Global consciousness arising

[One Aware]

Hello Graham and welcome!

Yes I know what you mean. For me, continuing to understand that thoughts are just thoughts and not "fact" or "truth" is a biggie. It takes awhile to undo the years of conditioning to the contrary but I find it getting easier and easier to accept. I suffered from both anxiety and depression and I was introduced to mindful meditation through a mindful based cognitive therapy program available at my local hospital. It has made a huge difference in my life, but so much more to explore.

[Gareth]

thoughts are just thoughts and not "fact"

This is perhaps the single biggest thing given to me by mindfulness. You would think this would be easy to understand wouldn't you?

Gareth

[riverman]

Let's all diligently cultivate global consciousness, or eco consciousness as I've heard it described. Are we getting closer to it as a species? If we were unfortunate enough to live in Syria at the moment we wouldn't see much evidence of it. We have to be very mindful of the conditioning of our egos and the delusion that our interests are separate to the interests of others. If enough of us can sustain global consciousness for long enough then we could just tip into a new age of understanding and compassion. It's possible. It's not against the laws of physics. It's just behavioural change. We could all decide to change right now.

[LoveBeforeAllElse]

I definitely am noticing what seems like a rise in global consciousness. I just haven't been able to say for sure if it was just because I was looking for it. The science is going to bring more awareness of awareness without a doubt. I don't really see how that can't snowball into a new age of understanding. I'm really interested to see how technology is going to help with the practice of mindfulness in the future.

Graham I know exactly how you feel! Mindfulness is pretty much cheat codes for life compared to where I was. Meditation threw me out of the two worst weeks of my life. I went from having non-stop anxiety and daily panic attacks to not believing I could be sad if I wanted to.

The world seems however we make it seem.

[rara]

I would like to think so but also, hasn't this just been a general progression anyway over the years? From the way we have evolved from barbaric, primitive times to a time where we generally get along as a race. Some are more aware than others, it's always the case. There were some pretty "awake" individuals around the time of a Buddha, as an example, and there are now. The vast majority however, were skeptical towards the truth, yet still maintained a fair level of open mindedness. Then, some really didn't give a s*** at all haha.

And some still don't give a s*** at all. And so what? That's their choice and their mind tells them they're happy with that choice. We have made our own choice, and even if we are collectively growing towards a better place, there's still many who will willingly stay behind.

[LoveBeforeAllElse]

Yeah Rara, your right. It will always be a progressive process that started in our past. I think that for us to say that at any moment we aren't entering a more awakened moment would just be to doubt our own ability to help others choose awakening. I think the fact that we know without a doubt that we aren't going to quit is what creates the future opportunities for others.

I can't find the quote, but there's one that I love talking about how Buddha, Gandhi and Jesus aren't really historical figures, in that they were so far ahead of their time and even ours that they should really be thought of as figures of the future. The truth is time isn't real outside perception. There's just this eternal moment that awakening exists in.

[rara]

I can't find the quote, but there's one that I love talking about how Buddha, Gandhi and Jesus aren't really historical figures, in that they were so far ahead of their time and even ours that they should really be thought of as figures of the future. The truth is time isn't real outside perception. There's just this eternal moment that awakening exists in.

Wow! That's a pretty good way of putting it. Also, the story of Buddha tells us that "he" is more of a concept than anything. That we can all develop these awakened qualities and become Buddha. Maybe Gandhi was a Buddha, or equivalent...depends on what your perception is.

If we are to say that we are going through a global awareness at this moment, then we always have been, and always will be. People were awakening in the 60s. John Lennon and Yoko Ono's bed-in, as an example!

What is clear is that we are all growing and moving forward in some aspects...but backwards in others. Racism and homophobia are being stamped out gradually, which is all well and good...and many of us are becoming less materialistic etc. But the powers are still developing nuclear weapons. Wars are becoming more frightening with the prospect of mass destruction, unlike 1000 years ago! Today, I still see people rushing to the January sales like the world's going to end etc.

So sure, I would say there's a global awakening of sorts, but in addition, there's global idiocy as well. Yin and Yang...

[rara]

@pranna Back to your original post though, I completely know where you are coming from...I felt the same way up until last summer. I realised I was becoming hopeful and started building expectations. It was almost like tunnel vision...I then realised I had a closed mind again...that I had gone too far in this direction. I took some time to observe, and the thick and thin of it is this: there's usual Joe Bloggs on the street, then there's hippies (us) haha. Nothing seems to ever change, other than the looks of things.