Social Divide Over Masks - Divided Yet Interconnected

Background

As I write about in Predictions 2020, we're in a year of unprecedented disruption and uncertainty. Even without the Covid global pandemic, 2020 was destined to be a major threshold of societal changes and upheaval.

The energies of this year are setting the stage for ongoing chaos and a deeper look at what we as a society have created. It's like the universe provided us with a quantum mirror to see the truth of how we live, how we treat each other, and how we treat the Earth. That mirror won't be disappearing - not until we individually and collectively see what it is reflecting, what needs to change, and then come together to make those changes. "Together" is the key.

During the process I describe above, we'll surely have countless squabbles about things we need to learn. As is human tendency during uncertainty, we may seek reasons for why things are happening and want to blame someone or something. During that process, people can find conspiracy theories appealing.

Also, even when there are facts from scientists and health experts, fear can cause a typically grounded reasoned person to dismiss facts and allow emotions to influence thinking and actions. Example: spending hours on Twitter to read the latest 'news.'

Did you know Carnegie Melon University researchers concluded on May 20 that nearly half of accounts tweeting about Coronavirus are likely bots? Researchers said that there were 100 false narratives about Covid proliferating on Twitter by accounts controlled by bots.

The social divide over masks is counter-intuitive. Masks and social distancing are a temporary measure to prevent further spread of this virus we don't yet fully understand. It's here. It's contagious. This isn't personal. It's not about our freedom. We are an interconnected global society - no borders can contain an infectious disease like this. What each of us can do is our part in helping our world move through this crisis. If it means temporarily wearing a mask to help contain the virus, we remember that it's temporary. It is our act of kindness in these moments.

What You Can Do

I suggest being mindful of what information you take in. Educate yourself once daily with the basic news of the day, then disconnect so you aren't over-saturated. To be sure, don't take in the news within an hour of sleep. Strive to know the facts and the science. Use your intuition to cross-check information and to look deeper. Most stories will be like sound bytes - headlines with some attention-grabbing information. Many of them will appeal to your emotions, including irritation and anger you may feel about stay-at-home or other Covid-related restrictions.

Our role as divine changemakers is to be at the forefront of positive change in our society - setting an example for others. To do that we must stay grounded, develop our inner wisdom, and learn to be discerning. Skill is needed monitoring our own mind and learning to tell the difference between the voice of our ego-mind and our inner wisdom.

The Ego-Mind

Part of our ego-nature is to take things personally, getting upset and feeling offended about things that indeed are neutral. It's our ego-mind, after all, that puts labels on things. And it's the labeling that takes us out of quantum and into a linear perspective involving judgment.

When we go down that road, our ego-mind chatter can circle in a loop, adding to our upset by repetitive thoughts about why "this or that" is "bad or unacceptable." Within that mind chatter, of course, our ego-mind will add its bias from conditioning and exposure to group think on social media. How that looks for each of us depends on what media we focus on and beliefs we share with others around us.

Why We Must Go Beyond Our Ego

What's happening with the social divide over masks is a perfect example of the dynamic I describe. When a previously-unknown virus arrived and spread globally, that alone triggered great uncertainty within society. The energy of not knowing with something like this is profound. Add to that the ineffective leadership we've experienced during the Covid crisis - and we have alarm bells going off within peoples' nervous systems. Much of this is unconscious but it's there.

Our ego won't get us out of this chaos sooner. The ego, by its very nature, will stir things up and create even more questions within us. The questions from our ego don't have answers. Those questions do involve stories, however, plenty of them. And we can get so caught up in those stories that we lose ourselves, our inner peace, and our ability to perceive what is true and real.

Let's strive to raise ourselves above the octaves of fear to receive the higher view spirit has. Each of us has the potential to do this. It does take more effort during a crisis, but we can do it. Trust this. Know that you are encoded to develop your abilities and talents in very purposeful ways during the 2020s. A brand-new world is in the making, and you will help create it.