"A human being is a part of the whole, called by us ‘universe’, a part limited in time and space.
He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings, as something separated from the rest,
a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness." - Albert Einstein
Consider the water droplets at the top of this page. They clearly are separate and distinct. But are they? Suppose we considered the (non-visible) water vapour or humidity in the air between them -- or the source of water from which they came. Would we then see them as separate, or connected?
The Power of Our Consciousness
Conscious change is about building a bridge between our inner and outer worlds - so our desires and ideas of what is possible connect more with the realities of our lives. It is also a stepping stone to re-thinking how we shape our relationships, our work, and our world.
Shifting Worldviews
When I grew up, I was raised to believe in a world where everything was physical and separate. In science, this was called the "billiard ball" universe: made up of tiny building blocks called atoms and molecules, that grouped together to form organisms, plants, animals, rocks, people. Each was seen as fundamentally separate from the others - and so it seemed to my human eyes as well.
When I entered environmental studies, my view of the world shifted. Here, the understanding was that we live in an inter-connected world, one in which we are part of nature, part of one living system or whole. In this worldview, everything is connected to everything else -- air to water to soil to plants to animals to human beings. What we do to one part of it affects all the other parts. Thus pollution in the U.S. affects Canadian lakes; radiation from the Chernobyl nuclear disaster affected crops around the world. Or, just as in a human body, if we harm the lungs, heart or some other part, the rest of the body suffers. So too with our world. And thus each of our actions makes a difference.
My next shift in seeing & understanding the world came with computers and electronics. As each new technology came onto the market -- from remote controls (for TVs, VCRs, CD players, even garage doors), to satellite TV, lasers, cell phones, WiFi, GPS, etc. -- the world I knew was shifting from essentially a physically-based universe to one based on energy. This was not a new discovery; Einstein had helped pioneer it in the early 1900s. But I was now experiencing it in my day-to-day life. And we are still just in the very early stages of using this awareness to shape our world.
A Conscious World?
I believe we are on the verge of another shift in worldviews -- one that will have even greater impacts on how we live, work and create change. I'm going to call it the consciousness shift.
Thirty-five years ago, while looking for deeper root causes (and solutions) for environmental/social problems, I was faced with several crises in my life: a deeply troubled marriage; extensive conflict in my work life; and intense anxiety, fear and conflict within. I had always believed that the first two were the cause of my inner problems. But I then came across a 'body of thinking' that suggested the opposite. These ideas (from various sources) suggested that it is our thoughts and minds that shape our world and our experiences; and that if we change our thinking (and the mindset we draw upon), both our inner and outer worlds will change as a result.
This "consciousness" worldview went against almost everything I was raised and educated to believe. Traditional science and thinking says that the physical world is what shapes our inner thoughts and experiences. It believes that minds are separate, thoughts are private, and our private thoughts have little or no impact on our bodies or outer world. However, these new insights proposed the opposite. They said that thoughts are things, the real creative 'power' in life that shapes our actions and behaviours. That our individual minds are actually linked or joined in a larger or collective consciousness. That this consciousness is what underlies our physical world, just as energy underlies our material world. That our thoughts - both conscious and unconscious - are continually shaping our reality and experiences. And that the conflict within us (between our false and true selves) is creating and reinforcing the conflicts around us.
These insights caused a huge rift in my life. A part of me understood the logic, while another part resisted these ideas for being so different. I deeply feared being called crazy for even mentioning them. So I decided to live them and test them, to see if they really work. And after 35 years, experience and study have led me to believe that they are actually true. Or to put it slightly differently: they are the best understanding of how life works that I have yet come across. So I continue to test them... because I want to see more healing and progress in my life and our world.
Implications for How We make Change
IF this worldview is true, it has profound implications for how we create change in our lives. It means that how we think about others and ourselves is shaping the world we experience. It means that the thoughts, feeling and beliefs we have about life are the building blocks that create it. And it means that how we treat each other is having ripple effects throughout our world. (Just like radiation or pollution would at a physical level.)
Consider for a moment, how you think about: Business people who are greedy or pollute, politicians you don't like or agree with, leaders who use power for their own gain. Consider your thoughts about ex-spouses or current partners; competitors or adversaries; liberals or conservatives; fundamentalists; criminals or terrorists. How you respond to global warming or climate change (or those who believe in or deny it). How you react when there's no work coming in, or you're challenged to meet your monthly payments. Which consciousness do you use to respond... and which consciousness are you growing?
IF this new worldview and wisdom are true, how we think about each of these affects all of us. Our decision to respond with love or fear, attack or compassion, connection or separation may be shaping our health, work, and life experiences with each choice we make. This isn't meant to scare, blame, or make anyone feel guilty. It's simply an awareness - that our thoughts may have power, beyond what we know; and an invitation - to try something different, so as to see if it works.
Conscious change is about building a bridge between our inner and outer worlds - so our desires and ideas of what is possible connect more with the realities of our lives. It is also a stepping stone to re-thinking how we shape our relationships, our work, and our world.
Shifting Worldviews
When I grew up, I was raised to believe in a world where everything was physical and separate. In science, this was called the "billiard ball" universe: made up of tiny building blocks called atoms and molecules, that grouped together to form organisms, plants, animals, rocks, people. Each was seen as fundamentally separate from the others - and so it seemed to my human eyes as well.
When I entered environmental studies, my view of the world shifted. Here, the understanding was that we live in an inter-connected world, one in which we are part of nature, part of one living system or whole. In this worldview, everything is connected to everything else -- air to water to soil to plants to animals to human beings. What we do to one part of it affects all the other parts. Thus pollution in the U.S. affects Canadian lakes; radiation from the Chernobyl nuclear disaster affected crops around the world. Or, just as in a human body, if we harm the lungs, heart or some other part, the rest of the body suffers. So too with our world. And thus each of our actions makes a difference.
My next shift in seeing & understanding the world came with computers and electronics. As each new technology came onto the market -- from remote controls (for TVs, VCRs, CD players, even garage doors), to satellite TV, lasers, cell phones, WiFi, GPS, etc. -- the world I knew was shifting from essentially a physically-based universe to one based on energy. This was not a new discovery; Einstein had helped pioneer it in the early 1900s. But I was now experiencing it in my day-to-day life. And we are still just in the very early stages of using this awareness to shape our world.
A Conscious World?
I believe we are on the verge of another shift in worldviews -- one that will have even greater impacts on how we live, work and create change. I'm going to call it the consciousness shift.
Thirty-five years ago, while looking for deeper root causes (and solutions) for environmental/social problems, I was faced with several crises in my life: a deeply troubled marriage; extensive conflict in my work life; and intense anxiety, fear and conflict within. I had always believed that the first two were the cause of my inner problems. But I then came across a 'body of thinking' that suggested the opposite. These ideas (from various sources) suggested that it is our thoughts and minds that shape our world and our experiences; and that if we change our thinking (and the mindset we draw upon), both our inner and outer worlds will change as a result.
This "consciousness" worldview went against almost everything I was raised and educated to believe. Traditional science and thinking says that the physical world is what shapes our inner thoughts and experiences. It believes that minds are separate, thoughts are private, and our private thoughts have little or no impact on our bodies or outer world. However, these new insights proposed the opposite. They said that thoughts are things, the real creative 'power' in life that shapes our actions and behaviours. That our individual minds are actually linked or joined in a larger or collective consciousness. That this consciousness is what underlies our physical world, just as energy underlies our material world. That our thoughts - both conscious and unconscious - are continually shaping our reality and experiences. And that the conflict within us (between our false and true selves) is creating and reinforcing the conflicts around us.
These insights caused a huge rift in my life. A part of me understood the logic, while another part resisted these ideas for being so different. I deeply feared being called crazy for even mentioning them. So I decided to live them and test them, to see if they really work. And after 35 years, experience and study have led me to believe that they are actually true. Or to put it slightly differently: they are the best understanding of how life works that I have yet come across. So I continue to test them... because I want to see more healing and progress in my life and our world.
Implications for How We make Change
IF this worldview is true, it has profound implications for how we create change in our lives. It means that how we think about others and ourselves is shaping the world we experience. It means that the thoughts, feeling and beliefs we have about life are the building blocks that create it. And it means that how we treat each other is having ripple effects throughout our world. (Just like radiation or pollution would at a physical level.)
Consider for a moment, how you think about: Business people who are greedy or pollute, politicians you don't like or agree with, leaders who use power for their own gain. Consider your thoughts about ex-spouses or current partners; competitors or adversaries; liberals or conservatives; fundamentalists; criminals or terrorists. How you respond to global warming or climate change (or those who believe in or deny it). How you react when there's no work coming in, or you're challenged to meet your monthly payments. Which consciousness do you use to respond... and which consciousness are you growing?
IF this new worldview and wisdom are true, how we think about each of these affects all of us. Our decision to respond with love or fear, attack or compassion, connection or separation may be shaping our health, work, and life experiences with each choice we make. This isn't meant to scare, blame, or make anyone feel guilty. It's simply an awareness - that our thoughts may have power, beyond what we know; and an invitation - to try something different, so as to see if it works.
Are we being pushed to think differently?
“The world we have designed and made is a result of our level of thinking...
creat[ing] problems that we cannot solve at the same level of thinking and consciousness which has created the[m].." - Albert Einstein
"The world's been burning since the world's been turning."
- from "We didn't start the fire" by Billy Joel
creat[ing] problems that we cannot solve at the same level of thinking and consciousness which has created the[m].." - Albert Einstein
"The world's been burning since the world's been turning."
- from "We didn't start the fire" by Billy Joel
What new way of thinking are we being called to -- to deal with our current problems in the world?
What new ways of thinking might help you deal with problems you are facing -- in your health, work, or relationships?
If there is a "true Self" (or a divine Self) inside of you, how would you describe it? (And does a similar "Self" exist in others?)
How might we think and act differently -- to create the consciousness we want to grow -- while creating change in our world?
Understanding human nature
How do I apply this?
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