Too often we are held in the warm embrace of comfort and contentment, of what we think we know to be true. It feels warm and fuzzy and non-threatening. But alas, it’s what we can also call programming.
And we can feel this changing!
In this space, this close embrace, we are held in a state of sleep. By sleep, I of course am not referring to the night time, rest, rejuvenate, dream land, subconscious processing, in preparation for the coming day, sleep.
By asleep, I’m referring to a subconscious resistance to ignite a more wakeful, curiosity about the world we live in. Such as: Why do I function as I do in the world? Why do the world’s ‘advanced’ societies function in the way they do? Why do I hold the beliefs I have? What is my deepest longing? deepest fear? most wondrous joy? What am I truly here on this planet for? What is my purpose? Why do I hate? Why do I love? Why do I keep repeating habits that bring unhappiness? Do I believe I am special, unique, divine? If not, why not? Do I have a sense of the sacred or soul in my life? Do I love myself? If not, why not? Do I believe in things I cannot see? If not, why not?
You see, many of us go through our lives on autopilot (accepted programming). Yet more of us are beginning to address these kinds of questions within ourselves. When we’re asleep/programmed, held in the arms the ordinary, mundane state of ourselves and the world, we believe this ‘comfort’ is how life should be. When our boat starts to rock, we do what is necessary to return to the status quo of the previous comfort zone (programming). The ordinary, from which we became momentarily unsettled, is the default setting.
The other option: Wake-Up to something more, ExtraOrdinary within us and outside of us.
While in the past there has been a preference to remain asleep, this is changing. Let me say here, I don’t believe people are making the conscious choice to stay asleep. This isn’t a judgment call. It’s been an overall state of mind, that as a population we’ve been lulled into. I believe there is a deeper force which programs that ‘comfort’ of the ordinary. Here’s an illustration:
One day a couple of years ago, I was having a talk with a friend. The day was beautiful and we were out for a walk. It was not long after the Ferguson riots began, and my friend was understandably feeling the pain about the violence taking place. We had stopped at the park to rest, sitting on the grass and I began to share some information that I had come across regarding this.
I thought this was the perfect opportunity to open a conversation. I shared that according to some of the sources I’d read, that these racial upsets weren’t an accident. That there was evidence of a larger plan to begin destabilizing our population, inciting hatred and fear, to create deeper division among the population. I also made the comment that according to what I’d heard, there would be more blatant episodes of racial violence in the near future. (Which there were.)
As I shared, my friends eyes began to glaze over. I received a blank stare of silence. And then she repeated her confusion, that she didn’t understand why there was so much violence taking place. With her next sentence, she then changed the subject to the park and weather. No questions. No disagreement. No challenging me in what she may have perceived as conspiracy thinking. No indication that I had shared anything at all.
In another example of collective programming, many people are more apt to remain in circumstances which breed stress, depression, unhappiness, and frustration, particularly in the the case of ones professional/work life, than be open to seeing an alternative way of living. Being open to an alternative doesn’t necessarily mean easy or without effort. When introduced to options or a plan of change, there is an unconscious clinging to the mode of rationalizations as to why life needs to remain as it is. It’s this kind of programming that we aren’t even aware of most of the time.
The programs run through us, like a computer. They’ve been ‘downloaded’ into our mind, heart and cellular structure, by society, family, education, religions and our own past experiences. They run unquestioned, automatically in the background. When they are questioned, the ‘regulation button’ (the programmed habitual thinking) is pushed, the glaze comes over the brain, and the ‘does not compute’ signal is activated. It happens so quickly and subtly, most of the time this process isn’t even recognized consciously.
New awakening signals are breaking up the old sleep signals!
The programs connect to beliefs/feelings about survival, love, security, power, abandonment, ability, and freedom, to name a few. The list goes on to include every story we believe about ourselves, others, and life. To challenge the programming, means to greatly upset the boat, which is our mind. It will challenge our beliefs of who we are, who we think others are, what we believe about life, what we believe we deserve or don’t deserve, whether we believe we have the power to change or create in our lives, etc.
For some people, there is a deep unconscious resistance to NOT grow in ways that expand our consciousness and NOT challenge the beliefs of how we’ve been programmed. Growth, change, expansion can indeed be hard and uncomfortable, but ultimately the reward is freedom. It can be painful, but the reward is joy and peace. It can be scary, but the reward is inner power and great success.
We’re opting to grow through the discomfort to realize our Joy!
We could look at two examples of familiar paths people choose (subconsciously) to live. One being, a desire to live a life that is comfortable, predictable, and with unchallenged beliefs or emotional discomfort. A second familiar path, is one of great continued stress, difficulty, emotional pain, or fear that also becomes comfortable, and thrives like addictions do, in unending cycles.
As a new concept is introduced, the ‘regulation button’ is triggered as soon as concepts or information are introduced into the mind. If it doesn’t fit into one’s present belief system or paradigm, or if it feels to strange, big, or overwhelming, the ‘regulation button’ is pushed, tripping the signal to ‘go back to sleep.’ The internal counter reaction to expanding our consciousness, says ‘Don’t look there. Stay here, nice and cozy and comfortable.’ ‘That’s crazy talk!’ ‘I could never do that.’ etc. This in no way serves the Highest Good of Who We Really Are. It doesn’t serve the Highest Good for humanity or our planet. It only serves the agenda of other forces which desire to have control over us, via our programmed sleep.
The invitation is to all of us, to continually step into active inquiry as to how we are living our life. We are becoming more conscious, dynamic, and responsible, by reflecting and asking ourselves the hard questions. We are also becoming more willing to do the inconvenient actions in our life to continue to awaken. It is the risk of changing whatever our norm is that delivers many unexpected gifts.
There is no end to the awakening process! There is no finish line, just continued expansion.
2017 has ushered in a painful wake-up call to many with a new president bringing great upheaval, forcing all who have been asleep to wake-up. For many this process is excruciating and terrifying. Going back to sleep is becoming more and more difficult, as it should be. Why? Because we are here to truly awaken to our Selves, in both our darkness and our Light.
We are pulling out of the arms that embrace us tight & hold us in a programmed slumber!
The jig is up! We are here to awaken, evolve, transform, and create magic and mayhem full of Light and Love. But we must unfurl ourselves from the arms that hold us in a false embrace of safety and comfort. We are here to pull away from the bearer of our sleep (programming), pull out of these arms, and stand tall in our Light, our Brilliance, our Power. To take responsibility for honoring ourselves as a divine humanity, awaken and become ready to transform into all of our highest qualities. We are here to rise forth and claim our right to Joy, Peace, and Loving Power.
Blessings in Our Collective Awakening!
Lotus Lindley 