Have you ever wondered why you do things in a group that you would never do on your own? There is a subtle force that pulls you in and can easily dominate you. This is known as gregarious behaviour — a blind and mechanical impulse. The word gregarious comes from the Latin gregarius, meaning “of the herd”.
This behaviour expresses the tendency of the “human machine” to follow the crowd. We call it the human machine because it lacks real will and independent thought. It acts without conscious control or independent reflection.
In gatherings or demonstrations, this force causes your character to change. You may join acts of anger or violence without any personal reason. Later, you may find yourself surprised by your own actions. This shows that something unconscious has been driving you. Your consciousness “falls asleep” under the influence of groups.
In this article we are going to describe how this inner mechanism works. Discover why we allow others to make decisions for us and the keys to regaining control of the course of your own life.
Negative Impressions: The Hidden Root of Gregarious Behaviour
The difference between acting alone or in a group has one single cause. First of all we need to understand that everything we perceive through our senses are impressions. Opening the door to all impressions is our fundamental mistake.
When we receive negative impressions, the emotional centre becomes disturbed. The heart loses its natural inner order. For example, someone you meet may be full of anger over a problem that has nothing to do with you. If you open your inner door to their words and emotions, you end up feeling their rage. You act with anger even though it the matter does not concern you at all. You absorb all that negative emotion without any conscious control.
Gregarious behaviour is common in adolescents, who form close peer groups. A young person may begin smoking simply by accepting the impression created by friends who smoke. This is a mechanical need to belong to that circle. The same happens with the first alcoholic drinks: drunkenness is the result of accepting the impressions of a negative environment. Many difficulties and even tragedies often begin with these early follies.
Human beings infect one another very easily. Drug addicts influence others and multiply the problem. A thief can influence someone else to steal. We multiply vices because we open the doors of our senses without discernment. Negative impressions are accepted automatically, without any conscious filter.
You must choose very carefully which impressions to allow in. It is not right to allow any form of energy invade you. This is the starting point of Gnostic inner work.
Close the Door: A Key to Emotional Control
We have seen how negative impressions enter our psyche and influence our behaviour. It is essential to avoid falling into gregarious behaviour. You must choose which impressions you allow to enter your mind. The Gnostic key lies in the conscious selection of your emotions. You must become the guardian of your own emotional centre.
You must close the doors of your heart to everything that is destructive. Deny entry to emotions of hatred, violence, or jealousy. Reject impressions related to drugs and fornication. You do not have to accept alcoholism or lewdness. If you do not close the door, these influences will get in and dominate you. Self-observation is the practice that prevents impressions from causing you to fall into gregarious behaviour.
Master Samael Aun Weor speaks of making a radical transformation. In The Revolution of the Dialectic, he teaches that true change means ceasing to be a puppet of the masses. A person who is awakening consciousness must not behave gregariously.
On the other hand you must open yourself to positive emotions. Welcome light, beauty, and harmony. Accept impressions of joy, love, and perfection. These energies build inner harmony and strength within you.
Conscious reflection is your most powerful tool. Through it, you can completely transform gregarious behaviour. In this way, your entire existence can truly become better. Take control now of your emotional life and of your destiny.
Mastering Gregarious Behaviour
Gregarious behaviour is a mechanical pattern that prevents spiritual advancement. It makes you a victim of external circumstances. True Gnostic work begins with self-observation. You must recognise how easily you open your inner doors to negative impressions from your environment.
You now possess the essential tool for this transformation: the conscious selection of every impression. Close the doors of your heart to anything that brings destruction or failure. Accept only light, harmony, and perfection. Avoiding gregarious behaviour makes your life better, more conscious.
Awakening is an individual and continuous effort. Do not put your faith in the masses to guide your spiritual destiny. Take the helm of your emotional life once and for all.If this analysis has helped you recognise your own unconscious mechanics, share it! Help others free themselves from gregarious behaviour. And subscribe to our blog to continue this inner work. You will receive more keys for transformation and self-knowledge.
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