Day 196 - A Year of Spiritual Awakening - From the Beginning...

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Lesson 196: From the Beginning...

We are taught with certain values from our family, friends, teachers and co-workers as we move through life. There is very much a group/cult thought based on our cultural values, societal values, family values and our immediate environments. We tend to navigate towards group thoughts based on our location also. Today we are to think about a time we existed outside group thought. It can be the smallest of changes that sparked a new thought for you but had profound effect.

When I travelled to Thailand last year to do volunteer work in a remote Elephant village, it changed my life. I grew up in Western society. I was very much saturated with having this notion that by having all the latest trend outfits, gadgets, make-up etc, that this showed my success. If you weren’t on trend then you don’t matter. All those advertisements or social media topics that infiltrate our minds are consistently overcoming our minds. I always had to have anything and everything – even if I didn’t use the items.

I was going through a depression and a real life changing spiritual awakening. I needed to do something for me and that’s when I decided to go travel by myself, which I had never done before, and just immerse and learn. I had never really volunteered either or travelled overseas to volunteer. It was the most eye-opening experience. I learned what real community is – that people were out there sharing and helping each other out in this village. People were grateful for all the small things they had – they didn’t have much and lived simple lives. I learned that in comparison to Western society, people were more peaceful in their setting. There were days when we had no water until 3pm and I was told that sometimes the water could go out all day, though the people would just adjust. I didn’t know if I was going to shower that day but I accepted it. I took time out to just feel nature and the energy of the elephants. The elephant is worshipped in Thailand and it was such a humbling experience. I took for granted all the things I had in my life when I compared it to these villagers.

What really changed my perspective on life was that I didn’t want to live in the way of Western society. I want a minimal life with spiritual enrichment. I don’t need everything that is force fed to us and I in no way want to fit into that type of world. I want the peaceful, caring world that doesn’t have the stress and pressure that Western society places on us. It’s the society we built that leads to depression, anxiety and stress. In this village, I didn’t feel any of that. It was so freeing and made me want to be a better person. This is how I broke away from a group thought. I didn’t need all these things marketers told me I needed to feel good about myself. It’s why I live differently now and I’m loving the life I create, on my terms.

What was something you did that broke away from a collective thought or belief?

Day 192 - A Year of Spiritual Awakening - How Does Group Thought Create...

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Lesson 192: How Does Group Thought Create...

Today is thinking about how group thought can create cult thought. Notice today if you agree with something if it’s the group thought that has swayed your choice or if it’s your ultimate true self responding.

When I have a good think about this, I realised that you can really drive yourself crazy over analysing the fact that what you perceive to be true might just be the way you’re conditioned into thinking something is in fact true. I think if you’re more of an open person and go and educate yourself on topics, or just go about life to learn and become more knowledgeable, then you can differentiate what your true values are. I think we’re all taught in certain ways of right and wrong through school and through parents. There is nothing wrong with this as we all need some form of foundation to build our outlook of the world. I think as we grow older, it’s that choice we need to make for ourselves to really understand ourselves and where we stand, in order to understand how others live. It’s not always an easy task when you get set in your own values sometimes.

Anyway, back to today’s lesson. I didn’t do much except for work and watch Smallville and Westworld. The only thing I agreed with on a group thought was that the New Zealand prime minister is an amazing woman. What I admire about her is that she’s had a baby without being married to her partner, she has given birth during whilst in power, she’s enacted bills to change the livelihood of parents, her baby’s name incorporates Maori culture which she asked local tribes to submit suggestions for and she’s really for the people. I think a lot of people really admire her as a leader. I think for me, it’s a true feeling as well as a group thought because she has values I have. I like that she’s like a regular person but in power. It’s when someone understands the struggle of their people that really resonates with me as an individual. I like people in power who can connect with their people in that way rather than just going about their political party’s agenda.

What did you find today which was a real true thought of yours and not just the group thought?

Day 191 - A Year of Spiritual Awakening - Group Thought Can Be a Means of...

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Lesson 191: Group Thought Can Be a Means of...

In a group setting, the collective can either raise or lower the vibrational energy. Today we are to look at electronica creating cult mentality and that can be a dangerous thing. This is about knowing yourself.

I think with anything in life, there is always someone that has a thought, they lead with that thought and then they spread that thought. That one thought can effectively influence a few people to begin with, then a group, then possibly a mass following. That’s how religion starts, protests start, political thoughts start, governments start… pretty much anything and everything. We all believe in something that was previously enacted by someone else whether it be a one thousand year old notion or a new thought. Sometimes, we even have our own thoughts that influence other people, creates discussion and could spread like wildfire – which is how most things go viral online.

Going back to the lesson, that cult thought is a fabric of the Western world. We can very much get lost in it but it can also guide us in life. I’m not saying it’s a good or bad thing really. We all can both follow as well as lead. Sometimes we follow a mass following to some new music artist that’s hot right now, and other times, we seek out that unknown voice because we’re sick of being inundated with the same influences.

I think the point of the lesson is, don’t get caught up in just mass thought. Remember what you like and how you think. Don’t conform just because everyone else does – not saying that’s wrong in any way. I think it’s about remembering that you have your own mind and voice and you don’t always have to go by the masses. It’s okay to have a differing opinion. It’s okay to voice that opinion even when no one else agrees with you. You can simply be your own person.

Day 190 - A Year of Spiritual Awakening - The Experience of Group Thought...

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Lesson 190: The Experience of Group Thought...

When you are on the internet, do you feel more connected or sometimes feel the disconnection? Do you sometimes get angry and frustrated on it? Or do you feel quite happy? If you spend some time away from it, do you notice the difference in yourself? Do you actually feel better?

The experience of group thought can be both uplifting and distracting for me. I like being surrounded by people of the same interests. There are times when I can comment of things that sparks some discussion of opinion, or on the other end discussion, it goes against my values and things get heated. I would rather keep things positive in my life so I don’t usually go into arguments often, but that’s just the nature of the internet.

If I do take a break from social media or the internet, I would generally be filling my time with something more useful in my life. I would be learning, reading, socialising with friends or doing something towards my spirituality. I think I make good use of my time. I think I feel better being away from it because I’m not investing emotion into social media. It’s more relaxing to stay away from it than to be on it, sometimes. I think I would rather have experiences with people in real life than to keep it all online. The energy of people in real life is much better than what I get online. How about you?

Day 189 - A Year of Spiritual Awakening - The Group Energy in Electronica Leads to...

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Lesson 189: The Group Energy in Electronica Leads to...

When we use our online tools such as social media, there are times when we tap into a group energy because those people’s beliefs align with yours, or you go against the group thought and risk the opposing group view. In most part, you will most likely go with group thought as you would have most likely aligned yourself to groups and pages that you already like.  Today we are to think about how group thought impacts the way you are or if you more inclined to be your true self.

When it comes to certain interests of mine, I find that I am with the group thought in terms of our mentality. I find that my Facebook groups are exactly what I seek out and the general feeling of the group’s thought is quite similar to my own. Sure, we can have discussions that opens up different views but we have more common thought than not. I mean, why would you seek out groups or pages that didn’t really resonate with you?

I find that I am my true self most of the time. Those moments when I have opposing views are on news stories, things that pop up in my feed that may hurt others and when people don’t understand different aspects of spirituality. I do find that I like reading other people’s comments to gain some perspective of opinions. I tend to disagree with those people who try and force their beliefs onto others. Everyone has a opinion but it doesn’t mean you should try to convince someone to follow your view.

So, I guess I can be both – follow group thought whilst being myself and also not following group thought whilst still being myself. Where do you fit in?