Many will recognize this famous saying from Advaita. In this blog I will endeavor to shed what little flicker of light I have on the subject of self realization, self awareness, enlightenment or whatever you would like to call it. I am not really concerened with terms, except to the extent that we agree on them enough to communicate. I borrow liberally from Advaita, Zen, Christian Mysticism (yes there are some non-dual flavors of Christiantiy), metaphysics, quantum, psychology, mythology and anything else that crosses my path and looks like, sounds like or smells like self awareness.
After several decades of a passionate interest in all things spiritual, compassionate and life-promoting I have decided, for better or for worse, to share what I have found with others who are on a similar path. Being new to blogging I was surprised to find so much on the subject. It is encouraging... very encouraging.
Suffice it to say I believe that humanity is at a cross roads. We have come to a point where we will have to either participate in evolution voluntarily or perish. Mind you I am not one who bemoans what humanity has become. It is, if fact, our incredible success that is now threatening us. The world in which the capacity to survive evolved as it did no longer exists. If we continue to behave as though it does we will die of our own success. Success now means developing the self awareness to reign in our own natures and recognize our inter-connectedness. Survival of the connected-est is the new law of the jungle. It is not just a cute ideal, some new age axiom. It has become a necessity.
But let me say I am optimistic. When I see the amount of interest in the subject of self awareness I am vastly encouraged. While some is trivial, some poignant, some downright stupid and some inspiring it is not so much the actual content that has me so moved. It is a miracle that it is going on at all. Considering that not that long ago spiritual viewpoints were pretty much dictated from on high, the present cacophony is refreshing, if not a little staggering.
Self awareness for me is THE issue of our times. It is my hope that I can connect with, encourage, teach and learn from others who see that the future of us all rests not in the hands of governments, institutions and economic entities, but in ours. It is to this end that I commit my energies and my words.
G
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5 comments:
I LOVE THIS BLOG GONGRATULATIONS
I AGREE
LOVE IT
M.I
THANKS G
FOR YOUR BLOG
IS VERY OPEN MIND
Looking forward to reading your thoughts, and learning. JHR3
i like the idea of this world, enjoying the bounty of not having to fret over survival anymore. This is a palpable reality if we just were more aware and a little organized with distribution of food and shelter to all human beings. we do not have to work a 40 hour week to "make it" on this planet. our ancestors suffered tremendously for us to take it easy and have fun. we are not respecting them nor are we having fun as we should, we are very stressed, diseased, and tired most of the time Why?
I could not agree with you more that we are not respecting our ancestors. The labor of our forebearers
has made it far easier on us. You question then as to why it is not easy now is a very enlightened one indeed. It
is like the great promise of the industrial age, cheap goods for everybody and the even bigger promise of the
computer age, more free time for creative endeavors and self-expression. Neither of these promises came true. In fact,
we are working harder and longer now and for less. On top of that we are so disillusioned and downright bored with
the society we have created we spend a great deal of our extra money entertaining ourselves, distracting ourselves
from the reality of our lives.
Why indeed.
I believe the answer lies in the fact that our spiritual development, the development of our collective consciousness
has not kept pace with our technological advancements. We act as though we are still running around the jungle, fending
off predators and chasing down Wildebeests. In short, we still believe that we are subject to the reules of
personal survival. But this is something that is not going to disappear overnight. Several million years of evolution
is not going to be thrown out in an afternoon.
But the very fact that you are asking that question proves that it IS happening. This question would not have arisen in
the past because it was not even a remote possibility. Many. many peaople are beginning to question the sanity of our
constant struggle for survival when it has become clear that we could, anytime we want end the struggle, almost overnight.
According to a United Nations report it would require about 45 billion dollars a year to provide adequate food, water,
shelter, medical and education for every person on the planet. Close to 100 billion has been spent on the Iraq conquest
(notice I did not say war). Over double what is require to alleviate the cause of all war and thus war has been spent on
just that. But the reason it has been spent is illustrated in the term I chose instead of war. It was a conquest.
There is in each of us the very deep need to survive. Magnify that need a thousand times and you have the need for
extreme wealth and power, control over every detail and defense of my position as top of the food chain. It is a
natural phenomena, blown out of proportion by our technological achievements.
So it comes down to the same thing. The real culprit is our nature and our reluctance to recognize that we are no
longer where we thought we are. We have outgrown the jungle and the jungle motives. The emerging compassion in many
as well as the heightened aggression in many indicates this.
Your discomfort with the redundancy and disappointments of your life is the best thing that could ever happen to you and
to humanity. So rather than try to relieve you of that acute, existential suffering I invite you to explore it. Contentment
does not breed progress, discontent does. So go deep into your discontent, examine it from every which way. Probe it,
stick pins in it, don't let it go until it changes you basic nature and you emerge on the other side as a fully evolved
human being.
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