COLLECTIVE AND RELATIONSHIPS

As writers for this magazine, we strive to keep our articles positive. However, the tense atmosphere our country has been experiencing in recent months has made the collective energy less productive. In times like these, our duty is to raise awareness. Yet, the reality is that we cannot completely separate ourselves from the collective, but we can use meditation or other awareness practices to understand how our thoughts align or conflict with it.

The mystic, Sufi, and poet Mevlâna Jalaluddin Rumi says: "If you want to see the devil, look in the mirror."

This is precisely what happens when we merge with the collective and fail to distinguish our essence from it—when we cannot perceive where something begins or ends.

It has been written before, and it will be written again. Until the moment of ultimate reunion, I wish to continue writing: "Our purpose in this world is to evolve toward truth."

Just as health and illness exist as a pair, so do right and wrong.

But let’s not say, "Oh, I am righteous, I have arrived," because these are merely the polarities of being human. Unless you live alone in an entirely separate universe, you will inevitably encounter these contrasts—unfortunately, deviation from the right path is inherent to humanity. From childhood, we internalize behaviors from our ancestors and surroundings, categorizing them as right or wrong and storing them in our consciousness or subconsciousness. Sometimes, these distortions reveal themselves at unexpected moments.

The most crucial step we can take is to recognize that these distortions are also part of us and to deepen our awareness. In other words, we must neither identify with the distortion nor deny that it is within us. If we remain caught in the tension between these two extremes, we can channel the energy of the distortion into the realm of truth.

So, here’s a question: Where does this distortion reveal itself?

The answer: Everywhere possible!

Take certain couples, for example. One partner might say, "I never get angry." And it may be true—they never do, because they have unconsciously assigned that role to their partner. Similarly, the other might claim, "I never worry." And they truly may not, because they have transferred that responsibility to their spouse. Yet, neither of them is aware of this unspoken agreement. This type of dynamic is, unfortunately, one of the saddest examples, often leading to later fractures in relationships and marriages.

Other times, you may find that your partner does precisely what you do not want them to do, exactly as you feared. How is this even possible? The answer is always the same…

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