Following your Leaders (February 3rd) …
February 03 – Following your Leaders: On the way to work/school this morning, walk part of the way (even if it’s a 15 minute walk outside your office/school), after having encountered someone interesting. Pay attention to the way they move and then subtly emulate their walk from afar … For the rest of the day, pause every hour to notice others’ different styles of Being. Then, for five (5) minutes of every hour, purposefully be completely different from whomever you are watching … Finally, on the way home from work/school, walk part of the way (even if it’s a 15 minute walk near your home) in a way that is completely unique. “Invent” a new style of movement for yourself and make it as distinctive as possible … Have fun!
We humans are “herd animals” – programmed at our most basic level of being to clump together in groups to enhance our sense of security. As such, it provides us a seep-seated sense of emotional pleasure to feel like we “fit in”. Being surrounded by others who look like we do & who are behaving as we do makes us feel safe, and safety is the only thing important to the most primitive centers of our brains.
This has led to an interesting sociological phenomenon: being ostracized simply for looking or acting differently from the norm.
So we wear masks over our feelings …
… and we dress to dress to match …
… and we choose to “tow the line” with what we say & do.
Even if we break away to “be our true selves”, we tend to form like-minded groups. Unless we choose to remain conscious of our choices (a rarity), even our “defiant” acts of nonconformity become conformist.
And instead of merely imitating appearance or behaviors, over time we tend to mimic each others emotional expressions, especially the anger & frustration that make up the foundation of this drive to assimilate.
This in turn leads us to not only hide behind our own masks, but also to only see the superficial masks of others.
And the first casualty of this sense of separation becomes our ability to intimately connect with others.
And over time, the meaning of our lives is sucked dry – we begin to die before our actual death.
Fortunately for us all, who we truly are is never completely lost. We can always return to it at any moment we choose, and that is what today’s task is all about – remembering who we really are.
The first tip I have is to be purposefully subtle and purposefully respectful during the first part of the activity. Even when you aren’t directly witnessed in your watching, your attention will always be felt by the other, so let them feel your kindness.
As such, at least until you get the hang of it, I have found it best to engage this task while immersed in a larger crowd of folks.
And once you begin to “walk your own walk” – to reawaken to how it feels to exist independently from your collective, remember that nonconformity is not beneficial unless it is purposeful. Do so to further your own awakening, not to merely “be different” or “free”.
In essence, remember how it fees to be your True Self that you might then go forth to courageously care for the True Selves of others!
See You when I see you …
… and until then, Be Now!
Scaughdt
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