Читать книгу Beyond Soul Growth - Lynn Sparrow Christy - Страница 19

…In this manifestation of the material world, and of the creative energy as is manifested, is the stumbling block to many peoples, for evolution is as of a fact in the mind of the creative energy, and the will of the energy creating is of the higher forces, same as the will of the individual in the higher species…

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As life arose in a world without life; as Simple Consciousness came into existence where before was mere vitality without perception; as Self Consciousness leaping widewinged from Simple Consciousness soared forth over land and sea, so shall the race of man which has been thus established, continuing its beginningless and endless ascent, make other steps (the next of which it is now in the act of climbing) and attain to a yet higher life than any heretofore experienced or even conceived.

Richard Bucke, Cosmic Consciousness^*

Everyone now living has grown up in a world where “the theory of evolution” is known. While in some quarters there is still a tenacious insistence that evolution is a mere theory, the evidence for it has become so overwhelming as to make it an accepted underlying premise in the study of genetics, neurology, psychology, anthropology, and sociology. Yet one place where the evolutionary perspective has been less well assimilated to date is in the realm of spiritual inquiry. That statement may seem surprising, given the amount of religious controversy that continues to surround evolution, particularly in American culture. Yet if we examine the hot-button issues in this controversy, they tend to be about the origin of life and how we got to where we are now rather than about how life works right now. There are religious people who believe in evolution and those who hotly contest it, but even among those who believe in it, evolution has not yet taken on a widespread influence over how they live their lives, how they deal with their challenges and weaknesses, or how they navigate any number of other essential aspects of the spiritual path. In short, for the vast majority of those who pursue the life of the spirit, evolution has not yet become a practical spiritual world view.

Nonetheless, the evolutionary spirituality movement has taken a firm foothold in contemporary spirituality, and its values and priorities are gaining a momentum that promises to become a growing force in twenty-first century ideas about the spiritual path. One need only do a web search using key terms such as “evolutionary,” “evolution,” and “spirituality” to see numerous sites, teleseminar series, articles, and books that address the topic. As we will be seeing, the spiritual view of evolution has been around for at least a few centuries, but it remains for us in this day and time to assimilate the meaning that knowledge of evolution sheds on life and allow it to actively shape a new spirituality that nurtures our capacity to fulfill our potential as co-creators. This is a truly momentous opportunity—one that is integral to the dawning of a new age. The evolutionary drive that has been operating beneath the surface of things for nearly fourteen billion years is now waking up to become aware of itself. We are evolution becoming conscious! Let's step back a moment and look at what a profound awakening that is.