~ ∞ ~ Metaphysical Paradigm Shift 2/3 - Awaken the Living Awareness Within ~ ∞ ~

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Now, if one takes a moment to consider everything we have already discussed in this book, it becomes evident that our inability to see “beyond the box” has had a significant impact on our ingenuity, which in turn has prevented us – if not solely, at least largely, from utilizing everything we have already discovered in the world of science in creative, innovative and beneficial ways.

We have made major strides, yes, but we still have a long way to go; to get to a place where we can live in harmony with each other and the Earth; to get to a place where we can live happily and comfortably with less, but with more of what we truly need and less of what we don’t. You see, living more is found in loving more, giving more, and sharing more. As things stand, in regard to the current paradigm, here is where we make our biggest mistake.

You see, humans as we know humans, usually do the right thing, but for the wrong reasons – more often than not, we are motivated by personal gain rather than the common good. Is it not, then, right here, where we need a shift in perspective, a different lens through which to consider what is good and wholesome, what is constructive and what is not, what is beneficial and what is harmful, what is sustainable and what is unsustainable?

Unfortunately, as things stand, we as human beings seem to be driven by power, profit and financial gain more than anything else, which goes on to say that people tend to value personal gain and success above the common good and the well-being of others. In a broader sense, this means that we’re not willing to openly share truthful and relevant information without a price tag.

Regardless of the field, information and findings, experimental designs and solutions that could be of immense benefit to everyone, foremost of which are, obviously, anything health related – are tightly kept secrets. These types of secrets often exist in layers, with some secrets buried under other secrets. All because of monetary and political interests that benefit the few at the expense of the many.

The relationship between politics and corporate interests has been well established, and thus it can be said to be common knowledge – nothing new in that; it is the shady morals, weak or non-existent code of ethics, and questionable strategies with opaque disclosures that do most harm. Apart from the political arena, most prominently we see this play out in the world of science and research. Secrecy, half-truths, and corporate interests are the things that keeps them moving – that is not to say progressing – two completely different things, you see?

And so it goes that, as things stand, scientific knowledge that shapes our perceptions and understandings of the world is influenced by political competition and pressure, which in turn is influenced by privileged cohorts with money and power. This is particularly harmful because not only does scientific knowledge shape our view of the world, but also our beliefs and prejudices, values and attitudes, actions and behaviors, and ultimately – our consensus reality – see?

The relationship between science and politics has been well established, with the politicization of science becoming increasingly apparent in recent years, having extended into nearly every scientific field, including biology, physics, medicine, and the social sciences.

With the current paradigm, not only do we blur the information and skew the results, but we also bury the truthful and relevant information with misinformation and disinformation; and on top of that, we also silence those who dare to speak the truth or challenge the status-quo, regardless of the field, you see?

Awful lot of resources are spent and much effort put into criticising and discrediting such people and their work. To someone who is observant and has a keen eye for detail, it may be impossible to notice that there seems to be an ongoing invisible war of narratives, of ideas, of knowledge – or the lack thereof. The battleground is our minds and hearts – see? What it comes down to is consciousness, and moreover – awareness, or the lack thereof.

Despite tremendous advances in so many fields, we still have great suffering in the world, and thus humanity continues to face enormous difficulties and problems. Many of these problems are directly linked to, and partly, if not solely, caused by the aforementioned status-quo, but there is another aspect to it, too.

Considering that personal suffering stems mainly from craving and ignorance – the same naturally applies to the suffering that afflicts us on a collective scale. We humans are beings who are particularly good at ignoring problems and their causes; we are beings who like to blame others and not take responsibility for our actions.

And since humans are not isolated beings, their interpersonal actions have much greater consequences and impact than most realize. Is it not true, then, that our tendency to be irresponsible inflicts suffering upon others? To inflict suffering upon others is to become more deeply involved in ignorance, deepening the problems we already have – see?

We as the collective human species – as humanity, have many shortcomings which are becoming more and more pronounced as the century progresses. However, we can overcome these shortcomings and the difficulties they bring with them – if we truly so desire, you see? Not only do we lack the will to do what is fair and just, but we hide behind our ignorance and wrap ourselves in a self-righteousness, and so it goes that regardless of the field, we prefer to acknowledge, credit, and support those who do the same – those who keep up a facade.

And so you see, those who we deem as leaders, teachers, specialists, and community leaders, are not always ethical, looking out for our best interest, or the real deal – no matter how much they claim to be. Blinded by groupthink, masses are doing the same – supporting, cheering, embracing and glorifying people who keep up a facade. In so doing, people give their acceptance and consent for this vicious cycle to continue.

As a result, wealth and power is concentrating at the top, into evermore fewer hands, increasing the gap between the haves and have nots, resulting in growing inequality and deepening poverty. And so you see, through ignorance, people are co-creating this privileged cohort – a small club of powerful and influential people who run the world through a complex web of lies and deceit. It’s a small club, and most of us are not in it – even those who think they are, probably aren’t – see?

By virtue of the aforementioned with regard to paradigm shift, it is paramount to highlight the following truth: we are so driven by greed, power and profit that even scientific ethics are largely guided by the commercial interests of corporate industry. The politicization of science has reached a point where even scientists do not examine their own motives very closely. The code of ethics of those scientists who are driving the scientific progress seems to be tied to our current paradigm through which we perceive ourselves as separate from everything else.

This obviously leaves the question lingering whether there is any code of ethics at all these days, you see? Does it not, then, require a fundamental shift of paradigms – a metaphysical one, if we are to go beyond the limits of our current paradigm, to overcome our shortcomings and the difficulties they bring with them? This brings us to openness and transparency, which are the pillars of truth, trust, and progress – pivotal in many ways, yet too often forgotten or ignored, undervalued and overlooked.

Here we should ask ourselves: What good would science do if theories and ideas, findings, concepts and experimental designs would not be shared openly with the public? Are we currently doing so, or is it all for show – a facade? And so you see, to advance further, there would have to be a true shift in values – the pillars of truth, trust, and progress: openness and transparency are a good place to start.

And so you see, we would need to incorporate the art of giving and sharing into the world of science, research and technology in such a way that it truly and equally benefits all of humanity rather than just the privileged few. For that to happen, we need a shift of perspective, so that we can see, recognize, and acknowledge that the good of others is also the good of oneself.

Another way of saying the same is through negation: the suffering of the world is our own suffering as well – see? If this were to happen – a shift toward genuine openness and transparency, it in itself, would be a paradigm shift, would it not? Here we can but imagine what the world would be like, if we all – as the collective humanity, would strive for happiness and pursue the Ultimate Truth.

Now, let us explore this further. In this kind of metaphysical paradigm shift, we move from the state of separation and isolation to the experience of unity, from selfishness to altruism, from fear to trust, from competition to cooperation, and transition from hate to love, gratitude and forgiveness. It is this inner movement that will introduce us to a new era of awareness.

If we are to make this leap into a new era of awareness, we need to be willing to explore new horizons, boldly push the boundaries beyond the accepted norms and conventions, leaving no rock unturned when seeking better ways of doing things; we need to be willing to collaborate with each other like never before, so that we can find better ways and solutions to mitigate and overcome future challenges. When we work together on a common goal, we can achieve things beyond our greatest imagination.

Unfortunately, our current paradigm through which we perceive ourselves as separate from everything else, has led to a situation where instead of truth, openness and transparency – secrecy, hubris and ignorance are the guiding principles of today’s corporations and institutions; it is in these places where most of the scientific research and experiments are done. There are exceptions, of course; however, this seems to be a growing trend, you see?

In this type of climate, with shady morals, weak or non-existent code of ethics, and questionable strategies with opaque disclosures, scientific experiments are running rampant. By the political, financial, and juridical means and mechanisms these entities seem to get away with almost anything. The aforementioned political, financial, and juridical entities in and of themselves are another can of worms entirely, and is left out of the discussion for the sake of simplicity.

With regard to scientific experiments: shrouded with secrecy, we are fed half-truths all the time, and quite conveniently these half-truths are presented as facts and then marketed to us as “discoveries.” No one knows the true extent of the costs, problems, and other issues involved in these experiments.

One of our main shortcomings as humans is hubris – it may even be the greatest of them all. You see, in our hubris, we often think that we have discovered some of the great truths of life, and thus we are trying our best to perfect everything through science and technology. Both of them are works in progress – science being a construction that emerges at a very specific juncture in the history of humanity, and technology its practical application.

While all this may come with good intentions – perfecting everything, it is precisely those good intentions that often lead us astray, which is another way of saying that “the road to hell is paved with good intentions,” as they say. In other words, good intentions, when acted upon, may have long-lasting, unintended consequences. You see, the honest truth is that we cannot perfect nature – everything is already perfect; it is our perception that needs adjustment, not the external aspects of life – see?

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~ ॐ ~ Sambodhi Padmasamadhi ~ ∞ ~

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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"

~ ∞ ~ Metaphysical Paradigm Shift 1/3 - Awaken the Living Awareness Within ~ ∞ ~

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The purpose of this chapter is to crystallize some of the more important themes which are woven through previous chapters. As such, it serves as a perfect segue to the next section where these aspects are magnified and explored further. Metaphysical paradigm shift, as it is referred to here, is an ensemble term used to describe everything that prevents us from seeing “beyond the box” and needs an “upgrade,” so to speak.

It includes everything that is considered having an impact in our lives, such as prevailing ideas, concepts, theories, narratives, assumptions, beliefs, perspectives, and values; it also includes worldviews, philosophies, theologies, ideologies, and even consensus reality – which, in and of itself, is the product of all the aforementioned – see?

We begin this chapter by defining metaphysics and paradigm shift, which will lay the foundation for more in-depth discussion of specific aspects of metaphysics in the context of paradigm shift. Metaphysics, according to its most common modern definition, has to do with a transcendent realm “beyond” what is perceptible to the senses; the term is related to “mysticism,” which is based on the word “mystery,” implying something hidden.

A paradigm is the collection of ideas and assumptions that pass from one generation to the next and which seem to be immutable. The paradigm shift, then, is when the paradigm shifts. In this process, everything that no longer serves its purpose – begins to fade away, to be replaced with something else; and with it goes all the old, outdated and outmoded structures that are limiting us – both as individuals and as a species.

This in turn gives way to a new understanding, a new way of seeing, a new way of living and being, doing and acting. And so you see, paradigm shifts are necessary for growth and transformation, are they not?

Given the current situation we find ourselves in, witnessing the deteriorating conditions of the Earth, growing instability of the social, political, and economic world structures, one can easily conclude that it has never been a better time to experience a shift in perspective, to experience a shift of paradigms and strive ahead with new ideas and approaches. You see, we are an inseparable part of a Living Universe, and therefore we can no longer leave ourselves out of the equation.

As such, we should grow in our understanding beyond what is currently known and strive to improve ourselves in every way possible; we should strive to be united as a species; 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. And so you see, it is necessary for our evolvement that we go through a metaphysical paradigm shift, is it not?

The shift of paradigms requires not only the expansion of our perceptions and the ways of thinking, but also of our values – from consumption to conservation, from competition to cooperation, from quantity to quality, and from domination to partnership. Hence, it goes without saying that we should mature and grow spiritually – it is an essential part of transformation, progress and growth.

In this context, it may be immensely helpful to “flip the script” for a moment and consider a different kind of approach than what we are accustomed to. If we can see evolution as a spiritual path, we must then see that consciousness is the most spiritual thing there is, and therefore we must be willing to surrender to the spiritual process – the process of fulfilling the telos of human existence, if we are to evolve further, you see?

To achieve this, we need a new paradigm – one that will help us adjust our lifestyle in a way that would allow us to bring health, harmony and balance back into our everyday life. To achieve such a state of dynamic balance – a radically different social and economic structure is needed, as well.

The creation of a new paradigm includes:

– a new understanding of God or Spirit.
– a new understanding of reality.
– a new understanding of nature.
– a new understanding of ourselves.

In this transition, we move:

– from a view of the universe as dead and mechanical to alive and dynamic.
– from separate parts to interconnected wholes.
– from objective to subjective.
– from control, prediction, and certainty to influence, probability, and uncertainty.
– from unaware to mindful.
– from events and outcomes to process and patterns.
– from either/or to both/and.

Now that we have covered the basics, we can take a closer look at the details. What essentially defines this shift of paradigms is the following: what was once considered “outside the box” thinking or thinking “without” the box becomes the new normal. It is through this change in perspective that we stride by leaps and bounds into the future.

Metaphysical paradigm shift has largely to do with the notion of a Living Universe, which is consistent with the now widely accepted Gaia theory, which wonderfully demonstrates that the Earth itself is a Living System. All life exists in an interconnected web, which means that what happens to the Earth affects everyone, and everyone’s behavior affects the Earth – together they form a symbiotic relationship, you see?

Therefore, it is essential to be aware of, and to appreciate the Interconnected Web of All Life. Human beings are an intrinsic part of this Interconnected Web of Life, and since humans are not isolated beings, we need to know how we work as a sub-system within the whole. When we relate to other human beings, to the living nature around us, to human organizations, and to the economy – we are always dealing with living systems.

Thus, we as human beings are always part of different systems, and we can act intelligently from within those systems, e.g., every day humans live immersed in social systems – dynamic groups of interconnected people functioning together as a whole.

Whether we are able to act intelligently within these systems – is up to our level of awareness, and thus if we want to have a complete picture, we need to know the basics of what constitutes a human being. And so you see, in order to have a complete picture, we need to start from the beginning and ask ourselves: What is consciousness, and further: What is awareness?

Now, let us remind ourselves of one important truth: Life is simpler than we think, and yet, at the same time, it is more complex than we can imagine. This goes on to say that simplicity makes sense in a Living Universe. Indeed, simplicity is the true form of perfection, and therefore it is only natural that simplicity is at the core of every Living System. It is unfortunate that we fail to recognize this single most important truth.

Therefore, it is not unsurprising that we can see the results in our everyday lives. You see, the current mechanistic worldview permeates through every facet of our lives, making it difficult to see “beyond the box.” But if we shift our thinking in such a way that we begin to think in terms of energy, frequency, vibration, consciousness, and awareness – a whole new world begins to open up for us.

This metaphysical paradigm shift will make it clear that consciousness is the next great frontier, for science, for philosophy, for our personal and collective well-being. That is to say, without knowing the Innerverse, we would know nothing at all, and everything we think we know – would have no deeper meaning. Therefore, we should ask ourselves: How could we possibly know anything at all, if we don’t know the Innerverse – consciousness and awareness?

It goes without saying that asking the same kinds of questions and doing the same kinds of things over and over while expecting different results is the epitome of foolishness, isn’t it? Against this backdrop, we can see that we would need to ask different kinds of questions to get new kinds of answers; we would need to explore different kinds of approaches and perspectives to see beyond what seems possible; we would need to push the boundaries beyond the accepted norms and conventions.

Now, let me ask you this: Wouldn’t it be great if we would strive to liberate our minds from what we are familiar with, so that we could reach toward something new and exciting, striving to push the boundaries of what is possible, gradually venturing into the unknown – to discover what lies beyond the limits of the known?

When you really think about it, doesn’t it seem as though this unexplored world of consciousness – Innerverse, is both the great mystery we are afraid to explore, and dogma that we are too afraid and reluctant to burst open? It certainly would help if the bubble of scientific dogma would burst open first and scientism that blinds us from seeing beyond self-imposed limits and illusion would be dismantled altogether, wouldn’t it?

Apart from the aforementioned, it would help tremendously if the politicization of science would be dismantled altogether as well. You see, the relationship between science and politics has been well established, becoming increasingly apparent in recent years, having extended into nearly every scientific field. It follows, then, that these influences in combination with ignorance and hubris are having a major impact on our lives in so many different ways on so many different levels.

Our view of the world profoundly impacts how we live and interact with the world and with each other – it is essential, then, 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, or short – consciousness and awareness – see?

That said, it should be noted that science is a wonderful tool for showing us the ways of interpreting the physical world; as a tool and system of inquiry, science excels in this role of exploring the physical reality exceptionally well. However, scientific paradigms can become a form of dogma, resisting the scientific revolutions of thinking and discovery that always, eventually, make these old paradigms obsolete.

This goes on to say that we cannot solve old paradigm problems by dealing in old paradigm solutions – this is especially true with everything consciousness related, and hence metaphysical paradigm shift is more than welcomed. Someday soon, once we reach a new way of thinking that will liberate our minds not only from dogma and bias, but also from ignorance and hubris, can we approach this from another perspective, and truly proclaim to do proper science – see? Because of these reasons, it is necessary to unravel some of the layers in the following few paragraphs.

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~ ॐ ~ Sambodhi Padmasamadhi ~ ∞ ~

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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 Living Earth (Gaia) - Awaken the Living Awareness Within ~ ∞ ~

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As an extension of the previous chapter, concerning the ancient wisdom and its resurgence, it goes without saying that in a book like this, it is appropriate to pay a homage to the idea of the Living Earth (Gaia). For however small this chapter ends up being, doesn’t matter as much as showing respect to this important area. You see, it should have become clear by now, at this point in the book, that Earth is, indeed, one single living system, which regulates the chemistry and conditions of Earth’s surface in an “automatic” manner – as all living systems do.

This goes on to say that whatever happens in one part of the world is connected to what happens in another, sometimes imperceptibly, but nonetheless related to the whole. So when a butterfly takes off in the depths of the Amazon, its influence on the wind patterns of the world may be minute, almost beyond imagination, but it is making a contribution to homeostasis; the same is true of humans, of course, and our impact on the environment can be much more noticeable.

Sadly, in our hubris, we have forgotten that the Earth is our home, and even our mother – as most tribal cultures consider Earth to be. As such, we should show our mother (Gaia) gratitude, respect, and honor for her gift of life. Gaia is a very old name for Mother Earth, or Mother Nature. The mythical Gaia was the primal Greek goddess personifying the Earth, the Greek version of “Mother Nature,” or the Earth Mother. In Greek mythology, she birthed many of the major gods who ruled over different sections of the Earth.

Gaia is known as the nurturer, sustainer and giver of love to all who come to the goddess for support. She is known as the spirit of the Earth, plants, rocks and water. In the 1970’s James Lovelock reintroduced the Earth-mother concept through the medium of Ecology. He proposed that all living things are interrelated within the self-regulating systems of the Earth, which provides the optimal conditions to support life itself.

The modern approach to the idea that the Earth is a Living Being is called the Gaia theory. It explains that the Earth is a living system; that the Earth functions as a self-regulating system; that living and non-living parts of the Earth form a complex interacting system that can be thought of as a single organism. It proposes that organisms interact with their inorganic surroundings on Earth – to form a synergistic self-regulating complex system that helps to maintain and perpetuate the conditions for life on Earth.

The idea of the Earth as an integrated whole – a Living Being, has a long tradition. Gaia hypothesis is the first comprehensive scientific expression of this profoundly ancient belief, which has been widely accepted by many scientists since the 1970’s – most notably, the acceptance comes from those who have the understanding that comes from another closely related area known as systems thinking. The most exciting part of systems thinking is applying the current achievements of system theory to Gaia theory (the living Earth theory).

Formulated by British atmospheric scientist James Lovelock, and American microbiologist Lynn Margulis – Gaia hypothesis states that the Earth’s climate and surface environment are controlled by the plants, animals, and micro-organisms that inhabit it. That taken as a whole, the Earth behaves not as an inanimate sphere of rock and soil, sustained by the automatic and accidental processes of geology, as traditional earth science has long maintained, but more as a biological superorganism – a planetary body that adjusts and regulates itself.

Fundamentally, the Gaia hypothesis finds the Earth to be more like a life form than an inanimate object adjusting to internal and external changes much as an organism might react to threats and opportunities in the environment. Lovelock likes to compare the Earth to a tree.

Lynn Marguilis, on the other hand, believes that micro-organisms and their constituent parts are as fundamental to life as atoms and subatomic particles are to matter and energy; meaning that bacteria – single-celled organisms without nucleus (the earliest life forms from which all other earthly organisms have evolved) are the building blocks of life.

Another closely connected area is something called Deep Ecology, which can be seen as a network of phenomena that are fundamentally interconnected and interdependent. Deep ecology is a philosophical school of thought – founded by the Norwegian philosopher Arne Naess in the early seventies.

Deep ecology does not separate humans, or anything else from the natural environment – it does see the world not as a collection of isolated objects, but as a network of phenomena that are fundamentally interconnected and interdependent. Deep ecology recognizes the intrinsic value of all living beings, and views humans as just one particular strand in the larger web of life.

Deep ecological awareness recognizes the fundamental interdependence of all phenomena, and that we are all embedded in the cyclical processes of nature; ultimately, deep ecological awareness is spiritual awareness, which goes on to say that when the concept of the Human Spirit is understood as the mode of consciousness, in which the individual feels a sense of belonging, of connectedness to the Cosmos as a whole – it becomes clear that ecological awareness is spiritual in its deepest essence, you see?

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~ ॐ ~ Sambodhi Padmasamadhi ~ ∞ ~

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Get the Book: Awaken the Living Awareness Within – Discover the Keys to Happiness, Inner Peace & Harmony

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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"

~ ∞ ~ Ancient Wisdom Resurfaces - Awaken the Living Awareness Within ~ ∞ ~

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Now that we’ve had a glimpse of what this new vision entails, we can continue our discussion by noting that these kinds of visions are not new to humanity, for they have existed for thousands of years. You see, they are integral to human nature, and will always be so until we reach that penultimate goal of equilibrium, harmony, balance – from where we can achieve peace – with ourselves and with others.

Visions like these are driven by the underlying universal truths that are timeless – we all recognize them whether we acknowledge them or not. Hence, it can be said that through the ages, these same timeless truths keep emerging time and time again, and thus they can be colloquially referred to as “Ancient Wisdom.”

Most important of these timeless truths concerns the basic Oneness of the Universe; Oneness of Life – we are all One, interconnected and indivisible. And so you see, ultimately, the whole of humanity is a single being, having a collective consciousness – the sum total of all human life, having a collective direction and destiny. Each life is a link in a chain of lives, with ancestors at the one end, and descendants at the other; each life in a chain of lives is bound together by cause and effect, different, yet the same.

At the deepest level, this means that there is but one God to merge with, there is but one all pervading Spirit, and it is called the Truth, by which The Miracle of Life is made possible – it exists in all Creation, it is timeless, universal, and self-existent; there is but one First Cause that has its Being of itself, and on which all other beings depend; there is but one Infinite Being, so there is but One God – see?

By virtue of the aforementioned with regard to Oneness of Life, it is paramount to highlight the following: every living thing lives within the continuous cycle of birth and death where the remains of one become the nutrients for the other – nothing is ever wasted, everything just transforms into different forms at various times; everything shifts between different levels of existence according to its vibrational frequency or awareness, you see?

This same dynamic applies to our Souls and Spirit as well, which becomes clear from the second basic truth. Furthermore, upon deeper examination, one ultimately finds that inanimate objects are energy – like anything else, and contain trace amounts of consciousness, as all energy comes from a source of consciousness. This understanding not only unites everything that happens in the visible outer world, but it also links the inner subjective world to the outer world.

All things – both seen and unseen, are bound together by cause and effect, which goes on to say that nothing can exist in absolute independence of other things or arise of its own accord; everything in the world comes into existence in response to causes and conditions – meaning that all beings and phenomena exist or occur only because of their relationship with other things – see?

Many ancient wisdom traditions have known this for a long time, but the Western culture seems to lack this understanding. For example, indigenous peoples of the Great Plains of North America have a prayer of Oneness and harmony of all forms of life in their culture – it is called Mitakuye Oyasin (All Are Related), which is a phrase from the Lakota language; it reflects the worldview of interconnectedness held by the Lakota people – all are related including humans, animals, birds, insects, trees, plants, and even rocks, rivers, mountains and valleys.

The second basic truth is that the universe is an intelligent field that is inherently conscious. It is through this field of consciousness that the inner and outer worlds are connected; we are connected to this larger field of consciousness through our thoughts, feelings, emotions, and intentions. All living things have consciousness and are inseparably linked to all other living things in this Great Cosmic Web of Life; even plants have consciousness – plant’s knowing of where to grow and how to turn to the light is evidence of this – see?

This leads to the third truth, which is that we are participating in the Life and work of God – we are participating just by being ourselves. It is our awareness that ultimately connects us to all other life. You see, all life has awareness in varying degrees, or more aptly, all Life is Awareness – Living Awareness that comes from Spirit.

Upon deeper examination, one finds that ultimately, the whole of humanity is a single being – having a collective consciousness, the sum total of all human life; each life is a link in a chain of lives, with ancestors at the one end, and descendants at the other.

Not only are we connected to each other, but we are part of, and intimately connected to, absolutely everything in the universe. The key to wisdom is the conscious realization and acknowledgement that we are Life becoming aware of itself in this form we call a human being – Life, finding its way to itself through itself; microcosm of the universal macrocosm, awakening to itself in itself.

Through our eyes, the Universe is perceiving itself. Through our ears, the Universe is listening to its harmonies. We are the witnesses through which the Universe becomes conscious of its glory, of its magnificence. ~ Alan Watts.

From another perspective, one might say that we are the universe (Creation) becoming aware of itself – living and breathing, pulsating and vibrating miracle, which is another way of saying that the universe in and of itself is very much alive. In other words, everything in the universe is conscious, endowed with a consciousness of its own kind and on its own plane of perception.

In this sense, the universe has a spiritual nature, or at the very least, a spiritual cause; and thus it should be regarded and treated as such. But here we should not make a mistake of confusing Creation with the Creator, for you see, if one wishes to glorify something – let it be the Creator (God). This being the case, let all praise the Unity of God, for you see, there is but one First Cause that has its Being of itself, and on which all other beings depend; there is but one Infinite Being, so there is but one God – see?

This brings us to conclude that in our deepest core we are ancient – Infinite Living Awareness, taking different shapes and forms in the continuum of time. In this sense, we have been around forever, and there has never been a time when we have not existed, nor will there be a time when we cease to exist. We all have hidden within us this deep Ancient Wisdom that’s in every single one of us – we all carry this ancient gift from our forefathers and mothers.

Let us go deeper. Earth is an incredibly and wonderfully complex interdependent network of elements and life forms that co-evolved together. This is why the ancient humans felt a burning responsibility to show their respect, honor and gratitude to the Universe, to Nature, and to Mother Earth which gave them Life. Ancient wisdom holds that humans were created to be the caretakers of the Earth – we were placed here to care for its plants and animals, to protect its natural beauty, to show respect and gratitude for all the abundance that the Earth gives us every day, and to live in harmony with nature and all forms of life.

That said, it is clear that we as human beings are an intrinsic part of the whole – Sentient Intelligence, individuated, yet interconnected and interdependent on other parts. As such, we humans are an intrinsic part of nature, and therefore we need to better understand how to adjust ourselves to the physical environment without destroying it and ourselves in the process; how to be a natural part of the living process, and how to work holistically within the living system.

As mentioned earlier in this section, 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, which brings about the question: Have we totally forgotten what our forefathers and mothers have taught us?

Upon deeper examination, one finds that this self-imposed chaos is something that we may have created for ourselves to experience in hopes of meeting ourselves – to shake away old, outdated and outmoded structures that no longer can sustain us, which is another way of saying that we can no longer leave ourselves out of the equation. You see, at the moment we find ourselves in between conscious of the limitations of the old, and needing a new paradigm which transcends our ways of thinking, being, and seeing.

Here we arrive at the conclusion: If we want to continue living here on Earth, we need a completely new paradigm; meaning that we need a fundamental change in our thoughts, perceptions, and values. The change begins by shifting our current limited mechanistic view of life to match that of a holistic conception of life. You see, a living experience of wholeness is achieved by opening fully to our own pure awareness, which is another way of saying that clear experience of awareness brings a radically new way of relating to oneself and the world.

As we witness the deterioration within the ecological, social, political, and economic world structures, we can experience the re-emergence of ancient wisdom. You see, life is a full circle; coming back around, again and again, in hopes of meeting ourselves; in hopes of seeing and really knowing ourselves; around and around and around we go, in this thing we call life – see?

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~ ॐ ~ Sambodhi Padmasamadhi ~ ∞ ~

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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 2/2 - Awaken the Living Awareness Within ~ ∞ ~

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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.

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~ ॐ ~ Sambodhi Padmasamadhi ~ ∞ ~

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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 ~ ∞ ~

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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?

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~ ॐ ~ Sambodhi Padmasamadhi ~ ∞ ~

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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 ~ ∞ ~

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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.

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~ ॐ ~ Sambodhi Padmasamadhi ~ ∞ ~

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Get the Book: Awaken the Living Awareness Within – Discover the Keys to Happiness, Inner Peace & Harmony

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[ Click » here « to read the next part: The Emergence of a New Vision 1/2 ]

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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"