Consciousness - Quareness Series 200th "Lecture".
Lately I've taken to wondering whether many of us may be losing the ability to cultivate a deep connection with our innermost selves and to experience the related sense of peace and inner contentment. It seems that without this "being with ourselves" experience we might easily drift into growing impatience, closed-mindedness, animosity, intolerance of opposing views and a general cold-heartedness. And maybe such is inevitably reflected in the world around us functioning in an unbalanced and chaotic manner.
Perhaps the fabric that holds society together can be seriously weakened by an increase in demand for our attention conjoined with a lack of knowledge as to how to relate to distractions in a healthy manner. Today we are relentlessly faced with so many different choices/options (both in "real life" and on-line) as to almost overwhelm our cognitive resources. Where there's so much competition for our attention we can find ourselves locked into a cycle of being permanently distracted. In such an environment it's little wonder that many people may struggle to cultivate a lifestyle that is conducive to true happiness and well-being. There's a danger here that before we know it, we could arrive at a point where amid so much choice, we effectively become choiceless and compelled by a need to always be busy doing something.
Being permanently distracted (including from ourselves) leaves little room for listening to ourselves and little or no opportunity for the heart and mind to grow through stepping back and simply experiencing our existence. Whenever our connection to the source of spiritual energy that exists inside and around us becomes severely weakened, we'll most likely end up feeling lost and exhausted. And it's also likely to become much more difficult for us to perceive the deeply interconnected nature of all phenomena...including how our inner psychological world influences our outer physical world and vice versa.
It appears that our thoughts (with their inherent mental/psychological energy) in giving rise to our actions and words can exert direct influence on others as well as on the physical/natural environment. Indeed it seems that the mental activity of every living being has a creative influence on the world around them. In a sense each of us is a creator here on Earth and through our mental activity we may be individually and collectively creating the future of the planet. It could be the case that if enough human minds here are in a permanent state of distraction such that thoughts and feelings arise in an unchecked and chaotic manner, the collective stress/negativity/confusion thus created could ultimately overflow into the physical and natural environment and diffuse throughout society more generally. Conversely our cultivating of inner awareness might help us to generate a much calmer and compassionate form of mental energy.
Humanity can continue to label and address each global crisis on an individual basis and take reactive measures to try and resolve them. However, if we fail to probe deeper and acknowledge a common connecting thread here as well as all of the underlying causes (including those of a subtle spiritual nature), it would seem very probable that we'll see global emergencies continue to emerge...and with increasing frequency.
Believe it or not Mr. Ripley
Souls are eternal, incarnating
Again and again into our bodies,
And being very wise in knowing
When to hold and when to fold.
And everything is a choice
On this planet of free will,
Gifted to us by the Creator
In a perfect seamless system
Of finite body and infinite soul.
Consciousness is really what we are,
Sentient beings having experiences
With ability to differentiate quality
In our ever present awareness,
Scaling mountains of knowledge.
Sean.
Dean of Quareness.
January, 2024.