What is ‘collective consciousness?’

by | Sep 4, 2019 | Clear Light

Maybe we could think of it like karma, also. Collective memory, it’s like something, because karma has many different types of karma. There’s a karma that relates to all of us. Like right now, there’s a karma that has made all of us share this room. So that can be also a result from the collective memory. I don’t know. It could be.

The collective memory from my point of view, is like, it’s like the Hundredth Monkey Syndrome. Did I talk about that last time? No?

This experiment that they did about many different monkeys in different islands. And then all the monkeys were given sweet potatoes. So, they would wet the potatoes in the water and then throw them in the sand. And the monkeys would eat them with sand. So, it would be very crunchy and very uncomfortable, but they would eat them anyway because it was delicious, and they liked it very much. But, of course, it was very, it’s not nice to eat with sand.

So, one day, one monkey discovered that if he washed the potato with water, then he didn’t have that crunchiness anymore. So, he showed it to other monkeys also. Then slowly, slowly, the whole community in that island started to wash the sweet potatoes with water. And when around, I think, 100 monkeys, around, started doing that, then suddenly all the monkeys in all the islands started doing that, too, at the same time. And there wasn’t any real connection between them because it’s different islands. So I think that’s a pretty good example for collective memory. It’s like maybe when a certain number of that same species reaches a certain realization, then it helps everybody else to reach that.

That’s why it’s so important to focus on the individual because as we practice, the more we practice, the more realization we get, the more it affects the collective memory, which eventually will affect the people, the humanity also. So that’s why we can really make a difference in that way. That’s why it’s so important to really practice hard in order to help other sentient beings. It’s not like, “Oh, if I’m a good person I’ll be able to help that person on the other side of the world because I’ll go to Africa”. No. It’s like we will be able to help the other person on the other side of the world through the collective memory.

Thinking that way, then the motivation is, it’s even easier to keep that motivation. So, it’s a good idea to think about the collective memory. In the same way also, our negative thoughts affect the collective memory….  Okay.

 

1 Comment

  1. Pema Sarah Cash

    An interesting article. This is bandied about a lot, but we don’t get an example of it!

    Thank you so much for this, dear Osel.

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