There are infinite ways to pick apart psychology. I strive to maintain an objective stance, but I am no expert and solely wish to unravel things more than to constrain them into simple black or white labels.
Owning something about ourselves doesn’t have to be crippling, nor a reason or excuse to suppress our infinite potential or our truth. It is information; it is predominantly based on societal constructs and how we perceive these concepts in this time, this era, age, dimension, etc. It’s far too easy to simply write people off, especially ourselves.
We are dynamic as individuals and if we choose to live consciously and aware, it is endemic to our process that we uproot, examine, evolve and integrate understandings of ourselves, while discarding the limiting or expired aspects that may have served us in the past.
This isn’t always the case, obviously. We can just as easily devolve and adopt traumas as medals and scars as an endless stream of ever-changing story and plot points. We can in fact convince ourselves of our grandiosity and moral superiority to perhaps avert our gaze from the painful abyss that is healing.
In our fair Western World, it seems we favor individuality, over the collective. And it’s no surprise. Since childhood, we are graded, compared, rewarded, berated, trained, pushed, pulled, twisted and conformed in ways seen and unseen. All of this considerable noise has the effect of slicing us in half in many aspects of our personality, creating a persistent internal dichotomy, while outwardly erecting barriers within which we try to establish safety and identity.
Thus, our persistent dialogue revolves around an extensive assortment of “I am” statements, with supporting arguments, declarations and diatribes. Furthermore, we invariably need to differentiate ourselves — making sure not to alienate or distance ourselves from the immutable “safe zone” of acceptable behavior… At least, that which is accepted within our clique, family, congregation, class, political affiliations, in-groups, or… you name it.
It’s important to recognize when we’re being divided, or polarized, and thus unconsciously, unwittingly, yet willingly conquered. These age-old psychological games — a blend of overt and covert nastiness — can and will pit us against ourselves, our neighbors, brothers and sisters.
I believe that our emerging level of consciousness allows us to more easily see through these malevolent motions and deceptive duplicities. The force is awakening, surely. But the old narratives are still dominant and pervasive, and given the chaos that’s exploding within many of us, can seem overwhelming and exhausting at the best of times.
Gradually, we can unburden ourselves through broader awareness. As we grow into our beautiful selves, actualized and in phase with our heart resonance, a natural acceptance develops, while violence and fearful practices defuse. This doesn’t suggest a passive, submissive stance, but rather, an emboldened recognition and surrender based on fundamental knowing.
There is a difference between exceptionalism — or self-importance — and knowing thy exceptional self. One is a vanity, and delusion, and the other requires vulnerability, courage, compassion and love.
Solvitur ambulando