The concept of herding can take many forms on many levels. All layers speak of a kind of identification, of a connection to an idea or to an actual group of people. At the highest level, we are part of all living beings in the universe known to us. On a lower aggregation level, these are living beings on earth, people versus animals, people in Asia or people in Europe, people in a particular country or city, Rotterdammers versus Amsterdammers, Republicans versus Democrats, skin colors, faiths, people in my neighborhood, street or block of houses, my larger family, my family, me and my partner.
All identifications and actually experienced connections have a role in my BodyMind’s sense of safety. All connections and associations outside of myself. All dependencies. All worth defending against the “others” I do not know who may want to harm me, cannot be trusted, are dangerous, may endanger my safety. Because if I no longer belong to my defined group then I am on my own and I never want that (since my first trauma) again.
However, if I experience“connected within me,” if I experience“connectedness” as I experience joy, and horniness and fear within me, then I am free. Independent. Then I am free to choose what is right for me in any given moment. From an inner feeling. Rather than from fear of the external unknown or from unconscious conditioned preference.
Connected in myself can only happen in this moment and in my BodyMind. Not out there through a dissociative idea. It is feeling what is in me. And to give deliberate attention to that.
Freedom is not being able to do anything you want.
Freedom is being able to speak your truth and live by it.
