Force and Power

In his book Power vs. Force, David Hawkins writes that “Power comes from within and is based on principles such as integrity, courage, and compassion, while force is external and relies on fear, coercion, and manipulation.”

In my Newsletter last week, I cited chapter 30 of the Tao Te Ching. The expanded verse reads:

Whoever relies on the Tao in governing men
doesn't try to force issues
or defeat enemies by force of arms.
For every force there is a counterforce.
Violence, even well intentioned,
always rebounds upon oneself.

Force, Newtonian or otherwise, does not take sides. From Brené Brown to Yoda, we learn that how we use force determines the difference between creating power with and exerting power over. The Force studied by both the Jedi and Sith offers a galactic example of this concept. How force is employed has a profound effect on manifested results. Note that the parting phrase of the Jedi speaks to power with - “may the Force be with you,” contrasted to the Sith’s power over - “may the Force serve you well.”

In my own study, I have looked to the deductive philosophy of chiropractic that was codified by R.W. Stephenson nearly 100 years ago. Many of the 33 principles he compiled relate to force. We observe that the function of force is to unite intelligence and matter. This is how life is expressed.

The outcomes of force application in a clinical setting are directly related to these principles. The intention, communication, delivery, and specificity of a chiropractic adjustment is what makes it different than any other modality. It is not a therapy or a treatment. Chiropractic is best understood as a strategy for empowerment, freeing the internal wisdom of the body to express health, vitality, and adaptive capacity.