Caverly was recently interviewed by MysticMag. We wanted to share a few of her responses.
Question:
In your book, you discuss the intersection of personal transformation and collective awakening. How do you see individual mindfulness practices contributing to broader societal change?
Answer:
Just as we each have a personal ego, there is also a collective ego—though we rarely bring attention to it. When I speak of the personal ego, I am referring to the activity of the conditioned mind, which leads us to perceive ourselves as separate, as other than. This same activity of mind manifests in groupthink, where an entire group adopts a sense of separation.
If we are to address how practices can help dismantle the illusion of separation on an individual level, if we value collective liberation, we must also look at how we can approach it collectively. If you observe the world today, you’ll notice that the collective ego—the illusion that groups or collectives are separate from one another—is more pronounced than it has ever been…in my lifetime anyway! In many ways, this makes it a particularly valuable time to question how these narratives of “othering” are maintained. How can practices help us begin to see through these narratives and recognize their illusory nature?
During my monastic training, we focused almost exclusively on what we perceive as the personal ego—examining how we are conditioned to behave, our thought patterns, and the ways we try to survive our lives. For example, I might be conditioned to be a perfectionist, believing that if I get everything just right, I will be loved. But there are also collective survival strategies. For instance, a collective strategy might be the belief that “we must win at all costs”—something that plays out in the world today. Or perhaps it’s the notion that “we deserve, but they don’t.” Imagine if we, as a collective, could see through these distortions.
I believe that if we could recognize and dismantle these distortions, we could create a society that feels radically different from the one we currently live in. It comes down to creating opportunities to examine how we are with one another, rather than habitually striving for power over others. The idea of “power over” arises from the distorted belief that we are separate from one another. In personal relationships, this might manifest as the belief that I can have power over you. On a collective level, we see this play out through hoarding resources, and other forms of domination and inequality.
The problem is that we have lost sight of what true power is. We tend to think of power as “power over,” but real power is not domination true power is Love.
Question:
Your retreats emphasize nondual awareness and connection with nature. How do these elements facilitate a deeper understanding of self and community among participants?
Answer:
At the deepest level, what my retreats offer is a gentle invitation for participants to inquire into the true nature of who we are. This inquiry is so crucial because our suffering arises from a deep confusion about our true selves. If I believe that I am an isolated, separate being, then suffering becomes inevitable. However, when I come to understand who I truly am, I can connect with the realization that the essence of who I am is not that which suffers.
My retreats open many doors for this inquiry and exploration of direct experience, guiding participants toward discovering their true selves. One of the most powerful ways this unfolds is through immersion in beautiful natural settings. Time spent outdoors not only reconnects us to nature, but also reminds us that we are nature. The experience of being in harmony with the more-than-human world supports the realization of our true nature.
While I don’t think it’s impossible to have a transformative spiritual retreat in an urban environment, I find myself drawn to settings where everything aligns to nurture this remembrance of who we really are. Just this morning, as I was preparing for our conversation, Sarah, I had the privilege of watching two wrens that had just discovered a new birdhouse right outside my bedroom door. I observed them choosing which twigs would create their new home, a magical process to witness. This experience had nothing to do with something we’re all familiar with: internal struggles of questioning whether I am enough, whether I’ve done enough, or feeling overwhelmed by the state of the world. Instead, it was a quiet reminder of the simplicity and beauty of being in tune with what is real. I am blessed to have the opportunity, every day, to support people in remembering what is real.
Click here to read more of the interview. (https://www.mysticmag.com/psychic-reading/interview-caverly-morgan/)
