A monthly exploration in spiritual awareness: January 1, 2026
Race Mind—also called Collective Consciousness—is the shared mental atmosphere of humanity, formed by centuries of beliefs, fears, hopes, prejudices, and expectations. It is not a personal mind, yet it powerfully influences personal experience. Ernest Holmes described it as the “subjective mentality of the race,” a vast reservoir of accepted ideas that silently shape behavior, culture, and even physical conditions. Whether we are aware of it or not, each of us is born into this mental environment, much like breathing air already conditioned by what has gone before. Race Mind explains why certain ideas feel “normal,” why fear can spread quickly through societies, and why progress often meets resistance even when reason supports it.
Dr. Joseph Murphy
emphasized that the subconscious mind does not reason; it accepts what is
impressed upon it by repetition and authority. When ideas are widely
believed—about health, aging, race, limitation, or conflict—they become
embedded in the collective subconscious and are passed from generation to
generation. Joel Goldsmith referred to this as the “mesmeric influence” of the
world mind, a hypnotic suggestion that says suffering, lack, and conflict are
inevitable. Much of human struggle comes not from personal failure, but from
unconsciously accepting these collective assumptions as truth.
William James, one
of the fathers of modern psychology, recognized that consciousness is not
isolated but participatory. He wrote that the individual mind is part of a
larger stream of consciousness, influencing and being influenced by it. This
insight bridges psychology and spirituality: every thought we accept
strengthens either the fear-based patterns of Race Mind or the higher patterns
of wisdom and compassion. As Holmes taught, “We are not victims of our
environment, but of our belief in it.” To awaken spiritually is to realize that
we can think independently of the race belief, choosing truth over tradition,
love over fear.
The great spiritual teachers agree that
liberation begins with awareness. When we observe Race Mind without identifying
with it, its power diminishes. By consciously affirming higher truths—peace,
unity, abundance, and divine intelligence—we withdraw our consent from
collective fear and contribute to the healing of the whole. As each individual
transcends limitation in thought, the collective itself is subtly transformed.
In this way, personal awakening is never personal alone; it becomes a silent
service to humanity, lifting the race consciousness one awakened mind at a
time.
Another powerful
expression of Race Mind in our time is the unprecedented volume of false
information, conspiracy theories, and so-called “alternative facts” circulating
through media and social platforms. Never before has collective belief been
shaped so quickly or so emotionally. Repetition, sensationalism, and fear-based
narratives bypass reason and embed themselves directly into the subconscious,
exactly as Dr. Joseph Murphy warned. When large numbers of people accept
distorted ideas as truth, those ideas take on the appearance of reality,
influencing behavior, elections, public health, and human relationships. Joel
Goldsmith would describe this as intensified world hypnosis, where appearance
is mistaken for reality and noise replaces inner discernment.
Spiritual maturity
in such an environment requires vigilance and inner stillness. Ernest Holmes
taught that Truth is known by its alignment with Principle, not by popularity
or volume. William James likewise emphasized the necessity of critical
awareness, reminding us that belief without examination is a psychological
vulnerability. To rise above the confusion of modern Race Mind, one must
cultivate discernment, grounding thought in wisdom, compassion, and direct
inner knowing. By refusing to emotionally react to every claim and by
consciously choosing clarity over fear, we not only protect our own
consciousness but help stabilize the collective, demonstrating that Truth does
not need amplification—it needs recognition.
Keep the faith!
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