THE UNSEEN DYNAMICS OF OPERATING IN A GROUP
“Its effects on you may surprise you”
Sonia Barrett
8/30/08
In making our way through this life; in having a circle of friends, belonging to an organization/group, being close to family or even operating in ones work environment or overall environment; is of great significance in regulating the movement of our lives. Quite often the impact and the influence of such group dynamics are overlooked. The influences are subtle. One individual in a group can sway an entire group in such subtlety leading the entire group to a common conclusion yet leaving everyone believing that their decisions were based on their own organic thought uninfluenced by others.
The psychology of group mind function is known and has been studied by those who seek to control; after all it is how we as human beings have functioned in collectively holding this concept of reality in place. It is a common and familiar way of being for human minds. Not only were we programmed to operate in this manner but these were conscious agreements prior to this third dimensional life as we’ve come to know.
Understanding the impact of groups especially those we have bonded with can shed quite a bit of light on some of the circumstances we face in our daily lives or perhaps for lifetimes. Although we bond together for support and in our attempts to connect with others of like mind we must also realize the limitations imposed by long term positioning in such groups. We are most often brought together because of a commonality, some sort of common ground in thinking or beliefs but such commonalities can lead to stagnation as we become committed to remaining in these groups. Growth means movement and most often the dynamics of a group is based on growing together, but what if everyone is not growing at the same pace? Sometimes incorporating ideas or concepts outside of the original foundation of the group might not be accepted as everyone might not be able to see what you are seeing. For some they may simply suppress their growth and remain in the group/family/environment or they may develop the courage to move beyond the group. They may even fool themselves into a sense of contentment if there is enough hype to keep them coming back.
Be aware of this fact; health problems, financial problems, relationship problems, fears, and any other experiences taking place in any group format will and can run like electrical current throughout the group attacking or attaching to weaker aspects of different individuals in the group. Sometimes a number of individuals in the group begin to develop similar symptoms or health disorders or financial upset etc. In one way a “one mind” function has taken hold. I have seen the fears of one individual spread like wild fire through a group without anyone being the wiser. You might not always be influenced in this manner but you can also be caught in a stagnating hype which is quite common! Once a week meetings or so that will hype up the individual for a period of time “positive thinking” as they say, nothing deep just the same old same old being repeated in different ways. It’s comfortable and convenient especially in having to function in the madness of day to day life. In society most of us can attest to people being a bit put off when you express that you are vegan, vegetarian, raw food practitioner, home schooling or whatever it may be, many people functioning outside of the realm of your practices become a bit put off because it throws them off of their own function under the umbrella of commonality. They become a bit perturbed and will at times attempt to convert their fears by translating those fears into implying that you are the one with issues as you are operating outside of the norm. It is amazing to watch. Religious members are conditioned to do just that; if you are not part of a common belief system you are an outcast. Many people do not want to be an outcast so the human mind matrix is setup to provide a number of options so that we are caught in one or another collective thought process. Again the game is trippy and unless we can take a look at ourselves we will continue to be caught in this cat and mouse game. The nature of the game says that ‘you must belong to some format of collective thinking”. Why is this necessary? because group mind and commonality keeps you fractured! Through group mind and collective thinking you are generally “this thing” or “that thing”, are you a vegan, eat raw food, eat only fruits, eat meat, eat only chicken and fish, eat only fish etc, when these combinations are in the same group you will find that people who are not vegans, or raw foodists etc begin to feel a need to explain that they don’t eat meat all the time or whatever the case maybe. The point is that we are triggered when we are not all doing the same thing and we have a tendency to look down on others when we believe that we are operating for a much more evolved space. This kind of subtle thinking is itself fracturing. It disallows you the freedom to be unlimited in a great many ways although unrealized. It forces one to keep up the charade; you must keep the mask on as everyone is admiring your ability to be so “holy” in your commitment. We place tremendous pressure on ourselves and others.
We must realize that typically people in a group do not grow together at the same rate and therefore we must enter such experiences without the commitment of permanency to a group/family/work environment or overall environment etc. Otherwise we will become caught in limitations without realizing it. This is not to say that we cannot participate or be part of our family and groups. The outcome of the circumstances which I witnessed was already known but I needed to see it play out in order for it to no longer be a theory but a fact. When one is entangled in fear, although we all have some degree of fear; especially when the individual has lived with these hidden fears or the root of those fears all of his/her life they learn to camouflage these fears and to influence and manipulate others into operating in a manner which will incorporate the unsuspecting individual into the field of that persons fear(s). The unsuspecting individual is fed a series of information that gradually conjures up thoughts and beliefs necessary to participate in the world of the “fear initiator”. The extent that the human mind will go through to protect the individual is amazing and brilliant, it’s an amazing protective mechanism which we all have. Rather than being discovered as a “fear initiator” the individual finds a way to bring you into their world, how brilliant is that! Most people will not notice for quite some time. Everything that you attempt to do in your life can then be influenced by the intertwining of your energies with this individual or individuals. We must wake up and step forward as individuals willing to face the journey completely alone so that we do not become stagnated when we encounter group energy, we can dart in and out freely. Group energy can also be parasitic Anyone belonging to any one organization for 10 years and 20 years should perhaps step back and review the entirety of one’s journey through the course of those years. Now I do realize that we are getting exactly what we need for however long we need it. All that I am relaying to you is that perhaps it’s time to examine ones reason for still being there, what do you continue to come away with and perhaps examine the level of knowledge depth you are seeking. Some will say that they enjoy the fellowship, but exactly what does that mean to you. You might say that you want to help humanity but again the best way to help is to move forward, the best way to help is to let go of your crutches. Groups are fun and can be enjoyed and utilized in a manner of individual growth when the entirety of the group realizes and understands the nature of the group mind process. When individuals can recognize and admit to their fears they too can move on, when individuals in the group can trust their own thoughts without question or doubt then they will no longer be influenced by such individuals and in turn this will be of great assistance to such an individual as their will be no one in any group or any individual around them to enter their world of fear; their lifelong camouflage. They are then forced to deal with those hindrances in their subconscious mind. They will no longer manipulate. It will free them to live without this silently scheming mechanism within.
Women pay attention to the hormones and cycles of other women with which you are bonded. As you know when women are together they influence each other’s cycles. This holds true even if you are no longer menstruating. Bringing this understanding to the forefront of your mind will then require that you make a conscious choice to have your body operate in its own natural cycles and not based on others. Sometimes we simply pick up a fear of developing certain conditions being experienced by other women. Determine your own course; determine what you choose to experience with your own body despite family and supposed hereditary conditions. We can choose!! You’ve chosen this life so what’s to stop you from creating it how you see fit, you are already doing so anyway.
It is the reason for today’s educational institutions, religion, modern day government and the media, for the purpose of indoctrination, developing and sustaining group mind thinking. Children are being programmed to conform, look around at your neighborhoods with track homes and the concepts embedded of a middle class or lower middle class or the entire class system. There is a group mind concept running through many systems and although we might not all be living the exact same life there is a collective understanding of what images, attitudes and material possessions determine ones status. There is a base level of collective thinking, root concepts from which all other concepts are measured and formed regardless of one’s race, religion, profession etc.
I urge you to examine your own life, the transitions which occur in your life when certain individuals come and go from your space. Examine your change in mood or abundant flow when with or away from certain individuals or groups. You need not abandon these people; you will simply need to take conscious responsibility for the fluidity of your life force in all aspects of your life. These people may however fall away on their own or you may choose to release them from the bonded nature by which they had existed in your world. Remember also that these individuals have provided you with an amazing opportunity to grow and to elevate your ability to maneuver the course of your life. See this as an opportunity to reach beyond what you could dare to dream as a possibility. So in the end a group experience can propel you once you awaken to its dynamics!