Tuesday, November 29, 2005

Conscious Evolution & New Thought

Hello,


The photo to the right is of Barbara Marx Hubbard, futurist, philosopher, author and visionary. Barbara and I are creating a synthesis of Conscious Evolution and New Thought, called CE~NT. Today, I will briefly describe Conscious Evolution. For more information, you can visit Barbara's site - BarbaraMarxHubbard.com.

Conscious Evolution, as described in Barbara's book, EMERGENCE, is based upon the idea that evolution is the means by which the Intelligence of the Universe creates greater complexity. With greater complexity greater intelligence emerges, ultimately leading to self awareness. As the only truly self aware creatures we know, human beings, homo sapiens sapiens, are at a point where the previously unconscious process of evolution can be consciously directed. In other words, we are now able to truly create our future.

The implications of this are astonishing -- the healing of the planet, for example. Metaphysically, it appears that we humans have collectively created the "crisis" of non-sustainability that currently exists in order to produce an "evolutionary driver" toward greater complexity - toward greater mastery over our experience.

Barbara sees the current generation of humans as being in an early stage of this capacity, of being, in other words, at the start of a truly transitional period for humanity. Those who resonate with this idea can actively seek to enhance their own cababilities in terms of what we speak of as "radical self awareness," deep meditation, and directing the conscious mind only toward that which support the greater levels of expression.

Here are some basic principles of Conscious Evolution:

1. A Creative Intelligence, a Consciousness Force animates the Universe.
2. As we mature that Intelligence is becoming aware of Itself in us. God, Spirit, the Great Creating Process becomes Person in us, but is never subsumed by us.
3. Evolution is the manner by which Creative Intelligence expresses. Coded Evolution connects us with the great possibilities of the Universe (the miracles of Jesus – we are doing what he did).
4. Human Intention is the key to the future. We can no longer rely on the prophesies of the mystics and early prophets – we have to see it, think it, believe it in order for it to come true.
5. The Evolutionary Purpose of the great faiths and spiritual traditions of the past has been to pave the way for the emergence of the Universal Human who embodies higher qualities of being as a new norm.
6. Each Pioneering Soul attracted to participating in the process of co-creation and contributing to the future of the planet has a vital role to play in birthing a new community.

Even thought we are just beginning to develop this concept & our related capabilities, we are also confronted with a shortened timetable to reverse many of the harmful trends of human culture, including global warming, runaway materialism, economic practices that foster disadvantage and poverty, and war.

In the next post, I will describe the New Thought principles that lend Conscious Evolution a sound theological basis, incorporating the best of what we know from science.

Love and Light,
RevLockard
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Tuesday, November 22, 2005

One World -- Gratitude

This week of Thanksgiving marks the beginning of
the "Season of Light," the time of the year when we recognize in a formal way the existence of and the many gifts of Spirit.

Each tradition has its own way of celebrating. All effectively celebrate the same thing - Spirit, God, Allah, Brahman - many names for the same Mystery, the Infinite Presence.

Our beautiful planet is a gift to us, and we arise from it to express our human experience of life. My gratitude for this wondrous expression is complete and total.

Affirmation: "I am the divine expression of a Spirit that is Love, Wisdom, Joy, Peace, Light, Beauty, and Power."

As you contemplate this Season of Light, open yourself to a new expression of yourself - be the person that you really choose to be in this season and beyond. Make the changes necessary for the life transformation that is waiting within you. Begin with an "attitude of gratitude" for everyone and everything that is in your life - and for all that is to come.

Have a wondrous and joyous season.

Love and Light,
RevLockard
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Friday, November 18, 2005

On Synergy

Hello,

Today, I had one of those synergystic experiences, you know, where things seem to come together so perfectly that it gets your attention. In the distant past, I would have called it a series of coincidences, but now I know better.

I define synergy as the harmony of the intelligence of Spirit as directed by one or more people in a conscious AND unconscious collaboration. I say conscious AND unconscious because we are involved with the world at both levels. Much of want we call synergy happens via the unconscious interactions of our minds with one another and with the outside world.

So here's what happend. I am involved in a spiritual real estate investment and development group - 10 partners who have come together to create communities, resorts and other kinds of developments that are positive for the environment, socially responsible, and profitable. Half of the profits (when they arrive) will go into a foundation that will support spiritually and socially responsible projects around the world. It is a dynamic and exciting group of people and we are moving toward our first few projects.

I had offered two very close friends of mine a chance to invest in this group a few months ago. This couple showed interest, but nothing really came of it, if you know what I mean. As a deadline approached, I contacted them and, after thinking for a day, said that they would regretfully decline to get involved. I told them that was fine, and not to feel in any way obligated to me about this.

The next day, I received a call and they said that they had reconsidered. I put them in touch with another of the partners, who was better at explaining all the details of the group than me. They called him and made contact. Now, here's the synergy. The couple was already scheduled to fly to Florida to catch a cruise ship tomorrow; to the same town where the partner lives. They will be able to meet with the partner in person there.

Not enough? Okay, the partner told my friends of a project that we are working on that my friend can use on some land he owns in Maryland, and for which he has been seeking a creative use. This will involve participation by another person in Maryland who both my friend and I know.

All of this coming together, especially after a long period of inaction, tells me that there is something special going on. I believe that the time between this connection and the first conversation about the group that I had with my friend was, in fact, a gestation period. The ideas and the intentions were being nurtured and grown until they became ripe for action.

The metaphor of planting seeds comes to mind. We plant seeds of all kinds -- intentions, both positive and negative, as we go through our days. Some of these are nurtured within the unconscious mind and they take root, all beneath the surface of our awareness. When the time is ripe (or when you are ready), the manifestation of these seed ideas occurs in form.

The use of the metaphor of the seed sower and the harvest is common in the Bible, and was used by Ernest Holmes in THE SCIENCE OF MIND. Your conscious thoughts are seeds, which are planted within yourself, and sometimes shared with others as ideas. Then, as those who recieve the ideas think about them, they plant seeds in their own unconscious mind. When the activity involved is a group activity, then the harvest becomes a mutual event shared by all those with a willingness to partake, a willingness to be present.

A deeper metaphor is that of building bridges. We build bridges from idea to manifestation, from heart to heart, by our clear intention to be connected at a deep level, AND by our actions which are in harmony with that intention. The special thing about our real estate group is that we are consciously building bridges among the partners, everyone else involved with the enterprise, and with our clients, customers, and the planet itself. This is a new way of doing business. We are getting some skeptical, even cynical, reactions from some people; from most, however, we are getting a very positive response because they see the desirability of bringing a spiritual approach of connectedness and integrity to the business world.

All of this is synergy -- the more you get in the flow of life, the more synergy you experience. This synergy may be as simple as receiving a telephone call from someone you were just thinking of, or just about to call. It may be as involved as an event that affects thousands of people in a joint effort or millions in a cultural shift.

The key is to be open to the possibility of synergy in your life. By creating a consciousness of invitation to the sublime effects of synergy, you create a receptivity to your good that transcends the ordinary.

Affirm your openness to yourself regularly, meditate on your high degree of cooperation with the universe and with others for your good to manifest, contemplate the wonders that have already occurred in your life and celebrate those that have yet to occur.

Allow the gift of synergy to permeate your existence by learning to cooperate with the wisdom within you and to expect only the best.

What do you think?

Love and Light,
RevLockard
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Thursday, November 17, 2005

Hello,

Today, I want to spend a few moments exploring what it means to be "authentic."

First, it is important that you be authentic to your "True Self," the highest & deepest sense of your identity. I believe that is a divine identity, or God AS you.

This concept is based upon a definition of God, or Spirit, as an Infinite Intelligence that is inclusive of and also beyond all physical reality. In other words, God is both Creator and Creation. God is not a separate being with a personality, but the Intelligence in back of the Universe (not unlike The Force described in Star Wars). That portion of the Intelligence of God that is the energy of the Universe is, essentially, our playground and through it we have everything we need to survive and thrive.

This is the Perennial Philosophy (described by Aldous Huxley in the book of that name in 1948), which forms the basis for many of the world's great religions, including the American New Thought Movement, which includes Religious Science, Divine Science, and Unity, among others. This is my faith tradition.

Second, you must do the internal work necessary to discover that level of identity. This is normally accomplished through what are called Spiritual practices, such as prayer, meditation, contemplation, spiritual education, etc.

Third, once you have discovered your deepest identity, you must then decide to live from that identity all the time, and do whatever is necessary to follow though on that decision. This would involve more spiritual practices, and clear ACTION that is consistent with your authentic self.

This whole process is essentially what Joseph Campbell describes in his concept of The Hero's Journey. He spoke about "following your bliss," which is the combination of the discovery of your authentic self and then the choice to live from that center.

Living from your true authentic self means that you are the same person at home, at work, with friends and strangers. You do not feel the need to project some image that, deep inside, you know is not who you are. With the realization and actualization of the true authentic self, you develop a strongly positive self-concept, and you easily relate to others and are never threatened by any differences between others and yourself.

Ernest Holmes, in THE SCIENCE OF MIND, also wrote about the discovery of the authentic self, what he called the "imprisoned splendor" of the true self. He taught the use of affirmative thinking and prayer as the primary means to achieve the realization. Rather than looking to a power outside the self for "salvation," Holmes looked to the Power Within for the transformation that is brought about by true self-realization.

Do you see the value of finding and living from your Authentic Self?

What do you think?

Love and Light,
RevLockard