Non-Conformity and the Non-Conformist

"Society is jealous of those who remain away from it."
- Joseph Campbell

"Whosoever shall be a man must be a non-conformist."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

As an analysis of "Conformity and the Conformist" has already
been explored in a previous article, let us now turn our attention
to Non-Conformity and the Non-Conformist.

The Non-Conformist is the exact opposite of the Conformist. The
Non-Conformist looks at life entirely different than does the
Conformist. The Non-Confirmist lives his, or her, life by a set of
rules which are designed to both protect, and cultivate, their
personal Sovereignty and independent Thought.

Where the Conformist is easily swayed by Intimidation, "guilt
trips", and the false expectations and Opinions of others, the
Non-Conformist understands that these gimmicks are simply
levers which are used to manipulate the masses and to move
people in certain pre-ordained directions. Therefore, the Non-
Conformist is eternally vigilant so as to avoid these societal
entrapments.

Where the Conformist fears being exiled from a group, organization,
or even a segment of society (should their views, attitudes, and
behaviors not fall in line with the required expectations of these
entities) the Non-Conformist harbors no such fears; for the Non-
Conformist is much too busy blazing his, or her, own unique
Path into a new, uncharted, and Adventurous future.

Where the Conformist cringes at the prospect of not "fitting in", or
being ridiculed and gossiped about, The Non-Conformist finds these
everyday nuisances laughably unimportant. For the Non-Conformist
understands that personal Destiny is far more important than
the everyday bickerings of the masses.

The Non-Conformist values their individual Thoughts, unique
feelings, personal Sovereignty, mental expansion, and spiritual
pursuits far too highly to succumb to the fleeting and clouded
whims of the mainstream horde. A horde which is so often, and
so proudly, on the wrong side of so many important issues..

The Non-Conformist loathes giving up even one miniscule bit of
their Sovereignty and Free Will. To do so would be to go against,
and violate, their Divine Nature and Spiritual Principles.

For the Divine Nature of the Non-Conformist abhors the threat of
Sovereign damage that Conformity can bring unto it. And this,
in itself, makes it impossible for the Non-Conformist to voluntarily
Conform to the often misguided rules and false expectations of
other persons, groups, factions, organizations, and even society
itself.

The Non-Conformist watches from afar as the massive parade of
humanity passes by in its ceaseless march toward folly, Ignorance,
Self-Deception, and Self-Imposed Limitations.

Great advancements and achievements cannot be born from the
Conformist. Evolutionary, and revolutionary, achievements are
born from the Lone Wolf, the Trailblazer, Wizards and Wanderers,
and all Seekers who pursue new Horizons. For these are the True
Individuals who bask in the primeval sunshine, breathe the rarified
air, and walk the untrodden Paths which are only to be found in the
domain of the Non-Conformist.

Comments and Emails: I welcome comments and emails from
people with similar thoughts and feelings. My email address is
located in the upper-left area of this page. Comments can be
posted by using the "Comment" link located below each article.
Also: If you found value in this article please feel free to forward
it to other like-minded individuals, organizations and sites.

Disclaimer: None of my articles should be considered to be
either advice or expertise. They are simply personal opinions
and no more. Everyone is encouraged to seek competent
advice from a licensed, registered, or certified professional
should such advice or service be required.

© copyright Joseph Panek 2011

Conformity and the Conformist

"A man must consider what a rich realm he abdicates
when he becomes a conformist."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

"In order to be a perfect member of a flock of sheep,
one has to be foremost, a sheep."
- Albert Einstein

If we give it any Thought, we will realize that, from a very early
age, the first thing our family, teachers, and society train us to
do is to Conform.

It is very easy to be tricked and manipulated into Conforming to
situations that are not in Harmony with our Basic Nature. This is
accomplished by means of subtle Intimidations and "guilt trips"
imposed upon us by adults, teachers, "friends", co-workers, and
special interests who are constantly bludgeoning us with false
expectations and Opinions of what we are "supposed to be" and
what we are "supposed to do".

These very discomforting false presumptions and expectations,
imposed upon us by others, Become so ingrained within us that
many of us carry these Intimidations and guilt trips with us for our
entire lives.

This causes us to feel very uncomfortable and Intimidated when we
see errors with, and feel it is necessary to defy, the expectations
and demands imposed upon us by the numerous factions of
society.

These Intimidations and guilt trips are also meant to serve another
purpose. They confer upon us guilt, fear, and discomfort when we
become Cornered into the position of possibly "hurting someone's
feelings", or some groups feelings, when it becomes necessary for
us to stand up for whatever it is that is right for us; regardless of
how much these persons or factions are abusing and using us.

And because of these feelings of guilt and Intimidation, a great
many of us also sadly and reluctantly accept mental persecutions
from others for fear of "not fitting in" and not wanting to "hurt
someone's feelings".

So from very early in our life, and mostly in very subtle ways, we
are being subliminally trained to Conform. For if we do not Conform,
we face the threat of being friendless and of not "fitting in" to the
different regimented, and controlled, aspects of society.

However, the Truth is that this unreasonable fear, imposed upon
us not only at a very early age but throughout life as well, of not
"fitting in" eventually becomes a yoke around our necks that
shackles many of us throughout of lives.

Whether its a neighborhood group or a school, church, or political
organization that we wish to join, the first thing we are informed of
is that we must Conform to the rules, policies, and whims of that
group if we wish to be accepted into, and remain in good standing,
in that group.

And, although it is True that we have the Option of Choosing which
groups we wish to join, the fact is that once we join any particular
group, we are required to Conform to their rules and whims or we
find ourselves being either expelled, gossiped about, or ignored by
the group. And it is at this point that we face a personal Decision
of either giving in and Conforming to this particular group or
leaving it.

We find this pattern of Conformity facing us as we Travel through
life. For whether we wish to join a fraternity, sorority, trade
organization, religious group, or political faction, if we disagree
with any of the rules or whims of these groups we find ourselves
having to Choose whether to Conform or leave.

The same rules hold True within our family structure: either we
Conform to the rules and expectations that our family imposes
upon us, or we Choose to leave.

We have all been faced with these types situations throughout
our lives. And, for the most part, we find ourselves remaining
within some groups and leaving others.

However, for the true Conformist, things are quite different.

The true Conformist actually Believes that it is critical that he, or
she, must "fit in" and accept a given role in either a group or in
society. Therefore the true Conformist is forever Compromising
their values and discarding their personal Sovereignty for the sole
purpose of being accepted into a mob; for groups and society are,
in fact, mobs.

With these Thoughts in mind, let us remind ourselves to be ever
vigilant of performing any Action, or making any Promise,
based solely upon Intimidation, guilt, or the need to "fit in".

So, too, should we be extremely cautious of making any Promise
or commitment based upon any of the following: the expectations
of others; the fear of being ridiculed or gossiped about; or the
"guilt" of not wanting to "hurt the feelings of others".

For these are all subtle baited traps which are designed to strip
us of our Sovereignty and lure us into the darkened dungeons
of Conformity.

Next: "Non-Conformity and the Non-Conformist"

Comments and Emails: I welcome comments and emails from
people with similar thoughts and feelings. My email address is
located in the upper-left area of this page. Comments can be
posted by using the "Comment" link located below each article.
Also: If you found value in this article please feel free to forward
it to other like-minded individuals, organizations and sites.

Disclaimer: None of my articles should be considered to be
either advice or expertise. They are simply personal opinions
and no more. Everyone is encouraged to seek competent
advice from a licensed, registered, or certified professional
should such advice or service be required.

© copyright Joseph Panek 2011

Pacts vs Self-Reliance (Angels vs Demons)

"Independence is happiness."
- Susan B. Anthony

We live in a realm of Duality. A Duality which expresses itself in
many different ways.

Duality is the parent of Choices. And one of the many Choices we
are presented with during our Current Incarnation is the Choice
between whether we will live our life by way of Pacts, or by way of
Self-Reliance.

As always, there are various degrees contained within all forms of
Duality. However, if we look at how Duality expresses itself in its
greatest extremes it gives us a better feel for how Duality presents
itself to us in its lesser extremes.

Throughout mythology, legend, and ancient texts, one of the
ways in which Duality expresses itself is by way of Angels versus
Demons; or, good spirits versus evil spirits. The Lesson presented
here is that, if our Choices are Angelic in nature, we will be rewarded.
On the other hand, if our choices are Demonic in nature, we will be
bound to suffer the Consequences...often dire Consequences.

With these thoughts in mind, let us consider the differences
between Pacts and Self-Reliance in their most extreme degrees.

Pacts: When we enter into a Pact we automatically place ourselves
at the mercy of external Events, sub-events, plots, and sub-plots
which are entirely out of our control. As a matter of fact, we can
never rest assured that the other individual or entity will honor
their side of the Pact.

However, because we have entered into a Pact, and have made a
Promise, we are Karmically obligated to honor this Pact even if
conditions Change, or the other party fails to uphold their end of
the deal.

And because these underlying possibilities are built into the
foundation of every Pact, we can summarize a Pact as being
conditional, restrictive, manipulative, constrictive, and limiting.
In other words, Pacts can Force us to do certain things, things
we may deeply regret as the Pact develops a "life of its own".

Pacts also contain fine print and implied expectations.They also
come with "strings attached". Pacts can "paint us into Corners",
trick us into undesirable Compromises, and shackle us with
Self-Imposed Limitations.

It is for these reasons that Pacts are the preferred tools of
Demonic Creatures and evil spirits who use Pacts as harmless
looking bait to lure us into their domain.

We all have probably either read stories, or watched movies,
of someone who makes a "Pact with the Devil". This Pact always
starts out as something exciting, powerful, and full of fun.

However, conditions quickly begin to change and the person
who entered into the Pact begins to understand that there are
underlying Consequences which he, or she, had not taken into
consideration when they entered into the Pact. It is then that
the person wants to get out of the Pact but finds, to their great
dismay, that they cannot. For it is not the underlying conditions
that govern the Pact, it is the Pact itself that governs the Pact.

In the end, this poor, pitiful, gullible individual always succumbs
to the Consequences of the Pact.

It is important to keep in mind that whenever we enter into a
Pact we are relinquishing our Free Will and potentially exposing
ourselves to Karmic Consequences which we will have to deal
with at some future Time...perhaps even in future Incarnations.

Self-Reliance, on the other hand, is dependence upon ourselves.

And this is why it is the preferred tool of Spiritual Guides, Angels,
and the Good Spirits.

Mythology, folklore, ancient texts all speak of Angels and Good
Spirits offering Spiritual Guidance to those who wish to accept it.
The Instructions and Lessons bestowed upon humanity by these
High Beings come in the form of options, suggestions, and
guidance which honors our Free Will and allows us to Choose
whether or not we will follow any particular Path.

Angels, Spiritual Guides, and Good Spirits offer us their guidance
without any "fine print" or "strings attached". Their assistance does
not come with any impositions. Nor do they require any sort of Pact
from us when they offer assistance or encouragement.

These High Beings simply present their Truth to us and then leave
it up to us to either accept it or discard it. They do not threaten us
with any form of excommunication, penalty, or force if we do not
follow their guidance.

It is the Eternal Nature of these Good Spirit to promote boundless
freedom, unrestricted Choices, spiritual liberty, personal
Sovereignty, and self-Governance; all of which are our guaranteed
birthright the moment we enter our Current Incarnation.

They are fully aware that the only torments and disasters we can
experience are those which we bring upon ourselves when we
Choose to either ignore or violate Divine Law.

As always the Choice is entirely ours. It is up to us to Choose
whether we will live our life by way of restrictive and complex
Pacts, or, enjoy the Independence and Happiness, which are the
natural by-products, of Traveling upon the Simple, open, and
unrestricted Path of Self-Reliance.

Comments and Emails: I welcome comments and emails from
people with similar thoughts and feelings. My email address is
located in the upper-left area of this page. Comments can be
posted by using the "Comment" link located below each article.
Also: If you found value in this article please feel free to forward
it to other like-minded individuals, organizations and sites.

Disclaimer: None of my articles should be considered to be
either advice or expertise. They are simply personal opinions
and no more. Everyone is encouraged to seek competent
advice from a licensed, registered, or certified professional
should such advice or service be required.

© copyright Joseph Panek 2011

Sovereignty

"When we relinquish our individual Sovereignty,
we betray ourselves and become a willing prisoner
to external circumstances and forces."
- Joseph Panek

Sovereignty: to possess independent power and rulership.

Each one of us enters our personal Incarnation as a Sovereign
Entity. We are independent rulers of our Personal Incarnation.
We have complete power and control over each and every one
of our Thoughts, Words, and Actions.

As a Sovereign Being we have the right, power, and ability to
seek out and discover what is True and what is false. We have
the right, power, and ability to Choose who we will associate
ourselves with. We have the right, power, and ability to Choose
what we will Believe, how we will Think and how we will Act in
each and every situation that will ever confront us during our
Current Incarnation. We have the right, power, and ability to
be true to ourselves, or to Deceive ourselves.

When we exercise our Divine Right of Individual Sovereignty
we accept complete responsibility for how we Choose to rule
our Personal Domain. This enables us to enjoy the fruits of our
successes and to learn valuable Lessons from our mistakes and
failures.

Individual Sovereignty enables us to exercise our Divine Gift
of Free Will in its highest and most precious form. Individual
Sovereignty is the highest expression of our right-to-choose.
Individual Sovereignty is the power, right, and ability to create,
and be responsible for, our own Personal Destiny.

And just as we possess this independent power of self-rulership,
so does each and every other individual possess this very same
Gift.

In the same way that we protect, respect, and appreciate our
own Personal Sovereignty, so too must we respect and appreciate
the Personal Sovereignty of others. From a Personal Sovereignty
standpoint, we must respect the fact that every other person
is an Independent Ruler of their own personal domain; they are
a Sovereign Entity unto themselves. And as Sovereign Individuals
they too have the inherent power to be the final, and sole,
Decision-maker of all their Thoughts, Actions, and Beliefs
regardless of whether or not we agree with them.

We may have Opinions and Advice which we may wish to share with
others. However, any attempt to force, or impose, our opinions and
Advice upon others is an infringement of their Individual
Sovereignty; it is an attack upon their Independent Rulership of
their personal domain.

Finally, to possess the Independent Power of Personal Sovereignty
is one thing, but to understand and exercise the Divine Right of
Personal Sovereignty is quite another.

In the same way that we have the right, power, and ability to
exercise our Divine Right of Personal Sovereignty, we also have the
right, power, and ability to abdicate, or relinquish, our Personal
Sovereignty.

It is amazing how many individuals (and nations) Choose to
voluntarily abdicate their Divine Gift of Individual Sovereignty.
These individuals turn over the rulership of their Personal Domain
to others and expect these others to make all the important
Decisions for them. Of course, this is a Choice that can only lead to
tragedy in the end.

Individual Sovereignty is one of the greatest Gifts that Divinity can
bestow upon us. It automatically makes us the Supreme Ruler of
our Personal Domain. By embracing it we can accomplish anything
we Choose. By abdicating it we become pawns, and slaves, to
others.

It is important that we understand this Divine Gift of Personal
Sovereignty, embrace it, treasure it, and use it to create a
Personal Destiny of our very own Choosing.

(See Also: "Compromise" and "Self-Imposed Limitations")

Comments and Emails: I welcome comments and emails from
people with similar thoughts and feelings. My email address is
located in the upper-left area of this page. Comments can be
posted by using the "Comment" link located below each article.
Also: If you found value in this article please feel free to forward
it to other like-minded individuals, organizations and sites.

Disclaimer: None of my articles should be considered to be
either advice or expertise. They are simply personal opinions
and no more. Everyone is encouraged to seek competent
advice from a licensed, registered, or certified professional
should such advice or service be required.

© copyright Joseph Panek 2009