Power. Or is it an illusion?

David R. Hawkins' Power vs. Force explores the nature of human consciousness and the difference between true power and the illusion of force. Hawkins, a psychiatrist and spiritual teacher, combines spiritual insights, applied kinesiology, and a "Map of Consciousness" to show how different levels of energy and awareness influence human behavior, leadership, relationships, and society. At its core, the book argues that power comes from alignment with truth, integrity, and love, while force relies on manipulation, control, and coercion.

tldr; 

• Throughout history, periods of resource abundance typically leads to greater sexual expansion. Periods of resource scarcity and change lead people to operate out of fear. 
• Women receive the brunt of restrictions when freedom contracts
• You can map energetic foundations of your decisions and reactions. Your energy is context dependent—internal and external. 

Note this is best read with Context→ and Growth→

Key Concepts

1. The Map of Consciousness 
Hawkins proposes a scale from 0 to 1000 to quantify levels of consciousness. Each level is associated with specific emotions, behaviors, and worldviews. Below 200 are destructive or contracting energies; above 200 are constructive or expanding. Force operates below 200. It requires effort, creates resistance, and eventually collapses. Power flows from truth, requires no struggle, and uplifts all involved.

• Below 200 (Force): Shame (20), Guilt (30), Apathy (50), Grief (75), Fear (100), Desire (125), Anger (150), Pride (175)
  
  
• Above 200 (Power): Courage (200), Neutrality (250), Willingness (310), Acceptance (350), Reason (400), Love (500), Joy (540), Peace (600), Enlightenment (700–1000)
  

2. Power vs. Force
In understanding the difference between force and power, we uncover two fundamentally distinct ways of interacting with the world. While they may both influence outcomes, their sources, effects, and sustainability are worlds apart.

• Force is reactive, aggressive, and short-lived. It depends on external validation and exerts pressure. It’s used in war, domination, or politics when rooted in fear, pride, or anger.
  
  
• Power is grounded, generative, and resilient. It arises from alignment with universal truth and is characterized by calm confidence, integrity, and compassion. Power inspires rather than coerces
  
  

Map of Consciousness

The map serves as a way to map energetic foundations. In practice your energy is context dependent and can rise above and below levels. 

Table 1: Contextualized Map of Consciousness

Level	Energy Type	Emotion	Life View	Process	God View	Human Attitude	Politics	Relationship Dynamic	Sexual Expression
20	Force	Shame	Miserable	Elimination	Despising	Self-loathing, hiding	Tyranny, exploitation	Abuse, neglect	Repression, dissociation
30	Force	Guilt	Evil	Blame	Vindictive	Remorse, punishment focus	Authoritarian	Control, penance	Sexual guilt, self-denial
50	Force	Apathy	Hopeless	Abdication	Condemning	Defeatist, disengaged	Collapse	Neglect, codependence	Numbness, absence
75	Force	Grief	Tragic	Regret	Distant	Mourning, loss-focused	Sentimentalism	Withdrawal, grief bonds	Longing, attachment to loss
100	Force	Fear	Frightening	Withdrawal	Punitive	Anxious, protective	Surveillance, fear-based policy	Control, distrust	Caution, shutdown, hypervigilance
125	Force	Desire	Disappointing	Craving	Indifferent	Ambition, hunger	Consumerism	Obsession, possession	Lust, fantasy, fixation
150	Force	Anger	Antagonistic	Aggression	Vengeful	Resentment, attack-ready	Revolt, militancy	Conflict, power struggles	Dominance, revenge sex
175	Force	Pride	Demanding	Inflation	Distant	Arrogance, superiority	Nationalism	Control, image maintenance	Performance-based, ego-driven
200	Power	Courage	Feasible	Empowerment	Permitting	Proactive, responsible	Civic engagement	Honest negotiation	Open, communicative, respectful
250	Power	Neutrality	Satisfactory	Release	Enabling	Flexible, nonjudgmental	Functional democracy	Peaceful coexistence	Comfortable, easy, unforced
310	Power	Willingness	Hopeful	Intention	Inspiring	Cooperative, helpful	Progressive pragmatism	Growth-oriented, trusting	Mutual exploration, generosity
350	Power	Acceptance	Harmonious	Transcendence	Merciful	Inclusive, forgiving	Integration-based policy	Unconditional support	Acceptance, loving presence
400	Power	Reason	Meaningful	Understanding	Wise	Objective, analytical	Evidence-based governance	Mutual respect, depth	Discerning, mind-body aware
500	Power	Love	Benign	Revelation	Loving	Compassionate, generous	Humanitarianism	Devotional, heart-centered	Sacred, erotic, connected
540	Power	Joy	Complete	Serenity	One with	Blissful, grateful	Visionary community	Ecstatic union	Tantric, soul-merging
600	Power	Peace	Perfect	Illumination	All-being	Transcendent calm	Post-political, peace beyond ideology	Presence, unconditional being	Celibate or universally erotic
700–1000	Power	Enlightenment	Is	Pure Consciousness	Self	Radiant, liberated	Divine realization	Non-dual, unity	Sublimation, energetic wholeness

 

Application to Religions

Religions are a powerful force.
They touch the deepest layers of identity, morality, and belonging. Religion offers answers to existential questions—why we exist, how we should live, what happens after death—and different traditions often provide conflicting or open-ended answers. Leaving the interpretation and expression up to human interpretation. 

These differences can lead to cultural clashes, especially when religion intersects with politics, education, or law. Additionally, religion has historically been used to justify both profound compassion and extreme violence, making it a source of both inspiration and division. Because it often carries emotional, familial, and national significance, disagreements about religion can feel deeply personal and non-negotiable.

On average religions are intended to reach enlightenment. HOWEVER, their expression depends on the energy level they are filtered through.   

• Christianity—wide range of filters
  At its highest, Christianity aligns with the upper levels of consciousness—Love (500), Joy (540), and Peace (600)—expressed through teachings on compassion, forgiveness, humility, and service. These levels reflect Christ's message and the essence of true spiritual power: non-resistance, unconditional love, and the surrender of ego. However, when filtered through fear (100), guilt (30), or shame (20), Christianity can become distorted by dogma, control, and judgment. These lower energies may manifest in legalistic interpretations, exclusionary practices, or religious trauma. By using the Map of Consciousness, individuals and communities can reflect on whether their expression of faith uplifts and expands (power), or contracts and coerces (force). The invitation is to embody the core of the message—to move from fear-based religiosity to love-based spirituality.
  
  
• Eastern Religions—narrow range of filters
  In Eastern spiritual traditions such as Buddhism, Hinduism, and Daoism, the concept of consciousness and energetic alignment echoes the Map of Consciousness presented in Power vs. Force. These traditions emphasize inner transformation, non-attachment, and the cultivation of love, compassion, and equanimity—qualities that resonate with higher levels of consciousness on Hawkins' scale. In Buddhism, the Noble Eightfold Path leads practitioners from suffering (akin to the lower levels of fear and desire) toward wisdom and enlightenment (peace and joy). Hinduism's yogic path moves from ego-bound identification (pride, anger) to self-realization (love, acceptance, peace). Daoism emphasizes living in harmony with the Dao, which mirrors the flow and effortlessness of power over force. Across these systems, spiritual maturity involves letting go of forceful striving and aligning with natural rhythms, inner truth, and universal compassion—a shift from resistance to resonance, from grasping to grace.
  

More on religious roots→

Why This Matters

The overall level of global consciousness affects the fate of humanity. Hawkins claimed that for much of history, the average consciousness was below 200, but the balance tipped above in the late 20th century.

The U.S. in particular is not one energy—it is a layered, dynamic society oscillating across the spectrum. While large systems often operate from force, subcultures and emergent communities are actively embodying higher states of consciousness.

Our collective evolution depends on amplifying these power-based energies while compassionately addressing and integrating the lower ones.

Examples of FORCE

• Shame and Guilt: Seen in cultural narratives around sexuality, body image, and moral failure. Abstinence-only education and purity culture can instill deep-rooted shame.
  
  
• Fear: Media and political rhetoric often capitalize on fear—fear of crime, immigration, economic collapse, or "the other."
  
  
• Anger: Political polarization and social media outrage cycles reflect this frequency. Us-vs-them mentalities dominate public discourse.
  
  
• Pride: Nationalism and exceptionalism often rest on pride-based identities that resist growth or criticism.

Examples of POWER

• Courage: Grassroots activism, social justice movements, and entrepreneurial efforts embody this shift into constructive energy.
  
  
• Neutrality & Willingness: Seen in increased therapy usage, openness to new lifestyles, and flexibility in career paths.
  
  
• Acceptance: Conversations around mental health, DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion), and restorative justice show growing acceptance of complexity and nuance.
  
  
• Reason: Scientific advancement, evidence-based policymaking (e.g., in healthcare or climate science), and bipartisan cooperation (when it happens) reflect this energy.
  
  
• Love: Found in mutual aid networks, trauma-informed education, and healing-centered communities that prioritize empathy and belonging.
  
  
• Joy: Expressed through artistic movements, cultural festivals, and authentic connection in relationships.
  
  
• Peace: Rare but present in intentional spiritual communities, meditative traditions, or social movements grounded in nonviolence.

Final Thoughts

Power vs. Force invites readers to consider: What energy are you operating from? Are your choices rooted in fear or truth? While some methods may be questioned, the moral compass Hawkins offers—leading with love, integrity, and awareness—remains deeply resonant in a polarized, fast-moving world.