A general definition of, "normal," according to the dictionary, is: "conforming to the standard or the common type; usual; not abnormal; regular; natural." The Psychology definition is: "approximately average in any psychological trait, as intelligence, personality, or emotional adjustment"; also, "free from any mental disorder; sane."

Here is where much of our problem rests--the equating of normal/average with, "sane." In general, the psychological community is of the opinion that, "everyone is crazy." Another psychological idea, and offshoot, is that, "Only people who are crazy, think they are sane."

A result of this kind of thinking, Programming, is that, if you, as an individual, experience anything that the majority of the population does not experience, it means that you are either delusional, crazy, or both, because you have experienced something out-of-the-ordinary.

A follow-up result is that you either suppress what you experienced, or you keep it as a deep, dark secret. All of which undermines your confidence in your ability to determine what is, or is not, reality. If you venture to consult an average expert in the field of psychology , the odds are that you will be told, in effect, that you didn't really experience what you think you experienced, because such things are, "impossible," further undermining your confidence in your ability to perceive reality--your sanity.

As I have touched on previously, humans have many innate abilities to perceive aspects of non-ordinary, non-physical reality--all humans. In the developmental process we all have undergone, called growing-up, almost everyone in Western society is Programmed to ignore and forget all such experiences.

In our, "normal" world, there is much Indoctrination in the form of our, "Scientific" Educational System, to make sure that we do not give credence to what we, personally, experience. The many active De-bunkers go to great pains to try to convince all of us that the Scientific explanation for all of what we call, "reality" is the True explanation--anything other than the material, physical world is purely a figment of our imaginations.

This Programming is part of the majority of the Belief Systems of the population, even if they, personally, experience non-ordinary reality in one form or another.

The Programming is for everyone to want to be perceived of as, "normal." To be not-normal is to become an outcast from the society of the, "normal." In actuality, while each of us will fall somewhere on a bell-curve of what people admit to experiencing, each one of us is unique, and experience far more than what we will share with others, no matter who they are.

If you understand that the Consensus Belief System intends for you to conform what you experience to what you are Programmed and Indoctrinated to experience, you may begin to accept some of the many aspects of, what is in actually Reality that you, personally, experience.

Wanting to be, "normal" is wanting to conform to the lie about reality which you have been Programmed to believe.

Author's Bio: 

My self-educational background has been in learning, and writing about, why people do what they do. My educational background includes the study of established Belief Systems in the field of Psychology, ranging from Freudian theory through Abraham Maslow's work on fully-functioning individuals, as well as Art. My BA is in Human Services, and my Masters is in Art Therapy--MA-AT.

In the 1970's I wrote a manuscript, (unpublished) called: You in the Process of Becoming; A Guide to the Self. In it I outlined a systems approach to understanding human behavioral dis-functioning. My current writing and thinking is an outgrowth of the understanding that, if an individual wishes to be able to think, "critically," i.e., originally, clearly and without contamination from Consensus Belief Systems, it is essential for that individual to thoroughly understand their own underlying Belief System.

This approach can be used in understanding an individual's problems in dealing with everyday situations and problems in relationships. In discovering how one's underlying beliefs shape personal behavior, and examining where those beliefs came from, can do much to change the resultant behavior.

You can access my blog at http://www.ruminationsonresponsibilities.blogspot.com/