How interconnectedness affects our everyday lives

We are connected with other individuals in multiple ways. This shorts article explores why interconnectedness matters and how – when we understand how we are all connected – we can make wiser decisions and appreciate ourselves and others more.

How are we connected?

We are connected with others on multiple levels:

Physically

Our physical wellbeing is determined partly by our physical interaction with others. Our lives are greatly enhanced through intimate relationships with others including physical intimacy. However, we are also connected with others through the air we breathe and even through the microorganisms we carry and share! Did you know that 70% of our bodies are made up of microorganisms?!

Other forms of physical interaction and interconnection include how our genes are expressed in the physical world (epigenetics) and how the process of evolution relies on our interaction with our physical environment.

Emotionally

Have you noticed that emotions are contagious? We look to others for validation of our emotions and your mood can have a direct influence on the mood of others. If we want to have a positive influence on others, if they see an event as negative, we can reframe to help them to also see the upsides.

Socially

Humans are dependent on social interaction and for many people our social status is the biggest determinate of our self-worth. Social media exposure and usage has grown exponentially and celebrity culture has become the norm.

For many people, one of their biggest fears is rejection by their peer group. If you wish to understand the behaviour of others, you could take a look at who they socialize with and what the values and opinions are of that group. When we are appreciated and accepted by others we tend to blossom.

Economically

For most people, how prosperous we feel has a big impact on our sense of wellbeing. When the economy is on the up we tend to feel financially secure and we usually purchase more products and services. This is one of the reasons there is an upward spiral and there can be an economic boom.  Of course the opposite is true when the economy is on the down. Nobody is immune to the effects of the economic cycle.

Mentally

This form of interconnectedness can be subtle. The forces of the mind and “consciousness” are some of the least well understood, partly because many of the mechanics of the mind involve an unconscious element. Amongst other things, our unconscious mind helps us to run our bodies, it stores our learnings from the past and is the storehouse of our “ego” and personas.

The rather spooky world of psychic phenomena such as clairaudience, clairvoyance (hearing or seeing things from the future) and synchronicity (which relates to strange coincidences that just can’t be rationally explained) could be seen as clues to some form of mental and physical interconnectedness between us all. In my experience you can only take mental interconnectedness seriously if you have had a personal experience that cannot rationally be explained otherwise. If you are in touch with your intuition my experience is that mental interconnectedness can become clearer and more frequent.

Spiritually

Some people believe we come from one “source” and that we are a soul having a physical experience. The existence of the soul has been a topic of debate for centuries and our belief or experiences of spiritual connection can have a deep impact on how connected we feel and how we appreciate our unique human experience. A belief in the afterlife, and reincarnation through a soul’s journey, can provide us with a unique perspective on human form. It can also help us to think beyond our own physical lifetime and create an enhanced connection with humanity and life on earth.

How can I appreciate more of our interconnectedness?

In my experience it is impossible to feel lonely or bored if you believe you are part of something bigger than yourself. Your sense of worth improves and you become calmer when you feel you have unique a part to play in this experience we call life.

One of the best techniques to help feel more connected is meditation. At the retreat we have meditation sessions on most days of the week. Here are links to some articles on our blog that will help develop awareness of interconnectedness

1. Meditation to reconnect with yourself 
2. Meditation techniques explained
3. Meditation to create a life you love 

At La Crisalida we run relaxation and rejuvenation retreats all year round. For more information check out our relax and rejuvenate retreats page.