I am tired of negativity, discrimination, divisiveness, fear-mongering, hate-talk, racism, misogyny, homophobia, bigotry and classism. Actually, to be truthful, I am worn down by them. Theses are tedious, never-ending energies that seem to be hurled around ad nauseam.
I get it, we all have biases. We have preferences. We are drawn to some people and things, while we are repelled by others. But these days, it feels like we are being manipulated by some external force that wants to increase these hurtful and harmful prejudices. “They” wants us to feel and be isolated from one another.
It is as if we are all part of a large marketing experiment, where if we all get isolated into our assigned group.., a market research group sort of. Each group is then reinforced to believe that their position, issues, concerns, traits, and perspectives are right and good. Each group is fed regular doses of information that categorize, reinforce and support their rightness. We are led to believe that if our segment does not achieve its goal, we will lose, possibly even cease to exist.
We become so focused on the group that were sorted into, that we begin to lose the perspective of the other groups. Those groups become ‘them’. If any of ‘them’.., are not aligned or don’t share our perspective, they are viewed as the “other-side”. They become the bad guys. They are the enemy. We are good, they are bad. Us against Them. Justice against Evil.
This means each group has been successfully separated from the whole. This means they have been reduced in size. Yet, because members of the group feel fully supported by the group, they are emboldened. They take up the cause of the group and they prepare for battle… They position themselves to win. To dominate before they are dominated. Some strike out – prepared to win at any cost. While others buckle down to defend their position. Without even thinking about it, we are at war!
But with who? Why? How did we get here?
We are so busy fighting with ourselves, that we don’t even see that we are losing the war. Sure, maybe we win a battle here or expand our group there. Yet, as long as we are destroying our Humanity. No one wins. How is it we are in 2015, and we still think war (violence, separation and isolation) is the answer?
As long as we can only relate to the world from our particular groups, we will never experience or share in the benefits of the whole. The truth is the same now as it has always been; we are one species. There is no better than or less than. That is all made up. There are differences, but they are not significant enough to divide us.
This is something we are doing to ourselves. We are the ones who are creating this sense of separation. Every time we tear someone else down for who they are; the color of their skin, their gender, who they love, what they believe, their social situation or status… or any other way we divide and separate. We hurt ourselves.
I have to believe that we are here to shift and change this commitment to separation. Maybe not all of us, but enough of us who are committed to evolving the potential of Humanity to the next level. Where, through honoring and accepting our differences, we experience the true beauty of our Oneness. We know and live our connection to the Divine and All-That-Is.
And perhaps that is why these energies of separation and isolation are so heightened right-now. We are at the tipping point for a new way of Being. Each one of us that wants to be part of the evolution of human consciousness, can begin by taking down the barriers and walls that separate us. If we pay attention to when our biases become prejudice, or when our discernment becomes judgmental; our discomfort become hate; we can slow down and make a different choice.
I wish I could say this is something I’ve already mastered. But, that is not true. I am just aware that this is how I want to be. And I know that in this moment, it is the right first step.
With Light, Love, and Laughter
Charles
Thanks Charles for the thoughtfulness you shared.
As much as I love Bernie Sanders point of view on many things ..pitting the 1% and the 99% against each other doesn’t work. Competition to win is not achievement. Exclusion seems to me to be ego driven and never soul driven. Inclusion is humane. There must be a sense of value in having no sides for the walls to come down.how do we create a one size fits all value proposition?
I find myself thinking about what we had and what we lost. For me, Barack Obama had us all dressed up for change, tapped our souls and then had us with no place to go to do soul work. . He believed with the vote and voice of the people… the change would come but he entered a game fraught with hidden racism and long based power rules that he was not empowered to change. He forgot or lost on how to keep us all included/ engaged and we left it up to one person to”get” it for us.
In the end, it is up to us to be inclusive as individuals and be that drip of water that connects and builds.
This is not just an American, presidential campaign issue, this is a humanity issue we see playing out in the world.
How to we move humanity forward that includes even those that we most strongly disagree with? How do we deescalate the rhetoric to building less decisive camps?
What part do I play in this?..and to your point, take the right first step?
Always appreciate the opportunity to think out loud with you.
Diane
Thanks Diane for sharing your thought process around this, and bringing in the presidential campaigns… I personally feel like President Obama has been an AMAZING catalyst for hope and change and he would have been even more effective if he had a functional legislative branch to work with him! Man, what we as a country could have done in the last eight years if we had worked together!!! I guess going down in history as one of the most successful presidents, will have to be enough reward for him.
I find that when I try to think about how the “World” has to change in order to become more compassionate, accepting and harmonious… The task feels to great. However, when I think about how I can be different in the world, and live authentically… Then I can trust, that if there are others like me out there, we make a difference everyday!
Here is to having you as a thoughtful companion on this journey! Thank you!
You nailed it. Separate from the whole. The trick is to not be tricked or trick others. Trust me
“The trick is not to be tricked or trick others” Compassionate integrity? A willingness to see the other person’s perspective and still stay true to your personal truth. Building bridges! Thanks Joe.
Your best one ever!!! Almost word for word from my own perspective. It seems a genuine challenge is how to integrate all our blessings coming our way into a natural content way of living.
Thanks for your enthusiastic response to these musings Barry! It is that constant process of reviewing our actions, intentions and dreams that keep us open to evolving, integrating and becoming more of who we came here to be! Thank you for bringing that in to the conversation!
This is so right on the money. We are so hell bent on destroying each other with the game of we against them that we fail to see the enemy at the door waiting to fill the gap after we have destroyed each other. It is time we wake up. Yes as one writer said, President Obama showed us the first step of inclusivity but the journey is to be taken by each and every one of us – so let us put one foot forward, one step at a time and we all will be victorious. Then and only then will we able to embrace each other as coming from the same tree of Divine Love.
Thanks Acellia for sharing your perspective. You make an important point, it is an individual journey! And, how comforting and inspiring to be a part of creating a deeper connection between all of us. The whole… Oneness… Divine Love! Thanks for being a part of an emerging future!
I LOVE this article! I DO NOT like “group think”, and that is part of what you wrote about. Why do we continue to give our power away, and believe we ARE someone, or should HAVE something or BELIEVE a certain way just because someone else (usually media) tells us to? I could never figure that out. You expressed it well, Charles. Thank you.
Thanks Mary Ellen…. It seems to take great effort to avoid the constant barrage of images, sound bites and slogans that are a constant part of our environment! It is impossible to avoid.., so instead how do we co-exist with it, while not allowing it to overwhelm and infiltrate our hearts and minds? Otherwise, we will continue to be susceptible to this group mentality… Which is actually very limiting and reduces our full-potential! Thanks for adding your energies to the mix of making a different choice… The choice of being Whole!
Inana Rakhma
Thank U, Charles.Yes! It has been a distraction game of ‘divide and conquer.’ We made our choices and were proud of our stance. Doesn’t feel so good any longer though. Awareness that we have ‘reached our limit’ in this drama of life— ‘been there, done that, got the award” ;-). Now we see and feel it is no longer the path to take. But we have learned much more about ourselves and humanity. New choices await daily. Time to choose what makes us happy, brings joy to our lives. <3 <3 <3
Thanks Kathryn for sharing your insightful perspective. Maybe “learning” is all there really is! Expansion of consciousness. But then why do we so often grip so tightly to the perceived norm, past, or sameness with such intensity. I’m with you… Let’s do what makes us happy and brings more Joy into our lives.