Evolutionary Enlightenment 101

OK, I’m in! Now............... just where the hell is that we are going? Oh yes, right here, Nirvana.  (*!*) Jun Po

Yppity yappity yapp.
Thats not actually evolutionary.

I think I’m somewhere between 46% and 49% and each day is such a “weird” place to be. Phew. What a ride. I have largely been going through this process without outside guidance as you are providing to others. Predominately, I have found it has been so important for my own clarity to come upon insights directly first before reading and discussing. Though recently I re-found you and at my current stages it has been a gift for me to read your articulation of the process which virtually mirrors my perception as well. Love and Laughter to all who are engaging. And my intentions are with you regarding your efforts surrounding the Being and Becoming Retreat and EnlightenNext Discovery Cycle. This is the right track, right time, right attempt.

I really thought you had found the Authetic self before you became a Spiritual teacher .
Simon/from Totnes

why the evolution of form ( matter, life etc..) has so much difficulties to remain aligned with the ground of being , from which it emerged ? why this evolution has to go through a trials and errors process, that makes it so hard for us to get “"naturally"”?  The alignement to the ground of being seems to be very subtle and fragile, for humans in particular . May be we do not know yet the reasons, but would be interesting to hear from those who have had insights about it ( including Andrew).

Estatic nonduality, YES!!!

is Incarnational intersubjective evolutionary nonduality is where one n many are same, evolving to create the future? Then its ecstatic commitment drives forward to create something new , unknown to the mind , all exciting n uplifting, proves the significance of life!

thank you, Andrew, for the articulation of this new enlightenment.  the Evolutionary Impulse has been central to my work as a Unity Minister for many years.  In response to Dominique’s inquiry about the difficulties of evolution staying aligned with the Ground of Being ....  it seems to me that the wide variety of choice that appears in evolution as new birth and death of both life expressions and consciouness based ideas, attitudes and beliefs all get addressed by the process of natural selection and makes it possible for the extraordinary novelty of life.  Huge amounts of diversity result in many varied expressions and a huge array of characteristics that can evolve through evolution...and some very novel and wonderful ones get selected....Novelty in evolution seems dependent on wide and diverse potential of choice..that wide diversity of expression means that some will be more valuable than others. and many will not work out.  That seems to be in alignment with the creative nature of the evolutionary impulse.

Absolutely wonderful! The pivot point, the 51%, alters everything. No more dread and struggle. Come together with others in this field of unlimited potentiality. But don’t wait there, go on, explore, intend, and boldly strive forward.
It is like hearing true Christianity explained in a 21st century way.

There is something I never understood about this way of counting the Evolutionary Impulse. If it is right that the Evolutionary Impulse is the Creative Evolutionary Force of the Universe, it seems to me plausible that the people endowed with the most of this force should be the most creative ones.
I mean they should have their own genius.
But most of the geniuses I know ( with very few exceptions) are not at all consciously into a spiritual quest. However, since they are the most creative people for playing with our world, they are be the ones who have the deepest access to this Creative Force, by definition.

So is it better to have a deeper, although uncounscious access to the Creative Force or a more conscious , but less creative relation to it ?  I personally would choose
both if possible, but if not possible I would give higher credit to the former, to the unconscious genius.

So when we talk about 51 %, what is it exactly we are talking about ? most of the students I know are not geniuses in anything, with a few exceptions again.  I would prefer to be a completely not enlightened physicist, but a genius one, rather than an above 51 %
but rather boring person…

Is being a genius(with a broad and deep acception of the meaning of a genius) a necessary condition to pass the 51 % barrier ?

This is something I never understood.

Thanks for this blog, Andrew.

Dominique’ s question about the difficulty to be aligned with the ground of being. It also fascinates me a lot. The only way I succeeded to tackle it is with a quantum model. The ground of beging is a quantum field of reality (same idea in many authors including Sheldrake ). It is truly part of reality but… it belongs to the quantum realm, hence impossible to measure totally. Our common world, what we call material world is a measurement of this field. Evolution has done measurements over measurements over measurements creating grooves of experiential reality.
But we know in Quantum Mechanics (QM) that when one thing is measure, it makes the same measurement most probably, at another place in space (called the Einstein Pokrovskii Rosen paradox). That’s the QM picture of the situation. Measurements have been so repeated on time that we are stuck into grooves of Culture; if we want to evolve, we must measure another part of the field of being and for doing this, we must extract ourselves from thse grooves, or re-direct those grooves.

One notion that the QM model doesn’t have is the one of non-being, whihc is present in the spiritual experience but not in QM.  Maybe QM is missing something there ?

perfect...let’s create...aum

Thank you Andrew - This has to be your most spectacular blog yet. It points to the very heart of what it means to be a fully creative person and absolutely everything is in that!

I hope Andrew will address Catherine Pepin’s question (Comment 8). I suggest mere genius can be misdirected or misapplied being the result of tunnel vision, whereas conscious access to the same force embraces the seen and unseen, known and unknown. In other words its expression will be the expression of infinity and have no shadow. The resulting good may be subtle perhaps invisible to the world at large but it will be there.

My question concerns the relationship of spiritual evolution to physical evolution, which never seems to be addressed in spiritual evolutionary circles (except as regards the development of complexity). Humanity could after all be wiped from the face of the earth at any time for reasons unrelated to levels of human development.

Anne

the way I understood Andrew suggestion about 51 %:  In the apparent battle between the Ego and the Authentic Self (AS), when the AS wins , even of a bit ( 51 %), the battle is over, and spiritual evolution can go to the next step in the human person. It is like in an election in a democratic country. With 51 % you can be the new Government. But as you know, the opposition organises itself very quickly, and the victory may not last for ever. So better be an activitist !

Now , what happen to this ratio, when it comes to the collective process of spiritual evolution ?  what is the minimum proportion of “"51 % people"” that is needed for the collective shift : is the ratio again a 51 % ?  ( the same democratic majority rule?), or a less proportion is enough, as much fewer people may be able to catalyse a snow ball effect in the society ? any ideas? 

Catherine points about genius : true that genius are not necessarily enlightened, and vice versa: the brain functions at stake are not the same...some well known genius were highly egotic..some others were driven by some spiritual quest but were not enlightened , also because they were 150 % in their mind, 24/7..why not accepting it ? the Universe is using all possibilities to evolve , whether they come from genius discoveries or enlightned leaders…

last point about why the Universe makes it so difficult for us to evolve: agreed 100% that part of the answer is hidden in QM, when looked from a cosmic perspective..

Incarnational Intersubjective Co-Evolutionary Nonduality

Andrew, you may have discovered something and if so, what a relief for you after all these years of trying to figure life out. And yet, what I have discovered is where I once I felt imperfectly but grounded, and had an ego, imperfect but functioning, I did not feel so weird all the time. I am still functioning. People see me and think I seem outwardly the same, but inwardly I am not and yet I no longer know myself. Is there a lot of awe and synchronicity I cannot explain. Daily.  Is there suffering for seeing how much others suffers, yes. We might be evolving and there are times I say I never wanted to be this evolve but I don’t know how to get off. The Merry go Wheel of life keeps going. I try to stay in the present but my body remembers my past. I have not lost feeling and it is more intense than ever. I am aware of the limitation of the body and time daily but I have seen timeless and it is not enough. Just another experience. Some are driven to change as you are and some are driven to just watch and notice. I am in the later category for what it is worth. I almost today e mail go, but I open it and thus my comments. I am happy for your journey and it it continue to give your life meaning, I am happy for you. There are a lot of magic numbers out there, I guess you have found another one.

...remember...to evolve toward awakening is a conscious choice.  Unconscious evolution ended with our cognitive development.  There is no authentic impulse to “become one with the life process”.  We are already that.  Who does the “becoming”?

As Christians we have thought that it was all or nothing. The 51% concept makes awakening achievable while still realizing there is much to learn. Thank you.

I feel that “becoming one” is a process that integrates the ego with the higher self. When you say “evolving beyond ego,” that statement can easily be misinterpreted as “negating” the ego or blaming the ego.  Rather than evolving beyond ego, I like to call the process “reconnecting with one’s higher self.”

I agree that when the relationship with your higher self becomes *at least as* real and as important to you as any of your other relationships, this is what some term “critical mass.” It’s the point where the universe supports you in your evolution (and your life purpose) life never before--because you’re doing what you came here to do. It’s the point where the “gifts” of Interconnectedness--such as favorable synchronicities, flow, and new insights--show up promptly and consistently. This point begins at 50% (greater or equal to 50%).  The paradox is, the ego is very much involved in this process and a conscious effort (and choice) on the part of the ego is required to begin it.  Once we reconnect, the higher self pretty much drives the process (though you still have a choice as to what you do or don’t do). You don’t lose your ego in the process and you don’t lose your sense of self.  You lose nothing but gain your higher self, and your sense of self is strengthened. You become a nobler version of yourself. This is all good news.

Catherine, you do not need to be a genius to reach 50% (or 51%), but you do need to develop a relationship with your higher self.  When you can say that your inner guidance has *at least equal say* in your choices, if you can say your higher self informs your choices as much as anyone else outside of yourself (regardless of who or what they may be) you have reached critical mass. You will then stop being influenced and maniplulated by anything or anyone outside of you.  I feel this is important not only for your evolution, it’s important for fulfilling your divine purpose.

Christine Hoeflich

I have just “awakened” and started my spiritual quest..it seems to me that this new enligtenment - this urge to evolve - is truly a part of the universe, and as we glimpse the world with this level of consciousness we see an amazing synergy at work in the world ...take the development of the Internet - technoliogy that permits us to discuss and spread this new enligtenment… Is anyone else amazed at the timing, the synergy?

51% is somewhere between Yin and Yang....

You might also wish to examine purity, equilibrium and magic via
‘Thien Tao’, The ‘Synagogue of Satan’ (called such ‘to keep from friendship and association with fools who mistake names for things’

madonnanegra

Although I think I understand your wanting to set a number for achieving enlightenment, it sounds to me as wanting to be able to quantify the accumulation of something undefinable.
Why is it 51 % and not 50.5, 50.4, 50.3, 50.2 or 50.1 %.

If I should put a number, I would think 50 % would be a more appropiate number. This to me would indicate that I would be at a threshold that required a Choice. I could either slip back into the lower 50 % or take the step into the unknown. This would require a context shift and a conscious choice to move from from my present context, that does not give me the answer. to something that might give me the answer.
In order to get an answer I must ask a question that is beyond my current context.
In the bible it says: “ask and it shall be given”.
20 years ago I asked the question: “What is the source of my spiritual energy”.
The answer came within a couple of weeks, and I had a 180 degree shift in consciousness. I became conscious of my “authentic” self.
The ageless wisdom teachings call it being “a Soul infused personality”.
Looking back at my experience I see following criteria being essential for getting the answer. Being 100 % responsible, being 100 % accountable.
Every choice I make is my responsebility and I am 100 % accountable for the choice. I am the creator, because I am not seperate from the universal creative intelligence, that Andrew calls Eros.
So in conclusion these elements are essential for mowing from the lower 50 % to the higher 50 %. Commitment(choice), desire, and willingness to “Become”.

Quoting Andrew Cohen
“Radical spiritual transformation is experienced as the liberating emergence of spontaneous inspiration, ecstatic creativity, and passionate commitment. This occurs at the level of the Authentic Self, i.e. when Spirit meets itself as the creative impulse.”

MY OWN recent direct experiences relate to creating radical spiritual transformation through authentic community.  Within a small committed group that we formed recently in Asheville, I am witnessing spontaneous inspiration, ecstatic creativity and passionate commitment arise.  Each member of the community speaks from their highest, most authentic place and others honor that which resonates as authentic.  We are finding the spiritual context in serving something much larger than the individual self or our collection of individual selves.

Thus the context is serving the larger community by bringing best practices for serving the best interests of the planet.  Our mantra is to constantly add value to community and to enter into a sacred relationship of trust with the community.  We are considering a for-profit approach, one that re-invests by transferring education and leadership development to those we are serving.  We are also planning to have a series of offerings, so that as an initial offering is taken up by the community, there is a natural fulfillment, allowing us to move on to the next in a series of offerings.  This allows us to not focus primarily on profit, but on incubation and innovation as the primary drivers.  The governance model we are using within our group and that we are prepared to scale up to the larger community is based upon a sociocratic structure.  We believe that these structures and goals radically depart from how business is conducted in the world as we currently experience it and are very committed to experimenting with radical approaches to encourage transformation of the human spirit and human potential

The 51% percent magic number so very true. So important. So very painful to see how hard this work is. Unmatched by anything else. Sometimes so painful, sometimes so eye opening, sometimes so liberating. This is the only thing that feels right in this life.

A first time meeting of the Center for Contemplation will be held tomorrow, June 18th, in my city of Abilene, TX.  My husband, Dr. Russ Meier, is the one who is bringing this dream of his into a reality. 

Andrew Cohen stated: “When we awaken to the Authentic Self and cross that 51% threshold, we no longer have any choice. In fact, we realize, from now on, that that’s the only reason we’re alive.” Also, “That’s when our greatest potential—to consciously evolve together—actually becomes manifest in the real world, with real people. “
I’m so humbled to read those words, knowing that that’s exactly what’s been happening to myself, my husband, and so many others in our community who are wanting to evolve together.  Thank you, Andrew Cohen, for writing about this.

Lars Mogensen,

I agree with you that the number is 50%. This makes sense from many perspectives: left-brain/right-brain, male/female, yin/yang, logic/intuition, lower self/higher self, ego/authentic self, heart/mind, doing/being...in other words, balance. It also means you need both.

It wouldn’t make sense for it be 51%/49%, but 50%/50%.  I think when your authentic self is “at least as” (= 50%) real to you as the person in front of you, that’s when the process takes off…

But what does this mean? It means you need to learn to trust your connection enough to consistently follow through on the guidance of your higher self. Of course, this is where the challenge lies.

The 51% is when the scales tip over. It’s what is called in Zen language the Pivot Point. You are over the hill and the momentum changes. It is a drastic change. Don’t underestimate it. No need to speculate about it, try instead to grasp its meaning. If you need please ask.
You can see that 50/50 doesn’t really cut it, because you’re still sitting on the fence.
There’s a relief to the 51%. It’s like getting the thread through the eye of a needle. All things that kept you on one side of the scale suddenly easily shifts as the balance changes over to the other.

In Christianity we call it Saving Grace.

When AWAKENESS streams through us, its true that living becomes “...a direct perception of the interconnected nature of all things, seen and unseen, known and unknown, including the infinite ground upon which they all exist...” and when this gift of BEINGNESS becomes a co-journey including others, it does indeed deepen the meeting of spirit & creative impulse, eliciting change effortlessly before our eyes.

The next leap spoken of here--as awesome as it sounds, and as much as I yearn for it to be true--raises doubt for me. I truly like the idea that “...enlightened awareness, is all part of an evolutionary process occurring within a universe that’s going somewhere.” How do we know this isn’t just another assumption that ego could have a field day with? How does this differ from ‘magical thinking’ and doesn’t the word ‘somewhere’ defy us to imagine something we can’t possibly envision? I’m not trying to be contrary. These are honest questions.

But in a timeless world, isn’t everything already done? Therefore, there is no evolution only our timeline obsessed recognition of it?

Hi all. The way I read the 51% is not as a pejorative number but as an indication that the major part of your ‘drive’ or life force is toward enlightenment, or oneness. On our journey we slip back into being ego-led all the time - not by choice (because once you have experienced ‘all that is’ you realise that ego is the opposite of peace) but because ego wins out.

So to me (correct me if I am wrong) what Andrew means is that when you get to that place where the *majority* of the time you are led by Spirit and not by Ego, you have passed a threshold where there is going to be less and less of *you* and more and more of *one*. Although, purely because we are on an evolutionary journey, that is going to happen anyway, isn’t it?

Re Ego.....it’s all about balance.
I understand the 51% to a degree, but would like to read more about this.

So many people. So many ideas. Such a simple concept. Meditate on the true meaning behind it. Thank-you Andrew.

This is right out of Bartholomew’s mouth in the 80s.  That does not diminish it in the least.  I have joined up and it is very near the 51% now!

Mr. Cohen - Initially intrigued by your writings when I first stumbled upon EnlightenNext six months ago, I am beginning to find portions of your narrative, nothing more than gobbledygook.

Suffice to say, this reader is returning to the more practical “old-age” approaches put forth by the likes of Thoreau, Emerson & Telihard.

I agree with Pete. It is already all done. How do we know Andrews talked about evolutionary process completed itself?  We are here. This is where the process took us. Congrats to us and around and around the mulberry bush we go. lol

It doesn’t have to be difficult to understand the evolutionary process. When we walk, each step is in the present moment, while our gaze is up ahead (so we see where we going). This, simply, is intent. Looking ahead to where we intend to go. Not yet there, but with a vision to sustain our stride. We do this all the time. All things follow the same principle. Consciousness too. Engage together and a vision opens up. Now, where do we go together? It’s up to you and me. We decide our future.

Yes, the Oneness that contains All is partially about physical beings finding out who they are as part of a collective consciousness, and this contributes to the expansion of collective experience and the Oneness.  What I find so enjoyable is the interminable Joy, Love, Light and All-Knowing and continuous exploration, evolution and immersion into the Oneness, both in this world and beyond.  I’m fortunate to have met a few people who understand and operate from this perspective; I’m looking forward to meeting more, and the transformation of this world and beings within it (soon), as we collectively reach that 51%.

All Our Relations

I heartily endorse Andrew’s views and Ken Wilber’s assertion that the destiny of humankind, the Omega point of human evolution is to become enlightened. I would submit this with a doomsday note that if humankind is not successful in achieving Enlightenment (the lesson of learning to live in peace and harmony with our fellow humans, our planet and the universe) our race will probably progress toward increasing bellicose behavior with the threat of nuclear annihilation of our race, the new dinosaurs. BE peace, walk the walk; peace is within each of us, you and me. Aloha,

Interesting blog by Andrew, and mostly cogent and insightful replies by others. This 51% “tipping point” is beautifully addressed by Gurdjief, as he spoke of the “false self” and the “real self.” When one hits the 51% point he or she transforms “impressions” from the false self to the real self. This alters one’s consciousness and experiences, and it also strengthens the real self. One must make continual strong efforts to transform impressions (and one’s thoughts) to the real self. The ego, the false self, will continually be a stumbling stone to the strength and development of the real self. What we refer to as “Life”, such as it is defined culturally (and by our media and politicians), is the basis of the stumbling stone which will move us to fall asleep once again.

Only a few comments were made about Andrew’s emphasis upon the “We” of conscious evolution. In Christianity we speak of “When two or more of us are gathered together (the holy spirit comes to vivify and enlighten us).” This We is where the real power of the holy spirit is found. Too, Jesus spoke of the Kingdom that we are all seeking as being like a mustard seed. This is one of the smallest of seeds, yet when it is nurtured and it grows to maturity it can become very large and take over the garden it has been planted in. So with us. We are seeds. We are right now quite small in porportion to the whole of humanity. But like the mustard bush, we can grow almost exponentially. With this is the idea of the “One Hundreth Monkey.” This involved the situation where when the proverbial 100th monkey copied some of the surrounding monkees and began washing the sweet potatoes in water suddenly all of the monkees, including those on neighboring and isolated islands, began washing their sweet potatoes in water. When a certain number of us begin consciously doing the same thing suddenly (almost) all of will begin washing our sweet potatoes the same way. Perhaps we will need only 15%, or 25%, of us to reach a certain evolutionary consciousness, and then all of us will (magically) become enlightened.

These are my ideas. I may be wrong. Namaste, ya all.

I’m confused.  Isn’t dividing the person into Ego and Authentic Self creating another dualistic model?  Doesn’t placing a dividing line between Ego driven and AS driven at a 50% line also follow dualistic thinking?

In a oneness understanding, doesn’t evolution become meaningless, as the distinction between that which is evolved and that which is unevolved, that which is changing and that which is stagnant is lost?

Thanks in advance for any help understanding.

Yes, we are here and we see what we see. But do we want to stay here and do we not want to see further?
This to me is where Desire burns positivley and becomes the evolutionary impulse. Always moving forward, seeing further and clearer. This is what makes life worthwhile and exciting. And the miracle of it is that it benefits all.

We are already and have always been where we are seeking to be. It really doesn’t matter what the ego self thinks. The answer is not in the thinking but in the being. The mind can comprehend the concept of experiencing everything through the experience of everything. The true self can and has always experienced this way. Words, as alaways, are inadequate. RFWoodstock

Yes, the religious impulse is one and the same as the evolutionary impulse that is why both are very strong and perilous. We know we have to be different than we are now to move up the ladder. Jesus, Buddha, Mohamed, and all sages and saints thru the ages have attempted to give us hints & guidance, their words have been twisted, the results have been mixed, too much dogma, too many words, jargon and mythology.
True we have come a long way, but continuous evolution is not guaranteed, it may come to an end. It is called extinction and it is in the cards played by the universe. What a game? I am in the game, I have no idea how close I am to a Tipping Point, I may be a 100%, who knows, who cares?

Hi Paidion,

Here is my understanding of the Ego and the Authentic Self.
Consider the Authentic Self what we call the Soul. The soul is on a journey of self discovery, that starts out as an individuated fragment of expression of the Source, by what ever name you want to give it.
The journey starts with an involution into the densest form of energy, the material world. At some point the lowest point is reached and the “evolution” starts.
We, as humanity is now at that critical point. We need to evolve or as Frank LUke says we will self destroy.

Evolution in my understanding is the evolution of the Soul.

In order to have an experience in the material world the Soul creates a vehicle for the experience. That vehicle is the Persoonality or Ego with a mental, emotional and physical/etheric body. At that time a seperation is experienced, because the material world is only a “form” and finite in time and space. An experience of duality occurs.
However, the duality and the form is only an illusion. The Ego is convinced it is the self and the world it experiences is the “real” world.
The Real world is the world of Soul and Spirit and is always Oneness.

We have the saying: “As above so below “. So I hold the notion, that as the Source manifest an individuated soul, this soul needs to learn like a child in the material world neds to learn. This happens through Incarnation, and involution and evolution.

My challenge, as I percieve it, is that on the authentic level I “Know”. What I am attempting to convey is through a language of the Ego, that I hope other Egos would understand.
So I agree that on a oneness level nothing is unevolved or evolved, nothing is changing or stagnant.

We all “Know”. On the knowing level we do not need to have these discussions.

My personal thought on this “tipping point” is that it may well define the “End of Times” as predicated by the Mayan Calendar, Hopi Indian legend, the NASA Webot project, among others, that may well determine if 2012 is the beginning of a new evolutionary human being or the destruction of all humanity.

Namaste,

dear andrew:
what a beauty in that clearing words!
Thank you so much
cristi

"The old model of enlightenment was one in which the individual transformed but the world remained the same. In the new model, the point is no longer merely the transformation of the individual; it’s the evolution of self, culture, and cosmos through the individual.” I’ve felt this very compulsion, and wonder what you suggest to do when those you are relationships with do not evolve or are not currently evolving self much less supporting your need to be a tool for cosmic evolution, and perhaps are even going so far as to sabotage your desire to rise above yourself and lift those around you up?  Would greatly appreciate further correspondence.  Thank You
eros y agape
Jessica (aka Rita)

Very interesting concepts and comments; I do not claim to understand them all....I wonder, where is an Ultimate Being or Ultimate Force or God in all of this? I have understood that the dynamics of “union”,
“communion”, “love”, “wholeness” are central to
“being” ("co-creative" beings). It seems to me that some of these are “hidden” in some of the terminology
and phrases that are being used in Mr. Cohen’s
statements and those of some of the respondents?
Thanks for listening and sharing.

the strangest thing, that appear to me after reading some of the postings (some very profound I think), is that I found life and death, questionning and answering.. so, so, so normal, so obvious. Not merely as a given ground, but as the only given that is possible without any questioning. I think whoever and whatever we all are, and are becoming.. a very intriguing thing remain for me:  the fact that we are able to turn something very weird or strange into something very normal and casual. The new step Andrew is pointing to has perhaps something to do with this kind of faith/understanding/feeling of beeing conscious about the strangeness, the profound and infinite strangeness of what has became a normal thing, for it can then lead us to realize that what is normal and what is strange, what is known and what is unknown is the only one consciousness, intelligence, kosmic drive, eros.. The question “why is there something instead of nothing” come to my mind right now.. again, why should I found this question normal and pertinent. It question something very strange in a normal way.. Can we question something very normal in a strange way? Hopefully, what we call daily life save me from the total stuckness :o)

I want to address Andrew’s notion of the Authentic Self or Eros and put a it in another context. The intent is to add to the larger picture.
Andrew writes: “The Authentic Self is that creative spark, or Eros, that emerged from that empty ground to create the entire cosmos”.
He calls it “a powerful drive and a passion that emerged from the ground of consciousness itself”.

The larger context I want to place it in, is the notion of a tri-unity, that we find in the hindhu and christian religions.
In the Baghvattagita Krishna appears as the driving force in the battle of Kurukshetra, which is the battleground, burning ground, a point of friction between personality and spirit for transmuting forces and forging new awareness.
In the christian bible Christ is descibed as the “only begotten son of God”. Also there is a promise of a second coming of the Christ.
In traditional and fundamental christianity the Christ is synonomous with Jesus. A personality.

However if I look at the message that Jesus delivered and personified, it was a message about love and unity.

I do not accept that Jesus was the only begotten son of God. I accept that he manifested a “powerful drive and a passion that emerged from the ground of consciousness itself”. I see him as an Autentic Self. He became the Christ.

So let me give you my understanding of the “Christ”.
Christ is “Loving Consciousness”. It is a consciousness that is all encompassing. It is not a sentimental emotion. Rather it is the “driving force” wihtin Oneness. It is the only force, drive or passion.

It is the creative principle, that we as humanity are in the process of learning and understanding. As for the second coming of the Christ, I prefer to use the term “reappearance”. The Christ, Loving Consciousness, has never gone away. However my perception and understanding is, that we are in a phase of “Soul-evolution” of humanity where there will be a “collective” coming. There may be a single individual manifsteing as the Christ. However I think it more important that the collective Christ is manifested through many individuals by whatever name you want to give to descripe these “enlightented” individuals.
Jim Luzadder mentions the “hundred monkey syndrome”. I subscribe to the notion, that it might be the way this enlightenment will ocur. A critical mass of enlightened “Beings” wil be instrumental in this process of the reappearance of the Christ or Loving consciousness.
We, humanity will “Become” Loving Consciousnes.

I started out by saying I wanted to place the Authentic Self in a context of Tri-unity.

In my understanding, the Authentic Self/Loving Consciousness is the second principle in the tri-unity.

The first principle is Unity/ Power-Will.

The third principle is Manifestation/Creative Intelligence.

In hindhu you have:
1. Shiva
2. Vishnu
3. Brahma

In christian you have:
1. Father
2. Son
3. Holy spirit
Much more could be written about this subject, however I will leave it at this, and let me stress that there is no seperation within the Tri-unity.

Dear Andrew,

I am propulsed in another world reading this High-Spirit blogging of yours. You are such a powerful and beneficent Teacher of Incarnational Intersubjective Evolutionary Nonduality. God bless you for bringing this bright light unto a world still facing raging wars, conflicts lost in the powerful illusion of separatedness.

A world united in Oneness. One world united into One Community, One Humanity speaking with One Voice in an Universe surely full of others forms of intelligent life, One Soul fueled by One Mighty Spirit expressing itself through the many, in many ways.

This is an achievable goal sooner or later because this is the only direction and I completely agree with you “that’s the only reason we’re alive”. There is a journey to be taken and I am ready to take it with my fellows ones bearing in mind that this journey towards Oneness is our responsibility but is also mysterious where maybe our first step could be our last step. Who Knows? Be ready.

51% would be the turning point of mementum where the scales are now tiped in favor of awareness of self. It is here that the “snowball effect” will start to take place and the fight against ego will begin to seem effortless.

Andrew, Thank you for your contributions to humanity and to the evolution of though. 

Blessings
-Ken

That “extra” 1% is the one that give us the possibility to transcend and at the same time be part of this material world...That 1% is that “urge to evolve”, it is what gives us the clarity of INTENTION and the COMPASSION to understand the part of us that is so attached to our flesh and material world...Andrew`s words resonate so much with the BIg Mind process tought by Genpo Roshi, his teachings has helped me to “flavor” that 1% even if it is just for a few moments.  However, the more I am able to grasp it the more is staying with me…
Thank to Roshi, to Andrew and Wilber, his teachings are helping us to evolve and hopefully to create a new culture for the future…

...too many words!  Where is your mind before your parents gave you a brain?

"consciousness is one never two”

my view is that consciousness is always two or more or at least perceived two or more

now pure or perfect awareness is oneness or isness

awareness is primary where consciousness is secondary or manifestated

involution is awareness being limited by the creation of consciousness

as consciousness evolves which is evolution this conscious entity becomes more aware.

I suspect until perfect awareness becomes that that is.

So many skins the snake hath shed.From many wounds hath it bled. Life,death,sex ,birth, appear to come and go amidst life’s illusory flow.

I also have a question: If 51% enlightenment is the crucial threshhold for enlightement, then what is the crucial threshold for INSANITY? You must have counted in the that direction as well throughout the years. The reason I ask is that on the CD-lecture THE NEW ENLIGHTMENT you use the word INSANITY to describe the opposite of enlightemnet. So, how crazy are we? If a person is 10% enlightened does that mean he’s 90% nuts?

Change and Stillness is (NOT are) One. Unbalance makes moving. Moving is changing - means evolution. We called all Forms contuiniously changing but Consciousneess.
We are living meant we’ changing . But Life always is .
So all are forms such as name, form even what we label “Evolution”.

Thank you for this very inspirering blog. It has - among other texts - made me look for, where and how it is possible to create The Higher We. And it has given occasion to several conversations, which themselves has been creative processes, investigating questions and finding answers non of us where aware of from the beginning.
What´s now on my mind is the possibility of making this blog itself a living expression of The Higher We beyond the 51% treshold. And what it will take to do so...?  :o)

I’ll spare you a comment regarding 6 dimensional integral math calculations.
Cuz the outcome is usually not 51, nor 42..

Either way - I’m your BIGGEST fan - EVER! :-D
Love Jonathan

As I begin to understand and cherish ‘all of us’ at all levels and lines of our development, I believe ‘we are all’ growing, groaning, and giving ourSelves to the purpose of Creation; that there is a purpose in our placement on the map of awareness. This gives less need of judgement with the acceptance of ‘each part’ of the wonder of Oneness that was created ‘in the beginning’. Believing each one of us is a perfect part of the Whole, I delight in our individual potential and purpose… its perfection in imperfection.

I’m ‘grow’ning’ in the process and appreciate these offerings ‘to put into words’ how that struggle and confusion feels from ‘different areas of our progress’. It seems important to know ‘of the purpose’ as well as ‘where we are’ in the process. Namaste.

Thanks Andrew for your eloquent and impassioned summing up of what our evolutionary journey is all about.
I would like to offer a more graphic depiction of what you are talking about re the 51% cross over point.
In our struggle to overcome the fears and petty preoccupations of the separate self or ego we are like someone trying to row a boat across a river to an alluring land of limiless possibilities but there are ropes holding the boat back.  These are our emotional hangs ups and conditionings- all those things that have to be untied or deconstructed for us to reach Truth. That is where our psychological inner work comes in. However, the joy is that if we manage to get the boat half way, the Light on the other side begins to draw us across!!!  ie we have reached your P crossover point. Service to the bigger picture becomes its own reward and takes over.  The ropes dissolve!

"It’s not the old traditional aspiration towards enlightenment, which was a longing to transcend the life-process, but is, in fact, the very opposite. It’s the drive to become one with the life-process.”

Very well stated.

The idea is not to destroy the ego but lose interest in the ego for a greater reality, which is a greater and greater reality and understanding of the meaning of the life process itself.

Infinite awareness becomes dynamic through the process of the evolution of consciousness. We souls are living proof of that evolution of consciousness.

As we evolve in consciousness we become more aware of the underlying reality of all experiences. Again awareness is primary and consciousness is the vehicle that infinite awareness (God) utilizes to express itself.

For consciousness to exist there must be a perception of two or more entities to exist. Now awareness can be aware of self as infinite. The mystics see this and feel this as an oneness of all that is.

Now for awareness to express itself it must create a limitation of awareness, which is consciousness. All consciousness has some level or degree of limitation. This allows an entity to be aware of other or others then itself.

Oneness must create souls with limitation in their awareness to express Itself in an infinite variety of expressions. That imperfection could be called unawareness or ignorance and that ignorance is the very same ignorance that the Buddha and many enlightened Hindus realized causes all of our suffering.

Involution and evolution are the two best descriptions I have found to explain this process of life, as we know it.

The state of enlightenment and what it is to live in that state each and every moment of this physical reality is not a percentage measureable.  For those who are in manifestation at this time to assist others in their quickening do not require a “limit” % to know when or if there is a crucial moment of “tipping” over for all into a greater awareness.  While traditionally through the recent history of religous cultures a guru or teacher was the accepted guide in discovering the path to enlightenment, there exists at this time enough to manifest the vibration necessary should a person at find themselves at the doorway ready emancipate and shed all attachments: to begin the inner journey to what cannot be described, what cannot be measured, what cannot be spoken of.

The recognition that we are human beings with the potential to become spirit beings and that the universe is involved in our progressive personal experience will revolutionize the concepts of spiritual development that have been popular for at least the last three decades.

Thank you Andrew for such superb articulation of the evolution of the cosmic consciousness. and also for been a luminous flute for the Divine melody to flow through unencumbered!

Namaste people,

They day I started reading stuff from Cohen and ND Walsh and Wilber, I recognised that what I knew from childhood and refused to let go of, so to speak(we are One and have never been seperated for real and that life as ego experiences is, was/is just one fractal of Source or what ever lable you wanna call the collective of everything and then sum.) was becoming mainstream slowly but surely. Don’t you just love life! Thanks for all the co-visionaries out there for mirrirong this inner truth, or authentic self back to me/yourself. Love and peace, Bindi from the Netherlands

I love what you are expressing in this blog. I have been on this journey for quite a while especially while working with groups and call it expanded consciousness and collective intelligence. Yes it is also deeply spiritual. I resonate will the urge to continue as a very strong impulse in me which cannot be ignored. Consciously and creatively co-evolving is a necessity. Thank you Andrew.

#16/#52/malcolm:  What are the realms of form for, if not to evolve?

Two formlessnesses exist, a brother and a sister.  The formless brother sits at the center of the universe, and is circumambulated and worshiped by all creatures.  He looks and listens impartially, without judgement, without saying a word.

The sister, however, **also formless,** judges all positive or negative, weighing against the feather of the heart; High desires against low desires, and performs the purification of all form, for all eternity, by the power of dream.

Our spiritual trainings lead us first to brother consciousness, but once we find the grounds of the equality of all souls, begins careful attention to the great work of conscience.

This can be hard, because the path to the brother is in the elimination of all form; But the path of the heart is intrinsically bound to form, though it itself is formless and perfect.

Its a Joyous journey NOW , forever finding and learning , in Humility , in Simplicity , In Oneness!!!!
With Joy , love n Gratitude !

Andrew, wonderul post.  I was interested how these ideas can be incorporated into movements for change.  It is something I am very interested in, and wondered if you had and ideas. 

The only way not to be is to look in the mirror.

I had the “spontaneous cosmic leap” about 35 years ago and spent a long time, much as you did, trying to figure out what to do with it.  I chose a practical path in terms of helping the world of manufacturing. 
Now, I am retired and moving to playing in this arena and I resonate with you comments on how people get the glimpse and can not sustain.  For me, the oneness showed me all the cosmic wonder, but also showed me how we separate when we live in “thought” rather than awareness.  The thinking brain is the home of the ego and all personal history and that is the barrier that must be crossed.  We are stuck in our conceputalized version of life. 
Since my awakening, I have no affiliations with politics, religion, causes, groups, or other things that separate us.  You just can not pick sides when you see the one. 
peace

Tonight as I listen to Andrew’s speak on a short clip our emotional conection to the evolutionary impulse and reading again this great insight on how we can move beyond ego as we see this moral impertive to choose the absolute over the relative,the collective & personal ego,to a more perment state of freedom.

I don’t understand it