Traditional patterns of behavior

The term pattern means that certain processes run always in the same way. There is a triggering stimulus which starts a chain reaction. This reaction follows always the same pattern. Simple example – think about your favorite meal and you probably get hungry immediately. There are countless patterns of thinking, feeling and behavior. All patterns work on a subconscious level – you are not really aware that you do things always the same way.

Something very special are traditional patterns. For example you celebrate special festivals just because you were grown up with celebrating them. You never really asked yourself why you should do so. Everyone does and so do you. Or you go to church every Sunday. Why? Because your family does so since you can remember.

Patterns are normally not questioned. And this can be a problem.

Imagine that you follow a certain traditional pattern of behavior just because your family does so, because all your relatives do so, because all the people you know do so and because your grandparents did so and their parents and their parents and their parents…. Now imagine that no one of your ancestors questioned this behavior just because everyone has followed it through all times. Do you think that it is good or wise to do something only because no one ever thought about it?

Certainly there are good traditions, nice ones, etc. but there are also patterns of behavior which are unhealthy, bad, evil, unlawful, stupid, insane, etc. Negative patterns lead to destruction, to problems. And indeed there are many negative traditional patterns which are unnecessary, unhealthy and often misunderstood, antiquated and incompatible with the knowledge of today. These can be cultural or religious patterns.

And then there are traditional patterns which have risen from the attitude of people. They can be really positive but also really destructive and evil.

Imagine that you live in a society where every generation has fought in wars or where physical violence and raping women is normal. No one questions this just because everyone behaves like this. It is normal. Your ancestors did so, you do so. Your grandfather had to fight, your father had to fight and you have to fight. Peace is unknown to you and if there is no war you work on getting a war. You want to conquer and to rape like your forefathers did. It is your normal tradition.

Now imagine that in fact there are societies which are built on bad, destructive behavior, which think and perceive that this is normal and good. They think that it is their right to behave like this. It is just their known traditions, – not questioned in anyway, no alternative to think about. All is simply unconscious, stupid pattern, tradition.

Probably you can imagine that it is hard to change patterns. Probably you have tried to get rid of bad habits, – patterns already. It is not easy. You need a lot of energy to make it.

And now ask yourself why there are so many people in the world longing for power, for wars, for imperialistic desires, for domination. Most of them haven´t thought about alternatives. They haven´t questioned their patterns of thinking and traditional behavior. They are stuck in patterns. And this is a very big part of the evil today.

Be wise and question all your patterns. Keep the good ones and drop the bad ones. For your benefit and the benefit of mankind and creation.