automatically liberates others.
Inner strength is an inherent part of our creation (or existence) in the same way that our physical characteristics are an inherent part of our being. People differ markedly from one another in their physical characteristics. So too it may be in the way of inner strength. As people differ in their talents, or in their powers, so they differ in the degree of their inner strength. But though we may all differ, what is certain is that this inner strength is in all of us to a greater or lesser extent. I suspect that once you start a conscious, self directed and deliberate exploration of your inner strength you will be surprised that it is there within you in a greater, not a lesser, extent.
There is another similarity too between how people use their physical powers and how they use their inner strength. Whatever physical characteristics we have at birth, one fact is for certain, these are only our physical potential. Some people take their bodies for granted and rarely exercise. It is no surprise that such people will never achieve high sporting prowess. Other people actually abuse their bodies by excessive smoking, use of drugs, bad eating habits and utter laziness. It is no surprise that such people perform physically at a much lower level in life than their original potential.
On the other had some people develop the original potential of their bodies by a reasonable lifestyle and a program of exercise. It is no surprise that these people achieve a higher level of physical achievement than the other two groups.
So too it may be with the powers of our inner strength. Some will take it for granted, neither developing nor abusing it but just letting it lie dormant. Some will actually abuse that part of their creation and some will do things to develop those powers. Of those who wish to develop their powers of inner strength some may wish to simply go on a mild and continuous regime of exercise like an early morning walker. Others may wish to go on a gruelling and difficult training session just like a marathon runner. The fact is however, the choice is yours. I believe it is a good idea, and would really encourage everyone to start on some development program to exercise and use your inner strength. The degree to which you use it, whether as an early morning walker or as a marathon runner, is up to you.
What may be a sad fact of life is that for many of us the powers of our inner strength have lain dormant for many years as we have been busy with the other pressing needs of life. The sad fact is that if we don't use it we will never know what we could have done.
Before I go too much further, I'd like to also comment on another facet of this subject that fascinates me. It might fascinate you too. It is the question of why, in the very last years of the twentieth century, someone would feel the need to sit down and write a book about inner strength. The reason this fascinates me is the fact that human beings have known about the existence of inner strength almost since time began. The knowledge of inner strength is not confined to a particular culture, religion, philosophy or era. It is ancient knowledge to be found in the oldest literature and it is also modern knowledge to be found in contemporary thought.
I have recently come across the book called Psycho Feedback by Paul G Thomas, printed in 1979. It's a wonderful book for students in this area and is full of the scientific proof of the power of the subconscious and how we can use it. Here's a little of what he says about a Founding Father – Coué.
“Emile Coué was a French pharmacist who in 1870 became fascinated by the power of the mind and its relation-ship to health. Around 1880 he opened a free clinic at Nancy and effected many miraculous cures. He was an international celebrity in the 1920s but unfortunately far ahead of his time in USA. We now know that the significance of Emile Coué's work comes across the span of years like a clarion call.
“Coué's greatest insight formalised in his book Self Mastery Through Conscious Auto-suggestion was:
When the imagination and will power are in conflict, are antagonistic, it is always the imagination which wins. This law is as immutable as the law of gravity.
“And the corollary:
When the imagination and will power are harmoniously pulling in the same direction, an irresistible force is the result.”
This corollary is so important and it is the subject of my book Switch On to Your Inner Strength. Said in a different way, it could be – when the conscious mind and the subconscious mind, with positive self talk, are both working towards the same goal, the result will be achieved faster and easier.
So why the need to write now? Maybe it's because the subject is not recognised widely, maybe it's to help influence parents