We live in a deeply unconscious world. That’s because, while there are always exceptions to the rule, in large measure what we internalize as human beings becomes our reality.

This reality, shared by enough individuals, is perpetuated in the form of a system. The system in turn defines us, so that we become caught in a vicious cycle. This is true of every culture on Earth. In the grip of a culture’s mindset, we don’t recognize how unfree we are.   

The first step to becoming free is to recognize how systems that tend to lock us into a certain mindset are all around us—and I do mean all around us. They are pervasive in the way society operates. But it takes opening our eyes to recognize this and few are willing to do so. Most live in a state of unconscious obeisance to the system.

We don’t have to look far to recognize that our choices are highly conditioned––that even when we know something is right, we often don’t do it because of the pressures on us. It’s so easy to be caught up in the collective unconsciousness.

The power of the collective unconsciousness binds us in countless unseen ways to decisions that hurt people even when we have the best of intentions. Society’s choices more often than not are the result of expediency, emotional reactivity, sentiment, political or media pressure, personal prejudice, and vested interest. Crucial decisions affecting the lives of everyone on the planet are made under conditions that virtually guarantee failure.

Societies again and again resort to patterns of past behavior. Although we ascribe our actions to reason, much of what we do as a human race is totally unreasonable. Our actions flow from patterns we recognize because we’re used to them. It feels right because it’s the known, the familiar, the well-trodden. But in reality much of what we choose is highly unconscious.
 
The notion that our actions are the result of thoughtful decisions is a grand illusion. The decision-making process is virtually automatic, not thought out at all. We’re governed by hidden forces over which we have no control until they at last become conscious. How else explain the way we repeatedly stab ourselves in the foot?

Because human actions in large measure stem from systems to which we all ultimately bow, we cannot become wholly free alone. We can move a long way toward freedom, but we can’t go the whole nine yards.

Until everybody becomes free, the lack of freedom of others will always keep us somewhat shackled. For this reason we should all be compassionate with ourselves when we make poor choices, while also having the courage to face up to ourselves and evolve from the mere capacity to choose to the consciousness required to make responsible decisions that benefit everyone.

In other words, just as the collective unconsciousness of society limits us, the raising of our collective consciousness progressively frees us. This is why we must work together to free all humans from the unconscious beliefs, expectations, and patterns of thought they have internalized.

And so, to help us all move forward into a higher state of consciousness, I invite you to participate in the new weekly course, which will lead us step by step into higher consciousness and invites your full interactive involvement.