Harry Potter and Strength

The third power in our series, Harry Potter and the Twelve Powers is Strength.  Strength is often seen as physical force, but true strength, the strength that demonstrates as our power, is quietness, inner confidence, non-resistance, and the ability to keep our center.  It is the ability to lead, to accomplish, and to hold firm to spiritual principles in daily living. To actually step forth in our re-discovery of Spiritual Truths.

Strength is also the balance between thinking and feeling, intellect and intuition.  It is the balance we attain when we connect our head and our heart.

The longest journey…from head to heart.  Did you know that?

Strength and faith must work together…faith must continually be strengthened and strength must be inspired to right action by faith.

True strength is patient.  It is calm, centered endurance.  Strength is persistent courage.  We’ve all had the experience of needing to take a deep breath, face our fear and do it anyway.  This is strength demonstrating as courage.

I see strength in another way.  Doing what must be done without asking…as in an emergency – stepping in and handling it.  This is what made me think of strength in this way, as I was writing this, taking care of my little brother when he was hurt while swimming.  We were at the community pool.  I was probably about 15 and ‘in charge’ of the younger kids. Frank was about 5 and at the shallow end of the pool.  He was jumping off the edge backwards, He and my sister were playing, and he didn’t clear it completely.  His chin was cut pretty deeply and he needed to go to the emergency room.

So, I couldn’t be scared or panic.  I tended to him as best as we could, arranged for the 2 middle boys to have supervision, got transportation and Frank ended up with clips in his chin.

Of course, after it was all said and done, THEN I got nervous!

But this is another example of the strength that we ALL have.

Faith and strength help us to see the bigger picture, to see beyond ourselves and meet challenges successfully.

The power of strength is often associated with the lower back, or the spine.  Let’s look at this.  A healthy spine is strong enough, firm enough, to hold us erect, but flexible enough for us to bend and move.  This is the nature of true strength – firm and flexible.  True strength is grounded, firm, in Principle, and flexible in the demonstration of that Principle.

“For thus said the Lord God… in returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust (or confidence) shall be your strength.”  So, what are we returning to? Trust in what?  When we need strength, we return to God.  We trust God.  We trust our Higher Self, our Inner Wisdom.

Strength supports us in doing difficult things.

Read Jesus, CEO, page 25-27.

Jesus did the difficult things because he had the calm confidence that comes from being connected to his Source.  Jesus knew, that you can’t please all the people all the time.   When faced with difficult duties or decisions, Jesus got quiet…  in returning and rest you shall be saved.  Throughout the pages of the New Testament we read of Jesus going off to be quiet, to return to God… to return to himself, to restore his strength.  Jesus knew in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.”

Our Harry Potter character for Strength is Sirius Black. I think it appropriate that today is Father’s Day, because Sirius was Harry’s God-Father, the closest thing to a Father Harry will get to know and experience.

Father’s Day is a celebration honoring fathers and celebrating fatherhood, and the paternal bonds of those who are standing in where birth Fathers may be missing for whatever reason. We honor fathers today with flowers for all who have fulfilled this part in our society, and that means not just males…not just biological parents, but all who fostered that paternal emotion.

Sirius exemplifies the ability to hold his selected course. Introduced in Book Three, The Prisoner of Azkaban, Sirius is initially portrayed as a dangerous, escaped prisoner, accused of being in involved in the murder of Harry’s parents.  Ultimately, we learn the truth – that Sirius was wrongfully accused.  He endures prison, knowing he is innocent, and survives the Dementors to escape and help Harry.  He maintains his strength, his spiritual strength; in order to get out and help Harry.

Read Prisoner of Azkaban, pages 371 – 372.

What I find interesting about this passage is not just Sirius’ strength, but Harry’s.  Harry had been told for years that Sirius was a “bad guy”, the wizard responsible for his parent’s betrayal and murder.  But Harry was willing to be flexible, to trust that still, small voice, and believe Sirius.  This took strength. He followed his instinct about Sirius and Peter Pettigrew.

“We’ve all got both Light & Dark inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act on. That’s who we really are.”

This passage from Sirius to Harry states plainly what we all face when choice confronts us. That is where Spiritual Strength steps in.

Cora Fillmore wrote, “To have the strength of character that makes life seem effortless, nonresistant, is to have the inward joy that no one can take away.”