Interdependence Vs Dependence

 The more that I interact in group meditation, the more convinced  am I that it's through group practice that people can negotiate dependence and interdependence. This is because group meditation relies on a dynamic that is entirely one's own mind and attitude, giving people a space not to seek approval or respect from others, but to go deep into their own space of mind and heart. Even the very simple act of "being present" (even if it's uncomfortable initially) is one way to get away from the dramas that we often play out in our minds regarding who we wish to depend on, who we go to for help, who we can trust, etc.
     The way that I see it is: whatever I feel or think about someone is entirely coming from the mind and previous experience which makes me feel a certain way. This is to say, I am never really interacting directly with anyone, but only my own thoughts, memories, experiences, and so on. Knowing this allows me to get distance on my reactions, and not to think that it's the person who "causes" me to feel a certain way (as this would be quite absurd, like saying that my hand forced me to eat something). I believe that this is the correct way to look at life, because it avoids the disappointment of believing that the person one sees in front of them has to conform to whatever pictures, inclinations, thoughts etc. exist in our minds about that person.
   Interdependence seems to be knowing that there are determinants in one's thinking and feeling (conditioning) that come from our mental factors. It's that awareness that it comes from being sensitive that conditions can be influenced by a whole variety of things. Dependence seems to come from a false belief in something that is eternal and fixed, such as a root cause for one's problems. Knowing the difference between these two seems crucial to changing one's attitude toward what happens to them.