This is a lot — Pandemic Edition.

Let me be clear on this I am not defending any positions; I think there are good things for any position as well many not so helpful things. I am writing this as an observer. I was hoping that during this pandemic, we would finally come together and meet in our similarities and learn from our differences.

Since this whole thing started, individuals are taking big stands, or they believe (beliefs are not facts) they have ‘the’ solution. Most people look into their own little ecosystem without putting themselves in the place of the people they disagree with (because you ‘know’ they are morons).

There is a tremendous amount of shaming and complaining that is showing up on social media lately in the form of “inspiring quotes” or “funny memes” when in reality is a form of being passive-aggressive. I have failed to meet someone that truly changed their point of view after being bullied. I am seeing the people doing this online are the ones that are stubborn and not taking the time to have an open dialogue about a topic and consider opinions that are different than the one that fits their narrative.

Let’s take, for example, a Face mask/ No Face mask. If someone chooses to wear a mask, what impact does that decision have on your life? Probably zero. I mostly do not wear one, but if I go to a store that requires me to use one, I will comply. I may even wear one if I am not required. Then I am called weak or a “sheeple”. However, I see it as a sign of civility and compassion for others that may be scared about what is happening. Do I believe the mask will stop me from getting sick? Not really. But also I am my brother and sister's keeper.

We cannot continue to operate as we have been in the past.

When indirect shaming does not work, the other things I am seeing people use to gain control over the narrative are to exhibit helplessness, avoid confrontation, seek revenge, and gossip.

• Helplessness: Individuals don't believe they have any control over their lives. Rather than find a way to solve and dissolve what is badgering them they choose to say things like, “There’s no use attempting because I can’t do anything about it anyway”. Because this is a passive way to do things, they are generating more of that of what they don't want; you bring about what you think about.
• Avoid Confrontation: A passive-aggressive individual when is offended usually will avoid direct confrontation. Because they are hurt they show signs of incongruency. You can often hear them say things like, “That’s fine. Whatever!” or “If you do not care about how I feel, you do not need to do that”. They allow the “man” to treat them poorly and they do not express the reality that their feelings have been hurt.
• Seek Revenge: No one is more revengeful in this world than a passive-aggressive individual. They are waiting and calculating for the opportunity to punish those who have hurt them in a similar or greater way. Because of their fears of confrontation, they commonly plot for vengeance in an indirect way, using social media to post angry content or gathering minions to talk about the approach they may be going to take (BTW they rarely do).
• Gossip: This one is one of the worst, if not the worst of all. In this case, you find people that are willing to listen to what you believe about “the other group”: their alleged shortcomings, mistakes, and negative qualities. In the end, both parties are feeling accomplished that they found others that agree they are correct. That's the reason in ancient times gossip was considered the equivalent of murder, you are killing the person’s reputation.

Also, it doesn't help that we are facing an outrageous amount of contextomy; we take things out of context to support our belief system. Let’s be clear, our beliefs about the system are not the real truth; our beliefs are true, but only to us. Lately, many people quote to me Benjamin Franklin saying, “Those who give up liberty for security deserve neither.” This has been taken out of context. Yet it is all over social media and being used as a flag for anything from antivaccine, social distancing, sheltering in place, and 2nd amendment protesters. Not many people understand what Benjamin Franklin really meant when he wrote those words because they do not understand the context.

He wrote the letter in 1755 on behalf of the Pennsylvania Assembly to the colonial governor to get more funding for security on the frontier, the assembly was trying to tax landowners in Pennsylvania. This letter wasn't about liberty or human rights it was to raise money for defense in case of attack from France. If you look closely at the context that surrounds those famous words, it was pretty clear it is about money. “Our assemblies have of late had so many supply bills, and of such different kinds, rejected, on various pretenses,” wrote Franklin. Now, as we understand the real meaning of the creation of this entire letter, we can see much more clearly, this is not about our civil liberties, but about taxes.

Many politicians and religious leaders use contextomy by selectively choosing words from original quotes and changing the context so they can fit their narrative. Social media is the king of contextomy and they do it in a creative way by mixing facts with beliefs or not-so-accurate facts. Specifically, they aim to fit their agenda and try to defame public figures or others that do not think like them. Individuals doing this not only prompt readers to lean in a particular way but also they are hiding their real intention.

The first step in a real esoteric school or energetic practice is to become aware of your words. That's the reason many of them have a vow of silence in the first few years of the training. Every word that we have ever spoken is resonating throughout the universe, gathering information, and sending it back to you. The universe does not understand the words no or don’t. It understands vibration and intention. The energy or vibration that you put out into the world is what you are getting more of indefinitely.

Most of us are guilty of not following our word, it happens. For example, in 2016, there was a large number of Americans who swore they were going to move if Trump became president; that really did not happen. If we bring this to the current time, you can change the elections with the pandemic and if the vaccine becomes mandatory, “I will________(fill out the blank)”. Following through with your words is essential for transformation, failing to do so will have the potential to bring to you that which you do not want. Because we keep telling the Universe that we are going to take action and then we don’t.

To break these patterns it is important, to be honest with ourselves and take a good look into ourselves and our words. And that process can be scary and it will challenge you to grow and change. That is part of the process of awakening. Shame, Guilt, and Anger are not.

Photo by Ani Kolleshi