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Consensus Reality Vs. Absolute Reality

by Wynn Free

We all participate and identify simultaneously with many groups in our lives. Each group has a group consciousness that
assumes a certain set of rules for the members of that group. These rules are not usually derived in an overt manner but rather
via tacit unconscious agreements. The agreements usually concern rules about acceptable group behavior, lifestyles, and
beliefs. And as members of many different groups, we will adopt these rules as part of our day-to-day reality. Usually, we don't
even realize where they come from and often we end up just assuming their correctness and owning them. These sets of rules
and beliefs are what I am defining as "consensus reality", which comprises a great part of reality in the third dimension. Each
person's experience of consensus reality is layered and unique since we all identify with a multitude of different groups even
though we have many group experiences in common. For example there is the group that all lives in the United States. And there
is the group that lives in East Los Angeles. There is the group that watches TV and the sub group that watches Jerry Springer,
the group that is Caucasians, the group that is gay, the group that goes to rave parties, the group that attends your college, and
the group that lives on the same block as you. There is a consensus reality unique to your religion and even your family.

Oftentimes the rules from different groups are in conflict, which creates confusion in us. And consensus reality is constantly
changing. For example, 50 years ago it would have been considered a disgrace to have a child out of wedlock whereas today it
is quite acceptable in most places. 50 years ago, black people were supposed to sit in their own area in the back of the bus,
today there is no distinction. In Victorian England it was considered erotic if a woman exposed her ankle. If something is rad,
cool, in, or bitchin, it is a product of consensus reality. Prejudice, morality, ethics, style, culture, and food preferences can be the
results of consensus reality. Consensus reality is not necessarily good or bad in of itself. It's just that it is ingrained in all of us
and creates huge obstacles to having higher awareness. It becomes part of our decision making process. Even though
consensus reality is constantly changing, many individuals confuse it with absolute reality, which never changes.

Consensus reality is preoccupied with form while absolute reality is concerned with essence. Consensus reality is normal.
Absolute reality is natural. The attributes of absolute reality are joy, compassion and wisdom. When you are operating out of
absolute reality, you are expressing spontaneously from a position of neutrality. When you are operating out of consensus
reality, you are expressing contrived from a position of prejudice. Consensus reality is of the world. Absolute reality is from God
(or whatever name you feel comfortable with - love, light, spirit, the creator, et al.). Consensus reality is like the crazy house of
mirrors at the carnival. Whichever way you move, you're faced with distorted reflections of yourself and you believe the
reflections are real. In absolute reality, you perceive the constant energy behind the reflections.

If you would attain the experience of absolute reality, you have to break free from consensus reality. The first step is just
acknowledging that it's there and identifying it. As an exercise, write down the major group consciousnesses that you partake
of. Then identify the major rules of the consensus reality for each of those group consciousnesses. Just observing this will
force you to step out of your consensus reality for a moment and that's one step closer to absolute reality. In absolute reality,
you will be able to experience the oneness that pervades all life. You will experience yourself as the creative force behind life
stepping itself down into the myriad of experiences your having on the physical realm. And the only operative rule is the golden
one - Do unto others as you would have others do unto you - with this addendum for the new millennium - Do unto others as
you would have others do unto you, for they are you.