It always amazes me when I meet someone who has a disdain for expansion of knowledge.
The other day, over lunch, I was arguing with a girl about a principle of abundance. I illustrated this principle with anecdotes about historically famous millionaires who had applied this principle successfully.
Her response: â??I can't use this information. It doesn't come from my experience.â??
Since her idea of reality was only what fell into her immediate experience she was discounting the possibility of knowing anything outside it. Yet, unless she was willing to acknowledge the possibility of something outside her immediate circle of influence, how could she invite the actuality of the experience. Unless one has a hypothesis, experimentation is not an option.
Here is another example. During a certain period of time, a friend of mine and I, while working and living in similar circumstances, developed a completely different view of reality. During this time, I read books on super-string theory, quantum mechanics, occult phenomena, and strategic thinking. My mind was exploding with the richness of the world that I had uncovered. She, on the other hand, preferred to live within the range of her limited experiences. My life took a quantum leap for the better, hers remained the same.
Since my college days, I have consumed an average of three books a week. My view of the world since those days has expanded so enormously, and my experience of my life and of myself has grown so exponentially that I barely recognize the person I used to be.
In my view, the development of the printing press and the genius of the global brain called the Internet, have been inventions of such massive importance that they have accelerated the development of consciousness to an unbelievable extent.
In this century, we have experienced more awareness than at any other time in history. Never before have we, as a species, been aware of so much possibility, so much power, and so much diversity. Perhaps, somewhere along the line, there is a distinct possibility that we will even give up our brutality.
Dr. David Hawkins, who uses a unique method to measure the expansion of consciousness using the non-linear dimension, has concluded that at the time of the Buddha, the average consciousness of all of mankind was around 80; during the time of Christ, it was around 100; and during the present day, it is around 200 to 210. To appreciate the enormity of this jump, you have to consider that he uses a logarithmic scale of 0 to 1000, with 1000 being the highest state of measurement on this planet, exemplified by the Christ Consciousness. A rise of well over a 100 points for our species is enormous considering a significant rise in consciousness is about 5 points in a single lifetime.
In Vedantic literature, the highest values are considered to be Jnana and Bhakti. Jnana is knowledge of the absolute; it is recognizing the field of pure potentiality, the quantum soup, from which all manifested things arise. When this Jnana is reached, a state referred to as enlightenment, or satori, or connecting with the Christ Mind predominates; at this point true Bhakti, the unconditional love for all life, emerges.
Thus the pursuit of knowledge, whether exoteric or esoteric, is of supreme value. Exoteric knowledge allows for a greater power in the world of matter. Esoteric knowledge allows for the next step in consciousness, living beyond conditioned thinking in the pristine quality of the moment.
What I find fascinating is the idea that both exoteric knowledge, exemplified by science, and esoteric knowledge, exemplified by mysticism, appear to be reaching a common consensus about the nature of reality, the nature of ourselves, and the purpose of life.
Since we cannot, due to the limitations of time-space, learn through direct experience, we must rely on vicarious experience. In a single book, a man's condensed knowledge can be transmitted to your brain. It took Albert Einstein many years to formulate the Special and the General Theory of Relativity, and behind his breakthrough was the research and the pondering of hundreds of the finest minds. Yet, in a week, given a 200 page book, I can grasp the essentials of what took so long to discover. This is nothing short of miraculous.
Sometimes, I meet people whom I have not spoken to in years. I find that mentally they have as little understanding of themselves and the world around them as when I knew them before. They even have the same problems that they used to have.
One does not have to be an intellectual to read a book; one merely has to be curious. And if our species were not curious, we would still be in the neolithic age.
Books are magical apparitions. Time-bending messages. The wisdom of Socrates or Marcus Aurelius can inform my decisions today in the 21st century. And now with the advent of the Internet, knowledge will expand so rapidly that before the end of this century hover-cars and the scourge of horrific mental and physical maladies will be a thing of the past.
Resource Box
Saleem Rana got his masters in psychotherapy from California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks, Ca., 15 years ago and now resides in Denver, Colorado. His articles on the internet have inspired over ten thousand people from around the world. Discover how to create a remarkable life
Copyright 2005 Saleem Rana. Please feel free to pass this article on to your friends, or use it in your ezine or newsletter. It's a shareware article.
Direct Answers - Column for the week of December 16,... Read More
If we want to fill our heads with the doom... Read More
Direct Answers - Column for the week of May 19,... Read More
Life is about constant, predictable patterns of change. For the... Read More
The secret power of positive thinkers is their faith. And... Read More
It is not very often that I have an issue... Read More
What does it take for you to pay attention?You've probably... Read More
In my years teaching people to be successful, I have... Read More
Direct Answers - Column for the week of June 30,... Read More
As we progress into the year, it is necessary for... Read More
Direct Answers - Column for the week of October 27,... Read More
Today more than ever before, we are witnessing a crises... Read More
In this world we don't have to afraid to anybody... Read More
I've been to 64-countries, and yes money comes in handy,... Read More
A Story (Source Unknown) ? One day a very wealthy... Read More
You've probably heard of the popular saying "It's better to... Read More
Quotable quotes are nothing more than flowery words... And anyone... Read More
A number of years ago I worked for one of... Read More
Direct Answers - Column for the week of March 17,... Read More
Ju was physically abused as a child. She lived with... Read More
The story of the three bricklayers has been around for... Read More
Discernment is an inner guide or compass. It is loving... Read More
Child abuse is a much more common event, than is... Read More
"Can't see the forest because of the trees," heard it... Read More
Without question, going to the hospital is teamwork from the... Read More
Laws of the Attraction notwithstanding, there are several external ways... Read More
Riding a rush, being juiced, flying high-this is the feeling... Read More
Wreaths are like rings. They represent the Universal Circle ("Let... Read More
"It`s life Jim but not as we know it." -SpockIn... Read More
When you realize that you really want to have an... Read More
Mark Twain (1835-1910) believed that having fun is important if... Read More
Direct Answers - Column for the week of October 21,... Read More
I hate saying that. It feels so very wrong. It's... Read More
Have you ever thought of what it would take to... Read More
Rejection! Who hasn't experienced the horrible feeling of being rejected?... Read More
Everyone wants to be rich. A lot of people want... Read More
Many of us invest quality time and energy into our... Read More
Are you left with inspiration but no action after hearing,... Read More
Why do so many of us end up frustrated when... Read More
Here are some thoughts for finding and experiencing joy in... Read More
As a chef I have a unique perspective on anger.In... Read More
When disorder comes into our lives, we obviously aren't paying... Read More
The one question I keep coming back to is..."Am I... Read More
All you want is a little more.More money, more love,... Read More
The Nazis stormed into the house of Stanislavsky Lech, who... Read More
Change, no matter how you cut it, can certainly be... Read More
Wisdom and knowledge come from the same family but are... Read More
A man is known by the company he keeps. We... Read More
The news came as a shock to us all. He... Read More
There is an old principle: You reap what you sow.... Read More
Life is full of problems.The more you solve them, the... Read More
Life is about constant, predictable patterns of change. For the... Read More
Give people more than they expect and do it... Read More
Why 'you are special'?Why and how does it matter?Things you... Read More
A Word Fitly SpokenA word fitly spoken is like apples... Read More
There is one line that can dramatically impact your life... Read More
Emotions are the most powerful forces inside us. Under the... Read More
I have always rather envied those people who have a... Read More
I am sitting before a window of morning light "losing... Read More
Why are we trying so hard? It is like we... Read More
In Catholic school the nuns used to tell us that... Read More
The true story I'm about to share will have a... Read More
Let's file this one under the heading of random musings... Read More
Whether it's a holiday, anniversary, birthday or a time in... Read More
You've probably heard of the popular saying "It's better to... Read More
The volatile essences of aromatic plants contain potent, complex, natural... Read More
Inspirational |