What's the path to Unity or Mutual Respect of Political Differences? Know thyself. Honor your individuality. Respect who you are; what you believe; respect your Individual Uniqueness. Then you can respect the individuality, individual opinions of others. It's easier to respect others' different views when you respect your own. It's easier to debate others in a civil way, when you are civil to yourself. True Spiritual Enlightenment comes from within, not around. Honor you. Love you. Respect yourself and your opinions. That's the best and only way to start respecting others' views - without anger, fear, resentment, name-calling, and violence. Those traits come from fear; fear of self; fear of the unknown, fear of persecution or others' opinions. Those negative traits often come from the mind; the Collective Mind. Be unique. Be you.
One thing that makes our President different than past presidents: he's an individualist. Much like US Founding Fathers. Power of Individuality is stronger than the power of The Collective. That's why each of us has Individual Free Will. "Group think", "collective thinking", "collective consciousness" does not produce enlightenment. It dilutes it. True Enlightenment, spiritual enlightenment, is unique to every individual living on the planet. We can easily get caught up in "mob mentality" or media frenzies, forgetting our true selves. We are social beings. We want to please others. Oftentimes, when we practice "group think", we forget who we are as individuals. The media practices "group think", "collective thinking", "collective consciousness": numerous voices, numerous news channels and sources, broadcasting the same opinions or messages, often. Beating the same drums repeatedly. It's easy to be persuaded by that. But that is "group think". And dilutes your individual opinion, your uniqueness. Thereby prohibiting your Spiritual growth and Enlightenment. True Spiritual Enlightenment comes from within you: it's different for each person. Your individual uniqueness, honoring your uniqueness, helps you gain true Spiritual Enlightenment; your individual soul empowerment. Let your uniqueness empower you. Honor it. Then you will easily honor the uniqueness in every person around you. Getting wrapped up in "the collective mind" (eg media group think) limits us all.
This past week, mail bomber(s) targeted Democrat leaders. On Saturday, a shooter entered a Pittsburgh Synagogue and killed innocent Jews during their Shabbat worship, injuring police. Luckily in both cases, the assailant was caught and investigations ongoing.
Such violence, hate and anger. It is beyond horrible. Every day a new trauma. Our collective and individual souls continuously mourn. Every day. We yearn for answers. We grieve individually and collectively. Anger, sadness, powerlessness, apathy - we experience it all when bad things happen. We seek answers and solace from the media or spiritual leaders. We seek answers to help us through grief and trauma. Even if the trauma did not hit us personally, the media broadcasts it and we feel an immediate connection.
Sad part: Media often gets it wrong. Their messages are not always truthful. Their messages often create or enhance our fears. When we fear, we get angry. When we get angry, we cannot communicate effectively with others. Much less others' different opinions. America, as a nation, is basically experiencing PTSD. Since 2011.
Starting in 2011, political violence, mass shootings, attacks and riots became the norm in our society. Almost daily. Mobs, riots, mass shootings take front stage on the news, clouding our individual souls and hearts.
Examples: 2011 Tucson Shooting. 2011 Occupy Wall Street riot; 2013 Flatbush Riot in New York City; 2013 Trayvon Martin Riots; 2015 Baltimore Riots; 2017 Charlottesville riot; 2017 GOP Baseball Field shooting; numerous incidents of Ricin-laced letters or packages sent to GOP Leaders. 2016-2018 Antifa riots across the country. DNC bomb threat. RNC bomb threats. Countless School shootings; University shootings; school bomb threats 2010-present.
As we process these horrible events, we turn to sources that do not help us: the media, the "group thinkers".
In January 2011, a crazy, evil man (Loughner) shot US Rep Gabby Giffords' and others outside a grocery store in Tucson. I drove to Tucson to help out the next day. Some of you may remember that. Details on old Blog Site.
Within minutes of the Tucson shooting, national media blamed the TEA Party, Conservative Talk Show Hosts and Republicans. Media beat that drum for an entire week, until FBI revealed Loughner had no connection to TEA Party. Today's media doing it again: blaming Trump, conservatives, Republicans for recent mail-bomber and Synagogue shooting. Media got it wrong then (2011). They're wrong now. Conservative ideology is not causing these horrible, violent events. Conservatives are not spewing hate. I remember returning from "Tucson support" trip, a Sedona councilwoman requested we meet. "Let's talk about hate rhetoric and vitriol," she said.
We met. I told her about my Tucson experience. Told her "no hate rhetoric in Tucson." She was surprised. "We need a Hate Rhetoric Town Hall in Sedona," she said. I asked "Is anyone in Sedona spewing hate rhetoric? Anyone fighting or hating each other?" She said "no."
My response: "Then a Town Hall is unnecessary. Don't fix what ain't broken."
Her response: "But conservatives, TEA Party, Conservative Talk Show Hosts spewing hate rhetoric. We must stop it before it reaches Sedona!" I listened to conservative radio on 4-hour drive from Tucson to Sedona. Media said they were spewing hate. I wanted to know first-hand. Result? No hate speech on conservative radio. The councilwoman was shocked. No hate rhetoric by Rush, Hannity, Levin. None.
Later that day, I called my parents with a Tucson update. They knew I was a TEA Party conservative. Their immediate response: "You cannot be part of the TEA Party. The news says you're all violent anarchists who caused Tucson Shooting! They say you're hate-filled. Stop ruining your life!" Media even manipulated my parents who knew me since birth. Took a few weeks for them to understand that media got it wrong. Ultimately, we didn't have the Hate Rhetoric Town Hall. No one spoke hateful things to each other. We all wanted peace, unity. The Media sure convinced everyone "hate exists" though, didn't they? Today, 7 years later - hate rhetoric does exist. And it must stop.
Later in 2011, I "came out" as a TEA Party Conservative in Sedona, a liberal-majority town. Local newspaper wrote a story about the Sedona TEA Party. Interviewed me and others about it. After local TEA article, referrals for my services - from friends, colleagues, local business owners, hotel concierge - dropped 30%. I received hate-mail from people across the country. Same happened to a few other TEA conservative business owners in Sedona. Our businesses tanked. Income lost. It was horrible. Who knew! Not everyone is tolerant of opposite opinions. Sedona leans liberal. I knew that. My conservative friends knew that. We never imagined our opposite beliefs would hurt our businesses. it did.
I blame most of that on the media. Media convinced everyone that the TEA Party movement, Republicans, Conservatives were full of hate. Even after it was proven that Tucson shooter was not connected to TEA or conservatives.
My close Democrat friend (who avidly supported Obama) summed it up: "This is America! If others can speak their views, why can't you? If other people slap Obama stickers on their Prius, why can't you slap a TEA Party sticker on your car? Don't cower to bullies. You have equal right to your opinion as they do. Give them a chance to be tolerant. Speak your truth. Give them a chance. You've shown them you're tolerant and respectful of their views. Let them show you their tolerance & acceptance. If they're intolerant, that's on them." Good advice.
Conservatives didn't judge my psychic career. Liberal-minded people judged my political beliefs. Some still do today. That's on them. Anger, judgment, vitriol, political violence: stem from fear or the collective mind-media instilling fear. And those negative reactions stem from lack of self-confidence (not honoring your true self).
Media says President Trump, Republicans and conservatives are responsible for mail-bombings, hate rhetoric and even Synagogue shooting. Here we go again. They are wrong. It's easy to get caught up in "group think", Mob Mentality or media manipulation. Very easy. We want answers after tragedies. We also want solace. Solace and peace come from within. Spiritual Enlightenment comes from within. Take what you learn around you; use the best parts to create peace within you. Honor your uniqueness. Honor who you are.
When you truly honor your individual uniqueness, you easily honor others' uniqueness. When you stand in your own Inner Power, you honor and respect others more. Even if they disagree with you. Angry arguments do not happen when we honor, respect individuality. Treat others as you treat you. And treat you with kindness, respect and love. Start with you. Then practice same with others.
Sidenote: The mail-bomber. Maybe he is a Trump supporter. Maybe he's not. Does it matter? Crazy people exists. A crazy Bernie Sanders supporter shot up the GOP Baseball Field a year ago & almost killed US Rep Steve Scalise. No one blamed Bernie. Crazy people exist. They will do crazy, horrible things. The best we can do: honor our individuality. Honor others' individuality. Respect each other. Change the world for the better.
Peace starts in the hearts and souls of each one of us. Unity happens when we honor differences in others. And when we honor our own individual uniqueness. Your soul is as unique as your thumbprint. Honor that.
---Robin Amanda, The Sedona Spirit Psychic
http://www.robinamandapsychic.com
http://www.sedonaspiritpsychic.com
