Author Archives: Chet Shupe

10 Key Universal Principles of Spiritual Awakening

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The principles of spiritual awakening may differ; each person may experience it differently and in a different time or place. 

Some people can recognize the principles of spiritual awakening because they welcome and embrace this realization into their lives. Enlightenment is overwhelming, and some might fear the changes it brings into a person’s mind. It is not your usual everyday thoughts when you only think about going to work and what you must do. Awakening and waking up are different things. It is realizing and knowing the existence of our inner selves. Our existence is beyond our ego; it is our purpose and place in the universe, the oneness with everything and everyone.

Chet Shupe’s book, “Rediscovering the Wisdom of Human Nature,” was showcased at the 2023 London Book Fair. The book enlightens readers about the origins of human evolution, the impact of civilization, and our disconnection from nature and spirituality. Chet Shupe writes about a civilization on inner peace of Rediscovering the Wisdom. It emphasizes the importance of reconnecting with our spiritual essence for true happiness and fulfillment amidst the challenges of modern life.

Spiritual awakening

Spiritual awakening refers to a profound shift in consciousness, where individuals experience a heightened sense of self-awareness and a deeper connection with their inner being and the universe. It involves transcending the limitations of the ego and recognizing the interconnectedness of all life. During this transformative process, individuals may undergo profound insights, inner peace, and a sense of purpose beyond the material realm. Spiritual awakening often leads to greater compassion, mindfulness, and a desire for personal growth and understanding of the spiritual aspects of life. It is a journey of self-discovery, awakening to a higher level of consciousness and spiritual truth.

Universal Principles of Spiritual Awakening

Self-Realization

The first step towards spiritual awakening is self-awareness. It involves delving deep within, exploring the inner landscape, and recognizing the divine essence within oneself. This realization opens the door to profound growth and understanding. There are some theories regarding the nothingness of self and everything. It is an overwhelming thought, but people who understand the void on a deeper level embrace the view, which makes the idea of death and letting go easier.

Mindfulness

Practicing mindfulness involves living in the present moment without judgment. By being fully present, individuals can experience the beauty and richness of life, breaking free from the shackles of the past and worries about the future. If we do not recognize that we are living for today, for every moment, we will wear ourselves out thinking about what we should do tomorrow or what we could have done yesterday.

Gratitude

Gratitude is a powerful spiritual practice that fosters a sense of appreciation for life’s blessings, big and small. It shifts the focus from lack to abundance, cultivating a positive outlook and attracting positivity into one’s life. Appreciating the little things in life is an awakening by thinking more positively. Sometimes we tend to believe that everything is a problem or only see the wrong side of a person. Appreciating our parents and loved ones is a way to embrace spirituality.  

Compassion

Developing compassion towards oneself and others is a cornerstone of spiritual awakening. By empathizing with the struggles and joys of others, individuals embrace interconnectedness and contribute to a more harmonious world. Later in life, we realize it is not about us, what we want, or how much we earn. This world involves all of us, and we should help each other to be happy. If we constantly complain about the system without helping others, the system will only change if we change ourselves.

Surrender

Letting go of the need for control and surrendering to the flow of life is liberating. Trusting in a higher power or universal intelligence brings peace and acceptance, even amidst uncertainty. Someone once said that it is not that you only live once; you only die once. It is essential to accept that death is a part of life.

Forgiveness

Forgiveness is a transformative act of releasing past hurts and grievances. It frees the heart from bitterness and resentment, paving the way for healing and personal growth.

Oneness

Recognizing the interconnectedness of all beings and the universe dismantles the illusion of separateness. This realization leads to a profound unity and reverence for all creation.

Meditation

Regular meditation practice is a gateway to inner peace and spiritual insights. Through quieting the mind, individuals gain clarity and access to higher levels of consciousness.

Service

Engaging in selfless acts of service and kindness uplifts others and the one who serves. It is a potent way to express love and compassion in action.

Love

Love is the essence of spirituality. Embracing love in all forms – self-love, unconditional love for others, and divine love – nurtures the soul and opens the heart to transformative experiences.

The Complexities of Humanity’s Desire for Growth

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Where does humanity’s desire indeed lie? With how society is progressing, have humans attained what they need for satisfaction? Or have they veered far from true happiness?

The world is immensely different now than how it was, say, five or ten years ago. Society has continuously sought and achieved developments, working to advance technologies and communities in hopes of easing and improving people’s lives. But if one stops to look around, even just a moment, are lives significantly better? Or have people desired to achieve more than they can handle, biting off more than they can chew?

Regarding the discussion of humanity’s desire, nothing comes before happiness. It’s the pinnacle of human needs, which they constantly aim to appease and look for in every endeavor. Whatever they do, they hope the result gives them happiness and contentment. However, the longer they seek it, the more they get confused about what genuinely provides it. This happiness gets lost in translation, blurred by the numerous opportunities and resources provided by society.

 

The Happiness Encompassing Humanity’s Desire

In the book by Chet Shupe entitled Rediscovering the Wisdom of Human Nature: How Civilization Destroys Happiness, the author established that humanity’s desire for survival has always been connected with happiness. Humans don’t only need to survive; they must also find happiness. However, humans have mistakenly sought this in knowledge, mistaking satisfaction for happiness.

They believe that happiness is found in the success of their developments and technology, that they’re happier when buildings become taller machinery eases work, or when the latest gadgets drop one after the other. However, Chet Shupe defines this as a misconception, believing none convey the true definition of happiness. This might as well be a satisfaction to see the result of people’s hard work, but it’s not genuine happiness.

Throughout this journey of constantly developing and advancing as a civilization, people have forgone to fulfill humanity’s desire. Instead, they’ve repressed how they genuinely feel in exchange for this false sense of survival and happiness.

It’s no question that technology has made lives better. Things have become easier to handle and more accessible due to the continuous advancements in society. Technology has made resources accessible to people from all walks of life. But in doing so, they might have overlooked that development is making life progressively faster, forcing people to juggle tasks and peace. Although technology has inexplicably improved society, it has made people forget what truly matters.

 

It’s Not in Knowledge That People Thrive in Happiness

These developments brought about by accumulated knowledge may have helped people secure material needs. But it doesn’t fulfill what they genuinely want. Regardless of how efficient life has become because of machines and technology, it won’t be half as fulfilling without connection.

Humans are social beings. It’s in humanity’s desire, their emotional heritage, to seek comfort and contentment in emotional connections. They may be blinded in feeling satisfaction through societal developments. But they will only achieve genuine happiness through deep emotional intimacy. Material developments and abundance might have aided their survival, but connection and intimate interaction with each other lead them to survival and happiness.

This connection would be easy to satisfy if people don’t have other needs. However, civilization and its laws enclose people’s decisions, reshaping what people should enjoy.

In today’s civilization, happiness occupies the lowest bar for humanity’s desire. With the need for success, landing high-paying careers is typically prioritized regardless of whether they provide happiness. Instead of seeking fulfillment in emotional connection, they’re left to find gratification elsewhere. This is where accumulating knowledge and the satisfaction derived from continuous societal development come in.

Although they don’t provide genuine happiness, people constantly seek them out because, for the very least, they’re a stand-in for the connection they can’t proactively seek.

 

Love and Happiness in the Wrong Places

This misplaced humanity’s desire for advanced knowledge doesn’t contribute to what truly matters. People shouldn’t seek progress but rather real contentment through happiness and experiencing love. The more they believe that happiness can be found in this progressiveness, the more humanity’s desire becomes insatiable, always seeking more.

People’s growing love for knowledge has made them less after true wisdom, which would make their lives flourish more. Instead of development and progression, love and experience are the primary elements to help achieve balance and harmony in the world. They’re what people need to survive longer and live happier lives. People aren’t drowning because of a lack of resources but because they’re spending their energy and time on the wrong priorities. Humans didn’t evolve because of civilization. They grew because of the community and connection they’ve built with each other.

Materialism as an Ever-Tightening Spiritual Trap

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The world is an oyster, but we must work for the pearl. And on the way there, we find ourselves wanting more than we should. Is it a trap?

Humanity has significantly advanced in civilization, technology, and culture, as evidenced by history. However, along with them comes the disparity of amassing endless wealth, which makes us spiritually untrustworthy. How do we return to our senses and free ourselves from the tight grasp of materialism?

Society has reached a point where we divide ourselves according to socioeconomic status. More than half of the world’s population continually strives for material things that claw their way into a person’s desire. Even if you say you’re not the type of person to want more than what you have, the world has ingrained its subtle influences of wanting to fit in.

Peer pressure is not just a teen’s problem. Seeing people around you enjoying and flaunting their privilege makes you want to be like them. It creates an ever-growing desire for status and respect by gaining material wealth and climbing the social ladder.

Getting caught in the worldly current 

While aiming for status and respect is partially correct, too much of anything good must be corrected. The contrast in priorities becomes blurry, and we will inevitably forget what it means to be spiritually trustworthy, making us more miserable than ever.

Materialism has become a tangible way of life we couldn’t live without. As it’s not widely considered a negative attribute, materialism is heavily associated with shallowness and greed. Built from the foundation of capitalism, we learned to attach ourselves to money and possessions.

The falseness of the institutional life of materialism can be found in the book ‘Spiritual Freedom Press’ by Chet Shupe. Because of today’s technological advancement on our planet, we are coerced into participating in this capitalist society. It is an irrefutable establishment that won’t change until this world fades.

And when we try to look back, life was genuinely simple, especially for our ancestors. The simplicity of their lives was not only about hunting and gathering but the lack of greed, which created spiritual distrust. By distancing ourselves from that life, we become liars in our own right, ultimately paying the price: the isolation and destruction of our planet.

The shared vision of a successful life

An individual’s purchasing power has become the standard of success today. The more you can afford, the better disposition you have in life. Having massive amounts of material possessions also affect one’s self-esteem, ingraining that prosperity is synonymous with happiness and fulfillment.

While that may be true, such a mentality contributes to the fast deterioration of humanity and the planet. We keep building a house of cards that may fall apart with a small gust of wind.

Civilization made us think materialism is a matter of being better than others. It also entails a cry for acceptance in a competitive society that forces us to burn everything that hinders us from getting to the level of material wealth and success.

A closer look into the issue

Experts often argue that people are motivated by materialism because of rejection, fear, and the fleeting limit of life. While it’s a lot to digest, desiring extravagant things can be good or bad depending on one’s motive.

Our fast-paced environment doesn’t help in the growing extrinsic motive for materialism. We should look at ourselves and ask if we want to buy the most expensive and latest things for the sake of bragging. If the motive points inward, you risk falling into the rabbit hole of materialism.

Taking back the essence of our humanity

Materialism is a complex trap, with some people complicit in its perpetration and others developing it over time. Because we are too caught up in clawing our way to the top, we lose our sense of wonder, unable to trust others and reinforcing the desire to want more unnecessarily.

We must recognize and address the issue internally, one step at a time. Imbuing such awareness will create a sense of belonging and simplicity – something our ancestors once had. Severing our codependency towards amassing wealth may help sustain our planet’s lifespan, eventually trickling into a brighter and better future for humanity.

Avoiding Pain and Stunting Emotional Growth

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How is it possible that the more we try to avoid pain, the more it hurts? Why should we stop running from it when it’s one thing we want to steer clear of?

You might have experienced being at the lowest point of your life for the past few years. Those moments make you question your life in general. What more could be lacking, even for people with everything they need?

There are moments when we hit a level of vulnerability we’ve never experienced. We feel like a failure even though waves of happiness can be felt from time to time. This causes us to look for more ways to alleviate the pain. But the emptiness will catch up to us even if we try new things like getting a new job, new partner, new hobbies, etc.

If you’re caught up in a situation like that, rediscovering the wisdom of human nature and our spiritual freedom can be suitable for people who have constantly been running from their fears. While avoiding pain may be great, it won’t go away soon. And the insightful honesty of Chet Shupe’s book fits just like that. The Spiritual Freedom Press can guide you in navigating the fearsome path of life. Avoiding pain is only temporary, but it’s not the only solution.

How long must we keep avoiding pain?

In all honesty, no one knows. Everyone struggles with pain, and reactions often vary depending on the gravity of the situation. There’s not enough wisdom to singlehandedly take the pain away from us. Time won’t fly, making us paralyzed by it. So if one asks that question, the answers would vary and won’t make sense.

It’s also natural for humans to seek pleasure to avoid pain. No one likes to carry on with an aching heart. This instinct is hard-wired into our subconscious, and we are shaped around it. Undeniably, we are all inclined toward safety rather than confronting the hurt. However, moving along a path with the least resistance will get us nowhere. It even comes with worse consequences.

What do we learn from pain?

All of us want to grow at some point. But we intentionally forget that pain is part of growth and the catalyst of change. Without experiencing it, we fail to learn what matters most, eventually destroying our happiness. We won’t be as capable and enduring in the long run. Humans are conditioned to avoid pain; confronting it sometimes feels like an unfamiliar concept.

Our thoughts are often full of wanting everything to be enough. If only we achieve that in all aspects, we believe life can be pain-free. The problems we’re trying to escape from would still pop up somewhere else, most likely on a slippery slope. By continuing the same path, we develop a relationship with avoidance. It makes us alienated from the world the more we side with it.

Numbing the terrible pain is understandable. But our ultimate survival lies in our choice to face the pain head-on. Our troubles resemble dark clouds – circling and hovering as it follows us. We can only swat it off when we learn to develop tolerance. That’s because there are excruciating moments that we have to live with for a lifetime.

Lessons from a cruel fate of avoiding pain

It’s never easy to let ourselves be vulnerable and feel the pain. Despite being transitory, the hurtful moments in our lives can be a turning point that changes us entirely. We become different from what we used to be, affecting our relationships and potential for growth. Looking for our old selves will take us an indefinite amount of time, and most likely, we’re still trying to find it. So it’s okay. You’re not wrong for enduring that long, especially when you felt alone or lonely the whole time.

Cruel is the pain that has legs that can run and wings that fly towards us wherever we go. When going through it, there’s a feeling that there won’t be any help. After all, the world has taught us that it’s every man for himself. Our judgment gets clouded when our world splits down the middle, making it hard to find closure. All those wounds won’t be stitched up anytime soon.

We can run, but here’s the catch: avoiding pain never meant that we could hide. And so we run from the things that cause us more hurt. Avoiding pain also means circling in the middle of nowhere until we think we feel nothing anymore. However, not making it go away leads to more ruin. Not even the typical distractions can help long-term. By exerting effort to confront our pain, there lies the strength that’s been hiding the whole time.

The Natural Selection Process: ‘Survival of The Fittest’

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Part of being human is to evolve. It is a driving force that influences natural selection. Today, let’s uncover how it has impacted the shape of the present world. 

Natural selection refers to an evolutionary change that gives each creature a chance to thrive according to its assigned habitat. If they are well-suited, they have a better advantage than those thrown into the scene with little to cope with the designated environment. Unfortunately, they will meet a tragic end.

The day Charles Darwin came up with the evolution theory, there was a missing piece he needed to complete the puzzling picture, which was natural selection. It could also be defined as species that gained adaptive traits, which they will eventually pass on to the next generation of species after them. British economist Herbert Spencer initially coined the term ‘survival of the fittest’ concerning Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection.

Spencer compared it to one of his books as an economic principle. It caught the attention of a wider audience until the phrase was used extensively across various forms, such as the book ‘On the Origin of Species,’ a book still written by Darwin. Unfortunately, when a buzzword gets too popular and overused, the meaning dissolves in the distance; and the context gets misused.

The misconception behind natural selection and survival of the fittest

Don’t you love it when the internet notoriously overuses jargon that doesn’t fit well with what they want to say? Social media has enabled this behavior, and this needs to be redefined once and for all. A lot may say that being the ‘fittest’ automatically means being in the best physical condition to survive in specific environments which aren’t ordinarily adequate for all.

However, it doesn’t pertain entirely to the ones in their best shape with the highest likelihood of survival. Just because the most vital individual survived, they’re not always the best references to human evolution. As we’re pressed to find a more accurate definition, some of us get lost in translation. Darwin didn’t create the theory of development according to who’s healthier and physically stronger.

The evolution of humans to the survival of the fittest

Only the strongest will continue living in a world that doesn’t stay the same over time. Growth plays a dominant role in the transition of beings, including humans. Can we still say the same for humans who did experience it first-hand?

It’s not just the physical aspects of humans that evolved. Even the way of life and cultural aspects became so diverse and distinctive, having access to better basic needs like food, healthcare, and hygiene. They somehow reduced the hazards that past civilizations experienced. These dangers to humanity are perceived as selection pressures that drove humans to do everything they could to stay alive and evolve as we are.

Fixing the misconception that natural selection only spares the healthy

There is little we can do now that the term is stuck in misrepresented ideas. It might be ideal for treading carefully when using the phrase to avoid any misunderstanding and inaccuracy. Especially when discussing both Evolution Theory and natural selection.

Time waits for no one, which also applies to the evolution of beings in general, including humans. A better way to explain it is giraffes inherited their evolved long necks from their ancestors, which gave them leverage that other herbivores lack. Because they have a better food source from above, they can pass it on via reproduction. Creatures with shorter necks have limited food access and are less likely to survive the next millennia.

Natural selection also leans on the reality of this world constantly evolving in the blink of an eye. Along with the natural world changing before us, so did human nature. But we must acknowledge that things may have been different back then, but some remained the same. You can learn more about it in the book ‘Rediscovering the Wisdom of Human Nature’ by Chet Shupe, brought to you by the Spiritual Freedom Press.

Adaptation is essential for organisms to live longer. Otherwise, their genetic mutation can be their downfall, shrinking their population from few to zero. Natural selection has been predicted short term by a few scientists. However, no one has accurately predicted the future outcome because of the fluctuating environmental conditions. Natural selection claims that whoever thrives has a better chance of adapting to their designated environment. And with the rapid changes the world is going through, especially with evolution on the rise, humanity needs to step up and be better at adapting before serious consequences come.

All About Social Constructs And Examples Of What They Are

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Social constructs stem from a collective belief that came to be after a particular group accepted it. By learning what social constructs are and their examples, you might have a grasp on what needs to change.

Certain societies or groups form a uniform mindset on what everyone else must follow according to their standards. Sometimes, they’re not often based on objective realities but more on the idea of being acceptable personally. Social constructs do not hold any meaning.

It is usually up to the people to give context to the rules and systems they’re trying to implement. One of the most concrete examples is how pink pertains to girls, and blue is to boys, which applies to clothing or any other item. This idea shaped society’s perception for a long time until it was unlearned recently. Rather than being a form of truth from an objective standpoint, that belief came from being given meaning within a social context.

Books like “Rediscovering the Wisdom of Human Nature” by Chet Shupe are good references that talk about humanity’s potential to live happily, if not for the ridiculous artificial order imposed by institutions. Chet Shupe wants readers to know that we can still uncover the wisdom that serves as a roadmap to regain our natural sense of purpose; despite how civilization destroys happiness.

Examples of social constructs

Many social constructs were formed and became a norm after a long period of teaching them to succeeding generations. Such standard practices were widely accepted since people of authority deemed them to be. When those concepts were formed, those responsible for the widespread ideals were seen as role models – people with all the right to impose rules and regulations for everyone to follow.

Here are some examples of common social constructs that we are following and living by, subconsciously or not:

Adulthood – the age at which a person is considered an “adult” is subjective and will depend on every individual’s situation. For example, the United States and European Union see that people aged 18 are grown, adults. In other parts of the world, however, adulthood begins at age 16. But don’t mistake it as the legal age for drinking. Certain countries legalize drinking for young people at the age of 21.

Gender norms – there are behaviors that people perceive as something that belongs to a specific gender. A good example would be how men are not allowed to be emotional, while it’s normal for women to be. A man can react, but a woman can only overreact. Another is the notion that boys should stick to playing with trucks and video games while girls should dress in pretty skirts and play with dolls.

Gender norms alone are a complex issue that’s currently being broken down. Society has seen gradual changes over time, although there’s still a long way to go, with a lot to work on. For example, the belief is that women are built for marriage and being wives while men go to work. Specific industries that used to be exclusive for men (medicine, construction work, entrepreneurship, etc.) have been taken over by women, breaking the old cycle of jobs that belong to a particular gender.

Governments – governing bodies are social constructs where models of leadership and authority are formed to implement order in society. However, not everyone operates the same way. Different communities function under various governing bodies rooted in their history and culture. Hence, the diverse types of governments worldwide.

Family – usually, people think of “family” as a basic unit that forms the community. The traditional setup of a mother, father, and children usually defines a family. A married couple is legally bound together under a sacred institution of marriage, and they subsequently produce children. Today, a family being biologically related to one another has been slowly blurred and redefined. Family can be a friend, a pet, or even a group of strangers platonically caring for each other.

Marriage – not all groups agree on a universal form of marriage. Religious beliefs picture it as a divine sacrament that can never be broken except by death. Some groups view it as a political and economic alliance for personal gain. Arranged marriages, where groups from both parties set up a man and woman together without the necessary emotional attachments, are also part of typical social constructs.

However, with the change of tides in gender roles, many people are working towards shifting what must be considered normal within the context of marriage. For example, the idea is that marriage is a personal choice and doesn’t have to be necessarily a show of proof that people love each other.

Religion – religious practices were born from a desire to seek guidance from a higher being. Humans were wired to look up to somebody, be it another person or a divine individual. Religion is also a highly regarded social construct that influences culture and history. They are one of the primary reasons that society operates a certain way, and in some cases, the laws of the land are rooted in religion.

In conclusion

One thing you should know about social constructs is this: you don’t have to conform to every one of them, even if it means earning the ire of many people around you. People who go against the flow may have been treated like an outcast, excluded in many social interactions, etc. But looking at them closely, they seem happier, more accessible, and relieved that they are not bound to those social constructs.

Learning the Origins of Our Misery | A Class with Chet Shupe

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The origins of our misery lie in civilization itself

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Join author Chet Shupe as he talks about the pitfalls of civilization and the urgent need for humanity to rediscover the wisdom of human nature.

Despite the evident advancements in society and technology, a good chunk of the human population still lives miserable and unhappy lives. Have you ever wondered why that is? Why is it that in an age of unprecedented wealth and resources, people still remain poor? Why is it that when medical solutions are at their most accessible, plenty of people still die of sickness? Why is it that when there is more than enough food to feed the world, people still die of hunger? 

Why, in this time of instant communication, are people still as lonely as ever?

It’s because there is a fundamental divide inherent in human civilization. It is a contradiction that stems from the fact that civilization is antithetical to our original human nature, a nature rooted in the emotional core we call the soul.

The Pitfalls of Civilization

The basis for a natural human community is the intimacy of interdependent relationships. But modern society, with its pervasive authorities and arcane rules, has caused even family relationships, like the one between parent and child, to take on a transactional and reactive nature. Values and virtues such as altruism and selflessness have been replaced with self-interest and opportunism. This twisting of traditional perspectives further isolates individuals, and promotes egotism as the only means of survival and success.

Modern people still believe that civilization has been quite beneficial to the human species. Yet its rapid growth and expansion reveal that there are unwieldy seams in its fabric–and they are very close to tearing apart and dragging everyone down.

Everywhere, humanity is chafing under the oppressiveness of an ever-growing body of laws, while also becoming extremely vulnerable, without them. This is the intrinsically paradoxical nature of the current paradigm. Humanity is akin to an animal in a cage. Though there is a freedom of movement, inside the cage, it’s obvious that there is very little food for the soul. 

The Origins of Our Misery

While the advent of civilization provided humanity with more and more opportunities, the continuation of civilization, itself, has become its primary goal, not human contentment. This might not look terrible, at first glance, because we grow up accepting our suffering as normal, even as we live “lives of quiet desperation.”

As it strives to maintain the appearance of order, civilization creates iron-clad conditions that keep people alienated from each other. There is no room, in modern society, for the intimate and trusting engagement that all human souls once took for granted. The alienation of modern society eliminates the potential for self-knowledge, as well as deeper relationships among individuals and groups. In other words, modern society long ago ceased to be beneficial for the human soul. It exists only to maintain the appearance of order, an order that seems, relentlessly, to be breaking down.

Though it largely remains hidden, the mindlessness of the overarching framework of civilization cannot be unseen, once seen, as it utterly ignores and represses the elemental wisdom that each individual is born with. Thus, we are denied access to our inner knowledge, the wisdom of our souls—evolution’s most precious gift.

Humanity’s reliance and dependence on artificially constructed hierarchies has resulted in widespread, insidious social isolation that most can’t even tell is happening. People are increasingly cheated out of experiencing life’s meaning, and the contentment that results from participating in its process. 

Want to Learn More About the Origins of Our Misery?

Chet Shupe speaks authentically of the urgency for people to reconnect with their inner natures, and with humanity’s natural heritage—the freedom to be ourselves that is available only in the presence of true community. As an author and philosopher, he provides a unique perspective that reveals the incompatibility between civil and natural order.

Join him in a once-in-a-lifetime interactive space, as he engages with listeners and readers. In this class, he discusses how living a fulfilling life requires relying on our instinctive wisdom for purpose and direction, and not the contrived systems of modern society.

Using passages from his book, Rediscovering the Wisdom of Human Nature—How Civilization Destroys Happiness, as the basis for discussion, Shupe builds upon his ideas, and expands them, further. Through engaging discussions, he explains what humanity has lost, since the establishment of civilization.

Plenty of people are looking for concrete solutions, but the liberation of the human soul isn’t possible, given our present circumstances.  Hence, Shupe does not endeavor to provide a framework for living a better life, within the current paradigm. Rather, Shupe seeks to reveal the true nature of the natural human way of life. He wants to share with others his view about what life would be like, if humans were to shed the pretenses of civilization, and emotionally engage with one another, through interdependent relationships, as Nature intended.

This class by Chet Shupe offers a new view that defines the natural human way of life that brings human beings inner peace, by satisfying the needs of our souls—a way of life that, to realize, requires a very new, yet ancient and soul-felt perspective on what life is about:

From the perspective of the human soul, life is not about your or my survival. It’s about the survival of life, itself. Spiritual fulfillment is Nature’s reward for serving life. All rewards for serving self are superficial, thus temporal—their source is our imaginations, not the human soul. 

Tips To Be Aware Of Following Social Conformity

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How everyone behaves might be a product of society. Every individual is given the right to decide, be sure that you practice and exercise it so as not to fall on the cons of social conventionality.

Conformity is a social influence that changes a person’s behavior or beliefs to fit in with a distinct group. This change happens as a counter to either imagined or real pressure and expectations from the group. It may involve the force of societal norms, the physical presence of other people, or a general aspiration to gain a specific level of success.

Social norms are the behaviors that are expected from people as a community. They play a prominent role in everyday life that people do not realize. Social norms give people an expected behavior of how to act in a specific situation and what is appropriate and inappropriate in different settings.

Moreover, people’s behavior changes as the individual become more attracted to a group they need to belong to; this is known as conformity. Consequently, this can make an individual feel pressured to change their beliefs to the groups, even if they do not believe in them themselves. However, not everyone is attracted to the same group or is as easily persuaded. Fulfilling the needs of someone in authority can portray an individual as submissive and obedient. This power can influence specific behavior as those in charge are seen as more intelligent and therefore are listened to. In more particular behaviors like drug use or alcohol consumption, group peer pressures can be responsible for this behavior. Family and friends are essential when considering the social norms one would follow and the decisions one makes. Conformity is a change in a person’s beliefs and behavior which can affect human behavior.

 

These are the cons of social conformity that are essential to review.

1. It hampers personal progress. The company, a person, chooses to keep becomes a direct reflection of the success they’re able to achieve. If you surround yourself with positive influences, your desire for conformity will create favorable outcomes for you. The opposite occurs if you allow yourself to be covered with negative people. Dire consequences can ruin your chances at success in a variety of ways. 

2. Increases the chances of depression. The fear of being rejected is something that most individuals face at least once in their lives. It builds a feeling that compels you to follow the people you want to have, like you blindly. If you succumb to this pressure, the emotional response in either direction increases the chances of depression forming later in life.

3. Causes one to lose their identity. The actions that groups play some people to make them conform creates a problematic issue because it forces a loss of their identity. Each individual is distinctly different from every other. 

4. It often leads to apathy. The desire for conformity on a personal level often builds a group apathy that becomes prevalent in society. The individuals who try to conform often feel like they can do the same things the groups they observe do now. When they can gain that success, they look to a higher power to handle whatever concerns they feel are impacting their efforts. Blind trust always creates problems in society. It also generates feelings where people decide that issues are not their problems. They agreed that everyone else should handle the situation and pressure others just as their preferred groups placed it on them.

Chet Shupe, an author of the book, “Rediscovering the Wisdom of Human Nature—How Civilization Destroys Happiness,” hopes it will inspire a reawakening to one’s inborn wisdom; this is Nature’s map of life, which civilized life ignores, to one’s grave detriment. Regaining humanity’s natural sense of order, purpose, and belonging cannot be forced. It will result from one’s recognition that the only access to the wisdom of one’s soul is the feelings everyone experiences in light of one’s present circumstances. Feelings inspired by one’s concerns about the imagined future, on the other hand, dissociate everyone from the wisdom of one’s soul, the souls of those around us, and, most ominously, from the experience of being alive to the moment. When forced by externally imposed laws that repress our feelings of the moment out of concern for our future well-being, we are not living. We are marking time.

  • As you live, you must remember that there are other people, organisms, and Nature. Humanity should consider that everyone is affecting every individual and everything. So when you interact, think of how you affect everyone and everything that surrounds you. 

Book Feature: Chet Shupe On The Wisdom Of Human Nature

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Photo by Oleksandr Pidvalnyi

Did humanity make a colossal mistake when it decided to evolve from how it once was? Chet Shupe takes on how human nature has changed and developed over time in his book “Rediscovering the Wisdom of Human Nature.”

No one can pinpoint the exact turnaround that led to humanity’s road to evolution. From primitive beings who only lived by instinct and discovered the simple joys of igniting a fire for the first time. Old folks would say, “Life was way simpler back then.”

What would life be like if humans had not created and imposed the intricacies of communication called language? How would we go on about our day if we weren’t required to be functional members of society, working our backs off capitalism?

Chet Shupe’s book emphasizes living in the present, erasing all traces of anxiety. The book also describes how language changed everything and manifested into a monotonous lifestyle we cannot escape.

The price of evolution

As history depicted, early primitive humans didn’t have specific rules and systems to follow. They go along with whatever life in nature has to offer. Food and shelter were the only basic needs that even we modern-day people prioritize.

There needs to be proof of when the interest in the future began. Still, after humans gained knowledge and used it to their advantage, that’s where civilization rose at the cost of blood and several other tragedies.

Human transformation collectively manifested in several ways – from the carvings of cave dwellers to the early civilization in Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt. These civilizations became a catastrophe to the once carefree way of life, creating law and order. Along with that concept comes the price of disregarding such rules, such as the concept of “punishment.”

Literature and language were gifts that enabled man to walk the Earth and become intellectually superior to all other creations of the Earth. However, it came with various negative attributes like exploitation and greed. Those things led humanity into a series of disasters, whether natural, economic, or psychosocial.

How humans led themselves to the road of worry

Ever since man learned to read and write, we’ve had an unpleasant relationship with the future as we tend to look down on people who don’t have a clear and decided lot; and people who choose to live in the moment are often viewed with disdain.

The idea of not being able to plan for what’s to come and not guaranteeing tomorrow became one of the worst fears known to humans.

Untangling the thread of worrying about the future

It will take a lifetime for some people to unlearn the rigid structures set by society. The abilities we gained after being gifted with language may have given us ways to safeguard ourselves for the long term.

However, that’s not what we were primarily designed to live. Rediscovering the Wisdom of Human Nature by Chet Shupe shows us how the rise of civilization over time destroys happiness. It delves deep into detail about how the covert idea of future stability and security makes life lose all its meaning.

With progress came destruction, and it doesn’t have to pertain to the inevitable “end of the world .” It can mean the constant weight of anxiety, loneliness, and desperation. These things can make people search for endless ways to be happy.

The human evolution from learning the basics of language may have increased our capacity to do many things. At the same time, it degraded our emotional intelligence and ability to have empathy. Living in the moment induces anxiety for many of us since we were groomed to think that if we don’t prepare now, we’ll be sorry later.

Chet Shupe: author and whistle-blower

Chet Shupe, out of the urgency to look into people’s connection and true nature, was born out of unity. The author goes on a journey to rediscover the wisdom of beauty and the knowledge of humanity. After suffering from Attention Deficit Disorder, Shupe lived a life of hardship and went through treatments.

Despite what happened to him, Chet Shupe thought that life made sense somehow. Due to his extraordinary experience, he began writing about medical treatments for the brain. Chet Shupe realized while writing about brain dysfunction, and he discovered that there’s also a long-running cultural dysfunction.

As a result, he tackled the intellectual, emotional, spiritual, and psychosocial aspects of how humans used their intelligence to their advantage, but at the expense of simple joys. The constant pursuit of happiness became the author’s main objective in this book.