Birth

Birthday Time

Posted July 10, 2016 by Eden

Another Birthday. I think there have been enough by now that we really don’t need to acknowledge them. 🙂 It’s lovely though, how many people reach out on social media or email and of course, my fabulous sons and husband are always so thoughtful.

As I get older and say goodbye to some along the way, the proof of my mortality looms somewhere ahead. I find myself constantly trying to put my life in context, to lighten up, to appreciate people more without the pressure, the stress, the striving, the paranoia that drives us. Someone posted this quotation on Facebook and I thought it was perfect.

“I think midlife is when the universe gently places her hands upon your shoulders, pulls you close, and whispers in your ear:
Your armor is preventing you from growing into your gifts. I understand that you needed these protections when you were small. I understand that you believed your armor could help you secure all of the things you needed to feel worthy of love and belonging, but you’re still searching and you’re more lost than ever.

Time is growing short. There are unexplored adventures ahead of you. You can’t live the rest of your life worried about what other people think. You were born worthy of love and belonging. Courage and daring are coursing through you. You were made to live and love with your whole heart. It’s time to show up and be seen.”

~ Brené Brown

Ideas of “Conscious Evolution”

Posted July 18, 2012 by Eden

What is “Conscious Evolution” and how can this affect how you live your life? Barbara Marx Hubbard, one of the founders of this movement, has defined it as follows: “Conscious evolution is the evolution of evolution, from unconscious to conscious choice. While consciousness has been evolving for billions of years, conscious evolution is new. It is part of the trajectory of human evolution, the canvas of choice before us now as we recognize that we have come to possess the powers that we used to attribute to the gods.” For the full explanation, visit her Foundation for Conscious Evolution site. Although, underlying these theories are the potential for dire consequences for mankind, all of these thought leaders are directing us to work together towards a more glorious future. I was particularly inspired by her statement: “…We can and are actually moving beyond the creature human condition toward a new species, a universal humanity, capable of coevolving with nature.”

For many people, the term “evolution” evokes thoughts of Charles Darwin and his famous work: “On the Origin of Species” which explains how all species on Earth have physically evolved from the very beginnings of life through natural selection and random mutations. This theory, although initially rejected by many scientists and most certainly by the church in the mid 1800’s, has become a foundational work in the fields of natural history and biology and serves as a widely-accepted explanation for the origins of man.

However, the process of Natural Selection and, in particular, the concepts around “Survival of the Fittest” whereby those with the most favourable genetic traits will win the reproduction war is now under some debate by scientists and modern day philosophers, especially as it applies to the current state of sentient man.

Consider this quotation from Andrew Cohen, another thought leader who is expanding our understanding of Conscious Evolution through his writing and teaching and his organization Enlightennext:

“… I believe we have reached a time in history when God, which I would describe as the energy and intelligence that initiated the creative process, is now completely dependent upon us—upon sentient life forms that have evolved to the point where they are blessed with the extraordinary gifts of complex cognition, self-awareness, and freedom of choice. At this critical juncture, our own future and the future of our planet will be determined by the conscious choices that we human beings make, rather than by the whim of a higher power or according to some predestined plan.” To read the full article, go to Cohen’s site.

In that same article, Andrew Cohen goes on to explain the ultimate purpose in humanity’s spiritual development: “…to liberate the miraculous power of human choice from being unconsciously trapped in a cultural epidemic of narcissism, materialism, and existential apathy. Our moral, spiritual, and cultural evolution—if not our very survival—really do depend on it.”

Dr. Bruce Lipton is another pioneer in this field of Conscious Evolution. With a PhD in cell biology, he is a renowned author and speaker on the topic of “Uncovering the Biology of Belief”. I’ve seen him speak at a Hayhouse event and he is both informative and inspirational. This excerpt from his site bio referencing his breakthrough work in the field of epigenetics, proving that factors other than genes can affect cell behaviour shows how he has stepped outside of cell biology to extrapolate his knowledge to the evolution of human consciousness – “…Dr. Lipton’s novel scientific approach transformed his personal life as well. His deepened understanding of cell biology highlighted the mechanisms by which the mind controls bodily functions, and implied the existence of an immortal spirit.”

I’m again reminded of a work of fiction that ignited the imagination of many on this topic in the 90’s called “The Celestine Prophecy”. The author, James Redfield, used this spiritual adventure to share his views on the evolution of consciousness through the Nine Insights that the characters discover in the story.

I don’t think it’s relevant to debate the specific insights or progressions as Redfield saw them in order to gain some insight into these ideas. Redfield’s Celestine books raised awareness for mysterious coincidences, human prayer-energy, channelling thoughts into a collective, dynamic force, and evolving towards a spiritual culture on Earth.

Conscious Evolution is a broad topic which touches on many spiritual and religious beliefs which I will continue to explore in future posts. One of the underlying messages that I find valuable with all of this work is that we are powerful, connected, spiritual beings with the ability to transform ourselves and our world.

Sometimes when I question why I write this material, manage this blog, share images and video that I believe to be beautiful, I remind myself that a continued focus on sending out positive, loving thoughts into the world through art, writing, or whatever avenues are available or suitable to each of us, is part of contributing to our collective consciousness, and driving us forward in our personal and shared evolution.

This follows on the teachings of two well-respected thought leaders today – Deepak Chopra and Eckhart Tolle. In my review of Tolle’s “Finding your Life’s Purpose” (blog post), one of the questions asked was: How can our species survive unless there’s a change in our collective spirit, our consciousness? The conclusion is that the only way that we can affect such as a transformation is by working on our own individual consciousness.

To emphasize this point, I will leave you with Deepak Chopra’s words: “… the only way to transform the world is to transform yourself..”

Why are we here?

Posted July 12, 2011 by Eden

This question has been asked since mankind reached consciousness and it has certainly driven me forward in my life quest, in searching for meaning in life. I think many people, regardless of religious tradition or beliefs, will generally agree that our basic goals should be to make a difference in this world and to contribute to others.

Or, in loftier terms, as I suggested in the post “Searching for Nirvana” – to find peace and love, to live in harmony, to create a better world for our children and to surpass the limits of the form we were born into, to evolve the human spirit to new heights…

But while my underlying commitment is about living my life to achieve these ideals, I find that I often fall short of them in my everyday life. The daily grind, the limits of our human bodies, the endless chatter of our mind, the upsets and frustration we all experience (not to mention the way business and society dictate our behaviours) not only get in the way but often derail us. So, I sometimes find myself in conflict with people (which always depresses me) and not always exuding the warmth and balance that I strive to demonstrate to others. This, in turn, can lead to a desire to escape, to be alone, to avoid too much contact or intimacy with the other humans on the planet, lest I misbehave further… hardly an enlightened approach.

One overriding lesson I’ve learned is that it is very difficult for an unhappy, depressed, or angry person to exude warmth and love, to create a space to truly contribute to others, or as Oprah has so eloquently put it: “to be the change you want to see in the world”. So, our number one priority must be to take care of ourselves. Consider that if you are ‘happy’ then you are more able to be with people such that they will feel better in your presence. (The old analogy of the airline’s safety rule stating that you must put your oxygen mask on first before assisting others holds true.) I believe the enlightened individuals on our planet, those we look up to and strive to emulate, understand this, continuing to do the work on themselves while accomplishing monumental tasks for the planet. They have a deeper sense of their soul’s purpose.

Speaking of giants, I came across Oprah’s Soul Series on XM Radio yesterday. She was interviewing Brian Weiss which was a great ‘coincidence’ as I had recently read his first book ” Many Lives Many Masters: The True Story Of A Prominent Psychiatrist, His Young Patient & The Past-Life Therapy That Changed Both Their Lives”, as well as a book called “Journey of Souls: Case Studies of Life between Lives” by Michael Newton, PhD. If you haven’t read them and are open-minded (or perhaps, especially, if you are not), then I highly recommend both authors. They are both professional therapists who have worked in the field of past-life regression for decades. They both have a great many documented case studies of patients who have recounted stories about past lives, and even more interesting to me, the soul’s journey between lives.

The original question that I posed – “why are we here?” takes on a much deeper dimension when you consider this viewpoint. If the heartaches and challenges and struggles of your life were actually selected especially for you (possibly by you), as lessons that you must learn, obstacles that you must overcome, on your soul’s journey, does this change your perspective? Face them now or you’ll just come back and do it all over again. 🙂 Do the work on yourself now. Be the best person you can be. Contribute to the people around you with your whole heart.

Another thought-provoking angle is the idea of soul groups which means that many people closest to you have been part of your existence for many lives and beyond. If you believe this then you can more easily accept their passing and your own when the time comes. It also puts new meaning, for me, to the concept of contributing to others in this lifetime. Some advanced souls may only be here for a short visit, to touch our lives, to steer us towards our life lessons.

I believe that everyone is here for a reason and that everybody begins life with something special. To rise above our life circumstances, to be our best selves and recognize what those gifts are, is part of our quest, our life’s greater purpose. Some are born rich or poor, beautiful or ugly, brilliant or dull, physically superior or handicapped. Most of us are somewhere in the middle of these extremes but, regardless of our physical and situational traits, our deeper being has something more to offer in this life. We all have a unique ability or vision to share with others that can make a difference and allow us to live a fulfilling life, to advance our soul’s journey.

The Journey of Man

Posted August 29, 2010 by Eden

Excerpt from “The Joinings“:

As we were born into new bodies and new capabilities, we walked upright and surveyed our world. Our instincts and intellect drove us forward. We built tools and fire. We mastered the planet and its creatures. We became self-aware and questioning. We formed tribes and worked together to build homes and families. We hunted together, collectively sensing the mystical forces at play in the universe. Our early cultures honoured our elders, worshipped the beasts that we killed, developed cunning and resourcefulness, as well as a spiritual sense to help us not only survive but thrive in an untamed world.

But as our populations grew and agriculture led us to create permanent homes and settlements, our aggressive tendencies turned us away from our instinctive, spiritual natures and instead forged warriors and conquerors. We built empires and dominated those that were weaker physically. Groups that remained in the more primitive, mystical world of the past became easy targets for slavery and slaughter, oppression and cruelty. Individual power became an ambition of man, overcoming the clan lifestyle. The value of human life was low if it stood in the way of progress and domination. Instead of honouring the natural world and the creatures that sustained us, we created new gods, powerful ones that would lead us forward in our quest for domination.

Ultimately, we awoke to a more sophisticated age and began to move away from the barbarianism of the past. We formed governments and religion. We created classes and rulers. Laws governed our behaviour in society; religious leaders dictated morality. The human consciousness imagined exultant possibilities and followed the new orders without question.

But our curious minds would always lead us to new territory. While authority and discipline, piety and unquestioning belief in a higher power may have been necessary at a particular stage to drive us forward, eventually, it became oppressive. Despite the answers to life and creation offered by religion, we dug deeper. Science and astronomy, philosophy and art triggered a renaissance of new ideas and new abilities. We discovered ways to manipulate our planet’s resources, asked new questions about our existence, and uncovered previously unimagined answers. Humanity’s progress could not be stopped. Prosperity and technological advances transformed our way of life at an increasingly rapid pace. Empire-building again became a focus but we discovered that war was not the only way to dominate other cultures.

At each stage in the development of our culture and our consciousness, the life conditions of previous stages influenced our direction, in some cases as a negative force. We reacted to that which seemed wrong instead of out of pure creation and conscious choice. Not all areas of the world progressed at the same pace and within regions one might find evidence of past and present cultures. Yet, overall, our progress was steady.

A natural next stage was a revolutionary worldview, an understanding that many of our advances were endangering our planet. For peoples who had been born and bred in a prosperous environment free of war and struggles, many grew more sensitive to less fortunate citizens of the world. They understood the effect that man’s rapid progress was having on our natural resources. They fought to bring harmony and spirituality, a return to more primitive principles when the earth was worshipped for sustaining us – not destroyed and used without concern. This led to a philosophical merging of all great wisdoms, religion, and spirituality and a natural disdain for past structures that still sought to dominate the planet.

But a power struggle remained and for those cultures left out of the prosperity and advancement curve, still rooted in past cultural stages, resentment and violence brewed – particularly towards those who dominated the world stage.

And it came to pass that with so many disparate cultures and worldviews, with violence and unhappiness rampant in some areas of the world, that a relatively small percentage of the human population were able to instigate unprecedented death and destruction upon the entire planet.