~ ∞ ~ Awaken the Living Awareness Within: Lucid Living ~ ∞ ~
When we begin to live in the present moment, we can consciously access the dreamscape itself – this type of experience can be called as the Lucid Living. The best way to explore the mysteries of Living Life is to subjectively explore the different levels of our own consciousness by practicing being more aware.
Awaken the Living Awareness Within Glossary
This type of alive and vivid experience of life (Lucid Living) could easily be compared to viewing a film in an Ultra-HD resolution that has more depth & variety in colors than the ordinary normal resolution. The most amazing thing about this type of living is the fact that the experience isn’t only richer in color and sound, but that the experiencer is embedded in the action and creating the story in real-time.
~ ∞ ~ The Emergence of a New Vision 2/2 - Awaken the Living Awareness Within ~ ∞ ~
Another truth worth considering: the questions and answers, the problems and solutions, are separated only by imagination and abstraction. And these, my friend, are connected and linked together by awareness, and what keeps them seemingly separate is the level of awareness. In the way of awareness, are the two main shortcomings of us human beings – ignorance and hubris, you see? This brings us nicely to the next aspect of our discussion. As mentioned in the previous chapter, our tendency to divide the perceived world into individual and separate things and to experience ourselves as “isolated minds” is a form of ignorance that prevents us – if not solely, at least largely, from understanding our interdependence with all Life and our relationship with Earth. Indeed, the foundation of modern-day problems is deeply rooted in our ignorance, and hence it can be said that the times we live in – is the pinnacle of ignorance. From this perspective, we can see that the crisis of our times is not only ecological and political, but more than anything else – a spiritual one.
Therefore, we as the collective human species are called to undergo a spiritual transformation in order to affect the economic, political and social changes needed. To do that, we have to snap out of our denial; this simple, yet deeply profound truth is the key and the first step in transformation. It is unfortunate that all too often we are not ready for that first step for whatever reason or excuse – this in turn keeps us ignorant. Ignorance itself is the root cause of all suffering (Dukkha), and is most definitely the biggest challenge of our time. It is this very ignorance and estrangement from ourselves that explains our feeling of isolation from nature and Life itself. It seems that whatever we humans as a collective do – is creating more suffering, chaos and disorder into the world than peace, happiness, and equality.
In the previous chapter, we saw how the mechanistic Western worldview impacts our lives in so many different ways. And so it can be said: Western man today, it would seem, has no single philosophy of life that sustains or encourages him. Western man today, has forgotten and rejected nature, or at the very least, pretends, quite convincingly, to have forgotten nature. For this same reason, Western man today, when he looks into himself, fails to see the spiritual reality. And so you see, in essence, the Western view of the world is rigid and inflexible. Western thinking is that everything is under man’s control. In contrast, the Eastern thinking is to co-exist with nature. As such, in essence, the Eastern view of the world is very much organic and intrinsically dynamic. This contrast is an excellent starting point for a continued discussion.
There is much we can learn from the Eastern view. For instance, the division of nature into separate objects is not fundamental, and therefore all objects have a fluid and ever-changing nature. In other words, all things and events perceived by the senses are interrelated, connected, and are therefore different aspects or manifestations of the same Ultimate Reality. Furthermore, Eastern mysticism emphasizes the basic unity of the universe, which is the central feature of their teachings. In turn, the highest aim is to become aware of this unity and underlying mutual interrelation and interdependence of all things; to transcend the notion of an isolated individual self, and to identify with the Ultimate Reality.
Interestingly, there are striking similarities between foundational theories in the field of quantum physics and basic ideas in the philosophical and religious traditions of Eastern mysticism, foremost of which is consciousness. You see, in a completely interconnected universe, consciousness anywhere means consciousness everywhere. Non-locality tells us that anywhere is everywhere. In fact, it would seem that energy itself, like matter, is an appearance of consciousness. This certainly fits with the observation we made earlier in this book, that no human has ever had any experience outside of consciousness or outside of the eternally present moment – see?
Certainly, the world would be a much better place to live if we were to combine the knowledge of science and ancient wisdom teachings and propagate that knowledge through education and awareness. If we are to find a better way, it can only be achieved through awareness; if we are to transform our old ways into something new, it can only be achieved through self-awareness – see? From this, the question arises: What should we change in our ways of thinking and being to reach a balance as a whole? The answer may lie in our ingenuity, in our ability to innovate and create. One of our strengths as humans is our ability to simplify, so we should use it to our advantage. If we focus our energy and combined efforts on building the new, we can achieve great things together.
It is obvious that our systems must evolve to meet the needs of the times we live in; to be able to facilitate the growth and development. Especially our educational systems would need to undergo a deep and profound transformation towards a direction that could help nurture the heart as well as the mind; and in so doing lay the foundation for compassion so that every individual could utilize their skills and abilities not only for personal growth and advancement, but also for the good of the world as well – see? What awaits us in the future is ours to envision, discover and co-create together, learning from one another and helping to build a legacy for future generations.
In the end, it is we ourselves who write our own destiny, with how we choose to live our lives, with what we choose to learn, unlearn, and relearn, with what we choose to envision and create, and what we choose to cherish and value. The decision is ours, and ours alone, and has been so from day one, you see? Should we choose to use our free will to rewrite our story and redefine how we do things – is entirely up to each and every one of us. Is it not, indeed, up to us to choose our path? Whichever path we choose, it will surely determine the fate of our species for a long time to come.
Extra Material:Video: You're It - Alan Watts. Video description: "An inspiring and profound speech from the late Alan Watts. Speech extract from 'Zen Bones and Tales' by Alan Watts"
~ ∞ ~ The Emergence of a New Vision 1/2 - Awaken the Living Awareness Within ~ ∞ ~
For as long as I can remember, I have always had a vision of a world very different than the one I grew up living in, which is another way of saying that the seed of this vision can be said to be embedded deep within me from birth. At the very core of this vision is the hope for transformation, the hope for a more equal, peaceful and harmonious world. You see, I have always believed that deep down in their hearts and minds, at the very core of our humanity, the majority of humans want world peace – to live peacefully with each other; that the true nature of people is to extend compassion and loving kindness to one another. Furthermore, I have also strongly believed that we should do everything within our power to reach our God-given potential and strive to improve ourselves in every way possible; focus our attention and energy for the betterment of humanity as a whole; use our intelligence and ingenuity to further improve the quality of human life, to grow and develop our skills and talents.
It took some time for this vision to come to fruition; slowly but surely it developed to what it is now – a vision of an awakened humanity and an awakened world as it is emerging into a future possibility for humanity. This crystallized vision grew out of the desire to explore, develop and learn – and eventually it turned into a mission to share what I had discovered and realized by exploring and expanding consciousness to perceive wider reality. As indicated in earlier chapters, we as the collective human species are in dire need of positive transformation. This kind of transformation is only possible if we have some kind of guideline to follow – a vision of how it could be.
Now one might ask: What is the emerging vision that could offer a template for a new era of humanity? It is a vision that takes us beyond the old, outdated and outmoded paradigm that is governed by the beliefs and habits specific to race, nation, religion, gender etc. It offers us a totally new concept of Spirit as an Intelligent Energy Field – a limitless sea of being; Intelligently Self-Organizing Consciousness within that field – originating from one indivisible Divine Source of Infinite Awareness. It offers us a new concept of ourselves as belonging to, and participating in that sea of consciousness. It is a vision that recognizes and acknowledges the Unity and Interconnectedness of the Great Cosmic Web of Life.
In its own unique way, this book – as a whole, is precisely the said emerging vision, which provides a glimpse into a world that is very different from ours, but could very well be ours to experience if we would be willing to strive forward to reach such a future. Through the lens it provides, we have the unique opportunity to imagine what could be our future; after all, we are truly free to choose ourselves in what kind of world we want to live in. Is it not, then, up to us to envision, create and build the world we want to live in; to put in place the systems, structures, practices, processes, and strategies that would be a better representative of the humanity as a whole?
As things stand, with regard to the current state of humanity, it has never been a better time to experience a shift in perspective and redefine what is it to be human. You see, there is a momentum pulling us toward an emerging future that holds the potential for a collective awakening, which is something that takes place within each of us whenever we are ready to remember our eternal nature, whenever we are ready to take that first step in remembering who we are at the deepest level of our being, whenever we are ready to know our core essence as Spirit. Should we choose to utilize our free will and use this unique opportunity to grow beyond what we have known, should we choose to become something new and experience what can be – a prosperous and blossoming humanity, remains to be seen; and this, my friend, is not only possible, but also attainable – if we believe in ourselves and cultivate patience and persistence, you see?
If the said collective awakening would take place, there would be some universal truths that would be realized population-wide. These principles or tenets would be not only realized, but also acknowledged, understood, accepted and appreciated by humanity as a whole. These, in turn, would thus then, through mutual acknowledgement, understanding, respect and trust, become cornerstones, ethical values and guiding principles of the transformed humanity, you see?
Like mentioned earlier, as this book in its entirety is the vision, there is no need to summarize or list all aspects of it here, since it was already done in the introductory section titled “Prologue.” Nonetheless, it would be helpful, though, if we listed some of the deeper key aspects, principles or tenets below, after which we will explore the vision in a broader context.
– All is One Life, One Energy, One Consciousness, One Awareness. That is to say, different aspects of Life are inherently Interconnected, and inextricably Interrelated. All Life is connected through Living Consciousness and Living Awareness. This we can call a “Great Cosmic Web of Life.”
– Consciousness is primary and matter secondary. In other words, the phenomenal world arises or manifests out of an invisible or transcendent dimension of reality.
– The Universe is conscious and there are many levels to this consciousness.
– Our human consciousness is an integral part of this greater consciousness (Living Consciousness). As such, we are an integral part of this Great Cosmic Web of Life.
– Consciousness in some form survives the death of the physical body.
– What we have called “God” or Spirit is the Divine ground of all matter, energy, time, space, being, and everything beyond in this Universe. There is nothing outside or beyond “God.” In other words, we participate in the Life of “God,” which is the Life of Earth and the Life of the Cosmos.
– The purpose of our lives on Earth is to be reunited with the source and ground of our being, and to live our lives in growing awareness of that connection.
And now, we can explore all the aforementioned in a broader context. We can start with the following truth: if one lives in a modern world, they cannot separate themselves from the current system we have in place – no matter how hard they try. The system is part of us and we are part of it, which means that in order to have a different kind of system, we would need to envision and build a better one in its place – one that would be a better representative of the humanity as a whole. And so you see, as everything is interconnected, interdependent, and interrelated, it would mean that all things – both seen and unseen, are bound together by cause and effect; everything in the world, therefore, comes into existence in response to causes and conditions, which means that all beings and phenomena, all systems and structures, all practices and processes, all traditions, customs and beliefs exist or occur only because of their relationship with other things.
As is the case with all the aforementioned, so is the case with the lack of equality, which is, of course, due not only to our attitudes, but also to the influence of the structures on which society is based. The persisting lack of equality is a problem not only affecting and shaping our daily lives as individuals, but also the society as a whole – it is a major obstacle to sustainable development. The lack of equality is a cause of poverty, ruthless competition and social injustice among many other things, and it is causing us to act irrationally, out of emotion without properly using our intuition and intelligence, which is why we are in conflict with ourselves and with others. In an interconnected world, this inner conflict manifests in various forms and occurs at different levels, which goes on to say that our inner conditions have a real and tangible impact on the external world – see?
That said, let me ask you this: What would this mean with regard to the current system we have in place? Is it not, indeed so, that we together – as the collective humanity, are the system? What would happen to the system if we ourselves transformed? Would it not, indeed, be so, that the system would undergo transformation as well – being the reflection of the people, you see? This is why one of the core tenets of this new emerging vision, is precisely – transformation. Now, take a moment and imagine the endless possibilities we could achieve, dream, envision and create together. What do we need to achieve this? Plain and simple, in one word – will. You see, where there is will, there is a way; and when there is both – the will and the way, there is hope – a compass directing us in life. With patience and persistence we continue to move forward, finding solutions to the problems, and answers to the questions, overcoming any obstacles we may face, and eventually we will prevail, you see?
Extra Material:Video: You're It - Alan Watts. Video description: "An inspiring and profound speech from the late Alan Watts. Speech extract from 'Zen Bones and Tales' by Alan Watts"
~ ∞ ~ Outdated View of Life (Mechanistic Machine) 3/3 - Awaken the Living Awareness Within ~ ∞ ~
This fragmentation is seen in our science, our medicine, our social and legal systems, our interpersonal relationships, and eventually in our relationships with our own selves – creating a separation between the body, mind, and Spirit. Therefore, we fail to see that different aspects of Life are inherently interconnected, and inextricably interrelated. Consequently, not only do we fail to see how different problems are interrelated, but we also refuse to recognize how our so-called solutions affect future generations; this means that our solutions always seem to carry a price tag. And so you see, the more we study the major problems of our time, the more we come to realize that they cannot be understood in isolation – ultimately, they are systemic problems, and this means that they are very much interconnected and interdependent.
That said, it is worth noting that we have everything we need to solve any problem in the world, yet our major problems – whether economic, political or social – remain unsolved. It goes without saying that it is simply foolish to believe that by doing the same things over and over again and expecting different results could somehow solve our problems. Expecting some magical solution to emerge from this perpetual loop of foolishness is the epitome of ignorance, isn’t it? In other words, the answers and solutions we seek cannot come from the limited consciousness but can emerge from a deeper understanding born of the union of heart and mind. If we are to solve any of these problems, we need integration, interdisciplinarity and holism. You see, essentially these problems are different facets of one single problem – a crisis of perception; all other problems are different manifestations of their root cause, which is clearly our perception.
By virtue of the aforementioned with regard to the crisis of perception, it is worth highlighting the following: one of the main reasons for this immense crisis we face is our limited ways of thinking, and not only that, but also our ways of living and being, which both aid in the creation of limited perception. From this derives all the insufficient ways in which we acquire and process mental information. This means that in the world at large, the importance is often placed on the mind and the linear, rational-analytic thinking – this type of information gathering and processing is valued over the heart-based wisdom (experiential-intuitive thinking) with severe consequences.
Nonetheless, even though we are in the midst of major problems, there are always ways to solve them – some solutions are simple, but others require a radical shift in our perceptions, thinking, being, and most of all – in our values. The root of these problems can be said to be the outdated and outmoded worldview that we seem to hold so dear to us – to be more precise, the mechanistic view of reality. On a deeper level, this means that we ourselves are part of the problem, co-creating and sustaining a vicious cycle – not only do we hold on to an outdated and outmoded worldview, but due to our hubris, we refuse to see the obvious. Now, let me ask you this: If we are the source of our problems, wouldn’t that suggest that we can also be the solution?
While many can easily agree that the mechanistic worldview has been beneficial in many ways – they seem to forget, or just simply refuse to see that it has been quite detrimental at the same time. To be blunt – some people just love to be willingly oblivious and willfully ignorant, you see? Even though this kind of worldview has been extremely successful in the development of classical physics and technology, it has also had adverse consequences for our civilization. That is to say, we are constantly trying to apply outdated concepts to a reality that can no longer be understood in terms of these limited views and ideas. Mostly this is due to a scientific analytic thinking that consists in breaking up complex phenomena into pieces to understand the behavior of the whole from the properties of its parts. By using this methodology, we can’t see the forest for the trees. Thus, it is essential that the scientific knowledge that shapes and limits the contours of our social reality should be expanded to include non-measurable phenomena – such as values, meaning, purposes, and feelings – in other words, subjective inner experiences of the individuals. This will require a radical change in perspective – a thorough reassessment of how we know anything about the world.
From this brief examination, we can draw an important conclusion: there’s no way we can keep using the old, outdated and outmoded ways of thinking and being in today’s world; and certainly not in tomorrow’s world, either, you see? Hence it is evident that we need a massive shift in perspective – to shift the way we see the world, we need a new context and a new framework to experience the world around us. This means developing a new view of the world for which we have absolutely no other references than the nature itself – which operates as an interconnected whole, undivided wholeness in flowing movement, in which patterns are contained within patterns.
Extra Material:Video: You're It - Alan Watts. Video description: "An inspiring and profound speech from the late Alan Watts. Speech extract from 'Zen Bones and Tales' by Alan Watts"
~ ∞ ~ Outdated View of Life (Mechanistic Machine) 2/3 - Awaken the Living Awareness Within ~ ∞ ~
When it comes to consciousness – our innate ability to experience or to feel – it remains a mystery to science, although many so-called “experts” have attempted to study, define and explain it. Considering how far we have come as a species, with all the discoveries in science, engineering and technology – including astronomy, biology, chemistry, medicine, psychology, sociology, and philosophy, among many other fields, it is simply astonishing how little we have discovered about consciousness. In our attempt to understand consciousness, we have chosen a stance of denial: if we cannot locate, measure, or see consciousness; if we cannot quantify or break down consciousness – it must be impossible; or at the very least – it must reside in the brain. It is, after all, our firm belief that the mind is in the brain – so therefore also consciousness must reside in the brain, as well. Yet, ironically enough, we cannot prove it to be so. We tend to think that what we see is all there is – that there is nothing we cannot see. Even though we know this is not true, we like to pretend otherwise.
This view is based on a set of assumptions that are grounded in the metaphysics of matter in blind motions, of reductionistic mechanism and materialism. Scientific materialism is a philosophical stance which posits a limited definition of consciousness. In this view, consciousness is the working of the various physical subsystems of the brain, or more broadly, consciousness is quantified as the number of feedback systems within an organism. As a result, Western science views consciousness as being merely an epiphenomenon, an ineffective by-product of matter – evolved to the complexity of nervous systems and brains. This predisposition sets the tone by defining our expectations, which in turn creates even more limitations to our already narrow way of thinking, giving less leeway to creative and innovative approaches that could lead to groundbreaking discoveries. In other words, instead of breaking out of the box that is limiting our thinking, with this predisposition we are creating evermore tighter box around us than we already are in.
There is an a priori presumption in the Western worldview that consciousness is the same as mind – something that is confined to the brain. This presumption that consciousness shares the limitations of the mind and the body is simply a belief to which the vast majority of humanity unknowingly subscribes. This happens in spite of the fact that there is no evidence to support such a belief. No matter how advanced our level of science and technology is, no matter how sophisticated our equipment, or how complex our methods of analysis have become – we have failed to prove this presumption to be true. Not only that, but we have also failed to explain the experiential aspect or the subjective state of being oneself, otherwise known as the ‘I’ experience.
Because scientific materialism likens consciousness to mind, it accepts the existence of mind in a peculiar way: as a pointless, purposeless epiphenomenon of mindless, material atoms. Mind, in science, has no causal efficacy whatsoever. Therefore, is it any wonder that our collective actions as nations, as governments, as businesses, and even as individuals has turn out to be pathological in nature. Our actions are, indeed, quite pathological – simply because they don’t take account of the profound interdependence of living systems, nor consciousness for that matter (pun intended).
The underlying pathology of our collective thought is metaphysical. You see, as mentioned earlier, the birth of modern science was preceded and accompanied by the development of philosophical thought which led to an extreme formulation of the spirit-matter dualism. As a result, the mind has been separated from the body and given the task of controlling it – causing an apparent conflict within human beings; this inner conflict manifests in various forms and occurs at different levels. In other words, this fundamental division between the two seemingly independent and separate realms – that of mind and matter, has divided us more than ever.
This fragmented view is further extended to society, which in turn is then split even more – into different nations, races, religious and political groups. The belief that all of these fragments are really separate can be seen as the essential reason for the social, cultural and ecological crises. This fragmentation has not only alienated us from nature, but also from our fellow human beings – creating unnecessary conflicts between people; the consequence being a life which is mentally and physically unhealthy.
To realize how this fragmentation plays out requires only a brief look at a university catalog – there one will find that learning is divided into segments with separate departments, each taking a slice of what mankind has learned throughout human history: astronomy, biology, philosophy, history, mathematics, psychology, sociology, physics, chemistry, and so on. Within each of these departments there are many subspecialties. The large number of departmentalization is not the worst aspect of the problem, neither is the fragmentation of knowledge, but rather the fact that the scholars of these numerous specialties often resent each other and find it impossible to speak to one another.
Extra Material:Video: You're It - Alan Watts. Video description: "An inspiring and profound speech from the late Alan Watts. Speech extract from 'Zen Bones and Tales' by Alan Watts"
~ ∞ ~ Outdated View of Life (Mechanistic Machine) 1/3 - Awaken the Living Awareness Within ~ ∞ ~
As an opening remark, it should be noted that the ideas, concepts, views and perspectives presented in the following few pages are not new. On the contrary, there have been many people talking and writing about them for a long time. In other words, everything we have ever wanted to know about life, its mysteries, and even the root causes behind many of our problems today have already emerged out of the collective unconscious in one form or another. In that sense, the old saying: “There is nothing new under the sun,” holds true even today – mainly so because there can only be different angles and points of view in different times to be shared. Fascinatingly, the aforementioned saying also applies to the problems we face in the world. You see, no matter the era, time, season, or place, the same problems seem to recur time and time again. As such, each generation must find new solutions to the same problems – only for them to recur, repeating the vicious cycle all over again.
Isn’t it intriguing that few, if any, of the problems that we face are new, and that none of the solutions that we find is likely to prove timeless? Doesn’t it seem as if these problems follow us like shadows? Now, let me ask you this: Could it be that we ourselves are creating them in the first place – co-creating and sustaining a vicious cycle? Furthermore, if we are the source of our problems, we can also be the solution, can’t we? But alas, we humans are particularly good at putting off the inevitable, and so it goes that ripples get bigger and bigger each generation, crisis gets ever more severe, struggle gets more intense, and conflict gets more widespread – until such time when either civilization destroys itself or consciously decides to evolve. If history is any indication, every civilization reaches a crisis point eventually, and most of them don’t make it. This goes a long way to demonstrating how deep our willful blindness and ignorance of the obvious really goes.
And so you see, the legacy of history, it seems, is that our human tendency is to repeat our past and do things as we have learned to do them – often starting in our childhood, without questioning or challenging what we do; constantly projecting past into the future without transcending ourselves in the process. This means that collectively we become our past – repeatedly, and so it goes that we face the same issues and fundamental problems as did humans thousands of years ago. If we look at the state of humanity today, one may say that nothing has changed. Granted, we have developed a formidable intellect, science, and technology, but alas, that is pretty much where it begins and ends – it is premature at best, and the height of hubris at worst, to assume otherwise. You see, there are still wars and conflict, there is a divide between rich and poor, people are still greedy and cruel, and we still have great suffering in the world. From this, the question arises: Does it have to be this way?
On the path toward understanding ourselves better, it is imperative to briefly dip our toes into something that may be immensely helpful in figuring out one’s bearings in this challenging time of convergence – a turning of the tides, if you will. You see, if one lives in a modern world, they cannot separate themselves from the current system we have in place – no matter how hard they try. And this is why in the following few pages, we will take a look at some of the underlying issues that are causing problems in our world today. Having reached the end of this chapter, a clear picture should have emerged that shows clearly that the society today seems to be like a ship lost at sea that is drifting farther and farther off course. So without a further due, let us explore some of the core issues behind many of our problems today. We can start by briefly exploring the deeply troubled system we currently have.
We live in a system that has been built by privileged men – it promotes inequality, ruthless competition and social injustice among many other things. The first and most significant shortfall of this old-fashioned system is undoubtedly its hierarchical structure: it is based on a top-down approach that by design benefits the few at the expense of the many. In so doing, the system accelerates the degradation of the whole by weakening the structure from inside out. The second and equally damaging is the way in which these kinds of hierarchical structures are managed – the power is concentrated to the few on top. As a consequence, the few on top make the rules that people on the bottom abide and live by – and this, quite frankly, makes the many on the bottom of the hierarchy slaves to the few on top. And because majority of the people live inside the system, being part of the system – they are very much dependent on the system – so much so that they remain servants to those few on top without even realizing it – see?
Having said that, it is time to move the conversation forward by asking the question: Can we somehow pinpoint the source of these problems? Well, the answer is both yes and no. To be honest, there is no single, straightforward answer to give, since the root of these problems lies deep in our worldview, which is reminiscent of the dualistic Cartesian approach to metaphysics; yet, this much we can say: the nature of our problems is first and foremost – metaphysical. You see, our view of the world profoundly impacts how we live and interact with the world and with each other – this is a key insight to keep in mind since there is an alternative view to consider – more on that in the next chapter. These problems have to a large extent arisen not only from the split between Spirit and nature, but also from the secular belief system that has increasingly separated us from nature and Soul; both as individuals and as a species, we suffer from a sense of self that feels disconnected not only from other people but from the Earth itself.
This is particularly interesting when one considers the fact that in the modern era of laptops, tablets, smartphones, and other gadgets and gizmos of various kinds, the interconnected nature of life has become ever more apparent. And yet, in spite of this, we behave as if we are separate from everything else. Isn’t that precisely the epitome of selfishness, the paradox of individualism? As a result, we tend to think in terms of opposites and polarities, which goes on to say that collectively, we are running old dualistic programs that are based on linear stories of the past, present, and future; either-or choices; 1 or 0; true versus false; you versus me.
In this mechanistic worldview, life is understood as an incidental and accidental part of the universe, and so it has become easier not only to believe that we are individual beings, but that we are separate beings – separated from each other, from our environment, and the very Earth that sustains us. And yet, at the very core, we are one people – the people of Earth; one nation – the nation of Earth; one life – the life of Earth. You see, each individuated consciousness contributes to creating the environment that sustains all other existences – all things, mutually supportive and related, form a Living Universe, a single living whole – Living Life.
This image of separation is precisely what initially led to dualism between body and Soul in Western philosophy – it has become the basis of our collective worldview and belief system. Instead of a holistic view – human being as a whole, the human body has been treated like it would be a mechanistic machine of some kind. As a result, instead of a living and vibrating, Intelligent Life, people are used to thinking in terms of machinery and clockworks, you see? This, in turn, makes it so that people learn more and more about less and less, which results in that our collective worldview in its current form and state is rigid, inflexible, and in many ways – old, outdated and outmoded. As a consequence, we are too quick to judge and discredit those with a differing view. The belief system underlying our collective worldview can be summarized as follows:
1.) Matter is primary and gives rise to mind as a secondary phenomenon; consciousness is therefore a by-product of the brain.
2.) There is no survival of consciousness after death; the death of the brain is the death of the individual.
3.) The idea that there is an independently existing Soul or Spirit is an erroneous fiction.
4.) “God” is an unnecessary hypothesis and the concept of Soul an irrelevance; thus we can impose our will on nature to serve our needs.
5.) There is no transcendent purpose or meaning to our lives.
From the previous, it becomes clear that philosophy, science, and medicine have done their very best in their combined efforts to peel the layers of the fruit of life. As a result, we are left with a dispirited world, which make us believe in an unliving world. There is not only irony and paradox here, but also an astonishing dichotomy. You see, scientists talk about the natural world, and yet they base all their claims and evidence on a pathological model of the universe. We have been presented with a view of the world based on a gigantic mechanism composed of “dead matter,” in which lifeless universal mechanism had already been grinding along and running down several billion years since its Big Bang. As in any good story, exciting things happen, and so it does here. You see, science is a story, a narrative, and as its offshoot, the Big Bang theory – is also a story. And so it goes that somewhere along the way, some of its non-living matter was accidentally converted into living matter, out of which life is supposed to have arisen. And so it goes that the world we know, or think we know – is a collectively learned perception – an image in the mind. In our minds, the world has become a giant machine – a machine without any intrinsic feeling and without any real meaning or purpose.
Extra Material:Video: You're It - Alan Watts. Video description: "An inspiring and profound speech from the late Alan Watts. Speech extract from 'Zen Bones and Tales' by Alan Watts"
~ ∞ ~ Towards an Era of Transformation 2/2 - Awaken the Living Awareness Within ~ ∞ ~
This brings us to an important point: our view of the world profoundly impacts how we live and interact with the world and with each other. Our collective worldview in its current form is rigid, inflexible, and in many ways – old, outdated and outmoded. This is reflected in the structures of our systems and mechanisms by which they operate. Many of the problems we face are directly linked to, and partly, if not solely, caused by these outdated and outmoded structures which promote inequality, ruthless competition and social injustice among many other things. When we look at today’s world, we cannot say it’s one of peace and joy. Rather, we find that we live in the midst of self-imposed chaos. It should be obvious to all of us that something is seriously lacking in the way we humans are going about things, but for some reason – it isn’t, which brings about the question: Are we really so deep in denial that we fail to see the obvious?
Indeed, there is no doubt about it – humanity is at a crossroads where a decision has to be made: Do we move forward towards a bright future, or do we follow the old worldview and plunge deeper into oblivion by continuing our old ways and repeating our past mistakes? The choice is ours to make; we are truly free to choose ourselves – it is always up to us to create the world we want to live in. If we choose the path of conscious transformation, an exciting and bright future is ahead for us. But the question is: Do we have the will – both individually, and collectively, to implement the required changes in attitude and lifestyle? One thing is certain: whichever path we choose, it will surely determine the fate of our species for a long time to come.
It is evident that this juncture represents an opportunity to create a totally different kind of social and economic structures. It goes without saying that we should use this opportunity to create systems based on non-centralized, distributed and emergent approaches. Having said that, it is worth pointing out that for the first time in human history, we have everything we need to make life beautiful for all of humanity; and hence it is our personal and collective responsibility to change ourselves if we want to see humanity moving towards this goal. To create a better future for humanity, we need a better understanding of what it means to be human. Therefore, we should explore different approaches and perspectives about how we are in the world, how we relate to where we are, and how we act towards other people. Other such explorations would include such considerations as why we are the way we are, and what it all means for who we as individuals and as a species want to become.
One thing we humans should all agree on is that we are a collective human species – even though we are fundamentally different from each other, we can do well to appreciate our differences. We may be different on the surface, but underneath, at the very core, we are all the same – human, awareness, consciousness – see? We are all on a journey, slowly discovering more of our True Self, gradually getting to the core of who we truly are; it is our journey from birth that shapes us and makes us what we are today, but it is the same core essence within each of us – the Human Spirit that ultimately unites us. If we would be willing to acknowledge this truth, we would agree that all people are equal and that we should live in peace with each other. In other words, we should treat all we meet with respect and love – this is the point in our spiritual journey where we begin to reclaim our humanity. As we check our hearts, as we come to understand our well-being, as we come to recognize and acknowledge that the good of others is also the good of oneself, we grow spiritually – it is an essential part of transformation, progress and growth, you see?
If we break free from old ways of thinking and seeing, we can change ourselves – both individually and collectively. What makes the difference is how skillfully we learn to utilize everything we have already discovered. So the question becomes: Do we continue on the path we have been following, or do we open up to a transforming insight from the combined wisdom of science and the world’s spiritual traditions, taking the path less traveled – the path that can lead us to peace, harmony and balance? This book demonstrates that such a wide-reaching conscious transformation is possible – through the realization that everything and everyone is interconnected, and that every action affects the whole and vice versa. But obviously, this is not enough in itself – action is needed, as well. If we make a conscious choice to pursue personal growth, learning from one another and supporting each other to grow – then, over time, the world begins to reflect that growth and change. As we learn that we need each other, that the good of others is also the good of oneself, that all things living in harmony live long, and they prosper – so shall it be: a new paradigm, a new worldview, a new reality, a new world with a prosperous and blossoming humanity. And so does transformation happen, you see?
Let us conclude this chapter with the following thoughts. As we go through this process of transformation, one of the first things we come across on our journey is a new paradigm, which is followed by a new worldview. As indicated earlier, with this transformation comes a new paradigm that will lead us in a direction to discover more sustainable ways of living. The emergence of this new paradigm at this critical juncture in human history is highly significant. You see, this process will inevitably lead us to a completely different kind of worldview – a view where the perspective is shifted from the parts to the whole, while also acknowledging the individual parts as an integral part of the whole. We can already see that a new kind of worldview has slowly begun to emerge – a view that turns out to be closely related to the views of mystics of all ages and traditions. This kind of view can be called a holistic approach – seeing the world as an integrated whole.
What’s amazing about this kind of holistic worldview is that it blends together the wisdom of ancient spiritual traditions with the new discoveries in quantum physics and modern science. At the most fundamental level, we are talking about returning to the ways of our ancestors by living in harmony with nature – gently adjusting our lifestyle to bring us back into balance. If we combine holistic principles with modern technology; if we adjust our lifestyle to reflect higher values, morals, ideals, and principles; if we replace greed, competition, consumption, quantity, and domination with solidarity, cooperation, conservation, quality, and partnership, we would be well on our way toward a more sustainable world, with a healthier and more balanced way of life, wouldn’t we?
In conclusion, when one has the understanding that we are part of the whole and the whole is part of us, then we start living in a new way, you see? We will go more into details in later chapters, but first we need to briefly examine how we currently see life – this is done in the next chapter, titled “Outdated View of Life (Mechanistic Machine).” This groundwork is necessary for the gradual growth in understanding of ourselves as an integral part of the whole. In this way, we can better understand the upcoming sections – in particular those dealing with the ideas of consciousness, awareness, and existence in general.
Extra Material:Video: You're It - Alan Watts. Video description: "An inspiring and profound speech from the late Alan Watts. Speech extract from 'Zen Bones and Tales' by Alan Watts"
~ ∞ ~ Towards an Era of Transformation 1/2 - Awaken the Living Awareness Within ~ ∞ ~
In the following few pages, we will take a look at some of the underlying issues that are causing problems in our world today. A contrasting perspective is provided in later chapters, namely “The Emergence of a New Vision,” “Ancient Wisdom Resurfaces,” and “Metaphysical Paradigm Shift,” respectively. To someone who subscribes to a consensus view of reality, the contrast may be immense, enormous, or even monumental. In that case, the rest of the book might have a whole lot of nothing to say – unless, of course, such people are ready to transcend their views and beliefs and consider other approaches and points of view. You see, without transcending our beliefs we will never be free from the ignorance of dogma that separates us from universal wisdom. The goal here is to share paradigm shifting ideas that can open up the doors of perception by breaking down old patterns, which in turn can create new pathways of thinking and seeing, living and being, doing and acting – this is the whole purpose of this work, after all.
It goes without saying that one doesn’t need to be especially observant or to have a keen eye for detail to see that we live in times of profound transformation marked by a crisis of sustainability – this and many other related processes together will have a lasting impact on every aspect of our lives. And so it goes that at this critical juncture in human history, we find ourselves at a crossroads – a point of no return, where a decision is made to either continue our old ways, repeating our past mistakes – plunging deeper into confusion, disillusion, and ignorance, and eventually – into oblivion, or to take the critical first step towards the process of adaptation, change, and transformation. Against this backdrop, it is clear that this juncture is a time in which there is an ending of one age, and the beginning of another, which goes on to say that in all areas of society, there will be a new beginning – such is the nature of transformation, you see?
By virtue of the aforementioned with regard to ongoing transformation, it can be said that at the moment we are going through something we don’t have words for, and we point to the nameless experience by saying, “it is like this, and it is like that.” Only afterwards, when all is said and done, when a new metaphor is created, can we name similarities that make the metaphor work, and then generalize these similarities into concepts that describe our experience. At best, this nameless experience can be a great transformation, or conscious transformation – a renaissance of humanity, if you will; at worst, it can be a messy decline of humanity into a hopeless void of disorder and chaos.
As obvious as the crisis of sustainability, so is the case with the current system we have in place. Indeed, there is no doubt about it, the current system we have in place is in full decay – it is on its last legs, simply because it depends heavily on finite resources, and hence it would be an understatement to say that infinite economic growth on a finite Earth is the epitome of unsustainability. As a consequence, a centuries old modern industrial world is coming to an end and a new world is being born. An optimist would say that this may be a blessing in disguise, for we can see that a new world is being born from the ashes of the old. Another way to look at this is to say that the world itself will change as the people on Earth themselves change. There are changes taking place at all levels of society in the world, are there not? Indeed, there are changes happening from education, to medical advancements, to political changes, to weather alterations, to religious and spiritual understandings, to the philosophies, to the theologies, to the social status of individuals, to the supply and demand of goods and services – all are changing. In what direction will these changes move us, forward or backward, for better or for worse – is entirely up to each and every one of us, is it not?
Considering all the aforementioned, it is against this backdrop that we can arrive at the following conclusion: it has never been more clear than now, in the beginning of the third decade of the 21st century: we as the collective human species are in dire need of conscious transformation. There has been a great transformation brewing under the surface for a quite some time, ready to burst wide open with the full force and might when the time is ripe, which goes on to say that such transformation is long overdue. It always requires the will of the people and concerted effort to move toward something new, to initiate a shift in perspective, which in turn can lead to a conscious transformation of both the self and the world, you see? As this shift continues to gain momentum, much that we now take for granted in the world will be irrevocably transformed – for better or for worse, we shall see in due time. In what direction will this shift move us – is entirely up to each and every one of us.
Over the course of the last decade, preliminary signs of the beginning of such transformation were seen in almost every area of life, most of which were the symptoms of a crisis much bigger than we can imagine – for the simple reason that in order to conjure up reasonable solutions to the problems we face, humans as we know humans, seem to need to go through processes of struggle, contestation, conflict, and reconciliation – which in turn gives room for more mature approaches. Granted, some of these preliminary signs were also strides toward better ways of doing things, toward sustainable living, toward a better future – but for the obvious reasons, such strides belong to the minority – at least for the time being. Unfortunately, humans, as we know humans today, are particularly good at putting off the inevitable, and so it goes that ripples get bigger and bigger each generation, crisis gets ever more severe, struggle gets more intense, and conflict gets more widespread – until such time when either civilization destroys itself or consciously decides to evolve. This goes on to say that there is yet much more to surface, a lot more crisis to overcome, and much more processes to go through before the deeper aspects of the transformation begins to take form.
The question facing humanity at this critical juncture in human history – a time of convergence, a turning of the tides, is whether we will embrace our inherent unity, interconnectedness, and interdependence as a species and self-consciously adapt to the new conditions of our existence, or whether we will cling to inherent patterns of belief and behavior that are driven by ignorance and hubris – and learn the lessons of interdependence the hard way, through the deepening social and ecological consequences of a failure to adapt, change and transform. This process implies not only the change and transformation of the individuals, but also the structure of society that will reflect the underlying principle, or truth, of the oneness of humanity. This principle entails the emergence of a consciousness that recognizes and acknowledges this oneness, which in turn establishes equality between all people, regardless of their gender, ethnicity, nationality, language, and culture, you see?
Considering all the aforementioned, one should be inclined to ask the following question: Why is it that we are in the midst of this crisis in almost every area of life? Could it be that we as the collective human species have been suffering from a certain level of self-pride and arrogance, or more aptly – hubris of monumental proportions? Could it also be that this type of behavior has caused us to deteriorate and fragment from within? Now, let me ask you this: Is it not obvious that we are, indeed, suffering from a disease that is eating us from within – a spiritual disease of immorality and inhumanness, inauthenticity and insincerity? Against this backdrop, one should be asking themselves: Could it also be that all of our past actions of ignorant nature has ultimately caused us to distance ourselves from the natural Living Life, which in turn has created profound difficulties in understanding the Mysteries of Life?
Extra Material:Video: You're It - Alan Watts. Video description: "An inspiring and profound speech from the late Alan Watts. Speech extract from 'Zen Bones and Tales' by Alan Watts"