The psychological state of our minds

To summarise, the most pressing problem facing humankind is not only that of a planet in transformation, but also the perceptual and psychological state of our minds. As the transformation occurs, and the magnetic frequency of the Earth is affected, it is imperative that humanity retains, and focuses on, a balanced state of mind. It may be that we are in as much danger from ourselves as we are the chaotic environment. We should not allow the quality of our human mental and emotional perceptions to degenerate at a time when they are needed the most. Human psychological pollution can be a very real disturbance and threat to us at this time. After all, the pollution from human thinking - and behaviour - is far more poisonous than physical pollution. Disturbances of the human psyche is likely to interfere with (or may well disable) most people’s capacity to cope with the challenges facing them during the transitional times. In other words, our way of thinking is a far greater danger to us than we have ever given it recognition. We seriously need to address this if we are ever to be able to forge a correct balance between our external and internal ‘new worlds’.

Humanity is required to undergo a perceptual evolution as well as a physical one. As such, a critical mass is required to shift away from old and antiquated paradigm thinking towards a revitalized mental maturity. Without this perceptual shift, rapid and accelerating transitions will appear more chaotic than they need to be. A period of explosive development and change will greatly affect how we think. Likewise, stagnant mind-sets and beliefs may attempt to hold back the flood waters of transformation and cause unnecessary tensions. As a collective consciousness, we need to be psychically centred, balanced, and aware of potential turbulence. A deep psychological crisis may develop as people feel the guilt and shame of a weakened world that has diminished future opportunities for life. These are the thoughts that may be necessary to trigger a global mind change. As part of the transition we may realize the threshold between the paradigm of a stagnant and stillborn species, and that of a bruised but still relatively healthy evolutionary species. Our evolutionary growth, as Duane Elgin reminds us, ‘is not an abstract philosophical concept - it is a reality of the flesh that, at each stage, must be paid for in the blood and lives of countless individuals. There are no free gifts in evolution. We must genuinely earn access to each new stage of development’.

Already we are further along the road of reflexive consciousness than we might think: many of us are now aware globally of ethical issues and injustices. The world has seen the ‘Live Aid’ concerts for Africa and many ‘Earth Day’ groups and ‘Earth Summits’ that tap into our collective resourcefulness. We have begun to coalesce at ever more complex levels and scales of consciousness, and to voice our collective concerns when we ‘feel’ that things are not right. It is important we trust these feelings and give them stronger support. How we think affects everything around us, from our environment to our friendships. If we believe ourselves to exist on a lifeless rock within an accidental universe, then desire for material gains and environmental mastery appear logical. Our cultural development mirrors our perceptual capacities, and both influence each other: one cannot evolve without the other. Species, social, and individual evolution involve long periods of relative stability punctuated by windows of accelerated transition (often chaotic and turbulent) that create new paradigms of perception. Thus, our thoughts constitute a powerful language, and one that will become increasingly more active. With communication comes responsibility as we face a ‘crisis of civilizational consciousness and communication that is as critical as any of the material challenges we confront’.