Having emerged from what feels like a different kind of isolation over the past few months, it’s been interesting, fascinating, surprising to see the state of the world. I feel like I’ve been walked into another dimension. Yet the themes feel very familiar. Polarity Battles are being taken to another level. This has always been prophesied as the way towards Unity Consciousness, the poles will polarise before they are integrated. Makes sense.
Group Conformity
There is an interesting element in psychology called Group Conformity. It’s where we, by no fault of our own, forgo our own belief systems in favour of the crowd. Some say it is due to our need for belonging. Others say its primal, and has been necessary since tribal times when the Tribe needed to stay together so we developed group consensus to ensure safety of the numbers. We are fascinating creatures!
“When people interact, they end up agreeing, and they make worse decisions – they don’t share information, they share biases” (Daniel Richardson, Social Psychologist, UCL)
We all know this from high school.
We agree to feel wanted, validated. We share information to appear valuable. Again, nothing wrong with this – its part of our human behaviour we are all trying to become more aware of.
This behaviour is still within us. Life is High School!
In our work places. With our friends. And especially in social media circles, where algorithms regurgitate information that confirm our biases or polarise them (show us the opposite to trigger us) – because the algorithm is based on supporting responses. And people respond best when they react.
Polarised Battles
Why am I talking about this?
Right now on the planet, there are explosive polarising narratives. These will always evoke an Us vs Them. Sure, these narratives may or may not hold valuable truth within them. That part is actually irrelevant.What is more important is for each of us to ask: Is it true for me?
This may seem like the most simplest and dumbest question to ask! We think, of course, I wouldn’t believe it if it wasn’t true for me.
Well, this is where it gets tricky. We have to bypass our Egoic attachment to group conformity, polarised thinking and our own biases to really find out this answer.And that is no easy feat.
- It involves embracing polar opposite ideas – without adverse reaction, to understand points of view.
- It involves understanding we do not actually know what we believe in, because we have biases – this involves courageous humility.
- It involves saying, “I dont know” how valid this information is that I’m relaying to others – because it is impossible to know without our own individual exploration and research. Then if that’s the case, how am I relaying it? With 100% conviction so the soul in front of me cannot question it or giving breathing room for their own empowerment (to question/challenge/explore it and see if it aligns).
- It involves stepping back when we feel threatened. And asking, is it my ego (beliefs) that is threatened? And if so, have I identified with this belief system? Why can I not challenge these beliefs or have them challenged without feeling threatened?
- It involves questioning whether we have been caught up in the crowd – Group Conformity. Where we see the same argument again and again, in different ways, daily – till we are programmed to believe in it.
All beliefs need to be challenged. Or they become evangelical religion.
Consequently, it is more vital than ever that we pause. Take a break from our collective beliefs. Take a break from our own beliefs. And question them all. Or we all become subject to the polarity battle.
Because we can easily get carried along the Group train and that reactive group energy will infiltrate every aspect of our belief system. It acts like a drug and subdues our inner barometer for questioning. Here during these polarised times, the energies will capitalise upon our polarised thinking and push us into camps, usually evoking passion/anger/hatred towards another group of people.
I’m sharing this because of my own experience with group conformity over my life. It exists everywhere. I still have it of course. It doesn’t go away, we just have to become aware of it and we begin to learn to detach quicker from it.
From spiritual beliefs to political ones. From how we see the world to how we see ourselves. And we can understand ourselves in a great way by recognising group behaviour and our own. It has led to interesting experiences for me! Yet, in hindsight I have always recognised my behaviour as not being true to my self during these moments.It is of course much harder to see in the moment.
The Mirror Reveals All
The fascinating thing about what I have written is that this in itself can also be read with our biases and we may project this again onto another group.
This is our first red flag.
This isn’t about judging another group or labelling another.
It is about our own journey.
It’s about truly opening our own eyes. And seeing reality.
And reclaiming our Sovereignty.
And as we do this, we realise that :
They are Us. And We are Them.
True change involves dialogue…with those we want change with. And that involves opening the dialogue to our own inner polar opposite.
The more we look in the Mirror during these times, the smoother we will find the upcoming transition that is coming.
The path towards unity consciousness can either be an adventurous slide in an amusement park or a road of constant problems, enemies and drama. Again its our perception and our ability to truly look deep into our eyes in that mirror, own our shadow, own our responsibilities and own our actions.
Blessings on your unique journey 😉
Vaz
Vaz Sriharan 