The Human Ocean
Like many of you, I am concerned about the number of mass shootings over the last twenty years. As a child, I remember no incidents when someone walked into a school or place of worship and opened fire. Thus, I am searching for an explanation for why massacres seem to be more common. I found it necessary to draw from traditions from other parts of the world and from theoretical science that is not mainstream in order to understand what is going on.
Human beings are influenced by a field of energy that affects all human beings and has the potential to cause repeats of strong human motivations including what precedes acts of violence. The field is much like a body of water – every molecule is connected to the whole and they all move together though not synchronously. Those nearest to the point of initial action feel first while those who are distant are not as strongly affected. Distance in physical space or time can dissipate the impact of a local action.
The human ocean depends on the perceptual power of the mind and heart. Every molecule in the human ocean is indispensable and connected not just by physical acts but by emotions as well. Strong emotions have wider ripples across the human ocean. For example, the following acts of hate have occurred over the last twenty years (this list is not intended to be exhaustive):
Acts of Hate Based on Race, Religion, or Immigration
April 3, 2009 - Binghampton, NY (14 dead, 4 other injuries)
June 17, 2015 - Charleston, SC (9 killed, 1 injured)
November 5, 2017 – Sutherland Springs, TX (26 killed)
October 27, 2018 - Pittsburgh, PA (11 killed)
School Massacres
April 20, 1999 – Columbine High School in Columbine, CO (15 killed)
April 16, 2007 - Virginia Tech Shooting in Blacksburg, VA (33 killed)
December 14, 2012 - Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT (28 killed)
February 14, 2018 - Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL (17 killed, 17 injured)
May 10, 2018 - Santa Fe High School in Santa Fe, TX (10 killed)
Mass Shootings
July 12, 2012 - Movie theater in Aurora, CO (12 killed, 58 injured by bullets)
June 12, 2016 – Pulse nightclub in Orlando, FL (49 killed)
October 1, 2017 – Concert in Las Vegas, NV (59 killed, 422 injured by bullets)
The hateful motivation of the killer and the fear, regret, pain, and grief of the victims and their families and friends after a mass death increases the probability of a repeat act in the future which grows as the human population grows (as if the act of violence planted a poison tree that grows exponentially with each repeat act). The more technologically interconnected we are as a global society, the faster certain acts will repeat around the world even among groups with no actual contact between active participants. In the United States, some deranged individuals have virtually unfettered access to weapons and ammunition.
It may sound like I am justifying acts of hatred and violence using alternative science. That is not at all true. I am saying that human beings are not islands onto themselves but collectively behave like an ocean. We all perceive the energy field but some souls are very sensitive to certain parts of it. Not everyone who perceives the field senses hate or is bound to perform acts of violence. There are many more repeat instances of goodness, charity, love, hope, positive self-esteem, and wonder. We can resist the impulses to multiply hate, pain, fear, and grief by the power of our attention. Energy flows where attention goes (Rev. Michael Beckwith). Pray for the influences contained in the memory of the field that you wish for yourself, your family, and your community. We also have to be careful of the effect of our behavior on future generations. Behave individually as if your community’s posterity depends on your conscientiousness and connections with others - because it does. Those in power must accept their role as leader. Their actions – good or bad – will be repeated. They have to lead by example.
Human beings are able to sense the energy field that connects us with some inclination of what will happen next though not always accurately or exactly. Based on those predictions, we can resist the next massacre just by bringing consciousness to our community (our intentions and motivation), avoiding weapons, and staying away from external environments that are negative. We need to do a better of job of learning about and from each other. Find those hateful souls who might commit acts of grave violence before they act. Educate them on their individual and collective power to influence the future by holding a space in prayer.
Remember that human beings are not an island but an interconnected ocean.