I typically describe myself as a futurist. I often write about the future, including in Futures Studies journals. My book Extraordinary Mind is subtitled Integrated Intelligence and the Future. Yet I am a futurist who believes that the one thing that all the possible probable and preferred futures of humanity must contain if they are to succeed, is... presence.
Yes, the essence of my preferred future is to be here now.
It is only through presence that human beings can become fully conscious, and bring darkness into light. It is only in presence that consciousness becomes fully alive.
Most of all, it is in presence that we find the love that lies at the heart of every human story that has ever mattered.
It is in presence that we find God... or something that feels like God.
Visions of the future which fail to address this story are ultimately empty. They are like a person turning up at a baseball game, then sitting backwards in his seat and watching the wall at the back of the stadium. The essential point has been missed. Most visions of the future are out of alignment with the essence of our story. They have become lost in the flickering mind. The present worldwide obsession with gadgets is simply an extension of the scattered awareness of the ego. The flickering screen is an extension of the flickering mind.
The way back is simple. It's quite easy really. Simply return to what is real, what is here.
Rather than my telling you, here is a short video from someone who taught me much about presence. He speaks straight from the heart: Leonard Jacobson. Leonard is a modern mystic whom I first met in Australia 19 years ago. He is the real deal. He is not trying to sell anything nor be anything other than what he is. I invite you to take a few moments to listen to his wisdom.
Here is Leonard talking about what God is. Nothing is more important.
Marcus
Rob like this video a whole lot, so we're going to post it, too. Terrific post, marcus. Be here now pretty much says it.
ReplyDeleteTrish
I'm glad you like it Trish, or at least Rob! Leonard is simply the most wonderful teacher. But you have to listen. He doesn't try to wrap it up in anything other than what it is. His books are also worth reading, and his methods even more with practicing.
ReplyDeleteIt is hard, initially, to wrap one's mind around the essence of God, but once you do, it's understandable. Good post, Marcus.
ReplyDeleteFrom Stephen Hawking's Flexiverse to Synchronicity: Intimations of Our Transhuman Future
ReplyDeleteBy Christopher Jargodzki
http://www.metanexus.net/conference2009/articles/Default.aspx?id=10819
Thanks for the link Alexander. I agree with the essence of that paper. I think transhumanists fundamentally misunderstand the nature of mind and consciousness (as does mainstream science and developed modern culture in general). Learning to quiet the mind helps in coming a to a greater awareness that mind is more than just the chattering monkey of the mind/ego, which is essentially processed through the left brain. I'm keeping my mind out of the computer!
ReplyDelete