Stopping the De-Evolution of the Mind

Written November 2009

The world seems to be falling into a deep trance. I don’t know about you but it seems as though many of us are waiting for something to happen, something to change. The need for a change seems to be getting stronger everyday. We see documentaries about everything that is wrong with the world and the people who inhabit it and we say things like “I can’t believe people do that!” or “ what’s this world coming to!” yet we continue living our lives the way we do without actually acting on anything. This is the trance, the bubble that keeps us all in check. We know things are wrong; things are bad, yet we believe that there is nothing we can do to change things. And we are right; there is nothing we can do, except for one thing.

Allow me to elaborate.

Before we can make any real changes, any tangible changes, we need to first look at ourselves. If you can look at yourself, and your life, and confidently say that you are in tune with reality and spirituality, then you are ready to help change things. I know that most of us are so far from reality and spirituality that we are practically living in a fairy tale, in a world of illusions. We see what we want to see and hear what we want to hear. We are lead to believe that when we experience stress or depression it’s ok to pop some pills and move on. But it’s not ok, we experience these feelings because something huge is missing in our lives, none of us are complete as long as we ignore reality and spirituality.

We have disconnected ourselves from the universe; we have become alien to our own planet. We don’t recognize it and it makes us uncomfortable and it doesn’t recognize us and it becomes defensive; it being the energy or nature that attaches us all to the universe and to each other.

I believe that we all have been experiencing de-evolution of the mind which in turn has imprisoned our spirits. Distractions have taken over our society. These distractions are insuring our path to a meaningless existence. This thought is troubling to say the least. I believe that our minds have undergone a process of shutdown to reality. If we continue this way, the complete shutdown will result in a society where no one can think for himself or herself, and our minds become completely useless, disabling any potential that our spirits can attain.

If you look at ancient societies you will notice that there seemed to be a deeper connection to the spiritual world, a belief that our life on this planet is in conjunction with a great energy that is present in our universe. These ancient peoples were able to channel into this energy with ease because the distractions that exist today did not exist then. How can our spirits evolve if material objects that are meaningless in the greater scheme of the universe always distract us? How can we grow or evolve if we are lead to believe that our evolution is based on material gain and technology? We are lead to believe that the more we attain, the better off we are, but this is without truth. The more material we gain, the more distracted we become, therefore not allowing our minds to connect to what is truly meaningful, the spiritual world.

We tend to associate spirituality with fiction, which is a major problem. We have well known, apparently intelligent people everywhere denouncing religion or dharma, when in reality; they should be denouncing the lack of spirituality brought on by distractions. If we continue on this path, we will eventually lead ourselves to destruction.

I am truly worried about this world, I want to help change things, I want to give all that I have to give, I have been dedicating a large portion of my life to spiritual growth, I also believe that it is my duty to point out our dangerous path of destruction, and try to spark debate so that we can possibly come to a solution or at least a better understanding of this trance like feeling.

Ask yourself this question “Am I happy with what I have? If I am happy with what I have, would I be unhappy without it? Does what I have make other people happy? Does what I have make this world a better place? Does what I have bring me closer to reality, or does it bring me further from it?” This is just the tip of the iceberg. I believe that most of you will probably be able to make yourselves believe that you are happy, but I promise you that if you answer those questions with pure honesty, with your ego set aside, you will be surprised and disappointed.

Material gain is what we are molded to want, spiritual gain is not important in our society and I want to know why…can anyone tell me why?? Do any of you truly believe that we are evolving by distancing ourselves from spirituality? Do any of you truly believe that the material gain that we all strive for is essential for our growth?

I for one have been able to personally answer some of these questions. I have toys, I like gadgets, I carry my "smartphone" everywhere I go, I own gaming consoles, I have a flat screen tv with all kinds of useless channels, I own a closet full of designer clothing, I spoil myself with expensive cologne that is probably not good for me, I own things that I thought would make me happy. But in reality, all these things do is distract me from true growth and spiritual connection, it creates a dependency, it enables a lack of compassion and it enhances jealousy. How can any of these things be useful? How can any of these things help my own personal evolution, the answer is simple, it is not useful and it cannot help me evolve, on the contrary, these things are useless, and it stops me from truly evolving, the problem is, I am already attached to these material gains, my cup is full and it needs to be emptied. This is a long and painful process; the molding needs to be broken.

Update April 2011: I do not preach that you must get rid of all your belongings, I do not think that we are all on the same exact path. Though  I do believe that certain materials that we consume through the mouth, eyes or ears can be negative and distracting and can pull us away from our maximum potentials. I believe that there are certain man made creations that can have a lasting negative effects on our minds, our bodys and ultimately, our souls. As of March of 2010 I got rid of the majority of my elements of distraction, such as my television and gaming consoles. I have also made the conscious choice to switch all my grooming products to natural non chemical products (deodorants, soaps, moisturizers, etc.). I have not eaten red meat in 8 months (I lie, I cracked twice) and am in the process of cutting out all other meat products. Learning the negative effects of certain foods have pushed me to make these changes and I intend to learn and change more, to fill my body and soul with what it needs rather than what it has been molded to want.. I started to meditate and practice different classical forms of yoga; this has curbed my stress and frustrations of daily societal life, which in turn has brought forth an immense clarity and has cured endless days of stomach issues (related to the consumption of red meat?) and headaches. I reconnected to what I love to do; activities such as squash, cooking, kayaking, writing, playing musical instruments, hiking and more...this has enabled a form of permanent happiness, a joy de vivre, a way to release positive energy back into the universe...

The changes are enormous, inside my body, on the surface of my body; my mind is experiencing clarity and so much has grown positively since these changes have taken place...I want to live as a conscious human being connected to everything within and without...

Why am I telling you this?: I tell you this because I've lately spoken to so many people who are in a state where they want to change, they want to let go and become what they know they deserve, but they do not...I still struggle, I still have many things to let go of. I walk with one foot on the path and one foot off, but this is a journey, and I know that I need to jump fully onto the path and continue on, and I will, and I am...We need to be here for each other, we need to support each other. If you love yourself, help someone else as well to love themself, if you see that the person is teetering on and off the path, help them, for they need to be reminded, just as you need to be reminded, we need to remind each other. Everyone grows and changes at their own pace, but this does not mean that we cannot help each other realize where we are, and where we really want to be...Ultimately, it is up to you, just as it was ultimately up to me, though I must admit, there was a push, an outside force, a validation of sorts...some need that, and some don't, please, do not be afraid to ask for help. We are all here for each other; we are simply all connected to one another. Helping someone else is the same as helping yourself. Positivity and vitality will be perpetuated into the reality that we have ignored until now...

With LOVE

S