As already discussed, the ‘walking dead’ are those who, although physically alive, are mentally captured by the legacy of the departed. In this way, the dead are able to live vicariously through the actions and words of their living adherents. Thus, those adherents are the embodiment of the deceased, aka the ‘walking dead’.
On the flipside, ‘walking dead’ can refer to a zombified state of mind rather than the influence of a departed soul. In this light, a person can be rendered ‘dead’ even by influences who are very much alive and well. Thus, rather than describing the influence, ‘walking dead’ can be used to describe a lack of free and independent thought, or the death of a person’s true and unique nature.
Perhaps the most poignant example of this form of ‘walking dead’ are those whose minds are completely captured by a given narrative. This can be particularly true in the case of mass media, where such narratives are constantly and relentlessly streamed 24/7. Masses of people are essentially programmed by hosts who present carefully crafted and packaged information, literally doing the thinking for those willing to surrender their cognitive reasoning.
This programming creates a swarm of adherents who go about parroting soundbites and catchphrases, sounding much like the chanting zombies from the movies. But what makes this a case of ‘walking dead’ is the lack of logical and rational thought behind these chants, rendering those concerned ‘brain dead’ in a manner of speaking.
However, any influence can turn a person into the walking dead, including those of a benevolent nature. And this can be a real issue for those with a Highly Sensitive Mind, who are tuned-in to wavelengths beyond normal human frequencies. In fact, one such frequency, an invisible source of Cosmic Wisdom, can create real problems for those vulnerable to such energies.
Often referred to as the ‘universal mind’, ‘collective mind’, or ‘intuition’, this cosmic information highway is constantly flowing all around us. Composed of the thoughts and emotions of all living things, it is Nature’s very own World Wide Web. Unfortunately, the overpowering nature of this infinite wisdom can cause even the most level-headed person to lose themselves in the current, leaving them zombified in the process. Fortunately, this is where Lessing can make all the difference, allowing a person to interact with influences of such cosmic proportions without being wholly consumed by them.
In the end, there are living humans, recorded experiences of departed humans, and shared mind affecting everyone’s reality every single day. Once I was able to wrap my head around all these influences, from both the living and dead, tangible and intangible, visible and invisible, I did discover the main lesson being taught to me. And that’s what NOT to do in life especially when your circuitry is wired a little differently- specifically, surrender your conscious mind to forces beyond your control. Only then can you avoid becoming one of the walking dead.