Consciousness and its Relationship to Biological Evolution

The Deficits of Linguistics

Experiencing life without the mind chatter or not thinking is what is said to bring us in touch with our true nature. It is the state of experiencing before the mind tries to understand or explain what we are experiencing. To do this regularly or for any length of time takes practice and discipline. There are many disciplines that address stilling the mind. Many of these are a part of spiritual practice such as is common in Buddhism. Indigenous cultures are tuned in to these rituals and healing as well. Body and energy work also help us to be aware of our emotions and physical needs and attune us to our conscious state of being.

Finding the Self

So, the self that we all seek is not a self of qualities or appearances, it is the state of being or pure consciousness. The reason we have had a hard time finding our true nature is because we have been looking for it in the world around us, through our senses, our thoughts and our feelings. You could say that consciousness is the parent of experience or that from which all experience emerges. Being in the paradigm of pure consciousness precludes needing to be concerned with a personal identity. Our identity is consciousness itself; that which is common to all sentient beings. This state of consciousness is independent of circumstances and events. Theoretically, anything is possible for us when viewed from this frame of reference. Operating in this framework would release us from many of our dysfunctional behaviors such as addictions, dissociation, narcissism and many of the other psychological disorders that are so debilitating in our society today.

Conscious Evolution

Consciousness is in a continual stage of evolution. Humans represent a significant part of this evolution but we still have not reached our full potential yet. We have become self-aware but we are still discovering our true nature and what possibilities lie ahead for us.

There are some humans who have evolved to higher states of consciousness.  They are not dissimilar to ourselves, however they have freed themselves such that they are in touch with their true nature, have an authentic sense of identity and have attained a state of peace and security within themselves. I believe we all yearn for this disposition of ultimate fulfillment that is available to us if we truly want it and learn how to attain it.

We are aware of the many problems that face humanity today. The list is frighteningly long and includes our present environmental crises, our seeming inability to take care of each other, overpopulation, criminal behavior, an unequal distribution of resources, severe poverty and hunger, political instability, an unworkable economic system, prejudice, exploitation and domination over women, the insatiable quest for money and material goods, the need for power and control over other people and the propensity to solve conflict through war. These behavioral manifestations are a direct consequence of our need to protect and reinforce our fragile sense of self.

The world is in crisis and the root cause is ultimately a crisis of consciousness.  The way we have functioned in the past is no longer working but we seem to continue to do the same thing over and over again. Something new is desperately being called for. What is needed is a vision of a preferred future in which humanity can discover its true identity and create a new global human consciousness that can lead us in the direction of our true destiny as fully engaged participants in our evolving universe.

Evolution can no longer be seen as a process directed by random genetics. We have the newfound freedom of thinking ahead, determining our future and continuing the process of evolving consciousness. The driving force behind this conscious expansion is intention and commitment. If we care about the fate of ourselves, the flora and fauna, and all the elements that have allowed life to exist on this planet, we will create a new world in which all entities will be valued and respected for their intrinsic worth.

References:

Cherry, Kendra. “What is Consciousness.” Very Well Mind, verywellmind.com/what-is-consciousness-2795922, updated 13 May 2020. Accessed 31 May 2020.

Russell, Peter. “The Evolution of Consciousness.” Peter Russell Spirit of Now, peterrussell.com/SCG/EoC.php. Accessed 31 May 2020.