If power comes from being able to control something, are we powerless before we can control?
It depends.
We all have potential, which is a power in and of itself. However, potential that is not used or directed is worthless.
Are we helpless before we have control?
I'd say we don't have no power, but we don't know what to do (Which is a version of powerlessness, I guess.)
We don't know if we have power and don't know how to test it.
Awareness is the first step toward getting rid of powerlessness.
A Samurai warrior would learn this by doing a meditation where he sat on top of a mountain with his sword pointed up and his arm outstretched, ready to fall. He would think about how quickly a well-balanced piece of metal would change into a killing weapon that would fall in an unpredictable way. He thought about what the weapon could do. When he knew that, he could study how its power could be used.
What is strength?
What is power like?
How much is power worth?
Who is in charge now?
To Know. Willing. To Risk. To Keep Silent.
These were the powers of the Sphinx, and in some way or another, we all still have them.
You don't realise how little you know. So, if you want to control a realm, you must learn about it.
You have to be willing and brave to use what you know.
To keep silent. Here, power turns into skill. It is the most understated way to use power. So subtle that it might seem like everything is going your way when, in fact, you are making it all happen.
The Chinese strategist Sun Tsu called this "potential force" "shih." It can be seen in things like a bolder perched on the edge of a cliff or a bow string pulled tight. With the right move, the power can be let loose.
The silent art of power and control is to see the potential force in everything and set it up so that, when released, it works in your favour.
To use this power, you must first know what you want a long time from now and know it in great detail. The next step is to make a clear, detailed plan to reach your goal and think about it every day. Keeping this in mind at all times will help you get to your goal as quickly as possible.
You'll see the whole world and learn "This will help me reach my goal. This won't help me get anywhere."
Most of us find it hard to do this task because we tend to think about the here and now and deal with things that need to be done right away. To master this skill, we need to change the way we think and see everything we do as a way to control "shih."
To be able to do this is the pinnacle of Sphinx-like power, and it makes ordinary people seem magical, as if they could control nature.
