The Halo Effect
I was recently at a continuing education seminar and one of the speakers discussed the phenomena of 'Halo Effect'. I found an interesting article on the subject from Psychology today about Tiger Woods and the Halo effect.
The halo effect is the illusion of generalized grandeur. We are all tempted by its siren call: knowing that we wish for a world of heroes we are beckoned to imagine that our heroes are heroic over all horizons. There is no simple antidote to the seductive appeal of the halo effect. It's both easy and pleasurable to succumb to its illusions...
Many of Tiger's former devotees are now emotionally stunned and very disappointed in him. The enchantment and heroic lure of the halo effect was sufficiently powerful in this case that questions posed to his fans that might seem hyperbolic can be asked in earnest: Within which pantheon of gods did you actually have Tiger Woods located, rendering you distraught by the mere recognition that he is in some ways human? Upon what type of pedestal has Tiger Woods been standing in your mind's eye all these years, so that you now think he has taken a great fall? Within what type of Eden has he been roaming in the fantasia of your imagination, such that you now feel paradise has been lost? The halo effect does that to the human mind; it sets you up for the crash. His admirers loved him as a global personality; now they are not even sure he is a nice guy.
Here is The Article
GOOD VIBRATIONS
I have received a number of letters from people who say they have felt the aura or vibration of a saint or leader or celebrity or super star or Guru.
I know what they are saying because I have also felt these vibes and energy (when I expected to feel the vibes and energy).
Beatles fans feeling holy vibrations 1964
Pope fans feeling holy vibrations 2005
STAR STRUCK!
Some years ago I worked with the Missionaries of Charity as a volunteer (I am not nor have I ever been Catholic). At one point the leader, Mother Teresa, was scheduled to come to the hospice where we worked and we were all very excited to meet with her. Because I believed her to be a saint (and if I have ever met a saint, it was her) with an energy vibration, I tried to perceive the blessing of looking upon a saint. I told myself that I felt it, but all I really felt was a very deep awe of a very, very awesome woman. Someone who lead our efforts in the service of the poor. Someone who inspired us to look for the gift each person was. Someone who felt called by God and shared that calling with us.
Some years later, while doing other charitable work, I met several very well known movie stars. These people were absolutely, definitely not holy saints but for me the "vibration" was the same. It was at this point that I realized that the thing we feel when we brush elbows with 'saints' and 'movie stars' comes from within us, it doesn't project out of them.
THE GOOD BROTHER
When I was in SRF a certain minister (now deceased) was a great inspiration to many. He would have been a good minister in any religion. He was a great guy and demonstrated a great patience and kindness that we all admired. At one point a member of the church told me that this minister levitated and that he saw it. This rumor always went around but no one could ever identify the mystery person who saw the event. Intrigued I began talking more with this witness. Turns out the 'witness' had also seen UFOs, Babaji visions every night, 'Master' resurrected in visions telling him this and that and he also believed that a civilization lived on Mars. Ironically, he also had a brother who had seen bigfoot.
Ok. Well, I don't know, but I tend to think the person had a strong imagination. Meanwhile everyone was passing this levitating rumor around and embellishing on it to the point that it was a legend and everyone was "feeling the vibration". I want to add that the minister himself never claimed to levitate and never levitated or performed anything miraculous in front of the congregation, so I don't think he was the one who started the rumor going around.
CONVO MONGO
When we went to convocation every year we spent a week listening to well prepared speeches and sermons, meditating and working ourselves up for the final Spiritual grand extravaganza, an elderly lady of high position in the organization (you know who). When she was brought out at the end of the convocation to speak the anticipation was at it's highest peak. We were hyped up and ready to be blessed. It was like a silent rock concert. A couple of warm up bands and then the headliner. The last time I saw her she seemed confused and was batting at the mic like a cat, but we were hanging on her every word, in total awe of being in her presence.
( Just a side note; I get two holiday form letters each year that are supposedly written by this elderly woman. Judging by her actions and the talk she gave last time I saw her, I sincerely doubt she is lucid enough to actually be composing these letters....)
IS IT GOD SPEAKING TO ME?
I have been in communication with someone who was a member of a channeling cult in the 1980's. The way this was done is they would put on a big show, get the audience hyped up into a fervor and then the medium (or whatever they call them) would start channeling some ancient, highly advanced, all knowing being from another planet. I have watched the tapes and the acting wasn't even that good, but to a person who is THERE, believing and enthusiastic it can be very convincing.
The phenomena seems to be the same regardless of the source. Pope, Saint, Movie stars, Rock stars, resurrected Elvis sighting, Tiger Woods or channeled being from the planet Zircon. People are imagining they are picking up their Vibes.
The greater the glitter, hype and charisma the more we believe it.
Peace and Best Wishes,
Katie
