Jennifer – I have experienced much the same. I’m not sure if this relates to you, but one thing I ask myself is whether in a particular situation I am withdrawing from – in that moment – I withdrawing from love or fear?
Sometimes, we can remove ourselves from situations without actually confronting them head on. I’m not talking about the drama here, but we could be reacting in ego – as in your better than someone because you don’t gossip etc. I admit in these situations my energy levels change and go down, I feel society is losing as a whole and feel helpless.

Last month I was out in nature and my energy was soaring, when I returned everything felt it had its place. When I caught up with some friends I felt my energy was being sapped/drained there was so much ‘unnecessary’ drama. I try to be supportive and give them advice which I get good food back on but still can’t help but feel its hard to maintain that level of freedom and clarity when there is so much ‘noise’ around.
I guess a work around I have adopted is to be grateful for these experiences as it highlights that I’m progressing on the vertical path. Try to help others along the path and be supportive and encouraging and non-judgemental and take time out to re-energise and always be true to yourself even when those around you aren’t.

I think the more people who embrace this ‘evolutionary experience’ the easier it will become.

Thank you Mary Beth for sharing. I too have tried expressing myself in a similar fashion. It really depends who you’re speaking too. Sometimes they may get offended and it just creates more unpleasant energy. I find it’s useful to excuse myself politely or if its written don’t acknowledge what is said (this is a dead giveaway if you do it enough times) and later without pointing to a specific event I might engage in a type of Socratic questioning in the hope to lead them to answer where they themselves come to the decision not gossip etc. It’s tricky, each person is different, and it might take some time before that window of change is open.
To confess too however, if they do persist, I tend to avoid them. For example, I have a very close male friend who introduced me to his x-girlfriend of 5 years – she too has become a close friend. I see them both individually often. When the three of us go out, my male friend puts her down and makes fun of her. It’s often subtle and done in joking manner but it’s not constructive – they are at her expense. For example, apart from him calling her by the nickname he created ‘bug’, he makes references to her looks, intellect and astuteness. I sometimes step up and say X come on you have gone too far, but don’t really know what else to do. Now, I feel I don’t want to see them both at the same time because I don’t want him to belittle her.

• This reply was modified 12 years, 7 months ago by Rashelness. Reason: Incomplete paragraph