p.s.

 
 
 
 

Our planet Earth is a single ecosystem. The environment is composed of both living and non-living things: plants, animals, viruses, minerals, chemicals. When an imbalance occurs, when one segment of the system seems more favored than another, the system will invariably swing like a pendulum until a balance is maintained. And although change may seem slow to the human eye, the Earth is a patient judge. It might appear that the Earth is a self-contained entity but all things in existence are dependent on everything else and our planet is no exception. The universe is a living entity and every part of that entity — galaxies, stars, planets, animals, and bacteria — are like cells of a larger organism.

But because an organism is a fragile being and the universe is no such thing, let us change the analogy and say that the universe is more like a giant ocean of water. The energy contained within that ocean is infinite (or as near to infinite as we can understand). What we might call a soul or spirit is merely a drop of that ocean poured into a vessel. In this way you could say that every living thing contains part of the universe. And just as a glass of seawater is a representation of the world’s ocean, each living thing is a representation of the universe’s consciousness. The glass of water is separated from its parent and is unaware of itself, just as we are. Our cosmic energy is no different than the person next to us but it is our experience that shapes us. And when we die, we are poured back into the universe’s ocean of consciousness and our memories become diffused and absorbed. When the universe creates another being, part of our experiences are transferred. In this way, our spirits are annihilated and reincarnated with the cycles of death and birth. Trying to explain this sort of thing is exactly what got religions started. Jesus called it the Kingdom of Heaven. Buddha called it Nirvana. Beethoven expressed it with music. These days we take the beauty of music for granted but we still think the Kingdom of Heaven is something we must wait until death to experience.

The first senses are basic but our eyes and ears have not yet finished developing. Of course, our ability to distinguish shades of light and sound will continue to be refined as evolution plods onward. Technology may even assist us in the process of sensory evolution. But cosmic consciousness is not purely an evolution of the senses. It is an evolutionary change that has been sitting on the back-burner for a long time, merely awaiting the point when it will reaching its boiling point. The very nature of this evolutionary change implies that it will happen on a global scale, in a short span of time. The awareness of the nature of the universe is not in itself cosmic consciousness but merely an expression of the latent ability. There are other awarenesses, all of them small exposures of the whole change. Some of them are expressed more obviously, in desires for political revolution and environmental protection. Others are expressed less obviously, and perhaps are mistaken for charisma or talent. All of these are signs of what Christ called “the last days,” when the Kingdom of Heaven would come to earth. Explaining a metaphor such as this is impossible. Try explaining a symphony to a deaf person or pure love to a psychopath. You would, of course, be reduced to metaphors and similes that poorly equate the beauty of the ethereal to the physical.

Love is like a summer’s day... Van Gogh’s last painting is like gazing into the painter’s depressed soul... Beethoven’s Fifth is like an ocean of feelings that wash over you... The Kingdom of Heaven is like a rare pearl...

How many religions have been founded on this misunderstanding, on this mis-comprehension of what we cannot see? The early religions worshiped the Earth, Sun, and Moon for providing food, light, and tides. Spirits were revered and feared because they could cause reactions in our bodies and the environment around us. As philosophy and science grew, so did religion. Elements and gods were given names and abilities to explain the forces of nature. Core superstitions were replaced by more evolved, more esoteric explanations. Later, esoteric beliefs were replaced by dogma. Then, dogma struggled with spirituality. The cycle has nearly come full circle as we realize that our universe is dominated by things we cannot see: viruses, proteins, atoms, particles, and energy.

So if religions are built upon false truths, what then of the morals they preach? The answer is simple: cosmic consciousness will sweep away morals like modern music and technology swept away their predecessors. Just as the electric guitar replaced the lute and the computer replaced the movable-type printing press, so will common sense displace morals. Codified and dogmatic rules based on religious justification will be considered outmoded by inborn sensibilities. And generally speaking, people will no longer disagree with what is right and wrong based on words supposedly inspired by various deities. Rather, people will seek out solutions based on what is good for the whole of humanity. Morals will unite humanity instead of dividing it.

And what of the other rites we have come to accept as functions and expressions of religion? Prayer, of course, has taken different forms throughout the ages. It is an expression of a wish for a happier world, a better existence. Even within denominations, prayer can be a ritual or an ecstatic experience. Sacred experiences are a basic component of human experience. So, perhaps religions will continue to exist in the future, to meet the basic need of the human spirit. But the organized religions of today, with their strict rules of conduct that violate common sense will sooner or later vanish, outlived by beliefs that do not mistake holiness for purity. And in any case, it is just as easy to have a spiritual experience in a temple as it is on a mountain, at a concert hall, in a movie theater, or while sleeping under the stars.