tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6843273941877487265.post4647750087019157397..comments2023-08-16T06:14:32.520-04:00Comments on WAKING PLANET: The New PathBarbara Uptonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10702925155540397336noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6843273941877487265.post-64017703396170703312010-08-15T23:25:04.187-04:002010-08-15T23:25:04.187-04:00Hi Barbara, Barbara Hubbard’s work is indeed a ref...Hi Barbara, Barbara Hubbard’s work is indeed a reflection of a great movement, an “evolution in consciousness,” as the increasingly familiar term states it. Barbara’s is a version reminiscent of Pierre Tielhard de Chardin, whose now popular `The Phenomenon of Man’ put the evolution of consciousness on the map. His Law of Complexity/Consciousness is similar to Hubbard’s analogy of the butterfly; there is an inherent tendency for phenomena to arrange themselves in more complex groupings, and thus creating higher levels of consciousness. In human beings, because of language development, consciousness has “folded back on itself” and vis-à-vis the development of self-consciousness, awareness of awareness emerged. This is truly remarkable and, as we have seen, in a relatively brief period of time, we are moving from a worldview and worldspace constituted in duality, to reaching a nondual level of consciousness which, by the way, Buddhism has been advocating for 2600 years! In nondual awareness, the shift is, as you say, from “a fear-based world of aggression, greed and destruction to one founded on love that values cooperation, respect and compassion.” <br /><br />Even in my field of discipline, clinical psychology, this shift towards a nondual perspective in a way radicalizes the therapeutic mission, because well-being, what the Buddhist monk, Matthieu Ricard, defines as "a deep sense of serenity and fulfillment; a state that underlies all other emotional states,” no longer means helping individuals adjust to society via symptom reduction. The therapeutic now means (at least as far as I’m concerned) radicalizing self-perception and dismantling those very beliefs that streamline us into society’s mode of existence. The therapeutic means cultivating self-awareness which, as it evolves, thoroughly opens the psychological space for awareness of awareness. In simple terms, it is exactly what Hubbard and de Chardin are advocating: an awakened humanity beginning with awakened individual minds. And it begins with the most simple: awaken every morning with the words, “I am grateful to be alive so that I can cultivate compassion for all beings, without exception.” This is what Buddhists mean by the word “virtue.” As The Dalai Lama recently said, “It is self-evident that a generous heart and wholesome actions lead to greater peace and that their negative counterparts bring undesirable consequences.”<br /><br />Best, Paul LichtenbergPaul Lichtenberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16595474621543753902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6843273941877487265.post-7297936747055811632010-08-08T23:23:21.285-04:002010-08-08T23:23:21.285-04:00Meant to post those today- but I got distracted ph...Meant to post those today- but I got distracted photographing butterflies! There were 10 or so on the butterfly bush (it really lives up to its name!) I even captured two during a romantic moment-no kidding!<br />Will post the first five steps tomorrow. Maybe some of the pics and the butterfly love video clip too:)Barbara Uptonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10702925155540397336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6843273941877487265.post-57095875836553161112010-08-08T09:12:45.213-04:002010-08-08T09:12:45.213-04:00"For the first time in the history of humanki..."For the first time in the history of humankind we are not guaranteed a future..", this sentence gave me the chills, because it seems so true. On the other hand, we still have a chance and I very much look forward to your 5 steps to inner peace.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10685003991000175728noreply@blogger.com