I N T H E B E G I N N I N G
"The universe does not exist 'out there,' independent of us. We are inescapably involved in bringing about that which appears to be happening. We are not only observers. We are participators. "
JOHN ARCHIBALD WHEELER
JOHN ARCHIBALD WHEELER
How mankind's status has improved in the last 100, or so, years; and yet the man in the street carries on as if nothing has changed.
As a species we have been transported from a deterministic world view, where consciousness is merely the serendipitous by-product of a mechanistic universe, and find ourselves elevated to the essential constituent of creation - with influence traceable, would you believe, right back to the moment of the big bang.
Incredibly this potent spiritual insight has been provided, not by some esoteric western master, or by an eastern guru (although heaven knows they told us enough times over the years), but by modern scientists - not traditionally known for their exotic philosophical opinions. Around the same time as these incredible (in the most literal sense) discoveries were beginning to be announced (first quarter of the 20th century) there were equally powerful parallel developments in the understanding of consciousness and, most visibly, in the arts.
And, blatant though these signposts have been, nevertheless they continue to be ignored even by the leading opinion formers of our time. That's because right now we are skidding along the very edge of our ability to conceptualise. Even those who made these astounding discoveries admit that they don't understand them.
Its obvious that ideas have a powerful momentum; and such a radical change to the way western man perceives his place in the universe is proving to be like turning the proverbial super tanker. Sooner, hopefully, rather than later (because I'm not sure there will be much of a later unless we drastically mend our ways) man will learn to empathise with the words of Aleister Crowley in his poem 'The Pentagram’ .
"Arise, O Man, in thy strength! the kingdom is thine to inherit/Till the high gods witness at length that Man is the Lord of his spirit."
As a species we have been transported from a deterministic world view, where consciousness is merely the serendipitous by-product of a mechanistic universe, and find ourselves elevated to the essential constituent of creation - with influence traceable, would you believe, right back to the moment of the big bang.
Incredibly this potent spiritual insight has been provided, not by some esoteric western master, or by an eastern guru (although heaven knows they told us enough times over the years), but by modern scientists - not traditionally known for their exotic philosophical opinions. Around the same time as these incredible (in the most literal sense) discoveries were beginning to be announced (first quarter of the 20th century) there were equally powerful parallel developments in the understanding of consciousness and, most visibly, in the arts.
And, blatant though these signposts have been, nevertheless they continue to be ignored even by the leading opinion formers of our time. That's because right now we are skidding along the very edge of our ability to conceptualise. Even those who made these astounding discoveries admit that they don't understand them.
Its obvious that ideas have a powerful momentum; and such a radical change to the way western man perceives his place in the universe is proving to be like turning the proverbial super tanker. Sooner, hopefully, rather than later (because I'm not sure there will be much of a later unless we drastically mend our ways) man will learn to empathise with the words of Aleister Crowley in his poem 'The Pentagram’ .
"Arise, O Man, in thy strength! the kingdom is thine to inherit/Till the high gods witness at length that Man is the Lord of his spirit."