Recent psychological studies evince the benefits of reframing our individual narrative; the way we see our daily struggles in the world. Archetypical stories such as the Hero's Journey can guide us to a deeper appreciation of life... "increased well-being and resilience." According to PsyPost, a Hero's Journey is: "a narrative framework where a protagonist overcomes challenges and undergoes transformation...[and] can significantly enhance the sense of meaning in life."
The irrelevance of established religion, the fading promise of the American dream and the nationwide mental health crisis are strong indicators of a major existential crisis in our time. The brutish reality behind the glitz & glamor of a culture in decline is by no means happenstance, but an explicit outcome of the geopolitical chess-games, multigenerational trauma and cultural conditioning.
The good news is that established understanding of existential questions is progressing to a wider appreciation of meaning beyond materialism. As the existential crisis prevalent in our culture intensifies it creates a good opportunity to reevaluate our personal story; our direct connection to the bigger picture of reality.
These major issues stem from a self-serving culture which promotes caustic narratives with the intent to capitalize on the subsequent misery. There is profit incentive in promoting disease, drug addiction and depression. In some form we have participated in perpetuating the post-modern condition.
Implicitly we feel the isolation, alienation & humiliation in serving the system and punching the clock without a guiding star. While it is convenient to blame phantoms such as the government, religion or the powerful elite -- let us exercise moral responsibility and contextualize the big picture.
The Matrix of Control manufactures consent by manipulating our shortcomings, by dividing us based on race, religion and ideology. The unifying narrative of liberty, justice and the pursuit of happiness are empty promises, and in practice today this translates to: success at someone's expense.
The little truths reflect the big ugly truth behind the never-ending wars for resources, banker insurrections and bought out politicians -- corruption is endemic.
As the conversation progresses to "life stories aligning with timeless, universally appealing narrative[s]..." this is an ideal opportunity to contextualize self-created purpose with this political reality.
On the surface this appears as counterintuitive, but let's look beyond the mirage blinding us to our creative powers. The realization that the individual's imagination & attention can create meaningful stories which transcend culture is a powerful solution. The links connecting us to our personal truths to the continuum of life means we do not need to protest, fight wars or run to the woods to transform tragedy to hope.
The Matrix of Control thrives through the power of nightmares, it needs our attention to be divided, disoriented and dejected.
Universal freedom is the natural state of humanity, but to have a meaningful life one must create purpose beyond the Matrix. Reality is a process of self-initiation that transcends social institutions, political orders and consensus reality.
To live an unexamined life in postmodernity is a mortal danger which needs to be confronted individually. Ultimately, the rabbit hole to follow is found in the unconscious dreams we repress -- this is where our metamorphosis begins.
Interpreting the link between dreams and waking life connects us to the ineffable essence of life; the portal to heaven on earth. The language of reality appears to us in symbols, through meaningful stories and in dreams. The intuition derived from bridging our dreams with the current of life essentially reclaims all our power from the matrix.