I will begin with what it is NOT so that I may end on a positive note with what it truly is, which I hope, will inspire you.
It is NOT self-worship. That is, the veneration of Self as God. This is true Satanism – a religion unto itself. It is rampant in the New Age arena, but it is almost everywhere you look these days, especially in popular culture.
It does not matter how ’empowered’ you are as an individual, you did not create yourself, or the world, or universe, or even another individual. A woman may carry a developing human being before giving birth to her/him but she did not do this on her own. First of all, she needed a man to get that job done (or a doctor depending on the scenario). What happened inside the womb also did not involve any conscious effort on her part.
If the sun were to stop shining tomorrow, every living thing on the planet would expire. Do you think that those who see themselves as God would survive? None of their subversive, manipulative rituals would save them. They do not have the kind of power they claim.
True self-empowerment is about self-responsibility. Knowing that you are a part of Creation, and doing your part to be in it for yourself and other people. This entails self-respect, self-worth and self-defense. If you have to use psychological, or physical force, especially against the satanic types, that is fine for you are protecting Creation – that which is full of life, that which is Holy.
Helen