|
"Every form of power can be used
well or misused. The law has been
used to manipulate as well as to serve
justice. Parenthood has been a means
of captivity, and it has nourished
souls, helping them grow into fullness.
Sexuality has been a weapon to
rape and dominate, a substitute for
unmet childhood bonding and physical
touch, and an exquisite sacred
expression of love and union.
Money has been used to feed,
clothe, house, nurture, and fulfill positive
potential; and it has been used to
grab, hoard, trick, steal, sabotage, and
destroy. Work has been used to produce,
engage people’s gifts, experience
collaboration, create good in our
world; and it has been used to take
advantage of people, make slaves of
them, and suck the life out of them for
someone’s personal gain.
"The misuse and abuse of power is
rampant—sometimes under the guise
of goodness, sometimes raw and
unmasked. It’s right out in the light of
day. If we are willing to see it, we can
utilize it for healing.
Too often we try to change things
and wonder why it doesn’t last. But to
recover, change must occur within us." |
"It
must take place from the inside out.
In the realm of power, removing an
abusive leader is a temporary fix.
Soon another officer will need to be
removed because of another abuse of
power. But if leaders do their own
inner work with their relationship
with power, the culture will be transformed
from the inside out.
"How do people get to the point of
misusing and abusing their power? As
children we have painful or traumatic
experiences which, in our vulnerable state, are too much to bear. To protect
ourselves, we create defenses, and
sometimes these are visibly abusive
despite our protective intention. With
time, our defenses harden, eventually
disconnect from their original intention,
and take on a life of their own.
Then abuse is more serious, unconscious,
and destructive. A little boy is
hurt by his mother’s cold, controlling
nature. He is afraid to strike out, so he
closes his heart to protect himself and
control the pain. He has no idea it may
trigger his mother to be more domineering;
or that it will make him cold
and controlling with other people."
– Judith Barr is the author of Power Abused,
Power Healed.
Click here for full article in PDF format |
