“Being part of aggregates of experiences (and egregores) is inevitable. In this era, you get to choose yours. Do so wisely.”
— POTB
After posting this in my channel’s community tab, two persons asked:
- Which egregores are there, why choose any, and are they inevitable?
- You are making a case for opting in rather than opting out. How to know what the options are?
Finding them ‘interesting,’ I decided to share my two cents on the questions. Yet, since they are pretty loaded, let’s begin by clarifying what egregores are.
Egregores
The term egregore is derived from the Greek’ egregoros,’ meaning ‘wakeful’ or ‘watcher.’ According to Mark Stavish, that is:
“… a home or conduit for specific psychic intelligence of a nonhuman nature connecting the invisible dimensions with the material world…”
also
“(…) an autonomous psychic entity composed of and influencing the thoughts of a group of people…”
According to French Martinist and Freemason Robert Abmelain, an egregore is:
‘a force generated by powerful spiritual currents and subsequently nourished at regular intervals in harmony with (…) the Cosmos, or by a gathering of entities united by a shared characteristic…’
Egregores are viewed as the power source behind different communities, including:
- cultural;
- esoteric;
- corporate, etc.
Also, as the so-called’ group minds’ governing states, nations, industries, and collectives.
Egregores can emerge from any context involving people with shared beliefs, goals, and/or causes. Their power can surpass the group’s influence. So, as Aristotle and Gestalt Psychology state:
“The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”
The whole is more than the sum of its parts. It is more correct to say that the whole is something else than the sum of its parts because summing up is a meaningless procedure, whereas the whole-part relationship is meaningful.”
Groups and Currents (Egregores)
After explaining ‘egregores,’ let us address the questions’ second part:
“What egregores are there?”
The critical to understand is that egregores’ physical bodies are the members of a group, which doesn’t have to be ‘big.’ Consider Napoleon Hill’s notion of the ‘third person phenomenon,’ which is a ‘thought form’ emerging if two persons stick together for long enough.
Meaning no group, no egregore. So, the questions can be rephrased by replacing ‘egregores’ with ‘groups’ or ‘communities,’ as the former is the non-physical representation of the latter.
Nothing is Local
In the past, most groups and communities were primarily local. Exceptions were (perhaps) esoteric organizations and specific cultures. Back then, people were often limited by their immediate environment and local egregores.
Now, thanks to the Internet, we have access to a vast array of communities beyond physical location. So the egregores that are ‘there’ now are communities existing on the Internet across areas like:
- business;
- culture;
- entertainment;
- education;
- tech;
- art;
- health and wellness;
And virtually anything else, including Star Wars, Anime, and gaming, as Stavish notes
Joining Groups (and Egregores)
Now, let’s move to part three:
“Which egregores or communities should you join?”
The best advice comes from Dion Fortune, one of the giants of Western Esotericism. It boils down to several steps:
- Consider the group members’ lives and what they are about (as individuals)?
- Who are they besides being the group members?
After developing a clear perspective, ask yourself:
- Do you want to be like them? I.e., another representation of what they embody?
- Is that something you find appealing or rather repelling?
- And does this resonate with your core values?
The story’s moral is this: If the answer is yes, join. If it isn’t, don’t
Patterns and Stereotypes in Egregores
One’s identity is expressed through their habits and lifestyle, which you can use as a ‘litmus test’ of what you are dealing with. By looking closely, you’ll find specific patterns and stereotypes re-emerging. For instance:
- Self-helpers tend to obsess with productivity;
- Spiritual ‘bros’ (often) glorify being ‘Nobel brokie’ while having addictions and poor life quality.
- Gym rats usually get into Stoicism, personal development, and building businesses.
- Coders are into tech, gaming, and self-help.
Habits are often gateways to others. Joining a group, or hanging with certain types of people cannot be kept in isolation but impacts your whole life. This brings us to the evergreen wisdom that:
“You are the total of those you interact with the most.”
By hanging out with too many ‘overweight’ people who happen to think it’s okay to be ‘overweight,’ you might actually start thinking it’s OK to be obese and unhealthy. Conversely, by surrounding yourself with such, finding being above a single-digit body fat percentage unacceptable, you’ll likely get in shape. In one scenario, you’re exposed to a specific set of beliefs, while in another, you’re exposed to different ones.
Nothing in nature stays static. Being a member of a group either fosters or hinders your development and life quality. The good news is that on the Internet, you can select and curate who to follow and attune to, availing of books, content, courses, forums, groups, and even masterminds.
Individual
In our current stage of development, the individual is society’s most basic monad. According to Adlerian Psychology, one should be able to view others not as enemies but as comrades, finding one’s own refuge, which is experienced through what Adler defines as ‘community feeling.’
When speaking of ‘community,’ Adlerians go beyond school, block, city, state, or country. They regard what’s beyond nations and past and future, including all animate and inanimate objects. This is the only society (and egregore) you cannot change; everything else is within your control.
Adlerian psychology stresses one can be only an individual in a society It reminds us that, regardless of our situation or location, we are always part of this largest community.
Esoterically, you can think of it as Thelemic Nuit and Medieval Alchemists’ Anima Mundi or the ‘Soul of the World.’ As highlighted by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga, while it’s challenging to grasp the entire universe, increasing awareness of our connection to the community beyond our immediate surroundings is crucial.
“It is true, there’s no way one can just imagine the entire universe all of a sudden. Even so, I would like you to gain the awareness that you belong to a separate, larger community that is beyond the one you see in your immediate vicinity—for example, the country or local society in which you live(…).”
— The Courage To Be Disliked 172/6
Opting Out
Given that a complete opting out isn’t truly possible, what some call ‘isolate intelligence’—personal and spiritual development through isolation—is actually a powerful tool. It frees one from local and dominating egregores while strengthening one’s connection with the broader world.
Even the most prominent figures practicing ‘Isolate Intelligence’ aren’t just free electrons floating around haphazardly; (usually) they are well-accomplished academics fully integrated into their chosen communities.
Thus, ‘isolate intelligence’ helps you transcend local randomness and engage with global aspects of society that inspire a sense of belonging. Thanks to the Internet, achieving this is easier than ever.
English
Not being raised in a Western country, my child self was programmed by the local egregore in a language much different than English. Despite that, I always felt a deep connection and belonging to the world. Very early this was through Marvel and DC comics and cartoons. Later, Hip-Hop, according to its pioneers, was intended to be ‘intergalactic.’
Once I learned not through mindless preparation for meaning by exams but by actively using it to communicate in my videos and live 95% of my day speaking and thinking in it, something shifted: A new me began unfolding. Besides being preferred by my girlfriend, that new self seems immune to the local egregores influence. So I see following a similar approach might be the best tactic for non-native speakers.
Opting In
Community Feeling in individual psychology translates to a genuine “interest in society.” The society or egregore you are drawn to should inspire a deep sense of awe and belonging and motivate you to not only benefit from it but actively contribute to its enrichment.
In other words, find your tribe, as biohacker Aubrey Marcus suggests, while following Kishimi and Koga’s advice to focus on the broader world and live like a stoic, viewing the world and universe as your polis or city-state.
“As we face difficulties in our relationships or feel stuck, we should first consider the principle of listening to the voice of the larger community. Do not cling to the immediate small community; remember there are always larger communities that exist.” — Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga, The Courage To Be Disliked, 172/6
Connecting to the World
In my humble opinion, a powerful way to strengthen your connection with the world is by delivering value to other individuals in it by sharing life-lessons and experiences. Content creation is actually profoundly spiritual as it allows you to transcend physical limitations by sharing ideas and is apparently intrinsic to the information age and humanity’s current stage of development.
Thank You
But that’s just my opinion. Feel free to let me know yours. And Thank you for your time!
