Today, we had a detailed discussion on the concept of "authenticity" which means resolving the conflicts between the conscious and unconscious mind. We have many hidden motivations that lie deep inside our unconscious mind. On the surface, it appears as if our conscious mind is making decisions based on certain parameters, while in the background, the decision is being taken by the unconscious mind. For example, it seems that kids are making decisions about their careers based on their interests, while in the background, in most cases, the decisions are being made by them just to conform to society and their parents. Their primary motivation lying deep in their unconscious mind is to prove "being good" to their parents.
The desire to be appreciated by society keeps us busy building a good "social image". That's why significant decisions of adults are driven by the need for social approval. If we examine in-depth, probably most of these desires are founded on fears and insecurities. Somewhere our unconscious mind feels "social validation" will make us safe. Society would stand by our side in moments of need and that is the reason why we want to project an image that will be accepted by society. We want to project an image of being a "good person" who helps his friends and relatives in moments of need. We want the tags of being "reliable", "trustworthy", "helpful", "compliant", "sensible", "good man", and many such tags. We feel that all these medals make us safe.
There are often conflicts between the conscious and the unconscious mind. For example, when we get an invite to a function, our conscious mind may like to take a rest rather than travel. However, our unconscious mind would warn us of a dent in our "social image". If we do not go to attend the function, society will remove the tag of being "social" from us and hence we will not have the desired support in the event of need. Since this unconscious thought keeps going in the background, we start being uncomfortable. Unable to bear the discomfort, at some stage, we take a decision to go. People spend hugely on marriage functions in order to improve their "social image" while the very same people may not donate even a single rupee to the needy.
This a question that I have been thinking for long. Whatever money, powers, or positions we earn in our lives, the fears and insecurities in our unconscious mind keep increasing as we grow up. is there any way of handling these fears and insecurities? Can we help the kids throw away these fears and insecurities from their minds? I do feel it can be done. However, it requires complete honesty. It requires an honest analysis of the self. Since the unconscious mind keeps taking feedback from every social interaction, like the reactions of society, facial expressions of colleagues and friends, and treatment of different people in organizations, social media, news, movies, and other social interactions, it is quite dynamic. We actually behave like Romans while in Rome. Analyzing such an unconscious mind is a mammoth task. The conscious mind is often busy with the routine and it gets neither time nor energy to look into the totality of the unconscious mind.
The rakshasas kept attacking Ayodhya and the forest till Rama killed Ravana and made Vibhishana the king of Lanka. The fears, insecurities, and desires lying deep in our unconscious will keep coming to the mainland and disturb the Yajna. Whatever decisions the conscious mind makes, will continue to be contradicted by the unconscious mind till it continues to be ruled by Ravana. That is the reason why it was necessary for Sita to go to Lanka so that Rama could reach there. It requires single-minded concentration like Hanumana to find the whereabouts of Lanka. Our Hanaumana (awareness) has forgotten its strength. It's too busy with the world. It needs to be reminded of it's strength. Even after the examination by awareness, we need to build the bridge between the mainland and Lanka with little selfless deeds each day.
When we become aware of the depths of the unconscious mind, we will realize that the entire facade of fears and insecurities is due to ignorance. Ravana may have 10 heads and even if we cut them off, Ravana is not going to die. Similarly, our fears and insecurities may have different forms and even if you cut one or more of them, fears and insecurities will continue to exist. However, when we realize that the source of all these fears and insecurities lies in our ignorance, we hit Ravana at his navel, and Ravana is killed.
Ravana can not win over Rama. Similarly, ignorance can not win over awareness. However, awareness can not enter the depths of our unconscious mind until we allow it to enter. It's just the decision to hold on to ignorance that keeps awareness away from us. Since we grow up holding on to ignorance, fears, and insecurities, they become more and more dear to us. They use pleasures and comforts as their tools. First, ignorance makes us fearful and insecure, and when we feel dull and short of life, it offers little dose of pleasure to make us run for its task. That is how ignorance uses us like a slave. The moment we hold on to awareness, and start observation and awareness, ignorance disappears. However, it is also true that unless a person makes efforts to be aware, ignorance shall prevail and the unconscious shall continue to be ruled by fears and insecurities, and contradictions and inauthentic behavior shall prevail. It's not easy to turn from ignorance to light because the first step is to leave the little comfort and embrace uncertainty. It requires faith. Vibhishana had to have faith in Rama to come out of the palace of Ravana.
Hanumana had the bane to forget his strength in childhood. So do we forget the strength of awareness that lies always inside us in a latent form. Swadhyay and Satsanga do what Jamvant did to Hanumana. They make us realize the power of awareness. We examine the depths of the unconscious the way Hanumana examined Lanka. Hanumana in turn inculcates faith in Vibhisana who in turn helped Rama kill Ravana (ignorance). The stronger we let Ravana grow the more difficult it is for Vibhishana to have faith. I hope some of the parents take lessons from their own lives and help their kids not fall into the trap of ignorance. It is quite stupid to allow Ravana to grow stronger inside the psyche of our kids when we ourselves have suffered from fears and insecurities due to such ignorance. An honest analysis of their own psyche by the parents may help kids break the chain of ignorance and regain freedom.
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