The Power of Universal Laws: A Parent/Teacher Guide to Raising Empowered Children in Four Stages

INTRODUCTION What is an empowerment battery? Before we dive into the universal laws, I want to say that wherever you are on the journey of life is the perfect starting place for your evolution. There is no need for any self-judgments, despair, or anxiety. I want you to be kind and gentle with yourself and to fully love and accept yourself the way you are. There is an opportunity for all of us to grow, be, and do better. Maya Angelou summarizes this by saying, “Do the best you can until you know better. Then, when you know better, do better” (Kaiser 2016). As mentioned in the Preface, “empowerment” is a great attribute to sharpen and master in today’s ever-changing dynamic world. Empowerment encourages us to take control of our lives, respond to the challenges we face with grace and competence, and to create what we love and desire. I define “empowerment” as a result of resilience and co-creation. We are all born with an inner battery. When I studied with HeartMath Institute, the instructors referred to this battery as our inner guidance system, called “heart coherence.” I refer to it as our “inner empowerment battery.” In short, it is our God-Self. Most spiritual texts that I have read and myths that I know point to the infinite wisdom, love, and compassion of this inner guidance system. When we are connected to our inner guidance system, our hearts are coherent, and our empowerment batteries are operating at their highest power. We are empowered in each of the four interrelated domains of our lives, that is, physical (we have healthy vibrant bodies), emotional (we are mature to regulate our emotions and maintain a positive outlook), mental (we have empowering thoughts and behaviors), and spiritual (we are our authentic selves and tolerant of others’ values and beliefs). And when we act from this power, we have the best chance of dealing with life's challenges head-on, being true to who we are, living our purpose, and helping to co-create the world we want. My empowerment battery, or inner guidance system, is what I also refer to as my “God-Self." If the words “God-Self” do not resonate for you, please substitute whatever word or words you associate with Jesus Christ, Allah, Buddha, Shakti, Universal Intelligence, Universal Life-Force Energy, God Intelligence, Namaste Consciousness, One Consciousness, Unity Consciousness, I AM Consciousness, Divine Consciousness, Love, et cetera. The universal laws play a critical role in connecting us to our inner guidance system and fully charging our inner empowerment battery. They support us as we evolve and grow through the four stages of empowerment: (1) awareness of our comfort zone to confront our fears, (2) extension of our comfort zone, (3) introspection, learning, and growth, and 4) transformation. It is normal, natural, and necessary to encounter our fears, to feel overwhelmed as we grow and evolve through these four stages of empowerment to claim the gift of leading empowered lives. Therefore, it is important to commit each day to study and apply bite-sized pieces of the wisdom and love of the universal laws until they become a habit. In writing The Power of Universal Laws, I divided and simplified the information into four main sections, each elucidating universal laws that support its corresponding empowerment stage. I liken these empowerment stages to the lifecycle of a butterfly. Following an explanation of each stage and the relevant law or laws, I provide examples from my life that show how to introduce, model, and instruct our children in the use of the relevant law(s). A child who has studied, applied, internalized, and emotionalized the universal laws has a better chance of becoming an adult who is prepared for life's adventures and is a co-creator of the desired reality.  The Empowerment Stages   STAGE 1 Stage 1 involves the awareness of our comfort zone to confront our fears. I compare Stage 1 of human empowerment to the transition from the butterfly's egg stage to its larval stage. In Stage 1, we are surrounded by a shell of protection that is our comfort zone. Our comfort zone is intended for us to feel safe and in control. In playing safe and in control, however, we sometimes play smaller than our true potential. This may be manifested as low self-confidence, low self-esteem, seeking external validation from others, being affected by others’ opinions, making excuses for lack of action, complaining, blaming, being anxious, worrying, wanting to control outcomes, relationships, et cetera. By manifesting these negative energies, we drain the precious energy reserves of our empowerment battery. When we live from depleted energy levels, we react, instead of responding, to life’s challenges and adversities and are unable to manifest our desires. This first stage of empowerment encompasses two universal laws: the Law of Divine Oneness and the Law of Reflection. • Law of Divine Oneness. The Universal Law of Divine Oneness helps us recognize the difference between our ego mind, which is fear-based, limited to operating within our comfort zones, and draws on past experiences, and our God-Self, which is loving, kind, compassionate, limitless, extraordinary, and infinite, and draws on the infinite universal life-force creation energy. The awareness of and identification with our God-Self empowers us to step out of our comfort zone to confront our fears, much like the larva emerging from the egg. • Law of Reflection. The Universal Law of Reflection provides us the discernment and courage we need to examine our lives objectively and to recognize patterns in them where we are giving our power away by identifying with our ego mind and where we are staying in our power by identifying with our God-Self. Through the practice of this law, we reflect on and examine the experiences we are drawing into each of the four pillars of our lives: personal, interpersonal, professional, and financial. The Universal Laws of Divine Oneness and Reflection empower us with tools to be aware of our comfort zone and to confront our fears, enabling us to step out of our comfort zone.