“Power Over” vs “Power With”

Essentially, the global transition now underway is one from “power over” (or hierarchy) to a balance between “power over” and “power with” (or community).

The effect of this change on human spirituality is a gradual shift from spiritual gurus toward direct spiritual access for everyone. The Altai Fellowship is both an example of and a progression into the latter mode.

Generally, Western civilization has been a “power over” model, including not only humanity, but all of the Earth. While there are instances where power over is useful, there are equally instances where it is not. I’m inclined to believe that attempted dominion/domination of life on Earth is not useful, but it’s hard to say whether our current environmental crisis is caused by this or is simply a function of the chaos of the time.

On the other hand, as we begin creeping back toward balance, to the extent that global Indigenous cultures (such as the Navajo) — generally guided by the principle of “power with” — have been able to hold onto their social/cultural  “power with” technologies and customs, they offer practical models for how Westerners can modify their ways of being to stay in alignment with the current transition on Planet Earth.