Consciousness Is the New Black

by Mark Gilbert -

There are trends that come and go….and then there are things that are timeless. There are some things that are timeless but may sit in the background unnoticed until at a certain point our collective attention sees it. 

At such point it may appear to be a “new trend” but upon closer examination we recognize that it has always been in style, we just weren’t seeing it or discussing it. Our consciousness is just such a “thing”.

Our fascination and curiosity about consciousness goes back a long time. 

One might consider the Pre-Socratic interest and development of the concept of the nous or Plato’s allegory of the cave as ways in which we have tried to get an understanding of Mind (with a capital M to see it in terms that transcend our individuality). 

There have always been those who tried to push forward human understanding of that which we use to understand anything at all. 

As author Gary Lachman writes in his wonderful book The Secret History of Consciousness:

“The study an exploration of consciousness, as opposed to the attempt to explain it, has a long and fascinating history. In the form of religious and spiritual practices it reaches back thousands of years – Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, and Judaism all have traditions centered on the investigation of interior states. But as a philosophical and scientific pursuit linked to the idea of evolution, it’s roots go back only to the late 19th and early 20th centuries. 

Since the 1960s, ideas about ‘higher’ and ‘expanded’ consciousness have made many inroads into mainstream culture; yet few people who practice various forms of ‘consciousness technology’today are aware, I think, of the background to their interest nor know that some of the most influential people in academic and intellectual circles in the early part of the last century…were deeply involved in the study of mysticism and altered states of consciousness.”

Recently, we have begun to hit a tipping point with mainstream interest in the topic of consciousness. 

Yes, there has been a growing interest in the subject by materialistic scientists who seek to show through fMRIs the correlation between the firing of the neurons in certain areas of the brain with certain states of consciousness – but the mainstream interest in the topic that I am witnessing is not limited to such a narrow scope.  

This greater exploration includes the material but also pushes into the interior realms as well…..and then turns the entire subject into something to further our collective societal evolution.  

Consciousness is seen as a tool for our creating a greater and better world.  

This has been the essential topic of discussion here on Conscious Bridge for the past 5 years. A couple of months ago, I wrote about the so-called “Twee” trend – a new group of people whose intentions and actions according to social commentators includes a focus on humanity’s essential goodness, a valuing of things that are beautiful, a lust for knowledge and a desire to focus attention on a project that does good for the world. 

From my perspective (as I wrote about), these social observers are noticing the growing number of people who are moving into “higher” or “second tier” or “integral” consciousness. 

A characteristic of these higher states of development (beyond what I mention in the other article) include an interest in the melding of science and spirituality and an in brain-mind medicine.

Individuals at this level become interested in thinking about thinking….studying mysticism and altered states of consciousness….exploring first hand these states through spiritual practices, meditation and more.

A couple of weeks ago, a Huffington Post blogger, Dianne Collins, commented on this trend noting, 

“Millions of people the world over are part of The New Mainstream. It is defined neither by generation, by politico credo, nor by religious creed. The New Mainstream is defined by recognition that we are in a time of awakening to a new mindset, an expanded worldview and yes, a higher-level consciousness for humanity. The New Mainstream is defined by a cosmic pulse of awakening — a new consciousness!”  She goes on to note that this new “mainstream” is talking about the same subjects as everyone else but only with a different “point of view”.

What is this point of view?  

She describes it as including the merging of science and spirituality,  exploring energy healing, quantum physics, ecological inventions, intuition and the power of intent.  Sound familiar?

Every where you go, you encounter evidence of this growing group of people who are recognizing the underlying power of consciousness and intention to create a new world — a world that honors and supports everyone.

From the meditations used to conclude most lessons in yoga studios to the teachings of Deepak, Oprah, Wayne Dyer, Abraham-Hicks, New Thought centers and more — from the exploration of the brain by scientists to the experiential retreat centers exploring the deepest inner realms of our being — from the mainstream media incorporation of topics such as the Law of Attraction and the power of intentions to the growing number of people who question the conventional wisdom of getting all their news from mainstream media —to so many other examples of people waking up and evolving to the higher possibilities in their lives —the evidence is all around us of this growing “trend”.

We are in a spiritual renaissance where we are growing out of the old limitations of the dogma of our religions of the past as well as the newer limitations of materialistic “scientism”.  

Individuals are questioning everything, learning and growing and exploring for themselves without need for an intermediary between themselves and the Truth. 

The search for meaning that has long been a part of our history has incorporated the concepts of evolution from science and given the search a new context.  

The pioneers of the late 19th and early 20th century blazed a trail that we are now widening.  The monumental leap to second tier consciousness that Clare Graves wrote about in the the 1970s is growing in numbers. Whether these new explorers see themselves as being at “second tier” or “integral” (as Ken Wilber describes it) is immaterial.  

What is important is that our timeless search for the understanding of our consciousness and its power to influence the direction of our lives has grown to such size that we can no longer ignore its impact on our culture and its direction.

Where are you on this evolutionary journey?  

Are you stuck in old limitations and habits of the past — being controlled by old programming and old ways of being?  If so, it’s time to grow on to new levels of life.  

At these new levels, you:

• recognize the value of science but also realize the value of our inner consciousness.
• spend time exploring the inner realm through meditation.
• let go of competition and expand your cooperation with others.
• see the value of using the power of your intentions and thoughts to create a better world for yourself and others.
• More and more you see that there are no “others”, that we are all connected–all One.

Perhaps it’s time to join with others in this timeless trend?

NOTE: The title of this article was inspired by the use of the phrase by a comment post on the Dianne Collins blog.  My thanks for the inspiration.

Check out all of Mark Gilbert’s books—available at Amazon. Click here to visit his Author Page. This includes his very latest one Becoming a Spiritual Change Agent. Check it out!

consciousbridge.com

One Cosmos Within God!

by Mark Gilbert -

During the height of the Communist scare of the 1950s, certain religious and political leaders pushed through Congress a couple of changes that many Americans now think have always existed.

One of those was the adoption of the phrase “in God we trust” as the United States’ official motto. The other was the change to our Pledge of Allegiance to add the phrase “one nation under God”.

It took both the fear of those “godless communists” as well as others fear of retaliation from the fear mongers promoting the red scare to make these changes.

It was not an easy time to stand up and object to the insertion of “God” into our country’s documents. 

Of course, these changes from a little over 50 years ago are now erroneously conflated by many as evidence that the United States was founded based on the Christian religion and thereby is a “Christian country”.

A Christian Country?

In spite of such opinions, there is much evidence to support the contention that the United States was not founded based on any religion.

The Declaration of Independence does mention “the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God” as well as the fact that we are “endowed by our Creator” with certain rights.

However, as writer Jim Walker has pointed out, "the mentioning of God in the Declaration does not describe the personal God of Christianity.”

Our first true legal document – the Constitution – consciously does not mention God. 

The First Amendment does offer that

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech or of the press or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” 

It was obviously important to our founding fathers that we not codify one religion over another.

In 1797, the Senate ratified the Treaty of Tripoli between the United States and the country of Tripolitania which was primarily Muslim (this land is now part of Libya). Contained within article 11 of this treaty was the following: 

“As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion or tranquility of Musselmen; and as the said States never have entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mehomitan nation, it is declared by the parties that no pretext arising from religious opinions shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries.” 

Neither President John Adams nor the Senate objected to this language.

Although the United States was not “founded on the Christian religion”, one can make a good case that we are a “Christian nation” because Christianity is the largest religious movement within the country.

Our form of government is not Christian but a significant proportion of the people who live in the country at this point in time claim to be Christian.

An Unnecessary Debate?

Whether or not that makes us a “Christian nation” depends upon your worldview.

Fundamentalists with a more traditional worldview would say yes, while many atheists with a modern/materialistic worldview would say no.

These groups can get quite feisty emphasizing their beliefs. The emotional nature of such arguments flies in the face of labeling ourselves as “one nation”, much less “under God”.

Such debates, in my opinion do not ultimately serve us.

The heated discussions say more about the beliefs of those debating than they do about what actions we need to take to bring about the highest vision of our country. To me, such a vision is much larger and more important than who is right in a no-win argument.

If fundamentalist Christians want to believe what they believe and if materialistic atheists want to believe what they believe, then our highest vision should include a country that makes room for all of their beliefs as well as those who believe something else! 

The only problem is when either faction tries to take their belief structure and impose it on the greater whole of the country through certain legal actions.

A Real Shining City on the Hill?

In my highest vision for our country, we will ultimately and truly become “one nation” when we let go of focusing upon our differences and instead focus upon how we are alike.

We will become one nation when we will let go of attempting to impose our will and our beliefs on others. 

We will become one nation when our eyes become focused upon a common goal of how the United States can be a positive force for the highest possibilities for humanity and the world. This doesn’t mean bringing either our form of government or our predominant religion to other countries.

Instead, United States can be that “shining city on the hill”, in my opinion, when we can let go of our need to be fearful of one another and replace that fear with a sense of care and concern for everyone everywhere.

That concern leads us towards actions which ensure that every human being has access to having their basic needs met – healthcare, food, shelter, education, safety. 

Every person, no exceptions, should be free to live in a world liberated from violence and war. Every person should be able to believe what they wish to believe.

Every person should have the opportunity to be prosperous and thrive. And, our planet should be protected from harm so that every person now and every person to come will have a safe place to live.

As each person grows in their understanding of their interconnectedness to all of life, to all of this world, they evolve closer and closer to this higher possibility for humanity. 

At some point, we release the need to believe in our separation from other people or from the universe we live in or from any creative force which had a role in creating it all. 

At this threshold in our evolution, our sense of connectedness calls us to let go of our being simply “one nation” and instead realize that we are all part of the same “one cosmos”. 

We realize that we are no longer living “under God” and instead realize that we are all living and moving and experiencing our very being “within God”. We will know there is only “the One” and each of us are a part of It.

Check out all of Mark Gilbert’s books—available at Amazon. Click here to visit his Author Page. This includes his very latest one Becoming a Spiritual Change Agent. 

consciousbridge.com