The Trinity of Power

In Visionmaking, the generative force that cuts through the gravity field of the status quo and gives birth to something new is called the Trinity of Power.  It comes from the unified intelligences of emotion, intellect and will. These three elements are a single system of action, rather than opposing forces, and are interdependent.   

Emotion, intellect and will must be developed equally for the trinity to function with efficiency and effectiveness. Each power must be respected, understood and applied in service to the Four-Chambered Heart – open, full, strong and clear. Applied to action, the trinity of power creates a fire that scorches convention and gives birth to something new.

To understand the different functions carried out by the emotions, intellect and will, we might consider the combustion system in a jet engine. It includes the fuel injection system, ignition and combustion chamber. 

The fuel injection system forces vaporized fuel under pressure directly into the combustion chamber.

The ignition is the mechanism that determines when, where, and how a spark is delivered to an engine cylinder to ignite the fuel and start or run the engine.

The combustion chamber is an enclosed space in which combustion occurs. No one of them can operate without the others. Working together, they generate thrust.

This provides a useful metaphor in understanding the combustion system–or trinity of power–in human beings. It must be understood however, that this is a metaphor only. Nothing about a human being is mechanical.

Emotion, intellect and will, united in support of a common destination, help human beings perceive, understand, make choices and take action. These are the critical components of purposeful action. Next time, we will take a closer look at each component.

As always, I welcome your thoughts and insights. Thank you for your interest and time to explore the world of Visionmaking.

© Patrick O’Neill 2009. All rights reserved.