Sunday 13 February 2011

Post No. 229 - The downside of learning by osmosis

Lobsang Rampa comments in one of his books that the main way one learns from spiritual teacher is by osmosis - by absorbing the essence of the more evolved soul simply by being in their presence. Now, I happen to think that there are benefits - important, VITAL benefits - from formal teaching as well, but I do concede the point that many of us tend to absorb and take on characteristics of other people we are around.

As an example of that, consider some people, may be a couple, maybe a menage a trois or group marriage or some other combination, who have been together for a very long time (and non-monogamous options DO last for long times as much - or maybe even more - than the couple option): the various partners often tend to take on characteristics of other partners, sometimes through deliberate choice, other times with less awareness. In the lesbian world, a joke is that after ten years you sound like your partner, after twenty you have the same body type.

That does NOT happen in all cases. In fact, I would also suggest that those who are more self aware, such as people in polyamorous relationships or those seeking to grow personally and/or spiritually, are LESS likely to take on the characteristics of others, but it still does seem to happen.

Before I continue, I'd like you, Dear Reader, to consider two other examples:
  1. the case where a less savoury person (a so-called "bad egg") tends to lead others, who are perhaps seeking peer approval and thus seem "weaker" (the latter being a description I would contest, but have come across many times), into troubling behaviour (maybe petty thefts, or gangs); and
  2. the reported tendency of the timing of periods of women living together to begin to coincide (see here).
The point is, in addition to the formal teaching one provides, there is also the matter of the example one is setting - not just physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually, in deed AND word, but also the example one is setting others psychically.

Most people have a certain amount of psychic awareness. It may be heavily suppressed, buried deep in their unconscious, but it usually there. That sensitivity, that latent awareness, is still bubbling away, feeding indirectly into the conscious of the student. That, I consider, is one of the mechanisms which Rampa is commenting on when he refers to "osmosis". That unknown information gathering may be partly responsible for a student who is uncomfortable with a teacher and "cannot put his/her/hir finger on it" ("it" being the reason for the discomfort).

From the point of view of those teaching, this means one should always be aware of one's inner state, one's aura, and the other nonverbal messages one is giving to those one is teaching. I started becoming disenchanted with Christianity as a small child when I saw adults saying one thing and doing another. Be wary of doing the same!

The significance of that last admonishment is that we are ALL, always, having an influence on those about us, both those with a significant part in our life, and strangers. The influence we have will be ultimately best if we are reasonably honest (I don't support the notion of "radical honesty") - at least with ourself, if not others.

This goes beyond just keeping one's aura closed, it is saying we actively contribute every day, every part of every day, to the reality we collectively create with otrs. Sure, there are a lot of others out there, but if each one of us decided to contribute a little more to the world being a loving, responsible place, maybe the planet would suffer a few less wars, a little less climate change, a little more spirituality.

It's worth a thought - and maybe see here, here and here for a few other of my thoughts :)

As a final thought, if you are benefitting from someone else, please consider the effect you may be having on them. I regularly send my Guides healing to help them in their task of guiding, teaching and healing me, for instance. As another example of what can happen, we were recently adopted by a stray kitten. He turned out to be a tough, feral sort of a character, but he has become more .. "civilised" by being part of our tribe. On the other hand, the cats we had beforehand have become rougher ... (so we are working on re-training them).

Don't drag your osmotic lift down :)

Love, light, hugs and blessings

Gnwmythr

This post's photo is yet to be posted.

Tags: attitudes, aura, interactions,

First published: Sunnudagr, 13th February, 2011

Last edited: Sunday, 13th February, 2011