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Next Steps in Human Evolution and the Advancement of Consciousness

 

 

Introduction

 

When we take some time off our busy personal life and our private occupations and try to zoom out to see a bigger picture, we may rely on information from quality journalism, respected analysts, opinion writers, cultural critics, historians and so on.
In my opinion thats the response-able way to live in this world as a mature human being.

 

Looking at present geopolitics, historical developments and the general state of the world we are confronted with a multi-level crisis of ever increasing global warming, species extinction, brutal warfare, techno oligarchy, cooperative greed, nationalistic and isolationist tendencies in politics, a general us-versus-them attitude, fake news and social-media brainwashing, extreme economic inequalities on the one hand and extreme me-me-me hedonism, blind consumerism, crude materialism and a after-us-the-flood on the other side.

 

Sprinkled over all that we have an epidemic of depression, attention deficit disorders, crisis of meaning, domestic violence, drug use and overdoses afflicting young people …  and what else?

 

You may say that I am exaggerating but I don’t think so. I think if I would line up all the ills of our world in the 21 Century, I would fill 10 pages and more. Many others do that much more eloquently than I could ever manage.

So I rather not do it.
It is not the intent of this article.

 

My main interest is about the road onward, a path thru this terrible and frightening bottleneck that anybody can see who has the guts to zoom out and dare to take a honest look at our predicament.

 

Personally, I don’t believe too much in short term fixes neither do I trust in revolutions or even anarchy, nor do i really believe in incremental changes of systems, nor in moving humanity to Mars or escape to a paradise island.

We will always take ourselves with us wherever we go, whatever we try to change we will always project our present level of consciousness out into our projects.

 

Not that I am against making things better, I am all for care-full improvements, activism and smart plans.

But in my opinion at the end of the day, this multi-crisis is a crisis of our present level of consciousness. And in recognizing that, there is also the path onwards that I suggest. Individually and as well as collectively.

 

I’d call it The Road Less Traveled and I have based this article on some of the best inspirations I have found in my life, examples of visionaries who walked their talk when it comes to advancement in personal and collective consciousness.

Obviously, these are weighty and complex matters and here I can only try an overall birds-eye perspective. Naturally it is also my very personal integral synthesis of what i have seen and learned and practiced.

I will list the source material at the end of the article.
In case you wish to dive deeper into the matter you may download those books for self-study.

 

 

Next Steps in Human Evolution and the Advancement of Consciousness

 

 

Humanity stands on a tall cliff, actually a seemingly unbridgeable chasm that asks for profound change and transformation, a moment in our long history where the very nature of what it means to be human is undergoing a severe challenge and hopefully a thorough re-evaluation.

The journey ahead, as envisioned by a range of deeply informed perspectives, suggests a transformation that extends far beyond mere physical or societal shifts.

 

At its core lies a fundamental evolution of consciousness, maybe even a quantum leap. A movement towards a more integrated, interconnected, and ultimately, more aware existence.

 

A key aspect of this next evolutionary phase is the potential transcendence of our current ego-centric awareness Egocentrism is characterized by a self-centered perspective and a limited ability to consider alternative viewpoints. Egocentric individuals are primarily focused on their own needs, desires, and beliefs, often disregarding or neglecting the perspectives and experiences of others.
Egocentrism emerges as a natural part of human development, particularly during early childhood, but it can persist or resurface at later stages of life.
At its core, egocentrism reflects a narrow scope of awareness, where individuals struggle to step outside of their own subjective experience and truly understand the world from different perspectives.
They may lack the capacity for empathy, failing to fully grasp the emotions and concerns of others. Instead, their worldview revolves around their own thoughts, emotions, and desires, leading to a limited and self-centric understanding of reality.
Egocentrism manifests in various ways, often resulting in behaviours and attitudes that prioritize self-interest and personal gain over collective well-being.
Impulsiveness, a desire for power and control, mindless social conformance, anarchism, perfectionism, victim mentality, narcissism, racism, prejudice and discrimination, moral superiority, and even the phenomenon of cancel culture are all examples of egocentric behaviour that can be observed in individuals and within society.. The dominant mode of consciousness, often characterized by the individual ego and a primarily rational intellect, is increasingly seen as a limitation on our full potential as human beings.

 

The horizons of human experience may be expanding towards what some describe as Transpersonal Consciousness Transpersonal Consciousness refers to experiences and states of awareness that extend beyond the boundaries of the individual ego and personal identity, often involving a sense of connection to something larger than oneself, like a higher consciousness or a universal interconnectedness. It encompasses various phenomena, including mystical experiences, altered states of consciousness (like those induced by meditation or psychedelics), and peak experiences like flow states. , superconsciousness, cosmic consciousness, or a fifth-dimensional integral awareness.

These concepts point to a broadening of our perception beyond the boundaries of the individual self, fostering a deeper sense of connection with others, the natural world, and perhaps even the cosmos itself. This expanded awareness could unlock greater capacities for empathy, heightened sensitivity, and a more intuitive understanding of the interconnectedness of all things.

 

Integral to this evolution of consciousness is the idea of spiritual growth and transformation. This involves a progressive unfolding of our inner being, moving through various stages of awareness.

The development of an intuitive mentality, a more direct and luminous apprehension of truth, is considered a vital step beyond the constraints of purely logical thought.

Intuition, acting as a bridge to higher forms of knowing, can offer insights that transcend purely rational processes.

 

This development may pave the way for even higher states of consciousness, such as the Illumined Mind, the Higher Mind, and ultimately the Overmind, a state associated with cosmic consciousness and comprehensive knowledge.

The culmination of this spiritual ascent is envisioned by sages like Aurobindo as the manifestation of Supermind, a consciousness marked by knowledge through identity and a fundamental transformation of our very nature.

 

This transformative journey also involves a psychic opening, a turning of our entire being towards the soul and its inherent qualities of truth, goodness, and beauty, alongside a spiritual change involving the infusion of higher light and power into our being.

 

Beyond individual transformation, the next stage in human evolution is also characterized by increasing social inter-connectedness and the emergence of a planetary consciousness via technologies like the Internet.

The growing interconnectedness of humanity, fueled by technological advancements and a rising awareness of shared global challenges, is fostering the development of a Noosphere Analog to the term Atmosphere and Biosphere  the Noosphere is a field, a environment we live in.
For Pierre Teilhard de Chardin who used the term, the noosphere emerges through and is constituted by the interaction of human minds.
The noosphere has grown in step with the organization of the human mass in relation to itself as it populates the Earth.
As mankind organizes itself in more complex social networks, the higher the noosphere will grow in awareness. ,a sphere of collective thought and consciousness.

This “Planetization of Mankind” suggests a future where humanity operates with greater interdependence and a shared sense of destiny, potentially leading to a higher level of collective reflection and a more unified global consciousness.

 

Unlike the largely unconscious processes of biological evolution in the past, the coming phase of human development is marked by an increasing element of conscious and purposeful evolution. Humans possess the unique capacity for self-awareness and aspiration, enabling us to actively participate in our own evolutionary trajectory. This involves a deliberate striving for inner growth, self-perfection, and a more elevated state of being. The direction of this evolution is not rigidly defined but is shaped by our collective will, choices, and aspirations.

 

These evolutionary trends suggest the potential for humanity to transcend its current limitations and move towards states of “trans-personal-humanity”. These concepts envision a future where human potential is more fully realized, characterized by enhanced consciousness, greater interconnectedness, and a more harmonious relationship with the universe. As Aurobindo pointed out, the emergence of a “supramental being” capable of guiding terrestrial existence is one such vision, hinting at the potential of a radical transformation of human nature and society.

 

The cultivation of Intuition Intuition is a higher form of knowing that goes beyond intellect and reasoning. It can be understood as a **direct perception of truth** or a sudden insight that seems to come from a source deeper than our ordinary mental processes. It acts as a **bridge** between our current understanding and a more profound knowledge, often appearing as a flash of clarity or an inner sense of what is true.plays a significant role in this evolutionary process. By quieting the mind, refining the intellect, and fostering inner stillness, we can become more receptive to the subtle guidance of intuition, which serves as a vital link to higher consciousness.

Developing the ability to distinguish between genuine intuition and mere mental constructs and philosophical or metaphysical concepts is also essential. Engaging with the world with focused attention and inner feeling, while lessening our reliance on purely rational thought, can further nurture intuitive development.

 

Obviously, practices such as meditation and mindful observation of thoughts, along with the purification of judgments and the cultivation of receptivity, are seen as crucial steps in fostering this faculty.

 

The concept of the Akashic Field Akasha  is a Sanskrit word meaning “ether”: all-pervasive space.
Originally it ment radiation or brilliance .in Indian philosophy akasha was considered the first and most fundamental of the five elements—the others being vata (air), agni (fire), ap (water), and prithivi (earth). Akasha embraces and includes the properties of all the elements: it is the womb from which everything we perceive with our senses has emerged and into which everything will ultimately return.
The Akashic Field (also called The Akashic Records) is the enduring record of all that happens, and has ever happened, in the whole universe. These records, according to occult science, are immaterial and can be accessed through spiritual perception or by “reading” them.
They represent a comprehensive history of existence.
Building on these ancient concepts, Quantum Field Theory introduces the Akashic Field as a fundamental field of “in-formation” that permeates the entire universe and connects everything within it.
Unlike static data, this “in-formation” is an active process that “forms” the recipient and influences reality.
The Akashic Field is closely related to the quantum vacuum, a dynamic and energy-filled medium. It is proposed as an explanation for nonlocal coherence, the interconnectedness and seemingly instantaneous correlations observed in various phenomena across different scales, from the quantum realm to consciousness., a universal field of information rooted in the quantum vacuum, offers a potential scientific framework for understanding the deep interconnectedness of all things and the enduring record of all experiences. This field suggests that information is a fundamental aspect of reality and that everything is interconnected through this cosmic memory.

 

When we talk of Intelligence, our inherent ability to connect diverse concepts and creatively manifest new possible realities from mere potential, understanding the diversity of human intellectual capabilities, as proposed by the theory of multiple intelligences, can inform our approach to personal and collective development.

Recognizing that intelligence encompasses a wide range of abilities beyond the purely linguistic and logical, such as spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, and intrapersonal skills, can lead to a more holistic understanding of human potential and the different ways consciousness can manifest and evolve.

 

While the future remains wide open from an evolutionary perspective yet at the same time quite constricted when seen with “external eyes”, we do have the choice and ability to turn on our “inner, visionary eye” to see potential where others see doom and chaos.

Even then the precise nature of the necessary evolutionary steps is not definitively known, but the convergence of various deeply informed perspectives points towards a profound transformation of human consciousness as a central driving force.

 

This evolution involves

• – a move beyond the limitations of the ego
  – a cognitive quantum leap from information gathering to direct knowing via Intuition.
• – a spiritual ascent towards higher states of awareness
• – an increasing sense of global interconnectedness
• – and a more conscious and purposeful participation in our own unfolding journey.

 

In a followup article I will try to formulate my view of Collective Consciousness, the Noosphere and Akashic Records, Quantum Fields and the role the rapidly emerging Artificial Intelligence Phenomena is playing in this dynamic development.

 

Here are a few of the main sources that have helped me to gain the understanding that I tried to articulate in this article.
In case you want to do a deep dive into the matter, feel free to download the books.

 

 

 

Stages – or Altitudes – of Consciousness

 

 

 

Please handle with care!

A MAP IS NOT THE TERRITORY!

😉

 

Like all categorizations those levels of development are not neat boxes to put people in but they represent the most advanced map i know of that helped me to make sense of the incredible varieties in the character of the people i encountered. To understand the distinct differences and personal characteristics that exist “under the umbrella” of our shared humanity.

 

Ken Wilber’s Integral Theory is a conceptual framework that can help to understand human development throughout the spectrum of consciousness.
Also known as levels of consciousness, altitudes or stages of development.

These stages describe fundamental levels of qualities that influence various aspects of human development, like emotional, moral, cognitive, and spiritual growth. Individuals can exist at different altitudes across these lines simultaneously. 
The levels are often associated with colors and descriptive labels.

 

May this help you to understand your self better and have greater understanding and empathy towards your fellow humans.

 

 

These levels are broadly categorized into three tiers.

 

 

• 1st-Tier Levels of Consciousness: These levels are generally characterized by a sense of lack, deficiency, or the feeling that the world needs to be different.

 

◦ Infrared — Archaic: This stage marks the beginning of our developmental journey, primarily associated with newborns, though adults can also be found here. It’s a prepersonal, preverbal stage with no sense of identity and no access to language. Verbal communication is limited to muttering, focused on meeting basic survival needs and sensory perception.

 

◦ Magenta — Magic: Dominant in young children and tribal societies. Here, individuals have a rudimentary sense of self enmeshed with their surroundings. Magical and animistic thinking, superstition, and a focus on bonding and security prevail. They cannot yet empathize with others.

 

◦ Red Magic — Mythic: At this stage, a stronger sense of identity emerges, perceiving the world as separate. There’s an attempt to impose this identity on the world, with little comprehension of cause and effect, leading to narcissism. The self-boundary is still flimsy, so the world is experienced as a dangerous place. Individuals are egocentric and can’t take the perspective of others. Power negotiation and impulsive behavior are characteristic.

 

◦ Amber — Mythic: A significant leap occurs with the ability to take a 2nd-person perspective and empathize with others within their in-group. Identity is derived from group affiliation, leading to conformity and intolerance towards out-groups. Thinking is concrete-operational and absolutistic, focused on order, discipline, and religious structures.

 

◦ Orange — Rational: This marks the first worldcentric stage, with the capacity for 3rd-person perspective-taking, allowing individuals to consider the perspectives of all human beings. Formal-operational thinking becomes available, enabling reflection and critical thinking based on logic and reason. This is an individual-oriented altitude with themes of material abundance and achievement.

 

◦ Green — Postmodern: The final 1st-tier stage, also an ‘advanced worldcentric’ stage, allows for a 4th-person perspective, leading to an understanding of the constructed nature of knowledge (constructivism) and a questioning of all previous claims to truth. It is characterized by sensitivity, pluralism, relativism, and a desire to flatten all hierarchies to remove artificial boundaries. There’s an interest in diverse viewpoints and practices. This stage focuses on authentic, pluralistic, multiple perspectives and communal values.

 

 

• 2nd-Tier Levels of Consciousness: This tier represents a “monumental leap” in meaning-making. The first stage is marked by the ability to embrace and integrate all previous altitudes.

 

◦ Teal — Integral: This is the first 2nd-tier stage, where individuals become multiperspectival and can actively integrate and utilize all previous altitudes as needed. It is an individually focused stage where systemic thinking and vision-logic cognition emerge, allowing for the understanding of systems of systems and natural hierarchies. There’s a drive to find connecting patterns and unities beyond diversities. This stage sees the world as alive and evolving, with natural hierarchies and flexible thinking.

 

◦ Turquoise — Integral: While still within the 2nd-tier, this stage is more communal and relies more on emotions than Teal. Individuals perceive the world as alive, loving, and evolving. Having integrated previous altitudes at Teal, there’s now a willingness to deeply question knowledge, epistemology, and ontology, with greater openness to forms of knowing beyond the intellect. The focus shifts towards attending to and healing the fragmentation created by earlier developmental stages.

 

 

• 3rd-Tier Levels of Consciousness: These altitudes are considered transpersonal and spiritual in nature, focused on a direct sense of wholeness and an awareness of awareness. They are Kosmocentric, meaning identified with the whole world. These levels are beyond what most humans experience.

 

◦ Indigo: This altitude marks the beginning of our journey into these transpersonal levels. It is called para-mind, beyond the ordinary mind and the junction between the 2nd- and 3rd-tiers. Here, individuals begin to drop their identification with the body-mind, seeing beyond the illusion of a separate self. They tune into a broader sense of self beyond thought and physicality, realizing that mental concepts deeply influence our experience of the world. There’s a sense of the divine in all things, and compassion becomes cosmocentric.

 

◦ Violet: At this stage, the transpersonal components from Indigo strengthen. It’s called meta-mind, moving beyond ordinary mind. A defining feature is “feeling-awareness,” where intellect, feelings, knowing, and being all come together. The sense of separation further breaks down, with a deep feeling of intimacy with the surroundings. Deity mysticism can be a prevailing form of spirituality, and knowledge arises from direct inner contact.

 

◦ Ultraviolet: This stage delves deeply into transpersonal territory and links to the Witness state, characterized by the realization of “I have thoughts but I’m not those thoughts” and an almost constant awareness of awareness. It’s described as “feeling witness” or “warm witnessing,” a loving and welcoming awareness. Thoughts and emotions are perceived as arising from beyond the mind. There’s an identification with pure consciousness, and absolute and relative truth become increasingly difficult to distinguish.

 

◦ Clear Light: This is the highest altitude of development, conjoined with the highest state of consciousness. It requires non-dual awareness to access and is described as superhuman, characterized by oneness with God and all the manifestations of God. There is no self, subject, or object; all experience is unified as “One Taste”. Absolute and relative truth merge completely. There’s an awareness of the same consciousness looking out of all beings, immersed in this oneness. Dichotomies are transcended, resting in a deep underlying unity.

 

 

These altitudes provide a framework for understanding the increasing complexity of human consciousness across various developmental lines.
May this help you to understand your self better and have greater understanding and empathy towards your fellow humans.