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How Can the Spiritual Dimensions of Science and Consciousness Help the UN and Humanity Achieve Better Standards of Life in Larger Freedom? Seminar; Thursday, 26 May 2005; 3:00-6:00 p.m. Introduction I to the Theme of the Seminar
Dr. Ida Urso, Ph.D The Subcommittee on the Spiritual Dimensions of Science and Consciousness has been meeting since this last November. Although our vision statement is yet evolving, I think I can safely say that we are operating under the premise first brought forth by the Buddha, described in the Sanatana Dharma and brought into the scientific community by the well-known and oft-quoted, Professor Einstein, which is to say, that a problem can never be solved at the level at which it was created. Always a higher, more inclusive dimension has to be engaged. In the Sanatana Dharma, the Buddha teaches that hatred is not ended by hatred, but by love. In other words, it is only when we are able to draw the larger circle, when we can elevate or transform our consciousness beyond the immediate conflict, confrontations and dichotomies, that we can resolve and reconcile dissension and conflict. It might here be helpful to recall that such commonplace disciplines as chemistry, geometry, music and medicine were once the purview of the ancient Mystery Schools. Hippocrates, for example, was one of the Wisdom Teachers of the Ancient Mystery School of Asklepios and the Hippocratic oath was but a mystic obligation. Pythagoras was also such a Wise Teacher who was exiled from his homeland because he sought to teach, what in his day, were considered revolutionary esoteric spiritual principles. These very same principles today form the basic postulates of geometry. So, today, the significant and life-altering relationship between spirituality, science and consciousness is slowly gaining acceptance and understanding. For example, if you do a search in the on-line bookstore, Amazon, you will find 4,070 books on the subject of Consciousness and 569 under the theme of "Science and Spirituality." Among the many universities I could cite, the University of Arizona houses a "Center for Consciousness Studies" and in April of next year this center will hold its seventh biennial conference entitled, "Toward a Science of Consciousness." Founded in 2001, the Institute for Research on Unlimited Love focuses—as its name implies—on a scientific study of love. As they indicate, not on any kind of love, but deeply unselfish love for others without exception; the kind of love enshrined in the golden rule, and encouraged by the world's great moral and spiritual traditions. Recognizing that visionary research alters the human future, this Institute has funded nearly 50 scientific research projects at such universities as Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Princeton, and Case Western Reserve. Reading from their literature, they write, "In a time when group conflict, rudeness, selfishness, and hatred are so evident in the world, and when the technologies of destruction are so vast, we owe it to the human future to bring the best methods of science to the study of that which is most good. It is urgent that we learn how to enhance the human potential for love." It might be a surprise to some that within the UN network, UNESCO is also exploring these interrelated fields of Spirituality, Science and Consciousness. For example, in 1994 UNESCO sponsored the conference, held in Auroville, India entitled: "Humanity at the Crossroads: Evolution of Consciousness." And, just last year UNESCO began the project entitled, "Consciousness Reframed 2004: Qi and Complexity." As UNESCO explains, this is a forum for development in the field of art, technology and consciousness. The prophecy put forth in the Ageless Esoteric Wisdom is being realized: science is finally exploring dimensions of the non-material world and we are beginning to move from a belief in the world of the Soul and Spirituality to knowledge of this higher dimension of consciousness. Humanity is awakening to its higher potential and destiny. How does this all relate to the work of the UN, to the achievement of better standards of life in larger freedom and, specifically, to the achievement of the eight millennium development goals? As one of the leading Transcendentalists of his day, Ralph Waldo Emerson said it most succinctly, "What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters to what lies within us." And, as our own beloved second Secretary-General, Dag Hammarskjöld, who is responsible for the design of the UN Meditation Room as you see it today has said, "We can only succeed in achieving world peace if there is a spiritual renaissance on this planet." If we accept the truth posited by the spiritual esoteric traditions that are slowly being validated by popular science, that the human being is capable of seven levels of consciousness—each one more inclusive and enlightened than the last, and that these can be aggregated into the three levels of personal, Soul/Group or Planetary Consciousness and Cosmic Consciousness, then we know that the frontier of the future is as, Emerson wrote, that of the inner, spiritual dimension. It is this vast unexplored territory that must become the source of studied, scientific exploration and attempted expression. In the book, The Externalisation of the Hierarchy, a Tibetan Wise Master has made the following extraordinary statement regarding the United Nations, which He also has referred to as humanity's most significant and far-sighted undertaking: "Speaking symbolically—when the United Nations has emerged into factual and actual power, the welfare of the world will then be assured. What is that welfare but love in action? What are right human relations but love among men [and women], groups and nations? What is international cooperation but love on a world scale?" (p.603) Indeed, if those of us in this room were each aligned with Planetary, Group or Soul consciousness, how could we witness the harm and suffering and trauma of others and not experience it as our own? How could we rest until solutions for the afflictions of humanity were found? How could we not make the achievement of better standards in larger freedom; that is, the achievement of the eight Millennium Development Goals, the priority of our lives? Is it not this planetary or Soul consciousness that is reflected in the vision put forward in the Millennium Declaration to which all 191* Member States have now signed? Herein the countries of the world recognized that in addition to their responsibility to their individual societies, they also agreed that they have "a collective responsibility to uphold the principles of human dignity, equality and equity at the global level." Of course, we know that this vision is not yet the reality. Referencing the disparity between current reality and this avowed vision, Jacques Attali, President of "PlaNet France" and featured keynote speaker at last year's NGO Conference, sharply contrasted today's UN, which, he said functions mainly "as a multilateral organization where nations are competing to get the best for their own interest" and the UN needed to solve today's global problems. As he emphasized, there is a need to shift from "national priorities to humankind priorities." The world, he said, is sadly lacking in "worldmanship" and he stressed the need for world consciousness. Speaking on the last afternoon of the NGO conference, he asserted what had been evident throughout the three-day proceedings: "It is only in a room like this one where we see people interested by issues without borders, without any national, selfish interest; and this makes a dramatic difference in terms of ethics and dreams." The Charter of the UN, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Millennium Declaration, and Secretary-General Kofi Annan's recent report—all refer to that essentially spiritual attribute of Freedom. Freedom—the esoteric spiritual wisdom tells us, underlies the entire evolutionary process. It has survived aeons of opposition from the principle of enslaving selfishness and it is at the heart of the many conflicts and wars that we see being waged all around us. As all spiritual Teachers have taught and as we know, humanity must be free—free and liberated from all which would enslave and oppress the indwelling spiritual essence. The very first step towards the attainment of this freedom is the meeting of the basic needs of the people on the planet—the achievement of the eight Millennium Development Goals.* In the first volume of that tome known as the Secret Doctrine—a book by the way, which Albert Einstein was said to have kept on his bedside nightstand, we read that "The Universe is worked and guided from within outwards…every external motion, act, gesture, whether voluntary or mechanical, organic or mental, is produced and preceded by internal feeling or emotion, will or volition, and thought or mind." Our mystic/scientist articulated this truth in his own words. And, it is with this thought that I will end these introductory remarks: Professor Einstein said, "We can accomplish only what we first imagine" So dear friends, "rev up" your imaginations! * As of 28 June, 2006, Montenegro became the 192nd Member State. A full list of all 192 Member States of the UN can be found at the following UN web site address: http://www.un.org/Overview/unmember.html |
