Mainstream Self Development and the Lack of Individuality in the Industry
I’ve just finished listening to a podcast that I love where the hosts entertained a guest who is a Hay House author and world renowned speaker.
I listened to the entire thing and thought “where were you 3 years ago?”
For 5 years now, I have been lapping up any kind of self development work; firstly it was books, then in 2020 I discovered that podcasts were awesome too. I’ve also used Instagram, blogs, free webinars, coaching sessions and everything else in between; you name it, I have developed myself into the person I am today… and I will keep growing.
But in 2020 I discovered Human Design; the synthesis that we are inherently different from one another. Since then, I have grown my spiritual journey so that I become more and more self-aware.
I always thought that I wasn’t spiritual since I didn’t live as a digital nomad, hug trees or wear hippie clothes. But Human Design showed me how stereotypical spirituality is just societal conditioning, not individuality.
Individuality is highly important to me; not only because the circuitry in my chart is “individual” (rather than “tribal” or “collective”) but because I now know how nuanced each person’s HD chart is.
I once met someone who turned 7 on the day that I was born. This meant we had similar factors in our charts; more than I would’ve thought. But we presented as entirely different beings. Not only did she have 6 years of deconditioning under her belt and I had just 1, but we led entirely different lives and thought and acted completely differently.
Anyway, back to the premise: mainstream self development.
As a projector with the 1st line in my profile, I investigated everything that was right for me to investigate; and this brought me joy and happiness to develop an acute sense of self awareness.
But when I listen to mainstream self development work NOW, now that I have gone through 2 years of deconditioning, and learnt how to do basic readings of HD charts, this is how I feel:
Positive
Because the more people who become self aware in this era, the better. Change is coming and the human race will need to adapt and mutate with it. Kids in schools will be learning about this time in their history classes.
But negative
Not saying that this particular guest on the podcast (who was there to plug her new book), was a toxic spiritualist, but the premise of her, and other mainstream self development work is that it’s not specific to one person. It’s generic. It breaks people down into two categories:
1) Those who cannot read or understand her premise
2) Those who can and love and are inspired by her premise
It’s like those who say “everyone needs to meditate every day”. Well no, actually. According to Human Design (and I must stress that HD doesn’t have to be taken literally, it’s not a rule book only a guide), some of us don’t find it that useful because we don’t have consistent mental pressure (open or undefined head centre).
You do you.
So why is Human Design different for self awareness?
I love HD because, just like my meditation example, it allows you to see that it’s ok that you’re not
- Meditating every day like other spiritual people
- Wanting to be around people all the time like your friends
- Loving the latest self development book like millions of others when really it just doesn’t sit with you
- Finding a partner, getting a job, going to uni or buying a house just like your parents want you to
You do you.
Human Design is the guide that helps you to realise you are different from others. If you are also a projector like me, you will be a completely different person than I am, even though we have the same understanding of how to wait for the invitation.
Is Mainstream Self Development Still Inspirational?
Yes, I still find self development books, podcasts and everything else inspirational. Hell, it inspired me to write this article. I even might just buy the book she’s publishing just because it will be inspirational for me (undefined head centre means I need inspiration from others).
So I’m not saying the self development industry is bad, or people shouldn’t help others come into alignment, or wake up. I’m just saying that sometimes I sit back from these things with the book at arms length (not literally, I wouldn’t be able to read it with my short sightedness), and remember that I am me, I am inherently different from everyone else, so I take what I want from the book and leave the rest. And just like Human Design, don’t take it as the bible for your life.
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