"All of life's lessons can be summarized in one word: power. The goal of human experience is to transform ourselves from beings who long to attain power in the physical world to beings who draw power from within," writes Caroline Myss, bestselling author of Anatomy of the Spirit, Why People Don't Heal and How They Can, and Sacred Contracts. She has been studying people's relationship with personal power for two decades and in this sturdy work, she includes many stories of kindness, generosity, and service submitted to her website by fans.

Myss believes that our lives will be enriched once we surrender to divine guidance which comes in the form of our intuition. She goes one step further by affirming, "To this day, the saints and angels are invisible forces in my life. Yet I also have a faith in an even greater power: the energy, or grace, that animates our seemingly impersonal but intimately interconnected universe. We receive infusions of grace on a daily basis, but in the middle of the everyday tasks of making a living and taking care of our family and friends, we can miss its subtle power. Grace holds together the whole of our life — and all of our lives collectively. It watches over us and will come to our aid if we ask."

But honoring grace and following our intuition are not easy in a culture that measures power in terms of money, status, fame, or material possessions. Myss debunks three myths about power: 1. Life is a battle between the "haves" and the "have-nots." There is not enough to go around. 2. When you empower someone else, you give him or her power over you. 3. Material power guarantees success.

The author is convinced that we can all become miracle workers by practicing acts of generosity and compassion. She links these good deeds to the seven levels of power in the body called the chakras and spells out their meaning in gifts of the earth, gifts of financial and creative support, gifts of self-esteem, gifts of the heart, gifts of choice, gifts of wisdom, and gifts of the spirit. Putting others ahead of ourselves is an empowering act that transfers energy to them and gratification to us. Giving does not diminish our energy — it increases it. Generosity and compassion are virtues that work wonders for our minds, bodies, and souls. Also important are acts of prayer and healing through which we connect with others in a meaningful way.

We loved her use of the movie Grand Canyon to illustrate way everyday angels and synchronicities can transform people's lives if they just surrender to them with an open mind and an open heart. Invisible Acts of Power is a timely work on a subject that interests many people: personal power and what we do with our energy.