What is the Higher Power, Anyway?
The higher power is the source from which all blessings flow — faith, courage, strength, luck, coincidence, confidence, joy, supply, and peace.
It is the place human beings go internally to seek an external essence in times of stormy tribulation. It is the invisible energy human souls cry to in thanks and praise when joy overcomes and overwhelms. It is the still, small voice of guidance and encouragement, when logic fails. It is an uncommon warmth welling up from inside when the physical world is blistering cold. It is the cool breeze in the stifling heat. It is the uncanny sense that chaos has order. It is the sparkle in the eyes of a child.
It is a part of us, and apart from us. It is… what it is.
Jews name it Yahweh. Christians name it God. Muslims name it Allah. Hindus give it many names. Wiccans name it a Goddess. Native Americans name it the Great Spirit. Capitalists name it Money. Liberals name it Freedom. Conservatives name it Control. Leaders name it Power. The rich name it Security. The poor name it Providence. The weak name it Hope. The strong name it Ability.
Do you see where I’m going with this? The higher power has many names, and many faces. Yet, through it all, it exists kinetically inside the soul of every human and in the glorious world around us.
Sometimes it is evidenced quietly and subtly, other times with force and grandeur. Some people live simple, unaccounted lives and make a difference in the world untold by human voices. Some people make small contributions, and are lauded for their work. In every situation, the higher power courses and pulses through the actionable matter of human beings, even though at times it is abused and distorted by self-indulgent will in intentional discord with a more noble purpose.
Awesome as it is, it exists quietly waiting for human beings to seek it, find it, and live it — or notice it, neglect it, and polarize it. It exists, while human beings make choices to imbue lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy, pride — or make choices to be loving, sparing, generous, industrious, patient, gracious, and humble. No matter the situation or action, the higher power sits ready and waiting.
It is seated at the core of the universe and radiates to the infinite reaches, encompassing and existing in everything — full of all potential and promise, being made real at the actions of Creation… being made negative in Hate, or positive in Love.
The higher power is something we all have a responsibility to acknowledge, embrace, and then act accordingly. Our choices and actions are the face, voice, and evidence of the higher power.
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2009/05/08 11:21 -0700Z
“Capitalists name it Money. Liberals name it Freedom. Conservatives name it Control. Leaders name it Power. The rich name it Security.”
????? Tim, till I read this I was with you. Cannot possibly see why you said the words I have quoted above.
2009/05/08 11:24 -0700Z
“The higher power is something we all have a responsibility to acknowledge, embrace, and then act accordingly.”
You have introduced here the concept of obligation. It seems to me that there is no responsibility until this higher power displays itself to the person’s inner awareness. When that happens, I can’t see why the higher power can’t influence the person unaided, without need for you or other preachers to start talking about obligations!
2009/05/08 11:50 -0700Z
Vincent: People have a multitude of reflections regarding idolatry and what inspires them to action, and any form of action is burdened with some form of responsibility, no? I didn’t “preach” what an according act should be upon acknowledgment.
2009/05/08 12:29 -0700Z
(1)
Yes, but why “capitalists name it money” etc? Capitalists refer to money as money. Nothing to do with your topic. I think you need to edit your otherwise excellent post, not defend it.
(2)
Any form of action is burdened with some form of responsibility? Well, this is a moralistic attitude belonging to religion. I thought we were setting religion (or indeed social behaviour) to one side and looking at a singe issue, namely “What is the higher power anyway”.
2009/05/08 13:03 -0700Z
Well, I’ll have to think long and hard about editing that part out… as it would not necessarily be based on my own conclusion, but rather based on your objection — though I am not opposed to considering your objection, and editing being a possible outcome. My initial logic is the very term “capitalist” takes on a myriad biases and persuasions in and of itself generally relating to the pursuit of wealth, even though the Latin root of the word makes its literal meaning “one who wants to be ahead of others” — and, by either definition, the intrinsic focus of such a person is their “higher power,” that thing to motivate, inspire, or otherwise satiate him or her. It’s not a defense, it’s just my position… and I have been right before, as well as I have been wrong.
I’m not sure morality or responsibility is intrinsic to religious thought or processes. I believe it stems from the ability of human beings to realize “cause and effect,” which is in my view evidence of the higher power. For example, an aborigine from a culture uninfluenced by religion may be angered by the actions of his brother, but restrains himself from a reactive violent outburst — perhaps because it is his brother, or perhaps because it would frighten the game they’re hunting, or whatever other reason.
I suppose we could go on and on about morality and what causes or creates it in the human being, whether it is behavioral or biological, but excepting small children every human being has at least some notion of the consequences of action. And it is wholly up to an individual to acknowledge this higher power and choose to act or not act at all… according to his own compass.
2009/05/08 17:14 -0700Z
I don’t understand what you mean when you talk about “capitalist” taking on a myriad bases etc.
Your etymology for the word is not helpful. It refers to the head, but that can refer to human life (as in capital punishment) or many other usages, none of which is anything to do with wanting to be ahead of others. According to the OED, its meaning in relation to finance originated as an adjective (as in “capital stock”), meaning “Of or pertaining to the original funds of a trader, company, or corporation; principal; hence, serving as a basis for financial and other operations.” So looking at “capital” historically, your suggestions are a bit personal, if not fanciful. Within the capitalist system, of course, there is no use for the noun capitalist. There are entrepreneurs, shareholders, investors & so on. the first recorded use of the word as noun is in 1792: “A gross evil of these direct imposts is, that of moneyed men, or capitalists, escaping all taxation.” (from Oxford English Dictionary).
As to “responsibility” and “morality”, I wouldn’t mind you attaching them to the idea of the higher power, but let me remind you that you said: “Awesome as it is, it [the higher power] exists quietly waiting for human beings to seek it, find it, and live it.”
That to me sounds fine. But the trouble arises when moral obligations (and the imposition of guilt on those who fail to meet them) are placed as burdens on the shoulders who haven’t yet started to seek, find or live according to the dictates of that thing.
It seems to me you are hastening to the position of moral judgement on others, and this is inconsistent with the higher power itself which exists “quietly waiting”.
2009/05/08 18:06 -0700Z
Don’t let me disparage the work of the Oxford-English Dictionary, but from my research, the root of “capitalism” is “capitis” meaning generally “ahead, on top, chief, above” etc. I believe you may be confusing the root with “cap,” which, as you mentioned, does refer to the head.
I hope you don’t confuse my idea of hastening self-reflection and the ensuing responsibility for a moral judgment by any means.
2009/05/09 17:32 -0700Z
On the one hand, a sense of unity or all-inclusiveness is involved in religious experience and in concepts of the divine. On the other, identifying the divine particularly or especially with each and every individual event, entity and process in life seems problematic.
2009/05/11 16:18 -0700Z
Paul, no doubt a human derived label for every individual event, entity and process within the vast expanse of what the higher power is… is highly problematic, and probably at the root of why there is so much contention regarding the issue, and myriad views. It’s as if the creation, as part and product of the Creator, turns around and tries to identify the Creator within the creature’s own boundaries.
2009/05/12 13:16 -0700Z
Vincent, I had to let the latter half of your last comment soak in for awhile… and I agree, wholeheartedly. The trouble and contentiousness surrounding the very idea of a “higher power” comes directly when someone or something (i.e. religion) ascribes the ways in which we “must” or “should” approach, commune with, or extol such. In my view, however, that does not equate to ignoring the responsibilities associated with understanding the higher power as it relates to human beings universally. I know I’ve been guilty of “preaching” (though I don’t think I have in this particular post) — because I’m still learning how to express what it is I understand on a far less verbal level about this higher power.
2009/05/13 03:44 -0700Z
My own understanding of responsibility and morality isn’t so different. I think there are two aspects to this “higher power” topic: (1) passing down a culture which acknowledges it and respects it to the children of the next generation (2) discovering for oneself as one grows up, which in an ideal world is to validate what one has already been taught.
If I were a teacher of young children, I certainly would not start with the concept of a higher power, because that is something unseen, and however true and valuable it may be, will come across as a dogma imposed by adults which you have to accept in order to conform to adults’ rules.
In fact, you do have to conform to adults’ rules! But they shouldn’t be too mysterious. As a child, you are entitled to ask “why?” and get a good answer.
Do responsibility and morality any reference to the higher power at all? We can look at the ecological imperatives for preserving the planet, which have been obeyed to some extent by primitive cultures (though not entirely, for example some deserts are thought to be the result of deforestation and unwise husbandry—slash and burn agriculture. Incest is immoral not because of rules in the Old Testament but because it produces genetic defects. Homosexuality is immoral (or is thought to be in certain cultures) because it is reproductively sterile and upsets other forms of male bonding. These don’t matter any more today but there is still a higher risk of disease, as there is with promiscuity between men and women. And so on.
Nevertheless, there is a need—I feel the need—of acknowledgement of the higher power in the various ceremonies of human society: birth, marriage, death, community projects, including going to war. You don’t need any kind of religion or belief to do the right things in case of earthquake. People just get on and dig in the rubble, and feel their togetherness, their power to comfort one another. But more than that, they need a higher or deeper comfort, to ease the shock, horror and pain. The higher power helps, but isn’t the whole answer.
But, reading your piece again, I see that you ascribe everything good to the higher power, including courage, strength, luck, coincidence, confidence, joy, supply, and peace. (I exclude faith from this list.) I’m not sure if the higher power has to be wheeled in to explain these things. Courage and strength are human qualities which don’t correlate especially well to faith in higher power, I would have thought. Luck goes both ways. And so on.
To my mind the higher power is the x in an algebraic equation, the unseen, the inexplicable residue when we have explained everything else. Yes, it resides in everything, if you wish, but that is hardly a higher power, that’s an intrinsic, immanent power.
I find myself saying that even when everything has been explained, there is still something inexplicable. That is when we have to admit there’s a higher power. For the rest, it makes no difference if we are, as it were, atheists—from a rational point of view. From an emotional, instinctive point of view, I have never once in my life been able to take that atheist stance: because my whole life, it seems, hangs on the inexplicable thing that you call the Higher Power.
2009/05/18 11:30 -0700Z
“It is the place human beings go internally to seek an external essence in times of stormy tribulation.”
i no longer see my own seeking as something i am going to externally the way i once did… to see it as external is to imply it is something out there separate from me that i must reach for and ask for… and while there is plenty of conditioning and other rust at the surface that occurs in the form of my own worries and thoughts, it is only these thoughts that convince me i am separate from it at all… it is never “out there”, external to me… it is “in here” all the time…
2009/05/20 12:04 -0700Z
@Vincent: I think a portion of our differing views comes (again) in the parsing of words: specifically “higher” power, versus an “intrinsic, immanent” power. To me, these are not necessarily different, because as I see it, this intrinsic and immanent force of generalized humanity (i.e. human reaction in times of crisis, the compelling instinct to make our children like ourselves, the commonality of things like marriage, death, birth, etc) is something we often do not verily acknowledge. Rather, it’s a subconscious understanding which we place on the back burner in preference to the “flavor of the day” sort of culture of modern societies.
I like your algebraic analogy. This “higher power” is often the X in the formula. I might even go one step further, and say that “God” or the “higher power” could be found in the very last integer from the formula 22/7 (aka Pi). Joanne hit on this as well, speaking of the higher power as less a “goal” than it is a journey. It exists in quiet disregard for our attempts to put it in a box.
@joanne: I tend to agree! The source for the connection is internal, even though the majority of this “essence” or “energy” is external to us existing and radiating from every point within the tangible — after all, we are only individually minuscule globs of matter within the whole of Creation. I guess my point is, though the higher power is both part of and apart from ourselves, the way to reach it seems to be through an internal journey, as you mentioned — through the thick jungle of our “own worries and thoughts.” Once we can break through, to the higher power “in here,” the higher power “out there” becomes more vibrant and visible.
2009/05/20 12:13 -0700Z
@Vincent: I failed to include this particular thought in my response, though I fully intended to do so. You mentioned that I “ascribe everything good to the higher power…” Thinking objectively, I probably have given that impression in what I do here on this site, because my personal goal is to focus on the positive (even in my rants and raves about what I feel is wrong in things). However, that’s a subject I haven’t specifically breached here, YET. To my thinking, this higher power can be sought and applied in both positive and negative ways — meaning the higher power is in and of itself not necessarily “good” or “bad,” but rather it takes on the direction of and gives power to whatever we living creatures intend. I just wanted to mention it here to give you a sense of what I’m thinking, though I would prefer to have the discussion in response to a separate post about this particular subject, sometime in the near future.
2009/05/20 13:05 -0700Z
Now you have lost me again. If it is not necessarily good or bad,i have no idea what you are pointing to, though I did have suspicions when you said capitalists call it money.
When I said it was the unknown X in an equation, I meant in the sense that scientists deduce that there must be a planet somewhere in the solar system even though they cannot see it, because there is evidence of a gravitational force that would otherwise remain explained.
From that point of view, your Higher Power would not be required as an explanation if there were an explanation in terms of the known. And as knowledge increases, the scope for the higher power might diminish.
Example: in the Old Testament, the rainbow was explained as a sign from God. We now know that a rainbow is an optical illusion induced by refraction of sunlight on raindrops near to us.
2009/05/20 13:12 -0700Z
I meant of course to say “would otherwise remain unexplained”.
2009/05/20 21:55 -0700Z
Vincent: I didn’t mean that this “essence” of life, this “higher power,” is without intent. Rather the opposite: it has intent which I feel is directed in a positive and creative vein. However, in it’s ethereal form, subjugating itself to humanity in the sense of “do” or “do not” as it were, the most visible and tangible expression of the higher power is made evident by human beings — either positively, or negatively.
X is the known existent and constant variable, but unknown by the very nature of being a variable. We, as human beings, “sense” the presence of it, yet are still undetermined as to who, what, when, where, or why it “is.”
I might liken it to a child who holds a very small kitten. The kitten itself is a lovable and cuddly creature in it’s infancy, with the potential to be a snuggly lap-cat or otherwise a wretched alley-cat — either outcome dependent on how the child handles it.
To me, this analogy is just the same as your rainbow. Just because we understand the physiology and anatomy of the kitten, makes no difference to our treatment, use, and enjoyment of the living essence therein.
In this light, human beings, as I mentioned earlier, have choices whether or not to be “good” or “bad,” and the higher power exists in quiet disregard for those intentions, simply waiting to be manifested in any regard.
2009/05/20 21:58 -0700Z
Again, this is something I’d prefer to address in a different post — in the near future. :)
2009/05/21 02:39 -0700Z
“X is the known existent and constant variable, but unknown by the very nature of being a variable.”
I’m trying to understand what you mean by this.
I don’t see how the kitten analogy is “just the same as your rainbow”. My point is that we now know that the rainbow isn’t a mystery for which some God-explanation is required.
I don’t see that you have demonstrated in anything you have written the necessity for a God-explanation for anything!
I think what you have done is to define rather arbitrarily something you call “the higher power” in a way that is unlikely to find universal agreement.
As I’ve said before, in some other form of words, you are designing your own religion. I can’t think why.
2009/05/22 20:02 -0700Z
Vincent, the analogy only points out that, that which we do not currently understand does not become more “real” or less “mysterious” by our subsequent “understanding.” The “truth” or “factual” nature of something lies in quiet disregard for our skewed opinions.
Regardless whether I am able to demonstrate it, to say there is no need for a “God-explanation” is, in my opinion, resistant to the universal human experience, rather than in support of it. I see through our discussions you have no need for such an explanation in your individual experience, and that is wonderful! It would seem, as divergent as you and I are on an ideological or sociological level, we share a common bond in the “personal” nature of a “higher power.” For the majority of human beings, a “God-explanation” is needed, so it would seem… demonstrated by the proclivity of religion in ALL cultures.
As to the “universal agreement,” that’s exactly what I seek to bring forward — whether or not you call it a religion is fully up to you. I see it less as the establishment of a “new” religion, but rather the demolition of walls that “established religions” draw between people. Why would I seek that? I could only answer with a similar question: Why would we NOT seek a common framework by which every human being could approach the subject of spirituality to find common bonds, in spite of personal differences?
2009/05/23 00:47 -0700Z
Your first paragraph - yes, spot on, at least from the mystical perspective. (Logic and mysticism disagree in their use of language, nothing else.)
Your second paragraph - yes, also spot on.
Third paragraph is about what we do about the situation that a majority of people do need a God-explanation. This is where we differ.
Unfortunately, the God-explanation is embedded in beliefs and rituals. Always has been. Problem with that is a clash with other beliefs, other rituals, other structures of organisation, incompatible cultures & so on.
My own answer is to do nothing! Doing nothing means being me and communicating, interacting, to the extent that my nature dictates.
But I am quite delighted with your latest response #20.
2009/10/29 08:59 -0700Z
“The higher power is the source from which all blessings flow — faith, courage, strength, luck, coincidence, confidence, joy, supply, and peace.”
yeah - tell that to the thousands and thousands of people living on the street, in the hospital - the poor 6 years old kid with Lukemia, the child who has been molested and abused…the elderly couple whose medical benefits they count on are being cut by the government…the homeless guy standing on the street corner with a piece of cardboard that reads, “will work for food”….the person who became a paralyzed from a tragic car accident….the nerd in school who is constantly picked on and has a very hard time trying to see themselves being worth something and can’t seem to fit in with this crazy world and possibly commits suicide…it’s real easy for well to do people, God’s favorites to talk about blessings….the older I get, the more I see all the things that are so screwed up in this world….war famine, natural disasters stealing people’s homes and lives….there’s far too much pain and misery to believe in some freaking higher power that blesses people???? And don’t give me that BS that good comes out of misery….would you purposely make someone YOU love miserable just to bless them? NO…
I am now convinced that there is no God, no higher power….Crap happens - good or bad and it can happen to anyone at any time and there’s no higher power that gives two terds whether we suffer or not….I only wish I knew how those “special” people that seem to glide flawlessly through life get so blessed…if it’s a higher power, why are they so special? There’s those special few that can say “I always win - life is good” …I’ve heard them say it….God’s special people who have a home, a family that’s healthy, enough resources to live on and a nice nest egg to retire with…then there are some that try to be so optimistic thinking they can have the same blessings, but guess what? They can’t….hey someone has to be poor and destitute so others can be blessed right? What higher power loves them???
THERE IS NONE - NOT ONE - NEVER WAS - NEVER WILL BE!
I will no linger exert so much energy talking and pleading with a God that either not there or completely deaf to most people except his choosen few who happen to have a blessed life while the rest of us watch them and wish for something we will never have.
Life sucks and then you die - that’s all there is to it….why pray when God’s just going to do whatever the hell he wants to regardless?
2009/10/29 09:23 -0700Z
When I look at the shape this world is in, I think, “this is the best God can do?” These results should not be on the resume of a supreme being…if this is the best God can do, I am not impressed…these are the kind of results you’d expect from a temp with a bad attitude….how about this:
If there is a God, may this website crash! Hmmm…did it crash yet? - I bet it won’t…I’ll check back later.
2009/10/29 11:40 -0700Z
Hey Little Bit! Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts.
You know… I’ve been where you are, as far as wondering why the hell a loving Creator would ‘allow’ bad things to happen. And, guess what? No one has an answer to that question, really. We try to explain things the best we can — trying to understand the order of the universe in our limited human capacity. We try to make sense of what seems to be senseless… it’s our human nature.
Some people decide, “I’ll just never understand it, and I’m okay with that.” Others decide (like you’re suggesting), “It’s all a bunch of crap, and I’m through!”
In my opinion, the Truth lies somewhere in the middle, and I’m still looking for it. There are too many good things (or bad things even) that happen in life to be explained away by just “coincidence” or statistics.
You could be right, and it’s all a steaming pile and giving up on it is the right thing to do. You could be wrong, and that gnawing instinct deep down in your gut (the instinct that makes you mad about it not making sense) is telling you otherwise, but your thoughts and circumstances are just out of sync with the “higher power.”
I’m not going to try to tell you about what you think and feel, that’s up to you… I’ll just say, for me, I have not given up seeking. I hope you don’t, either. ;)
2009/10/29 15:59 -0700Z
but your thoughts and circumstances are just out of sync with the “higher power.”
and what the hell does a person have to do to get “in sync” I’ve always believed in the golden rule - reaping what you sow - the difference between a sheep and a goat and I always strived to be a sheep who helps “the least of these.” But do I reap what I sow??? Where’s the help for the helper when the freaking helper needs help?
I know some bad things as an adult can be traced back to my own dumb choice, but what choice does a child have??? When a child, 6 years of age, is just trying to make friends at school and instead gets mercilessly picked on just because he/she has a funny name all throughout his/her elementary and HS existence - what did that little 6 year old ever do to reap that?
In case you haven’t figured it out yet, I grew up with a bunch of born again christian bull crap and I soaked it all in like a sponge only to find out the story is probably just as real as Santa Clause…Saint Nick was a real person but the story got distorted and turned into a fairy tale…I’m starting to believe that Jesus’ abilities may have been greatly exaggerated as well…after watching the History channel last night, I found out that Count Dracula was a real person, but he didn’t turn into a vampire bat and suck people’s blood out of their necks - so even on the dark side of things, it’s all made up…what is real?
The disciple Thomas, was ahead of us all, if that part of the story is even true. Thomas needed forensic proof that the man standing before him was the real deal and touched his wounds to be sure - until I see some forensic proof that there’s a higher power, it’s just a Santa Clause story.
2009/11/01 08:37 -0700Z
To be clear, I do not know why bad things happen to good people, or why good things happen to bad people. I wish there was an app for that! I recently wrote about the difficulty of understanding God from a logical point of view because there have been many things in my own life that have not been “fair” or “just” etc, but I won’t bore you with those stories.
I did catch the drift that you might think “it’s all a bunch of crap.” I was raised in and around Christianity, too, and I’ve seen as much hypocrisy and as many fakers as anyone else (maybe more!). I’ve been through that process of thinking it’s all crap, more than once… some days I still go through it. But, inevitably, I let go of the ego in me and turn back to a sincere, open mind.
I see the terrible things that happen. I see the wretched people living lives of Earthly paradise. I know good and kind people who have been dealt tremendous burdens.
On the other hand, there are absolutely wonderful things happening across the world all the time, too! Just like there are good and loving people who are blessed with tons of wealth and resources. And, there are times when truly evil people are dealt with swiftly and justly.
So, when I think back to what I was “taught” and “told” and “directed” to understand about how God works, and how I should act in order to make God work on my side… I think that “Santa Clause” style of belief is in error. I mean, does anyone truly believe in some great, bearded, flowing-robed magic man somewhere up in the sky? I’ve dismissed the philosophy. In fact, I’ve been through phases where I’ve dismissed Christianity altogether — studying about Wicca, Islam, Buddhism, Taoism, cognitive philosophy instead. But, while there is some knowledge to be gained from those methods, those didn’t answer my questions, either.
My solution was to go back to my personal source: I went to the Gospels, and read nothing but the red words. I wanted to see for myself, from my own new perspective, what Jesus really said… because the way I understood it, from what I was told, didn’t make sense to me. Let me just say, because you might not be in a position for my conclusions to be helpful to you right now, it is a journey. And, one of the things I found out about what Jesus really taught is that “Heaven” is right here, right now — if we train ourselves to see it. It isn’t some mystical, magical, happy fairy-land off in outer space somewhere where all the good people end up after they’re dead.
Believe you me, I understand the need for evidence, especially with something so widely misunderstood and misinterpreted. But, this is true: seek, and you will find. However, if you choose to believe it’s all a bunch of crap, shut it down in your mind, and decide not to seek it, that’s a sure-fire way to NOT find it. Just my thoughts.
2010/01/09 15:21 -0700Z
I agree with Vincent. Why you would even say what he first quoted is beyond me.
To me, that was just taking cheap shots at Conservatives and Capitalism.
Especially since these days, it’s the total opposite. Liberals seem to be the ones hungry for control, don’t they?
They want to take your hard earned money and give it out to people who don’t even work to deserve it? That’s not freedom. That’s Communism.
What’s wrong with working hard for your OWN money? Those who do should reap the benefits solely.
Sorry this reply doesn’t have anything to do with a higher power, which would be God, to me… just thought I would pipe in and tell some truth.
“America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.” — Abraham Lincoln