“Yeah, Right!”
Navigating our current world of cynicism.
I’m sure you are aware of the collective mind of bees, sometimes called Hive Mind. Thinkers across ages and fields have studied this in humans as well. The idea that we carry not only our own life experiences, but we also carry a collective experience. And currently, this shared consciousness feels almost palpable, being described as “divided”, “uneasy”, and “cynical”.
So how do we navigate within this current world?
The good news is, you’ve already taken your first step by simply acknowledging that there is a shared consciousness that is affecting you. We can’t exist in a bubble. The world around us does affect us. If you want to shake off a bit more, try meditating on where you feel this unease in your body and maybe describing it, exploring it. The more we notice about it, the more power we have over it.
Want even more freedom from it? Stop trying to wish it away. It’s here, it exists. Don’t allow yourself to daydream too much about simpler times or ponder too much about the future. The human life experience is full of ups and downs, and so is humanity’s shared experience. As you well know, down times bring us down-type feelings, but down times also bring us valuable gifts as well.
Another powerful tool is our own thoughts and words. Every time we let a cynical thought roll around in our brain, it is also rolling around in our emotions and our bodies. That is feeding the unease! But every time we notice - and then stop - a thought that is cynical, we stop feeding the cynical Hive Mind that is affecting us.
Want some ammunition? I recently read Jamil Zaki’s book “Hope for Cynics”, and it's a trove of ammunition for those cynical thoughts. It’s filled with research like the lost wallet experiment. If wallets with $100 cash and a return address are dropped in various locations in your country, how many get returned? The average person believes 30% will get returned. The real news? Between 74%-80% get returned. And this has been replicated all over the world. People are constantly underestimating the goodness of each other. Use that statistic the next time a “divided” or “uneasy” or “cynical” thought enters your mind. That is power against it!
And don’t forget about the amazing and healing power of compassionate connection. Doing something nice or saying something nice to someone is healing for both you and that person. If you do it face-to-face and that person is a part of your community, it’s even more powerful. If the thing you do or say makes that person feel like you trust them or you believe in them, it’s even more healing for you both!
Yes, this is a crazy time in our collective hive. But there are ways to navigate within it. There are ways to find ease within the unease, without denying it or wishing it away. And who knows, we might end up better for it!
Until next time,
Laura
