Spiritual Evolution

There are still many countries such as Burma, China, Afghanistan, North Korea and others where heretics are arrested, tortured, exiled or even killed for open spiritual thinking depending upon the laws of the country (13). Even in the United States, where we pride ourselves on spiritual freedom, there are those who would accuse me of blasphemy for questioning traditional spiritual practice, because they are taught not to question spiritual authority. This brings up an excellent question. Who has spiritual authority? A priest? A bishop? A prophet? A Mosque? A Church? You? Me? None of the above? Keep these questions in mind as we venture deeper down the rabbit hole of discovery. With heightened knowledge and new discoveries presenting themselves almost daily, we are more capable now than at any other time in history to reconcile some of our biggest questions and assumptions about spirituality and its interplay with logic. Many people are looking into more fascinating questions of existence than ever before. Does this mean we can relinquish all personal responsibility to explore and grow with confidence that all will be taken care of; and thus, we have nothing to contribute as individuals? Absolutely not! Why? The reason is, as knowledge progresses forward, resistant forces that wish to maintain the status quo, are unwittingly working to undermine the next emergent event of human kind, namely mass spiritual evolution. I am not speaking of devilish figureheads bent on oppression, as with the long forgotten institutions of old. What I am suggesting is that resistance to human spiritual transformation occurs through any entity that fights for its continued existence and growth by the fundamental requirement to keep or control the spiritual status quo. The previous statement may seem like a dichotomy, but as we explore how discovery and thought uncover new realms of complexity, spirituality, quantum physics, relativity, mathematics, logic, neuroscience, biology, astrophysics, meditation, universal systems, genetics, agent based computation and philosophy, we will discover an underlying common truth so profound that we as a species may never be able to return to a way of purely consumption based existence. Perhaps by exploring together, the spark of enlightenment may begin with this conversation and start a cascade of events that will forever change ‘The Way’ of humankind towards a new Way of existence. The Way is traditionally an Eastern phrase which has several meanings synonymous with ‘The Path’ or ‘The Enlightened Road.’ The following paradoxical Koan from Zen Master Mumon perhaps better explains ‘The Way’. A master was asked the question ‘What is the Way?’ by a curious monk. ‘It is right before your eyes,’ said the master. ‘Why do I not see it for myself?’ ‘Because you are thinking of yourself.’ ‘So long as you see double, saying “I do not” and “you do,” and so on, your eyes are clouded,’ said the master. ‘When there is neither “I” nor “you,” can one see it?’ ‘When there is neither “I” nor “you,” who is the one that wants to see it?’ -Koan of Zen Master Mumon (13th century) I want to be clear. Although I personally ascribe to a form of divine influence on life and that life has infinite potential, I do not believe in a solitary human as ‘The’ prophet, second coming or witness as a requirement. That being said, we are all beings with far more grace and potential than we now practice, and for that there is something truly inspiring and mysterious about our collective future. Lastly, I do believe a true enlightenment journey combined with exploration into the divine Universe is possible for all aware, sentient species. To begin, we will reexamine some early teachings that govern how we individually ‘see’ reality. I now challenge you to open your mind to a reality in which science and spirituality, together, can reveal unexpected and exhilarating answers. Alas, as with all great wisdom, more answers beg more questions.