What is real? Our shadow or that which cast a shadow?

What we think we are is but a shadow cast by our past.

Yet what is real cast no shadow and lives in the present.

Consciousness and Free Will

Across the River Styx by Nig

 

I see evolution in terms of consciousness. Whether you look at evolution of the universe, the earth, humanity or the individual person, it seems to me that it follows a particular course. Up to the point of physical, mental and psychological maturity, humans all over the world, across cultures, develop in certain areas of what constitute the human being, in a very stage specific unfolding.
After that we have a free will to consciously evolve ourselves. I call this self-evolution. For me the most important contribution that we as individuals can make to the well-being of the whole, is to evolve ourselves. To raise our level of consciousness. That is for me the primary direction of our present development as a specie. In achieving the highest of what we are capable of, we uplift the whole, and we fulfill our purpose. That which has no purpose will die out. .

Consciousness is not something you don’t have one day, and suddenly have another day. Consciousness is an evolutionary process. There are however levels of consciousness. Consciousness is an awareness. Consciousness is always about something. Consciousness is about bringing something into awareness, whether through thoughts, dreams, memories, feelings, or sensory impressions such as visual images, tastes, smells or sounds. So you can say that the more you are aware of what influences your thinking, and subsequently, your actions, the more conscious you are. The less aware you are, the less free will you have. When you are aware that something influences you, then you can use your will to decide what you want to do about it.

To develop a high level of consciousness requires an attentiveness. Attention makes you aware of what you have been accepting unconsciously. It is virtually impossible to consciously know all of what influences our thinking. Scientists are beginning to realize that we receive information, not only through our sensory perception, but there are also items entering our consciousness that exceed the range of sensory perception; they can leap, it seems, across wide reaches of space and time.

Although endless possibilities are open to us, both as humanity and individuals, we cannot know everything, be everything, and do everything in the physical time-dimension. I think all of our brains have an amazing capacity to learn, however, we do not all have the same desire to learn certain things. In general for example the male mind is better in abstract logic than the female mind. Why is this? Is it because the male brain is better than the female brain in that area? I don’t think so. From what I have observed, it has everything to do with desire. “Where there is a will, there is a way.” Learning requires a need for directed attention. Attention goes where interest goes. Energy goes where attention goes. If I am not really interested in mathematical equations, or technical data, it will be very hard for me to concentrate in order to learn it. I see each human being as a window on the universe. As a specie our strength lies in our ability to co-operate with each other, to pass our insights on to others. It is through our ability to interact and co-operate that we evolve in consciousness, that we can make a leap in consciousness.

Rather than discrete things and independent events, there are but ripples upon ripples upon waves upon waves in this universe, propagating in a seamless sea. – Ervin Laszlo

Also see Inclinations-talents-and-strengths – Why do we have them and not others?

Are we confined to our mental physicality?

Human Development – Bill Plotkin

 Where are you?

Human Development-

From the work of Bill Plotkin- Nature and the Human Soul

Stage 1- The Innocent in The Nest- Early ChildhoodTask:
Ego formation and the care of innocence
Gift: Luminous Presence
Center of Gravity- Spirit

Stage 2- The Explorer in the Garden- Middle Childhood
Task- Discovering the natural world and learning cultural ways
Gift- WonderCenter- Family and nature

Stage 3- The Thespian at the Oasis- Early Adolescence
Task- Creating a secure and authentic social self
Gift- Fire
Center- Peer group, sexuality and society

Stage4- The Wonderer in the Cocoon- Adolescence
Task- Leaving home and exploring the mysteries
Gift- Mystery and Darkness
Center- The underworld

Stage 5- The Apprentice at the Wellspring- Early Adult
Task- Learning delivery systems for embodying soul in the culture
Gift- Visionary Action and Inspiration
Center- Cultural Depths

Stage 6- The Artisian in the Wild Orchard- Adulthood
Task- Manifesting innovative delivery systems for soul work
Gift- Seeds of cultural renaissance
Center- Giveaway as art form

Stage 7- The Master in the Grove of Elders- Early Elderhood
Task- Caring for the soul of the more then human community
Gift- Wholeness
Center- Web of Life

Stage 8- The Sage in the Mountain Cave- Late Elderhood
Non- Task- Tending to the Universe
Gift- Grace
Center- Cosmos- Spirit

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Posted by Michael McKnight

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