Thought #1: We live at the most critical time in human history…
I am reading Toby Ord’s new book, The Precipice, in which he lays out some stark predictions about the fate of human civilization. To summarize, Ord points out that there have been three major “revolutions” in the recorded history of humans (Homo Sapiens has been on the planet for 200,000 years, but we’ve only had written records for about 5,000 years). The first was the Agricultural Revolution, about 10,000 years ago, where we shifted from being nomadic hunter-gatherers to discovering the power of farming and storing food. The second was the Scientific Revolution, about four hundred years ago, where we made incredible discoveries about the nature of reality and our ability to use the scientific method. The third was the Industrial Revolution, about 200 years ago, where we developed mechanized technology that propelled our productivity and prosperity. Each of these revolutions was paradigm shifting at the time they happened, and each reached a peak and then a decline as new challenges arose that they could not address. At present, the momentum of the Scientific Revolution and the Industrial Revolution have put us in a difficult position as a species. We are dogmatic about science, needing proof and quantifiable data about everything. We have lost the ability to find magic and mysticism in our lives. We are also painfully committed to the ideals of the Industrial Revolution, especially in western culture (and especially in the US) where the drive for economic prosperity and domination is fostering selfishness and competition rather than collaboration and solidarity. It is time for the fourth great revolution in human history. But this time, the stakes are higher.
Ord points out in his book that the threat of “existential catastrophe” that could wipe out the human species is at an all time high. He estimates the chances of existential catastrophe was 1:100 last century. It has now increased and there is a 1:6 chance we could experience such a catastrophe in the next century. That’s the roll of a dice, folks. I don’t know about you, but those odds are a wake-up call. Why have the odds of existential catastrophe increased so precipitously in the recent past? Simply put, our technology and innovations have outpaced our wisdom. For the first time in human history, we now have the technology and power to destroy ourselves. Whether it is nuclear war or a human grown pandemic that is unleashed on the planet, we hold an immense power. At the same time, we have not developed the wisdom, especially in our leaders, to handle such technology. For this reason, Ord calls the current period in human history The Precipice. He believes this is the most important point in our history because the choices we make, individually and collectively, in the next century will determine the fate of our species. I take this one step further and say that we stand at the doorstep of the next great human revolution. I prefer to call this the Consciousness Revolution because I believe it is the period of human history where we will awaken to our true nature as conscious, aware beings. And that leads me to thought #2…
Thought #2: I am awareness…
Put your hand out in front of your face and look at it. This is the way we typically experience the world. Reality is “out there” in the world around us. We can see it, hear it, smell, it, taste it and touch it. Now, turn the attention around and ask yourself “who is it that is looking at this hand?” Your answer, of course, is “I am looking at my hand!” True, but now let’s go one step further. What is the awareness or the consciousness that is experiencing looking at your hand? Note, this is not something you have to work hard to see and experience. Awareness is always there. It’s the one thing we share as humans. It’s the unchanging, un-moving, witnessing part of ourselves. One of my favorite teachers, Rupert Spira, describes awareness in this way: imagine you walk into a room and there are two children watching TV. You ask the first one “what are you watching?” and they say “I am watching a soccer match.” You ask the second one “What are you watching?” and they say “I am watching a screen.” Awareness is the screen. It is always there, unchanging, even as the plot of the movie or the sporting event changes and moves. We get so caught up in watching the plot that we forget the screen. My challenge to you is to live as much as possible as the screen itself. What this means is that you remain aware of awareness. For some, a mantra can be helpful, such as “I am aware.” For others, it is the embodied experience of awareness, feeling it in your body. And for others, it is the thought of being aware.
The fourth great revolution, the Consciousness Revolution, will move us off of the precipice. There is a 5:6 chance that we do not experience an existential catastrophe and I believe it will be avoided if we can get more people to realize their fundamental and irreducible nature is pure awareness or consciousness. Living from this place will allow us to make the right decisions, elect the right leaders, and propel our species forward into the next great chapter.
Thought #3: It takes discipline…
As a former triathlete and USA Triathlon certified coach, I know what it takes to shift from current capabilities to desired capabilities. It takes hard work and discipline. It’s not enough for you to read these thoughts and think “ok, cool. I will now live with more awareness of my awareness.” That would be like one of my triathlete clients thinking “I’ve now read about what it takes to swim, bike and run well, so now I’m ready for the race!” You must build this as a habit, working through the inevitable barriers that will hold you back from doing the work. I require all of my leadership coaching clients to practice meditation of some sort, and slowly I am transitioning them to the “awareness of awareness” practice described above. The more you do the practice, the more it will become second nature and you will live as awareness itself rather than getting caught up in the plot of the movie that is your life. There’s not much more I can say here except “do the work.” The future of humanity is depending on all of us to make the right choices and do the right things. Every individual who lives as awareness tips the balance towards a prosperous and thriving future.