Reiki from the Farm™
Reiki from the Farm™
Beyond the Noise: Connecting in a Polarized World
In a world where division feels louder than ever, our share explores how we’re not as different as we think — and how showing up authentically can be a powerful antidote to polarization.
We’ll dig into how our culture of sameness, algorithms, and chatbots shape conversations, and hidden fears of being unseen all keep us in boxes.
Then we’ll go deeper: what does authentic self-expression really look like — for individuals, communities, and society at large?
We’ll blend story, science, and meditation and reflect on how we fall into “us vs them”, how technology (including bots and chat AI) amplifies voices and distorts consensus, and how each of us can help build space for connection, nuance, and genuine voice.
Let’s lean into who we are, together.
Here's a link to the Mel Robbins podcast that inspired this episode: https://www.melrobbins.com/episode/episode-329/
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Pam Allen-LeBlanc is a scientist, businesswoman, and Licensed Reiki Master Teacher (LRMT) with the International Center for Reiki Training.
Get in Touch with Pam:
pam@reikifromthefarm.com
www.reikifromthefarm.com
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Hi, and welcome to the Reiki from the Farm Podcast, brought to you by me, Pam Allen LeBla from Hidden Brook Farm. I am a scientist, a businesswoman, and a licensed Reiki master teacher with the International Center for Reiki training. Each week in this podcast, you'll be entertained as you learn about a wide variety of relevant Reiki topics, helping you become a more knowledgeable and effective Reiki practitioner. We caution you though this podcast may also dramatically improve your life. And we are so happy that you're here. So welcome everyone to this month's podcast and this week's podcast, this month's Reiki share. Tonight we're talking about polarization and the fact that we're not actually as far apart as we think. Before we get started though, I do wanna let you know that things are coming together for our Kenya trip February 19th to 28th. I just got the first bit of pricing today, and there's a couple of line items missing, but we're getting very close to being able to provide that. If you are interested in joining us in Kenya, February 19th to 28th, please reach out and let me know. I've got a list, a short list of the people who have said they're interested and we can take, it looked like eight, but it may be back down to six people with us. And I will let the people on the short list know first about the opportunity. And then I'll put if the spots aren't filled I'll put it out to our general community. I wanted to let you know that I do have a Karuna Reiki class coming up this month over four evenings or mornings in Australia or Asia. Also in November we've got our animal communication course, and I don't teach that often, but I do have a level one and two class on a weekend, November 22nd and 23rd, an animal communication level three professional practitioner course, November 24th and 25th. Online over two evenings, and then a masterclass. Online over three evenings, just after Thanksgiving. December 1st to third. We will have a weekend healthcare Reiki course, Tracy and I online February 7th and eighth. February is also when we will go to Kenya and I also have a full lineup of classes level one and two Masters Animal One and two and Masters in January. So I would love to have you, join us for that. Look for some Reiki mentoring courses coming out in the spring, likely in March after we're back from Kenya. And yeah, there's just an awful lot of really interesting and fun things happening. But tonight I wanted to talk about the fact that talk about polarization and the fact that we're not. As far apart as we think. There seems to be a lot of noise, a lot of talk going on about, the far right, the far left and there's so much about polarization in the news and everywhere that we look. And in fact, very early in my Reiki. Career, I spoke with William Rand about this and he suggested a really interesting book called The Better, better Angels of Our Nature by Stephen Pinker. And that talked about the fact that news outlets and that it, the, that it, it made better news. When there was controversy in it, and when you really go through, it's a rather hefty volume. But when you really go through it, you realize that. So much is about interpretation and perception and the way things are framed. And in fact, that's, I was talking about marketing earlier because marketing is something I've I focused on as I did my master's in business administration. And marketing is all about framing things the way, how you frame things and. And so it, it talked about that. But I recently watched a podcast. With Mel Robbins, she had a conversation with Dr. Todd Rose, who is the author of Collective Illusions, conformity, complicity, and the Science of Why We Make Bad Decisions, and. I was so inspired after watching this podcast. I came away from it with so much hope for humanity. And I realized, you know what? We have to blend this together with Reiki for our Reiki share this month, because I was actually gobsmacked by some of what he said. Now, one of the things that. He did say at one point in the podcast, he brought out a quote of Carl Rogers, which is all of the problems in society from nations against nations, groups, against groups boil down to individuals at war with themselves. And this is something that we can really relate to in Reiki because. If you've studied with me, you've probably heard me say, our outer world always resembles our inner world, and so whatever is going on inside of us is often usually reflected in our lives. So this quote really resonated with me and rang true, but what. Todd Rose was talking about more so was the fact that when we're disconnected from our authentic selves, that inner war mirrors outward as division, and we know this to be true. I know that as you've done Reiki and I'm sure that you've probably seen that in your lives, and I'd like you to think, is there. A place, is there an area of your life where you feel. That you're at odds with someone else, that you're really polarized. I think about my father and I and how I keep horses versus how he did. And we used to just argue about it and disagree. And at one point it was actually when animal Reiki was forming, animal Reiki showed me that, everybody. Has a right to keep animals the way and the animals find the people that have the conditions that they want and. I stopped bracing and some of you have heard me talk about bracing before.'cause this is a concept that I had to learn in order to work with horses. Horses are roughly 1200 pounds and if I am trying to muscle a horse or strong arm them into doing something, I'm not going to win. And mark Rash had brought this beautiful theory of how to drop the brace out of your body so that you're very loose and fluid, and from that place, from that loose fluid place without the brace, and it can be shown physically. You basically, the horse has nothing to fight against and so you just go along. And I really thought about that and I extrapolated it into my own life and I thought, where am I bracing in my life? Where? Am I not getting along with others or people in my life? And there were quite a, there were a few areas, I'm gonna be honest. But fortunately I knew Reiki at that time and so I was really able to focus and concentrate the Reiki toward wherever I was bracing toward what? Toward that brace itself and just allow the brace to release, to sink into the earth, to drop out of my body. And so interestingly, I didn't even always have to say anything, but any of the relationships that were a little taught, a little tense they just resolved themselves and. It's as if we all knew they resolved themselves without a word spoken. And so this episode really reminded me of that whole thing. Now, one of the things that Dr. Rose discovered is that most polarization isn't real. And this. Might be the part that shocked me the most. It's built on false beliefs about what other people, about what others think, and he calls that collective illusion, and that is when the majority privately disagrees with a perceived norm, but goes along with it because they assume that everyone else agrees. He talked about the fact that these illusions can happen among tightly knit groups. And and if they can happen among these tightly knit groups, then obviously they can also, it's very easy to extrapolate that they would happen across a country. And he talks about the fact that as humans we're very hardwired to, fit in to get along. We are a species that functions best as a collective and a as a group. And as such we're hardwired to fit in, to get along. And what's really interesting is the way that our brains estimate what people. Need on a regular basis or believe is that we assume the loudest voices are the majority, even if that loud voice, for instance, just comes from one person. So if one person is saying something very loudly, we just assume that's the majority, and with that need to belong. If we don't agree, we will self silence. And I thought that was absolutely fascinating. And so what was really interesting is he used an example, for instance, of the social media platform X, and when they looked at it, 80% of the content on x. Comes from 10% of the users, and of course it is the 10% that seem to have more extreme positions. And so the remaining users tend to self silence rather than stand up and say actually no, this is what I believe. And take a risk of getting, caught in the crossfire. Or they self silence or they say what they think other people want to hear. And in fact, the research showed that two thirds of us are self silencing right now. And what's really worrisome, about that. Is that it's really, it's been proven to be really bad for our health to self silence. It leads to things like heart conditions and and other health issues but particularly was linked to heart conditions and what's even with that in mind, with that number of people self silencing with that small number of people having the loudest voices, they discovered that this polarization that we believe exists is actually false. It's a false polarization, and that false polarization causes us to lose trust in each other. And then also even to become resentful. Now, on top of all of this, so we've got the 10% of users with an agenda who have the loudest voices. They also did a study. There's a few studies I'm gonna refer to here. So bear with me and we will get into the Reiki part of it. But I really want to lay the groundwork first. On top of that fact and the fact that two thirds of us are self silencing at the moment. Right now there are also foreign entities that are using bots and ai and over a quarter of all interactions on social media. Or with bots, and he actually said that's a low estimate. It's likely higher, but it's at minimum a quarter of all interactions are with bots, and the bots are no longer trying to spread disinformation. They're actually programmed to manufacture illusions. And they're targeting Gen Z because the Gen Z probably spend more time online than any other generation. And it's important to remember that people will profit from these illusions. And what's interesting, with that is that he said, this generation's collective illusions become next generation's private opinion. In other words, young people are looking to society for. What to believe, how to behave, that sort of thing. Young kids, they don't know what that this is a collective illusion. Most adults don't know that this polarization is a collective illusion. I didn't know. And so they don't know that it's not true. And so they be, they are using that like they believe that's true. So for instance, now, young people are looking at what's happening. And if, when you ask, do you wanna be when you grow up, instead of saying, a teacher, a firefighter, and a doctor, a nurse, any, or a carpenter, any of those things, they're saying, I wanna be a social influencer, or I wanna have a million followers. And when you ask them, for what doesn't matter, like this is what they're following. So his point in all of this is the importance to stop conforming. In fact, they did a study really, he is a, he's a Harvard researcher. They did a study called the Success Index, which. Measured 61 attributes and on, and people agreed on eight out of 10 as to what was the most important to them. Everybody had the same eight. Eight out of the top 10 people agreed on, and it doesn't matter how they voted, where they live, where they're from, what their economic background was like. We're essentially the same at the core of our beings. We have a unification con consciousness that at play here. In fact, the number one thing that people. Wanted or looked at as to what was successful is not, wasn't even a little bit selfish. It was to do work that has a positive impact on people. Now, I know as Reiki practitioners, that's what most of us want to do, but. It's not unusual. It is what most people want. And the top in the top 10 were things like relationships, family, character, self-improvement, and being involved in and engaged in community. Interestingly, the one thing that was in the top 10 that most people are not accomplishing is being involved in or engaged in the community because. They don't know how. And so that was really interesting. But at the core people think the same thing. And so one of the things that Dr. Rose was talking about is that, we're unbelievably similar and. We get weary with all the noise and we go silent, and that's dangerous for us. And yet he talked about the importance of being authentic, to stop conforming, to connect with what's important to you and be authentic. And in fact, he even said authenticity is the kryptonite. For collective illusions. And so with Holy Fire, Reiki, with Reiki in general, and then Holy Fire Reiki even more specifically, one of the things we work toward is becoming our authentic selves, expressing our authentic selves. And right now. There are things that people publicly say but secretly want, and that creates that division within us. So he really encouraged us. He said, you have the power to let go of what everyone else thinks. In fact, you're conforming to belong to a group and that group may not even believe what you're conforming to. He used a really funny example that, he really enjoyed, I think it was staying home and playing board games, but his. Grandparents got in their heads that he really liked to go to Sizzlers. So every once a week they all went to Sizzlers and he didn't like to go, but he didn't wanna hurt their feelings. And on her deathbed, his grandmother said, we didn't really like Sizzler, but we knew it was important to you. And so here the whole family had been going to sizzlers for weekly or whatever. Nobody really wanted to, but everyone believed that the others did. And so just the importance of having those conversations and he asked a question, what would you do if you knew that it was an illusion? What would you do if you knew that? Some of that polarization and some of what we're seeing online. Was illusion. And would it be, would you stop silencing? Would you be authentic because there is a cost to both our physical and psychological health to self silencing. And in fact, he was talking about the Gen Z generation and how there's never been a generation that has had more anxiety and so on. And that is because of. So much time online and the belief in that need to self silence. So in our podcast I think that it's really important for us to just remember that most polarization isn't real. It's built on false beliefs of what others think, and. When we are caught bracing in that space of polarization to just ask is that real? And just really feel into ask with Reiki, ask Reiki to give you the discernment. Is this real? Is this conflict? Is this polar polarization, polarity? Is this real? And. Because that collective illusion, as I mentioned, is when the majority privately disagree with a perceived norm, but go along with it because they assume that everyone else agrees. And his point is this happens more than we realize. For instance, in politics. And you guys know that I had been guided by Reiki to throw my hat in the ring a few times recently. Most people believe that everyone is extreme, but the data actually shows that most people are moderate. When we talk about social values, most people crave kindness and integrity. Rather than status or power, and yet they think others value, status, and power. I know that the bots and the algorithms will always amplify the loudest extremes and make these illusions look real, but there is an energetic cost to pretending. Our fear of exclusion will tend to drive conformity. Now, I'd like you to think about is there an area in your life where you're self silencing? Where're not saying something, and what does that feel like in your body? Does it feel like tension? Is your breath a little more shallow? Does your heart feel a little tighter? And we know that when energy constricts, our life force energy can't flow as freely when we're, and that happens when we're disconnected from the truth. Knowing that authenticity is kryptonite to collective illusions, I'd like to give you an example. Of that if one person hi. His theory was if when one person courageously speaks their truth, it breaks the illusion for others who silently agree. And he gave an example that I found fascinating. The Czech playwright, Vass Love Havel. Is a really powerful, modern example of how authentic truth can dissolve collective illusions and transform society peacefully. So he wrote he was a playwright, a poet, a dissident. He was living in Czechoslovakia under communist rule and actually during the height of government. Oppression. People were afraid to speak their mind and he told the truth through art. And some of you may have heard me express or say how I always feel that artists are ahead and scientists and the rest of us are trying to catch up like the artists. I don't know. I have a tremendous amount of respect for artists and the way that they. Can lead society. And so this is what he did. He wrote an essay called The Power of the Powerless, and it became an underground manifesto for change. He described how systems of oppression survive, not through violence alone, but through the lies that everyone pretends to believe. He wrote about a green grocer who placed a sign in his shop window that re read workers of the World unite. Not because he believed it, but because everybody else does, and not displaying it could get him in trouble. And he talked about how collective illusions are maintained this way through conformity and silence. But he also showed how they could collapse. Quote, by living within the truth, you make it possible for everyone around you to see that it's possible to live differently. And so by choosing authenticity over illusion, that sparked a revolution. And they called it the velvet revolution because not one drop of flood was shed. And instead it led to a peaceful transition from totalitarian rule to democracy. In 1989 and he didn't even think that it would work that quickly. He said that this was possible, but he didn't believe, he said, I won't see it in my lifetime. And I think it was within a year it had taken a hold and remarkably he became the first president of the newly free Czech Republic. One of the things we have at our disposal is Reiki. Reiki can always reveal truth without judgment and help us align or realign with what's genuine. And so once again, I'll invite us to pause and just ask ourselves, where am I bracing? Against someone or something in my life and just let that roll through. And there's another question we could ask, where am I pretending or hiding or silencing? What I really believe, and so this, this creates that inner incongruence, that misalignment between what we feel. Think and express and bringing in congruence bring is the foundation for peace. So it's really important for us to align more deeply with ourselves, our own values, our own compassion, our own essence. Rather than our fears, that's been showing up a lot with healthcare Reiki or what we think that other people believe. So we're going to move into meditation today that just dissolves the illusion of separation and helps us return to unity. I'd like you to think about those areas in your life where you might be bracing those people that you have an issue with, or anywhere at all. Where there is incongruence, I especially invite you to think about any areas where you may be silencing yourself or feeling that you can't or don't have a voice. And then I'd invite you to just activate Reiki, bringing your hands into Gassho with your thumbs at your heart. Take a deep belly breath in. And just let that all go and go ahead and bring in whatever symbols that you feel guided to use today, and as you breathe. Just notice that you're surrounded by angels and dark angels, and the brothers and sisters of the light and the divine animals are here. The enlightened ones, the beloved ones, and just make yourself comfortable. Allow yourself to settle wherever you are. Feel the earth beneath you supporting you just feel that quiet hum of life. Even as in the northern hemisphere, the earth is getting ready to go to sleep for a bit. That hum of life still exists. And that's the same vibration that moves through every living thing. And as you breathe in, just imagine the light of Reiki flowing from the highest heavens and from the divine earth. To in front of your hands, through your hands, and into your heart, the gift of love. And as that love enters your heart, it just softens all the braces that could be there for a variety of reasons. And just allow it to return you home to yourself. Bring yourself home to you. And take another deep belly breath in and exhale your worries and concerns. So often we spend time worrying about other people, what they'll think, how they'll feel. Just let that all go. This moment is about you and for you, so give yourself this time to focus your attention on you. In order to do this, just invite your own personal energy to move in close to your body now, creating a sort of energetic Spanx moving in so that it just skims your skin. And this may take a few moments. That's okay. You'll probably notice that as your energy comes in closer, that any energies you're carrying that are not your own just fall away. Any projections or expectations of others are released now with love, and they just move into the thirsty Earth where they're transformed, transmuted. Place your hands comfortably on your body now, wherever you feel guided, as we reflect on a simple, powerful truth, all of the problems in society. From nations against nations, groups against groups boil down to individuals at war with themselves, these collective illusions, false beliefs about what others value that keep us pretending and posturing or silence us. Let's choose authenticity. Authenticity, being the kryptonite to collective illusions. Let's show up for ourselves as our true selves and as we do. The illusion will begin to crumble. Take another deep breath and just sigh it out. Just allow our breath and the Reiki energy to guide us to the truth that lives beneath the noise, that deep current of love, belonging, connection, unification. We know at the core of our beings, we are all a spark of the divine. Love is who we are, all of us. Just allow yourself to connect into that current of love connection and from this safe space, bring your mind to. A person, a group, or a situation where you feel polarized, tapped into the duality. Notice anywhere in your body that feels braced. It might be your shoulders, your jaw. Your breath. We invite Reiki to move into all of the tight places, all of the bracing, and to just release it with love. We consciously allow it to soften our armor. And as it works away, let's ask ourselves, where in my life do I feel polarized with someone or something? What do I truly believe beneath the stories and fears? What would it feel like to show up authentically in this situation? With this person to listen, to speak, and to love from my own truth. And as these questions move through your awareness, just imagine that the light of Reiki. This beautiful golden light is just creating an expansion in your own dear heart. And with each breath, just notice that the light from your heart space is growing. We're going to breathe here for several breaths together. Notice the light of your heart has grown so massive that it can bridge those inner opposites. Fear and love, control and surrender. Anger and compassion. Feel the dualities within you. Then each of us begin to merge into wholeness. You are not two sides in a conflict. You are whole. You're complete. You are one radiant being. And as this bridge is formed within us, I invite you to extend that light of Reiki, that bridge beyond yourself to those you felt divided from. We'll breathe here for several breaths together. Extend that light into your community, your province, your state, your country, your continent. And the world. Notice the threads of light connecting every heart, dissolving illusion, revealing the shared desire for peace, safety, love, and understanding. And just breathe that unity into your body and on every exhale, simply release any residual polarity. The need to be right to defend, to separate. On every inhale draw in the calm truth. I am. We are part of the whole, we are one energy expressed many ways. And let's just remain here. Exhaling residual polarity and inhaling peace and love and truth. Let's just remain here in stillness in this unified field of consciousness. As Reiki continues to flow, harmonizing all that once appeared to be in opposition. And just for today we're grateful. Grateful for our courage to see clearly to see through this and just for today, we are kind feeling compassion for. Anyone who is still trapped in collective illusions and just for today, we release worry, worry about what other people think as we step into the courage to live authentically, to speak authentically. And just for today, we release all bracing and all anger because just for today, we are devoted to our work. And our work is being a beacon of light to others. Showing up authentically as our true self, that spark of divinity that exists within each of us, allowing it to shine, to shine light on the illusions. And remember that every time you live authentically, you speak authentically. You heal an illusion for yourself and in the world. You're welcome to stay in this space as long as you need. Whenever it feels right for you to return, take a deep breath, bring your attention to your eyes. Slowly open your eyes and come back. Come back. Whole, authentic, aligned with your deeper truth. Longer willing to self silence. I'd like to thank each and every one of you for being here with me today, whether you're here in real time. During our Reiki share, which is open to everyone by the way, or whether you're listening afterward to the podcast, remember, most division is illusion, and the thing that dissolves illusions is authenticity, and Reiki can help us. Identify illusion and return to our wholeness, to our authentic selves. It can also help us show up authentically even when that feels scary. To do like to invite you to journal on anything that showed up for you today. It might also make sense to journal a bit from some of the prompts in the meditation, and while we focused on one area, there might be another area that needs some attention. Feel free to go back and listen as often as you wish. Thank you for having the courage to show up authentically. In everything that you do. We are so blessed to be in this community together, community of light bringers who are creating wellness on the earth today. Blessings. Thank you and Namaste.