The Shadow vs. Light of Media and the Act of Free Will

"Most people live life on the path we set for them, too afraid to explore any other. But once in a while people like you come along who knock down all the obstacles we put in your way. People who realize free will is a gift that you'll never know how to use until you fight for it. I think that's the chairman's real plan. That maybe one day, we won't write the plan, you will." 

– Character, Harry Mitchell from the movie, The Adjustment Bureau.

This is a powerful statement – perhaps the single most enlightening piece of narrative from the 2011 film, The Adjustment Bureau starring Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, and Anthony Mackie (Harry Mitchell).

One might question the “we” Mitchell is speaking of, or you might ask, “Just who is the chairman?”

As much as we may desire to know who or what may be pulling the strings of life, sending us on a predictable path away from free will, perhaps this matters less than how we ascertain the meaning of free will and moreover, how we ignite it.

Media and particularly the art and science of film-making: telling stories, conveying messages, and shaping culture, has arguably been the single most influential catalyst in creating our worldview – our reality, whether positively or negatively.  With this influence in mind, free will is often forfeited for the trap of projected images. 

Many have pointed out that the lure of Hollywood film and its spell-binding ability to draw the viewer in, has culminated in the forza primaria of social engineering.

Alternative researcher Alan Watt had this to say about the “spell of film” and its massive implications:

“Hollywood is the magician's wand which has been used to cast a spell on the unsuspecting public. Things or ideas which would otherwise be seen as bizarre, vulgar, undesirable or impossible are inserted into films in the realm of fantasy. When the viewer watches these films, his/her mind is left open to suggestion and the conditioning process begins. These same movies which are designed to program the average person, can give the discerning viewer a better understanding of the workings and the plan of the world agenda. Be aware.”

In a recent interview with producer, film historian, and new media expert Randall Libero, we explored the idea of both shadow and light in film and how depending on the level of conscious awareness of the viewer, the impact of what has been watched will be determined.  Libero reminds us that it is each individual’s decision as to whether they will use film as an escape from their own reality or to view it objectively with a discerning but detached observation.  Either way, the message must be seen for what it is – a story – not yours, but someone else’s.  And from his perspective, we would do well to understand the importance of this demarcation.

In my interview with Randall, I posed the question of the continuum of consciousness – the idea that whatever we are experiencing, including the movie we are watching is in some way a continuum of our own consciousness.  “Wouldn’t this philosophy of detachment fly in the face of a connected Universe?” I asked.  Libero points out that although this may be true – that all things are fundamentally connected, it is absolutely important to learn the art of being present, to be aware of your surroundings and not allow the outside world, whether in art, media or the person you are speaking with, fully draw you in.  This is where we can get lost in a maze of messages and essentially stumble off the path of free will.  He says, “When you go to a museum and you look at a piece of art, you don’t get sucked into the art.  You’re still aware that you’re in a room and that you’re walking around.  Your feet are on the floor or you’re sitting on a bench.  You can experience the art and feel what the artist was saying emotionally, but at the same time you’re not losing yourself.  Why can’t it be the same way when you’re watching a movie?”

This begs a much larger question – the act of viewing art in a gallery let’s say, which is represented as a static image.  It may be far easier to not get “sucked in” to the visual image than it is when you’re experiencing a motion picture.  The lure of characters playing out a story, the emotional pull that is so often skillfully invoked and in many cases the relate-ability of the viewer with the character(s) on some level, even if subconsciously, makes for a much stronger draw into the film and away from the act of being present.

Motion pictures are notoriously skillful at imploring an emotional resonance with the viewer.  Feelings of sadness, anger, passion, and fear are depicted by the characters.   These fundamental emotions can all be related to on some level by the viewer.  When you put emotions into a context that includes powerful sound effects, dramatic music or even hell-raising violence, the emotional pull is magnified multifold and potentially more effective!

Nonetheless, when one can master the act of desensitizing from that which they are viewing, whereby still getting a full experience of the film, much more can be gleaned from its message.  For instance, shadow and light can be experienced from an entirely different perspective – an objective vision.  Then one can choose which portions of the message, if any, can serve as a catalyst for greater consciousness and the rest can be willfully left behind.

Randall contends that this is a far more preferable way to go – staying present and conscious throughout.  And it is in this light that we can recognize and even distill the purpose of shadow and light as represented in many Hollywood films while not becoming a part of its psychological landscape.

David Norris played by Matt Damon is interrogated by the
Adjustment Bureau and ordered to stay on their plan.

In the Adjustment Bureau, shadow and light both play a starring role.  We watch as orders are carried out from the chairman to cause accidents, change routes and even mind-wipe unsuspecting individuals.  What are clearly seen as nefarious and dastardly acts – feats of wizardry not known to the general populace, are instead invoked to ensure that the individuals being intercepted stay on a planned life path – a path not determined by the individuals but by the chairman himself.

The idea of free will and what it truly means has been debated by philosophers, theologians and lay people alike.  For it has been said that “freedom is not free.”  Freedom carries a cost, if nothing more than the responsibility and courage needed to turn your back on what has been offered to you (including the film that you’re watching).   Rather it is more important to glean the messages for yourself that can be used to enrich, evolve and empower you.  This is also an expression of what it means to be consciously sovereign.

Now let’s revisit the Alan Watt quote in which he said, “Hollywood is the magician's wand which has been used to cast a spell on the unsuspecting public…. When the viewer watches these films, his/her mind is left open to suggestion and the conditioning process begins.”  What is key here is that there is an assumption that the average movie go-er is not conscious and not aware of his/her surroundings but has allowed the movie and its plot to take over their consciousness, thus “casting the spell.”  This is a choice that one makes each and every time they decide to view a film, whether at home or in a movie theatre.

Sadly, unconscious viewing is so prevalent today that it isn’t even recognized by the percipient as such.   It may be with this understanding that the average person is pre-disposed to getting lost in the film, and for a variety of reasons, that has been so effective in programming the mind to follow a given path, rather than creating their own (free will).

Ironically, it is within the Hollywood film, The Adjustment Bureau that seems to spell out an identical significance – that despite the intentions of “others” to set the course for you, essentially telling you what is or isn’t possible in life, it is those who dare to challenge the template and create their own path, despite the odds, who will finally know what it means to be free.  This takes the conscious and aware individual – one who stays alert to the messages and can determine their own meaning.  This is the subjective journey!

Paradoxically, it may be plausible that the aim of the Universe is to put stumbling blocks along ones path –  disguised as the architects of some Hollywood films, media and other systematic culture (i.e. the chairman), to push us toward walking the path of free will and thus write our own plan! 

Either way, free will is our choice, and once realized, what an exhilarating choice it will be!

Alexis Brooks is the best-selling author of Conscious Musings - Contemplations to Transform Life and Realize Potential and is the host of the popular  Conscious Inquiry Radio program, exclusively presented by Conscious Life News.  Visit Alexis on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube!

Inner Technology, Spiritual Sovereignty and the Consciousness of Humanity

Recently I had the pleasure of being interviewed by Tom and Ramon of the popular Hundredth Monkey Radio Show.

Many of the topics discussed are based on my new book, Conscious Musings - Contemplations to Transform Life and Realize Potential.

In the first hour of our interview we talked about the disturbing trend of the use of technology as a replacement for human contact and the increasing reliance on social media as our lifeline to the world.

What would happen if the grid went down - even temporarily?  Might this be necessary to bring us back to our core good, re-instill our creativity, our humanity and our sovereignty?

Speaking of sovereignty, we discuss what it means to be spiritually sovereign and how a personal exploration of consciousness is key to evolving as spiritual beings.

We talk about the necessity to be authentic in our spiritual work and not rely solely on what books, workshops and other systems teach us.  Once we develop an authentic, personal path of spirituality, can that quality be sensed by others in our auras?

We muse over how people fall into resonance other people's energy field and how this can set the tone for human interaction, whether positive or negative.

We demystify the practice of meditation and discuss how I felt the need to create my own personal approach to being silent and how it became a key component in my own spiritual work.

In hour two we delved a bit deeper into our discussion with subjects including:

• Lucid and creative dreaming
• The Indigo and Crystal children and the new evolution of humanity
• ET's and UFO's (I even talk about my first "UFO" sighting)
• Paranormal as the "new normal"
• Animal reincarnation

To listen to hour two, you can subscribe to The Hundredth Monkey Radio or purchase hour two as an individual episode.

I urge you to support this great program as part of the ongoing evolution of alternative media!

Tethered to Technology - Have We Reached the Point of No Return?

The following article was originally posted on Conscious Life News by Alexis Brooks in 2013, but necessitates a "re-post" as we experience our technological reality escalate in dominating our lives - perhaps with dangerous consequences!

True Story

One blustery winter morning while Michael was on his way to work, he received an urgent text: “It’s Jim. Just wanted 2 tell u that my father passed away.  His memorial service will b this Sun.” –end text.

Michael was extremely shocked and saddened; clearly caught off guard with this sobering message.  His friend Jim’s father hadn’t been ill, so this 97 character communication struck Michael as out of the blue.

Michael proceeds to his office where he immediately posts the news he just received to his Facebook page, alerting all his (and Jim’s) Facebook “friends.”  Not surprising the post almost immediately went viral within Michael and Jim’s social networking circle.

Several hours later Michael receives a call.  It’s his friend Jim.  Only it isn’t the same Jim who texted him only a short while ago with the news of his father’s passing.  This Jim (we’ll call him Jim B), another one of Michael’s friends, clearly angry, asks why Michael would post such a thing on his Facebook?  “My parents have been getting calls all morning - People calling with condolences over the death of my father.  I just spoke to both of my parents and they’re fine!”

Absolutely confounded, Michael rechecks his text history only to discover that the Jim who sent the message about his father was Jim his neighbor, not Jim B, his longtime friend from college.

Needless to say, this little innocent act of concern and the technology that made it so convenient for Michael to alert Jim’s circle prompted a reverberation; the consequences of which could have led to a real tragedy for Jim B’s father and mother.  Both parents, an elderly couple, were said to be quite visibly shaken – acting as if some ominous foretelling of Jim’s father’s fate had descended upon them.  Fortunately once the parents were able to clear their heads and realize that this was just an unfortunate miscommunication, everything returned to normal.

The “new normal”

This dramatic anecdote poignantly illustrates a growing trend in our use of technology and the temptation to replace face to face or even voice to voice communication rather than to augment it.

Technology, with all its bells and whistles and promises for immediate gratification, simplicity and even friend making has increasingly usurped the authentic personal relationships that once served as the bedrock of community and union.  This appears to be our new normal.

Tools of neutrality

When you look at the use of technology, you might consider that it is a tool like anything else we engage with on the physical plane.  All tools carry an inherent neutral quality; a quality of energy.  It is how the individual enlists the tool which will determine the effect it will have on a given outcome.  Water has the ability to wash you, quench your thirst or drown you.  Fire can cook your food, warm your home or burn you.  It’s all in how the tools are utilized.  Therefore, it would serve us (and others) well to use all tools, including technology with a measure of discernment and responsibility.

In Barbara Marciniak’s classic book, Bringers of the Dawn, in which she conveys channeled messages from a civilization of enlightened beings called the Pleiadians, the issue of technology is addressed. Although they remind us that there is nothing wrong with technology per se, there has been a concerted effort to introduce technology to the masses as a means of containment. They describe modern technology as a form of “frequency control.”  Within this context, they state, “Think of frequency as individual broadcasting and receiving through which you dial into the station of your choice.  It is the broadcasting of carrier waves of intelligence.  The range of frequency is unlimited, and the range of intelligent matter transmitted is unlimited.”  They go on to say, “Frequency control limits the number of stations you can tune into.”  They assert that our modern technologies have certainly placed a finite number of channels on our broadcasting dial, although giving us the impression that we have more choices than ever! 

In a sobering allegory from a book by Zbigniew Brzezinski called Between Two Ages – America’s Role in the Technetronic Era (published in 1970) he states, “In the technetronic society the trend seems to be toward aggregating the individual support of millions of unorganized citizens, who are easily within the reach of magnetic and attractive personalities, and effectively exploiting the latest communication techniques to manipulate emotions and control reason.”

Granted this is an alarming and seemingly prophetic enunciation and could easily lead one to feel that the modus operandi of such a sketch was long planned.  Still, we know that the advent of technology and its ability (or our ability) to utilize it as a productive tool for good cannot be stated enough.  As a writer and researcher, I have been incredibly grateful for the technologies that have allowed me to find information, connect with wonderful people all over this planet and share.  The proliferation of social media has served as a tool for good and at times has even served as an instrument in saving lives - this cannot be ignored or disregarded.  But these results come from the conscious actions that each individual takes of their own volition and not from the dictates of a system that would prefer we inhibit our humanity rather than expand it.

As much as I acknowledge an appreciation for the technologies that have afforded so many with more opportunities than we could have imagined even 10 short years ago, I’ve had to remind myself that the tool of technology is just that, and one that I should periodically resolve to live without.  In fact I have made a conscious choice to go for periods of time without the need to read email, use my cell phone for talking or texting but rather read a book, paint, garden or just be with myself.  It is interesting that in this age of technological temptation; admittedly the mere fact that I’ve had to remind myself to “unplug” speaks volumes to the intractable lure of technology into our habitual routines.  Few of us these days are fully immune.

Is technology breeding narcissists?

A disturbing statistic emerged recently linking certain narcissistic tendencies with behavioral patterns on social media, particularly among young people. An article entitled Facebook’s ‘dark side’ – study finds link to socially aggressive narcissism, highlighted the fact that certain tendencies inherent in narcissistic personality types seemed to be further exacerbated or even initiated by constant use of social media sites like Facebook. 

The article quotes Carol Craig, a social scientist and chief executive of the Centre for Confidence and Well-being.  She said young people in Britain were becoming increasingly narcissistic and Facebook provided a platform for the disorder.

Craig states,"Facebook provides a platform for people to self-promote by changing profile pictures and showing how many hundreds of friends you have. I know of some who have more than 1,000."

Dr. Viv Vignoles, senior lecturer in social psychology at Sussex University, said there was "clear evidence" from studies in America that college students were becoming increasingly narcissistic.

Also noted from the article:

    

Researchers at Western Illinois University studied the Facebook habits of 294 students, aged between 18 and 65, and measured two "socially disruptive" elements of narcissism – grandiose exhibitionism (GE) and entitlement/exploitativeness (EE).

GE includes ''self-absorption, vanity, superiority, and exhibitionistic tendencies" and people who score high on this aspect of narcissism need to be constantly at the centre of attention. They often say shocking things and inappropriately self-disclose because they cannot stand to be ignored or waste a chance of self-promotion.

The EE aspect includes "a sense of deserving respect and a willingness to manipulate and take advantage of others".

The research revealed that the higher someone scored on aspects of GE, the greater the number of friends they had on Facebook, with some amassing more than 800.

Those scoring highly on EE and GE were also more likely to accept friend requests from strangers and seek social support, but less likely to provide it, according to the research. -Source: The Guardian (UK), March 17, 2012

Whether you are a proponent or opponent of the incessant use of social media as an integral part of daily life, these statistics should give one pause for thought.

Interestingly, it was Michael, mentioned in the open of this piece who first admitted to me that he just couldn’t live without Facebook!  “I’m on this thing all the time – I’m addicted,” he enthusiastically told me.  His newly discovered medium of choice I could see, was swiftly taking center stage in his life, although at the time he had only recently become familiar with the social network.  His statement concerned me so much, I had to wonder that if his new medium were suddenly taken away, would he then go through irrevocable social withdrawal.  He ended our conversation by saying, “Facebook is the only way I can really connect with my friends these days.” 

Professor of the Social Studies of Science and Technology at MIT, Sherry Turkle wrote a lucid volume entitled Alone Together – Why We Expect More From Technology and Less From Each Other.  In it she says, “These days, insecure in our relationships and anxious about intimacy, we look to technology for ways to be in relationships and protect ourselves from them at the same time.  This can happen when one is finding one’s way through a blizzard of text messages; it can happen when interacting with a robot.  I feel witness…to a turning point in our expectations of technology and ourselves.  We bend to the inanimate with new solicitude.  We fear the risks and disappointments of relationships with our fellow humans.  We expect more from technology and less from each other.”

Finding our Inner Technology

Many ancient cultures have alluded to the process of “inner technology” as a true means for accessing information.  In literature stemming from volumes of mystery school teachings, accessing knowledge from a grand field of information, often referred to as the Akashic field was at one point within man’s reach.  So many often think of pre-modern man as a primitive life form and yet, scores of our ancient texts have shown quite the opposite.

In Gregg Braden’s 1993 book Awakening to Zero Point – The Collective Initiation he says that the first path, or the path of modern man was to create external technology as a way of remembering ourselves outside of ourselves.  He then states, “The Second Path is the path of internal technology.  Remembered rather than engineered, internal technology originates from within, as our expression of life.  This path remembers us as the sacred union between the atomic expression of “Mother Earth” and the electrical and magnetic expression of ‘Father Heaven.’  Ancient Essene sciences emphasize this idea as the basis of their earliest teachings.” 

We’ve heard so many references of the inner technology that the Atlantean civilization possessed and yet ironically it is also said that it was the access and exploitation of this inner technology that led to the annihilation of this technologically “astute” culture.

Here again we come to the act of responsibility and discernment as stated earlier in this essay.  Whether we choose to utilize exterior or interior technology, a sense of moral integrity should represent a vital quotient.

Framing a new meaning for “ISP”

The field of metaphysics is replete with viable data around the reality of ESP or extra sensory perception.  ESP is the ability to garner information beyond or outside of the typical five sensory framework.  Interestingly, when we think of what ESP denotes – an inner sense of perception, perhaps a re-wording may be in order.   ISP (inner sensory perception) is the true provider of knowledge as opposed to the ISP or Internet Service Provider that we have relied so heavily upon.

ISP is the innate faculty that we all possess.  Conceivably, once an exponential acknowledgement of this inner knowing becomes more apparent, we will become un-tethered to the technology that has become so near and dear to us, and return to a literal wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) or loyalty to self, and that inner sense perception that is so much of who we are.  It is then that we will no longer require an external connection of any kind.

I discuss more about the state of technology, human behavior and how we can move toward a paradigm of true ISP - Inner Sensory Perception, in hour one of my recent interview on The Hundredth Monkey Radio program.

The re-publishing of this article originally posted on Conscious Life News in April of 2013 was inspired by a recent article by Jeff Roberts from Collective Evolution entitled, Why are people so mean?  Has the Internet destroyed empathy and compassion?

Alexis Brooks is the best-selling author of Conscious Musings - Contemplations to Transform Life and Realize Potential and is the host of the popular  Conscious Inquiry Radio program, exclusively presented by Conscious Life News.  Visit Alexis on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube!

Conscious Inquiry - Radio for the Soul!

Is Alternative Media the New "Mainstream?"

The advent of the Internet has provided many things to many people.  Not the least of which has been the broadcasting of free and open discourse on important issues, current events, and cutting edge concepts.

As a journalist originating in mainstream broadcast media going back to the 80's and an ardent practitioner and researcher of a more "alternative" sort, it has been so refreshing to see the promulgation of what we call "alternative media" burgeon forth; a necessity it seems for those hungering for coverage from a more holistic perspective - a deep dive into the introspective and objective approaches to news.

There's so much to talk about these days - The most tempting of which seems to be the in your face tumult rocking the planet on many levels.  People are looking for answers, now more than ever before, as to what this world is doing (or moreover, us on it), where we are going and the perennial question of course - who are we and what is this all about?  The challenges - the opportunities - the problems - the solutions, all exist in one big stew we call reality and the Internet has offered a source to distill these issues and find answers to the complexity we call life.

But "distillation" can be a challenge in the Information Age...

It is said that we live in an "information age."  This can have its advantages AND disadvantages.  I've quoted on this in some of my previous work - information, knowledge and wisdom are not one-in-the-same.  We have plenty of information - can glean some knowledge from it, but to arrive at wisdom, it takes a thoroughly objective, experiential and discerning approach.  Still, our external sources have attempted in some cases to guide us on the path to wisdom - if but simply to give us some rudimentary tools!  And for this we are eternally grateful to the caring and sharing of alternative media.

To digress for just a minute - I recall having an invigorating discussion with a former colleague and friend, the late, great comedian and radio show personality, Marcia Masters.  I worked with Marcia at WVBF FM in Boston in the early 90's and we became fast friends!  In one of the last conversations I had with Marcia she had commented on how great it would be to be able to "break away" from the mainstream of media and create possibly an online show where we could talk about all sorts of things, free and unencumbered from any censorship from the network "brass."  This I thought was a novel concept, given that online broadcasts (or podcasts) were at the time, virtually nonexistent (save for a few one-off sources).

I often think of how Marcia would have been salivating over the opportunity to share her unique brand of philosophy and humor through this new medium - but alas she was not able to partake.  Still her ingenuity and ideas were truly ahead of its time and I salute her for that!

Harkening back to that long ago discussion, I've since had the pleasure of actualizing this idea - taking to the online airwaves, the new medium for which I had suspected would one day take precedence, and now bringing to you, the Global audience and community, the best of what I have to offer to those seeking information that is truly empowering, enriching and inspiring.  I call this - Conscious Inquiry Radio.

Conscious Inquiry is a bi-monthly radio program, exclusively presented by Conscious Life News in which I host guests from a broad range of disciplines: metaphysics, spirituality, paranormal, health and wellness, cutting edge science, and beyond.

Conscious Inquiry is not just about delivering the information in a template or "official" format - it's about searching the planet for the best and brightest minds (and courageous souls) who have dedicated themselves to uncovering pertinent information and sharing it with you, the Global community! It is my absolute pleasure and honor to share this information with you each and every month.  And it is my sincere desire to see you walk away with just a little more knowledge that you can use to enrich your life in whichever way you feel necessary.  This is what we're here for - to share for the betterment of mankind.

 So, let us uphold and embrace our alternative media in this information age and one day "alternative" in this regard might just become a misnomer! Here's to the wisdom of your Soul! My blessings to you!

If you enjoyed this article and would like to see the work of Higher Journeys continue, in addition to my broadcast of Conscious Inquiry with Alexis Brooks on CLN, please consider making a small donation today to keep us going! 

...thank you!