#evolutionary enlightenment

[jsks-blog]

Evolutionary Enlightenment

Great display of Spiritual Inspirational Books Evolutionary Enlightenment - Book By Andrew Cohen - ISBN: 9788184953107 http://ow.ly/mXwhu

[ironicsobriquet]

It would be good if you would give up the notion--as soon as possible--of trying to understand with the mind things that cannot be understood.

Thomas Keating talking to Andrew Cohen about meditation, enlightenment, and transformation. The conference call is happening right now: http://www.andrewcohen.org/calls/meditation-broadcast.asp

[spiritualnotreligious-blog]

"Being aware of evolution means many, many things," spiritual teacher, Andrew Cohen observes. "But ultimately from an evolutionarily enlightened perspective it really boils down to not only awakening to the fact that we are part of a process that is going somewhere, but ultimately to what degree we are contributing to the movement itself. And, so for the evolutionarily enlightened individual that perspective really points us back to ourselves, and it says: "To what degree are we enabling and encouraging this process of evolution to occur within this evolving cosmos as the result of our own heroic efforts?" "Ultimately," Cohen points out, "at the next stage of human cultural development, the ultimate source of meaning and purpose for the individual is going to be found through how much we are actually contributing to the process of evolution that  made it possible for us to be here." Spiritual . . . But Not Religious

[spiritualnotreligious-blog]

In a thought-provoking dialogue (attached) between spiritual teacher Andrew Cohen and the innovative biologist Rupert Sheldrake, two voices from the leading-edge of our post-modern culture discuss whether evolution, itself, may perhaps be sacred. "We can become aware of our connection to the cosmos and this vast evolutionary process," says Sheldrake," but the question is: 'Where is it going?' Does it just go ever and onwards and upwards forever until we get more and more enlightened and more and more cosmically aware? Or, does there come a point where there is some kind of a culmination of the whole cosmic evolutionary process?"

Bhuddini's "Bliss Blog"

[spiritualnotreligious-blog]

If humankind is to continue to evolve (and, looking backward in time, the case is almost universally evolve or perish) it is going to be an evolution in our capacity for greater consciousness, and that requires all of our efforts. Achieving full realization, enlightenment, moksha, or what have you, for oneself is good. But it does not seem to be enough in these days with the existential dangers we (enabled by Western science and technology) have created. As far as we know, we are the only beings (at least on earth) who are self-aware, that is who are conscious of our consciousness. In these times, it is not enough to seek spiritual evolution solely for our own good. We need, I believe, to be 21st century Bhodisattvas and strive to raise the transcendental awareness of the planet as a whole; and we start by working on our own level of consciousness. That said, we also need to expand the narrow parameters of science, as it is the dominant paradigm in this era. Science as a thought system needs to grow in its conscious awareness, as do the participants and beneficiaries of science - which means, just about all of us. Science, like any thought system is a good servant, but a cruel master. And as the dominant paradigm, it will not shift and lift its hold on our limited sense of self-consciousness unless the paradigm itself is challenged. Those who have seen the benefits of higher levels of consciousness (above the relentless noise of the ego) it seems to me, have an urgent imperative to challenge the paradigmatic view that science has nothing to say about higher consciousness, spiritual or religious experience, or the evolution of the mind. As individuals aware of the higher potential innate within every being, I think we need to push society's awareness of that potential, as Andrew Cohen (a teacher of 'Evolutionary Enlightenment') states, we need to do so "for the sake of the Whole." See this article from the "Bliss Blog: A Repository of Wisdom Quotes" for more information about the evolution of consciousness.