Few spiritual approaches delve into the effects of personal awakening on the collective human experience and its direct consequences on the tangible reality we inhabit, which we refer to as the world. The focus of this little article is on the cultivation of group consciousness in relation to personal awakening.
By drawing a parallel, group consciousness can be likened to family consciousness. In a nurturing family, the connection among siblings arises from the shared understanding/vision that they have the same parents and are therefore brothers and sisters.
The boundaries we set for the family circle are nevertheless entirely arbitrary and complete mental constructs: “My brother and I have the same parents, so we are family members,” “My neighbor and I don’t have the same parents, so we are not family members.” It becomes an inclusion/exclusion game governed by our dualistic mental perceptions.
The key insight is that when individuals discover shared origins with others, their perspective shifts, and as their perspective shifts, so does how they feel towards each other, which in turn will influence how they will behave.
Nationalism is another form of group consciousness where the boundaries extend beyond the family circle to encompass the nation. Individuals with a shared history, traditions, and culture form a bond. Nevertheless, Nationalism is not true group consciousness again as it is a mental construct based on arbitrary parameters and is most of the time exclusive.
Group consciousness is still largely underdeveloped on our planet. Feelings of belonging (family, nation) continue to be driven by biological instincts and unconscious cultural impulses. What we currently experience are clusters of egos, making “compulsive mass consciousness” a more appropriate expression.
Authentic group consciousness is very rare; it will only emerge after the mind’s dominance has subsided, after the realization that our fundamental nature is “made of” pure consciousness, or Presence, which is boundless and common to all beings and everything.
If group consciousness appears to be lacking in an “awakened individual,” it is likely that we are dealing with a spiritualized ego masquerading as an awakened being.
Group consciousness truly embodies vision and compassion, it manifests as spontaneous action for the collective good.
Look at the ants and bees, can’t you see how their activity is unified and purposeful? Even a child can grasp the concept of group consciousness simply by watching the behavior of these small creatures.
What it would like to live in a world put in motion by true group consciousness:
- Goods would be produced for the benefit of all, not out of greed as is currently the case. No more planned obsolescence or convoluted marketing strategies.
- Technology would be accessible to everyone, with engineers collaborating to create durable and resilient products. The results of innovation would be shared not patented.
- Resources will be distributed based on geographical needs rather than hoarded by a minority at the expense of the majority.
- Cooperation will naturally occur between individuals and nations.
- The necessity to work for a living will be replaced by people pursuing their passions and fulfilling their unique purposes.
- Travel will flourish, with individuals from different regions sharing their cultural distinctions, knowledge, and life experiences.
- The concept of “family” will evolve, with individuals increasingly recognizing one another as brothers and sisters united in a global family.
- Compassion will become an innate trait, manifesting as joy, enthusiasm, and humor.
- Religions will be shed like empty shells, as everything is seen as a manifestation of the One Life.
Every time you envision a better world, you lend it substance, making it more tangible and hastening its manifestation. Conversely, every time you dismiss an idea as utopian, you hinder its manifestation, resulting in a world that reflects your limited beliefs.
You will become what you think you are, don’t let the mind define that for you.
Calwen