When a public figure, parent or other family member makes declarations are you more likely to accept it without contemplating their intent or validity, to unthinkingly jump to conclusions and cohere with the meme? Conversely, are you prone to deny information, even when it is true?
It may surprise you to know the level of influence rumors can have on a society. It may also be easy to dismiss the possibility that the proliferating stream of a media-spun tale has duped you once or twice. Have you ever wondered why it happens and what you can do about it? I’ll share my multidimensional perspective with an example from my own life: On the early evening of September 10, 2001, I was headed to the cinema with a close relative. Although I looked forward to our outing together, I began to feel so uncomfortable that I could barely recognize myself. My body felt incredibly tense and agitated, as though I was looking for a fight. My mood was uncharacteristically aggressive and I wasn’t sure what was going on. I apologized repeatedly as I tried to reconcile my feelings. The growing desire for confrontation was competing with a sense of confusion and sadness. I behaved like a juvenile elk trying to outrun a hungry wolf pack, as my only chance of survival. The movie we ultimately watched was only a brief respite from the extreme angst. I apologized again and went home alone to determine the reason for this highly unusual bout. The next morning I received a phone call from the spa I’d been giving sessions in. “Don’t come to work today. We’re at war!” When I eventually saw the news footage of planes crashing into the Twin Towers on September 11 I was stunned. The same scene repeated and as I tried to grasp the reality of what I was seeing, I kept watching the event repeat on the news feed, while “we’re at war!” echoed in my mind as though seeking my attention. I considered the massive casualties to the people directly involved and the probability of events that could rise from the aftermath. I saw the footage. I felt along. I prayed. I also understood what was being communicated to me and through my body the day before when approaching the cinema. It all became to clear to me. “We’re at war” became a declaration chanted by many. Even famous actors made sincere pleas to their fellow Americans, in urgency fundraising telethon fashion, but something didn't land with me; something didn't make sense, in spite of the evidence. Yes, I watched a plane fly into a building and I recognized it was real. Yes, I saw it with my own eyes. But, what exactly did I see with my own eyes that I questioned open-mindedly? In the midst of the devastation and the tension entangled in the fervor of the claims of war, I kept seeing (or rather my guides were showing me) memories of a television program I watched in childhood: the one and only Sesame Street. The scene that replayed in my mind featured old and condemned buildings being professionally demolished. Countdown, explosion and collapse: the pattern continued with every building and regardless of its size, each one would fall in the same way. This vision played repeatedly until it really had my attention. Until it had my attention, it continued to play until I acknowledged it. The information was there all along, in the midst of significant distress before the movie, and during the news footage of the Twin Towers, in the questions I felt rising from within when hearing the words, “we’re at war!” yet I had to do my part to appreciate it. I had to give it my devoted non-judgmental, open-minded attention. I had to listen. And to help you do your part: Homework! 1. Be open-minded. Agreeing or disagreeing to every story, rumor or belief without consideration is equally dangerous. It is very important to pay attention to what is being said, how you feel, and what your guides are telling you, (even if you may not understand it immediately, like how I felt the evening of September 10.) Just begin to pay attention and the rest will come in time and with your thoughtful inquiry. 2. Ask questions. Open minds ask questions and you should feel safe to ask questions and have conversations. If you’re in a situation where this isn’t allowed or supported, then take a good look at what your motive for being in the situation, relationship or group is – religious, spiritual, business, et cetera. 3. Check your reaction. You’re human and bound to react and have emotions. Have your reaction yet be mindful as not to be seduced by it, or your own story about it, particularly if there is a lot of public momentum behind it. Make sure you stay with yourself as not to be swept away in someone else’s illusion that you in turn adopt and champion as your own. Maintain integrity and seek the truth! 4. Don’t perpetuate rumors. Though media circuits maybe the reigning champions of, um, “innuendo”, the measure of humanity as well as a person’s character can be measured in the comments section of virtually every open-source social network site. Consider how you are presenting yourself to the world and how you are spending your life. 5. Don’t let rumors choose your friends for you. One quick way to demolish beneficial possibilities and dampen freedom of thought and relationships is to assume the best or worst of another individual, based on heresy. Be strong enough to voice your own questions and experiences. Hold true to your convictions with an open-mind even when you’re the only one standing. Do you recall a time in your life when you were involved in a rumor? Please share. Etiquette: Only mature and constructive comments directly related to the article’s topic are welcome. Published: 10 March, 2014 Tuaca Kelly, spiritual teacher, medical intuitive and master healer serves to assist others in recognizing and developing their multidimensional consciousness and health, critical thinking skills, intuitive discernment, and realizing their soul potential. She lives in the Netherlands with her wife. For further insight visit: www.lovethemessenger.com. Read the Dutch translation. |
The
|