What does your banner say?
From our earliest days, we are taught to believe. We are taught to obey. We are taught to comply. All in the name of the social contract, the common good. But what if there were those who wanted to take advantage of our accommodating nature? Whether the fear of the wrath of God or the fear of the wrath of The Man, the instrument is the same, as is the outcome.
Like the circus elephant tied to the tree since he was little, we learn our place. Even when that noose is removed, the conclusion is the same. “This is where I have been trained to stay. This is the best I’ve ever had, I’d better not screw it up. This must be a reward for my good behavior. I should be thankful that the chain has been taken away. If I run, they will put it back on, which is worse than where I am now.” We call this learned helplessness. He doesn’t even know to dream of the savannah. He doesn’t even remember that he is an elephant.
Fear and the threat of pain and suffering are powerful mechanisms. When we choose to stay in our cage, it gives us a false feeling of being in control of our lives. We feel a sense of power through ownership of our choice, even though we have actually willingly given all of our power away. The mind can always out reason the heart. In the end, the circus master has achieved his desired goal. It is the perfect self-fulfilling prophecy. He gives two choices that benefit him, and we feel empowered by being allowed to choose between them. Either way, he gets what he wants, and we remain standing in our prison thinking we have won.
For the master, a broken bird is a safe bet. There are those of us who say thank you for bread crumbs. We are easy to keep around. Our predictability makes it simple for them to control us. But do not mistake these power dynamics for caring. They do not have empathy like you or I. It is all selfishly motivated. And we also play our part.
We have agreed to abandon ourselves for what we receive in exchange.
This is called co-dependency. A parasite cannot survive without a host. The only problem is when we tell ourselves that we have no better choice and become filled with resentment and rage. We will be the dog chasing our own tail for as long as we agree to buy into the illusion, and the misery will only grow.
When we think of the power and control structures in the world today, we must look at them from the standpoint of the circus master. Truly, what do you believe their desired end result is? Does the government really want to ensure our human rights and our pursuit of happiness? Is that really the reason each of those suits walk the halls each day? When you look at every individual person in a position of power, do you really believe that their love for humanity trumps their lust for power and control? Are their days on the ground really motivated by selflessness for the greater good? Maybe there are a few…
When we look at who is really in control in the world today, the mega-corporations, what do you think their end objectives really are? Look into the heart of big pharma, for example. Do you really believe that pervasive human health could be their objective? If we were all healthy, what would be their reason to exist? Yet we put our trust in their hands because we believe we have no better choice because nobody has given us one. But here’s the rub – they’re making sure you think you don’t have any other choice. That’s the problem with waiting for a savior. We’ve forgotten that only we can save ourselves, and they want to keep it that way.
Just like the elephant who forgot that the savannah is a real thing, and thinks his only choices are chain or no chain, we are gluttonously consuming a diet of fear through mainstream media thinking that our “being informed” is empowering us. Then we respond exactly as they intended, running around afraid to lose something that we are actually willingly giving away. Classic psychological manipulation at work.
What if we stopped to remember that a corporation’s sole purpose is increasing profits? Don’t you see that without consumers (sick people), they have nothing to sell? Where does their propaganda end and where does our own self-deception begin? Why would you NOT question the “truths” they are telling you? Why would you NOT add a healthy dose of skepticism to their “one and only necessary solution for humanity”? Do you love your blindness that much? Does the circus elephant enjoy walking the tightrope? Judging from the vitriol on social media, joy is not the operative word. My guess is that people are not benefitting from their own choices. Those in power are.
We all want to be saved by someone because we have been trained to believe we are powerless. And we will keep letting them lead us around like a puppet on a string until we realize that we are responsible for playing along. For those of us just waiting for someone to give us a better choice, please try to remember just one thing: there are as many choices as we can imagine. Try to think beyond the limitations they have scared you into believing in.
As warriors of the light, we need to not be afraid of looking into the heart of darkness. Only then can we shine on the real truth and offer true healing. As empaths, we don’t like to peer into the minds of those who choose to live in their shadow selves. But we must. We must be able to think like them if we are going to stand up to them. That does not mean be like them, but you cannot win a battle without knowing your enemy.
These shadow people turn human relationships on their heads. They choose their desired outcome first (the reaction they want the little elephant to have when he is grown) and then they craft a narrative to persuade him of this false reality, which will lead to the desired reaction in the end. Whether you’ve been told you are dumb, weak, or worthless, ask yourself why you’ve chosen to agree.
The manipulators always accuse you of doing what they want to prevent you from doing. Lying is a way of life for them as natural as breathing. Remember that. Want a spouse to remain faithful? Make them think they are being watched by accusing them of straying. They will start proving their devotion immediately. This is basic empathy at work – we don’t want our spouse to feel pain, betrayal, insecurity, because we care about others. Want an employee to be more frugal? Accuse them of lavish spending. They will tighten up the purse strings to prove you wrong real quick. That’s the problem with good, honest people. We often don’t realize when we are being manipulated because we don’t see the world in a heartless adversarial way. We put the wellbeing of others first. And this is their best weapon to use against us because it is so predictable.
But those who love power, cutthroat business, those ruthless types – they do see the world like a machine, and humans too. Even in their intimate partnerships. We must learn to be able to decipher the truth from the lies. Some people do not deserve the benefit of the doubt. We must learn to be cunning. We must be able to step into the minds of the shadow people in order to remove the veil from our own eyes. We cannot consent to remain power blind.
The circus master does not love the elephant. He loves the change in his pocket and the fact that it dances when he tells it to.
As a warrior of the light, we also do not pick up our swords and tell the shadow people we see what they are doing and we are ready to challenge them. Pointing this out is simply giving them the advantage. Why would you tell the opposing team which play you’re going to use? Why would you advise your captor that you realize the prison door is open? They will just lock it again. Stop approaching battle with the mind of a child. You must learn to think like they do and then stay ten steps ahead of them – quietly.
In the end, the answer is that we must go to battle within our own souls. This is where we defeat the shadows. We quietly and patiently disempower the fears and unconscious negative beliefs we have about ourselves so that we take their leverage away.
Propaganda doesn’t work if you know it’s bullshit. Slander doesn’t sting if you don’t care. Manipulation doesn’t affect you if you know where it’s trying to lead you and you walk wherever you want to go instead.
Have the courage to remember that your negative beliefs about yourself are not the real you. This disempowers the shadows, it removes their mechanisms of control. Remember who you really are, and then we rise.
Run little elephant, when you have regained your strength. Remember your power. Cast away your self-hatred – it’s not yours anyway. Someone gave that to you and you believed you needed to carry it for them. Set it down and don’t look back. And the next time your circus master is sleeping, walk confidently out that door and lock him inside his own prison.
