Beware the Collective Unconscious

You may have experienced the Collective Unconscious in statements such as these:

-Good jobs are scarce
-It's nearly impossible to make a living as an artist
-The outlook for the global economy and environment is bleak
-We have to struggle and suffer for our success
-Survival is for the fittest
-The world is a dangerous place, defined by war and the competition for limited resources

The Collective Unconscious is passed down to us through our parents, peers, teachers, churches and mass media. It defines our thinking and actions not only as a culture but as individuals, masquerading as a set of unquestioned beliefs widely accepted as truth.

If you feel that life is a struggle, the world is unsafe and that your survival depends on your ability to compete aggressively you may be suffering at the hands of the Collective Unconscious.

The deeper I dig into my own reality, the more I realize that a lot of what I hold as fact are nothing more than fuzzy half truths and lazy stereotypes rooted in ignorance and the very human need to belong.

As awareness increases there's a realization that perhaps these long held social beliefs are not entirely in line with one's personal convictions.

An effective way the combat the Collective Unconscious is to meditate on the positive aspects of your life. Focussing on what's front of you: Your health, your family, your friends and relationships, your mind and the ability to change it anytime you want, your breath and whatever else it is in your life that allows you to be happy, free and at peace.

Creating space in the mind through meditation helps us break through the dark clouds of doubt and move into clarity and awareness. With the correct intention and practice it is our innate wisdom that begins to define our world view.