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CIVILIZATION AND CONSCIOUSNESS - PART II
The historical exploration of civilizational self-control
presented in the previous chapter provides several significant
insights, which we will now examine more closely. In this
exploration, we aim to broaden our perspective, seeking a
higher-level understanding through more abstract overviews.
Man is a story-telling animal
Firstly, it's evident that the development of self-control
in civilized human isn't solely the product of advanced
cognitive abilities like logical reasoning. There seems to be an
additional, highly effective mechanism within the modern human
brain aiding self-control: storytelling, particularly through
organized religion. Contrary to the perspectives of staunch
scientists like Dawkins, who regard religion as a detrimental
mutation, historical observations, such as the development of
the Silk Roads, reveal the essential role of Buddhism and
Christianity in facilitating crucial trade lifelines.
The Rational and the Religious Mind
Unlike animals, humans have a unique propensity for
religion. Religion appears to be an effective narrative-based
social self-control tool, rooted in our capacity for
storytelling. Yuval Noah
Harari accurately describes humans as storytelling animals.
The existence of the Silk Roads owes much to religious
narratives. The contemporary human consciousness seems to
encompass two historically conflicting brain functions: the
rational and the religious mind.
It's crucial to note that this historical perspective doesn't
necessitate actual belief in any religion. Our focus is on the
unifying and civilizing influence of organized religion, which
is a distinct matter from the existence of a deity.
FROM MEDIEVAL EXESS TO THE RATIONALITY OF ENGLIGHTENMENT
Transitioning from the Silk Roads, we encounter another
significant shift in the trajectory of civilization. This shift
originated in the Italian city-states during the 15th century
with the Renaissance, eventually evolving into the Age of
Enlightenment and shaping Western civilization.
Europe's geography, being more condensed compared to the
expansive civilization zone of the Silk Roads, allowed for a
unique blend of control systems. The vastness of the Silk Roads
region made reliable military control challenging. In contrast,
Europe's smaller geographical scale enabled the effective
combination of military and religious systems for governance and
control.
The Sensuous Middle Ages
Even in the much later period of the Middle Age, the average
person lived more spontaneously, acting on immediate sensory
experiences, at least as compared to our time. According to
Norbert
Elias this immediate,
sensory, yet unpredictable life was led without considering
potential consequences. Distress, captivity, defeat, victory,
mutilation, unrestrained pleasure, devastation, religious
penance, and remorse were experienced within the silent and
sensory space of the body. Surveillance and punishment came from
external forces like religious and secular institutions, not
from within.
Part of a painting of Bruegel
Enlightenment and Emotional Regulation
Even up to the Enlightenment, societal norms allowed behaviors
unthinkable today, like a man greeting a woman by touching her chest. People
of the pre-industrial era engaged in direct, uninhibited sensory
experiences.
Norbert
Elias's observations in "The
Civilizing Process,"
elucidate
the transition from the Medieval to the Enlightenment period
implied emotional self-control:
"The soul is
here, if one may express oneself thus without comparison, much
more prepared and accustomed to leap from one extreme to the
other with always the same intensity, and often even small
impressions are uncontrollable associations, enough to trigger
the fear and the turnaround. When the structure of human
relations changes, when monopoly organizations are formed for
corporal violence and instead of the persistent feuds and wars
the more stable urgency situations due to peaceful, money- or
prestige-acquired functions keep the individual in tight reins,
the affective expressions slowly strive towards a line in the
middle." (My emphasis)
Norbert Elias's concept of the
line in the middle is not so far from Buddha's concept of
the golden middleway as discussed in
the previous chapter.
Norbert Elias highlights that as
we progressed in the process of civilization, we transformed
from beings reliant on close-range senses to those predominantly
guided by long-range, visual perceptions. In this evolution, the
term "Enlightenment" carries a significant implication
as a visual sense.
Emotional regulation became crucial, and our sensory experiences
shifted from direct tactile engagements to more distant
observations. This transformation is encapsulated in the term
"Enlightenment," which defines the post-medieval "Age of
Reason." For 17th-century thinkers, "the
Golden Middle Way" emerged as a paramount self-control concept, which can
be seen as history echoing itself.
This is precisely why I chose to take a brief detour from the
Silk Road to later European history.
Throughout the
history of civilization, dating back to pre-medieval times, our
evolution has been characterized by a shift towards becoming
more composed individuals in more harmonious settings.
Consciousness, as the most recently evolved operational system,
finds it challenging to manage intense emotional disruptions,
which can be viewed as remnants of older, more primitive
animalistic systems. Given its recent evolutionary emergence,
consciousness is inherently fragile and prone to regression. As
such, fostering self-control is crucial for the development and
maintenance of conscious awareness which again is a foundation
for higher organized civil life.
In this context, when we examine Buddhism and Christianity, we
find a common focus on maintaining control over the higher
mental faculties always threathened by animal nature. Buddha faced his battles against Mara and
various demons. Jesus contended with the devil in the
wilderness. Monks from both traditions strive to overcome their
desires and the more base aspects of their minds.
From this perspective, modern new age religions appear to be
engaged in the inverse task: liberating our senses from the
burdens of excessive civilization. This aligns more with Greek
and Roman religions, where figures like Dionysus symbolized a
more hedonistic approach and held a place among the gods.
To Winn is to Loose
This reversed role of
modern religious sentiments highlights the success of organized
religion in civilizing humanity to the extent that it created
environments conducive to the flourishing of consciousness.
In Zen religion there is a saying: To winn is to loose. Christian institutions were so effective in this regard that
they eventually made their own role in maintaining societies
via religious sentiment redundant.
The French Enlightenment philosopher Voltaire famously remarked,
"There is no God, but don't tell that to my servant, lest he
murder me at night." This statement captures the essence of
a time when, despite the declining influence of religion among
the educated classes, it remained a vital moral and social
anchor for the masses. Voltaire outlived the strict religious
observance of his servant, symbolizing the enduring impact of
religious belief even as it waned in the Enlightenment era. In
this period, the notion of acting morally and maintaining order
increasingly became seen as rational and self-evident,
independent of divine decree.
The embedded embodiment of the story of goodness
The original teachings of Buddhism on the Silk Road eventually
evolved into Christianity. Christianity itself then transformed
into a largely unspoken, but deeply ingrained memory of good
conduct within societal structures. This code of behavior,
embedded in the body, paved the way for an enlightened state
transitioning towards secularism. By this stage, religious
reminders to be virtuous were no longer necessary. The social
ethos of good conduct had become a silent yet potent force,
resonating from person to person, beyond the realm of language.
A significant shift in this process occurred in Northern Europe with the
Reformation, allowing state power to integrate with religious
institutions. It's important to recognize that most of societal
information is non-verbal. This includes a range of
communications from body language to emotions, which are
transmitted in societies, often unnoticed by a Western mindset
overly focused on linguistics and often oblivious to non-verbal
forms of information.
The evolution of state-building where religious institutions
have become integrated into the societal subconscious is
particularly evident in the social democratic models of
Scandinavia. In my country, Denmark, deep religious beliefs are
far less common than they were in my grandparents' generation.
Yet, there persists a general trend of people behaving kindly
towards one another. This can be seen in the context of a social
system where the state, providing comprehensive social security
for all citizens, has emerged as a kind of anonymous embodiment
of the Good Samaritan.
Ludwig Wittgenstein's assertion in "Tractatus
Logico-Philosophicus" (1922), "The limits of my language mean
the limits of my world," appears somewhat deceptive when
considering the extensive, unspoken social currents of
behavioral information. While Wittgenstein acknowledges the
existence of phenomena beyond language, he advises silence on
such matters. It's puzzling why he suggests this restraint. Why
should we remain silent about what lies beyond the realm of
language? This aspect of his philosophy is challenging to
comprehend. I dare to disagree and align with Whitehead:
An enormous part of our mature experience
cannot be expressed in words.
Alfred North Whitehead
Language-centric perspectives on human interaction and societal
norms often overlook the zoological aspects inherent in us,
aspects that have journeyed through time like a starship teeming
with various inhabitants such as viruses, bacteria,
mitochondria, and a multitude of cellular formations. A common
denominator unifies all these biological operative systems:
their ability to communicate without relying on language.
THE EMERGENCE OF NON-DUAL CONSCIOUSESS
It is now time to elevate our discussion to consider consciousness as
an abstract, shared field that unites humans at various levels,
ranging from individuals to clans, tribes, nations, and beyond.
For a deeper understanding of this concept, I recommend reading
the chapter titled "Shared
Fields of Consciousness"
before proceeding further.
Let's return to the Silk Roads to explore the emergence of
non-dual consciousness. The link between the expansion of trade
networks and the development and configuration of consciousness
is intrinsically intertwined. Simply put, the concept of unity
consciousness, which grew alongside urban development and the
prosperity brought by long-distance trade, is simultaneously a
fundamental necessity for the survival and thriving of these
very developments.
Cognitive consciousness inherently functions within the duality
of subject and object, the knower and the known. Similarly,
tribal consciousness operates in a duality, consistently
differentiating 'us' from 'them.' Religion has often reinforced
this tribal dualism by categorizing people into believers and
non-believers.
Both the shamanistic hunter-gatherer and the later
agricultural-based cultures were
fundamentally based on and in a dual consciousness and the split
understanding of reality made by of the same.
Buddhism, however, presented a completely new transformative
approach. Through the cultivation of consciousness in its
essential form, it transcends these almost biologically
inherited tribal divisions.
There are many ways of understanding non-duality.
In this context, by non-duality, I am referring to a state where
Buddhist 'shunyata', or emptiness, encompasses everything,
particularly recognizing all living beings as part of a unified
whole. Here non-duality takes us from the understanding of that
there is no 'other', to the understanding that I am everybody
else.
This inclusive acceptance was crucial not just for the
long trade routes crossing diverse regions with different
cultures and languages, but also for the emerging urban life on
the Gangetic plains and in the series of Greek cities from
Greece to India. A feudal or tribal mindset, less suited to life
in populous cities, necessitates the coexistence of people from
varied backgrounds and beliefs. Here, Buddhism addressed a
societal need, aligning with the principle of 'follow the
money'. It presents Buddhism as a socially adaptive force
promoting harmonious coexistence in diverse environments. To put
it succinctly: Buddhism, perhaps alongside Jainism, extended
compassion not only within its group of adherents. Its concept
of 'metta' (loving-kindness) embraces everyone, regardless of
caste, creed, or culture, in a spirit of universal oneness. This
represents a significant breakthrough in civilizational
development.
Christianity eventually embarked on a similar journey. However,
this path paradoxically coincided with relentless religious
conflicts, either among different Christian sects or against
Islam. However, the Christian mystics kept this
My favorite Mantra: What the Fred knows Fuck about
Consciousness
How can we look at this from the level of higher
understandings of consciousness? Let me first of all repeat my
mantra that we fundamentally do not know what consciousness is.
In order to understand consciousness we should be on a higher
level as consciousness itself, what we will never be, at least
in the understanding that consciousness is a guest, an intruder
from a higher dimensiona plain.
Consciousness is a cat from another dimension. However, it
is possible to look at some of the 'lower' aspects of
consciousness, like described in the anology af the
footsteps of the invisible thief.
When considering consciousness
from a more elevated perspective, it's imperative to acknowledge
a fundamental uncertainty: we don't truly understand what
consciousness is. To fully grasp consciousness, we would need to
be on a level higher than consciousness itself, which seems
unattainable, especially if we consider consciousness as an
entity or phenomenon originating from a higher dimensional plane
– akin to
a cat from another dimension.. Nonetheless, we can examine
some of the more accessible aspects of consciousness, as
illustrated in the analogy of tracking the
footsteps of the invisible thief.
Consciousness mirrored in complex feedback system
Consciousness, as I intuit through deep meditation, is
mirrored in biological
multifaceted and complex information systems, possessing profound
feedback capabilities. The complexity and efficiency of this
system, even from a Darwinian perspective, correlate with the
expansion of consciousness in both quantity and quality. Viewed
in this light, consciousness involves the interconnection of
neurons linking various parts of the brain, similar to how the
Silk Roads served as cultural conduits. Consequently,
consciousness had to broaden, akin to an expansive embrace, to
cover the immense geographical stretch from India to Europe.
Rings of Power
The first layer of
consciousness is focused on individual survival, which is why we
refer to parts of our body as 'my arm' or 'my leg'. The next
layer extends to encompass our immediate environment, including
'my things', 'my land', and most importantly, 'my loved ones'.
Our consciousness, in this regard, expands in relation to what
we identify with as 'mine'. Anything perceived as not 'me' or
'mine' is often viewed as a potential survival threat. The
subsequent layer is the tribal one, which in the era of social
media has evolved beyond a physical clan striving for collective
survival, transforming into a community of souls connected in
their chosen digital rabbit-realms.
At its more basic levels, this tribal consciousness is often
governed by a 'Gollum-mentality', focused on possession and
self-interest. It's only when this consciousness transcends
itself, dissolving into nothingness and thereby encompassing
everything, that we can truly embrace others. This is
exemplified by strangers on the Silk Road greeting each other
with a respectful 'pranam', recognizing the underlying
oneness and shared emptiness that connects us all.
Ashoka-Buddhism represents the first organized religion to
achieve a breakthrough into true non-duality, and I make this
assertion without being a Buddhist myself.
However, I discern echoes of Buddha's concept of emptiness in
the double negations of my favorite mystic, Meister Eckhart.
Listen here to what the Meister has to say:
"Things are all made from nothing;
hence their true source is nothing."
I could continue drawing parallels
between Vedanta, Buddhism, and the teachings of Meister Eckhart.
However, this is not the appropriate forum for an extensive
comparison, so I will limit myself to a quote that aligns the
Indian concept of
'Neti, neti' –
not this, not that – with one of Eckhart's many similar
assertions:
"God is such that we apprehend him better by negation than by affirmation."
The following quote aptly
delineates the distinction between consciousness, confined by
the denial of being the other, and God, or consciousness as
omnipresent in all and nothing:
"All
creatures contain one reflection:
one, that is the denial of its being
the other;
the highest of the angels denies he is the lowest.
God is the denial of denials."
Doctor Ecstaticus/ Meister Eckhart
The Meister and
Luhmann
Meister Eckhart also asserts:
"The tendency is ever towards self-repetition,
towards the preservation of
the species:
it is every man' s intention that his work should be himself."
Meister Eckhart
This statement brings to mind the in-depth systemic theories of
Niklas
Luhmann. In this context, I suggest incorporating
consciousness as a crucial, albeit unseen, orchestrator of
social systems, driven by their inherent intention to replicate
themselves.
The Silent Systemic Power of Consciousness
The concentric circles of consciousness are shared
information fields that, as previously mentioned, transcend
language. In a sense, they also transcend the host, the body
itself.
At this juncture, we venture into realms less charted by
science, into territories closer to the unknown. I am reminded
of Bertrand Russell's analogy of the celestial teapot; if I
assert that a teapot orbits the Earth, brimming with hot,
delicious tea, it's not the responsibility of science to refute
this claim, but mine to substantiate it.
Nonetheless, driven by my intuition, I am drawn to delve into
this concept, fully acknowledging that this exploration
resonates more with shamanic guidance than with scientific
validation. Despite my appreciation for empirical and historical
analysis, I do not confine myself to the traditional academic
boundaries. I choose not to think and write within these
systemic limits, which, in my view, often hinder truly
innovative thinking in favor of a 'better safe than sorry'
approach, constrained by the practicalities of everyday
responsibilities like monthly mortgage payments.
The Power of the Silent Field
The potency of shared fields of consciousness extends beyond
the realm of Yuval Noah Harari's concept of the 'story-telling
animal'.
I have personally experienced this phenomenon in various
settings, notably in group meditation. Similarly, in the gym,
the collective energy and motivation enable me to lift weights
that would be challenging to handle alone at home. This
phenomenon is also evident in social media communities, where
individuals converge around common interests or beliefs. From
the compelling oratory of figures like Hitler to large rock
concerts, and even among the numerous 'fake Gurus' that Sufi
mystic
Shams of Tabrizi likened to the countless stars in the sky, there is
an observable innate human yearning to surrender to something
larger than oneself.
But how does this happen? It occurs through our sensory
perception of body movements, even at a micro-level. We often
subconsciously mirror the bodily expressions of those we
identify with, leading to a synchronization similar to soldiers
marching in unison.
Yet, there are additional forces at play. Social media, in its
disembodied form, has shown how powerful fields of consciousness
can emerge without physical imitation. My theory, which remains
unsubstantiated, posits that this social cohesion, the temporary
ecstasy of surrender, is not solely a result of storytelling or
bodily synchronization. It seems to be an inherent quality of
consciousness itself.
In my many experiences with group meditation, where participants
sit silently with closed eyes, the presence of a profound
collective spirit – which could be likened to the 'holy ghost' –
is occasionally tangible, and at other times, it is not. This
presence seems not to be tied to any particular set of
conditions, apart from, perhaps, the purity of the hearts of
those present. When this spirit is present, there is a shared,
instantaneous recognition among everyone that everyone is aware
of its presence.
This phenomenon I perceive as the cosmic glue is best described
as love. However, this love must continually transcend itself
into larger circles of consciousness to foster the creation of
greater civilizations. Otherwise, it risks imploding under the
sheer force of its own boundaries, constrained by defining
itself against what lies outside.
Consciousness and Civilization
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