Written by Carl Golden
August 24, 2011
Over the last 35 years, I sought experiences, insight, knowledge, and wisdom to aid me in my own journey of maturation and discovery. Consequentially, my life became a gestation of religious, spiritual, psychological, ecological, evolutionary, social, political and cultural information. Now, this long gestation is giving birth to a personal synthesis of natural history, philosophy, psychology and spiritual praxis that is aligned with other similar syntheses, known as Ecopsychology (Roszak) and PsychEcology (Egger). I believe these various syntheses are essential for the future of healthy human culture in harmony with Nature.
Fundamentally, this synthesis recognizes that Nature and Psyche are correllates — as goes one, so goes the other. Ugly, hostile cultures will reduce Eden to a wasteland, and the ecological poverty of wastelands produce depraved persons and cultures. So, it is important that we align ourselves with truth, beauty, and goodness, which arise as basic functional patterns of ecological, psychological, and social health and wisdom.
Indeed, functional patterns are reiterated throughout the Cosmos with primordial congruency. For instance, the viabilityof an atom is sustained by energetic forces, which constitute boundaries that define appropriate relations with other atoms and space itself. Such is the case for molecules, cells, organelles, organisms, species, societies, ecosystems, biomes, the biosphere, solar systems, galaxies, and our psyches, too. There are numerous correlating patterns, and understanding these patterns and honoring their respective and related functions is important, especially in fostering health and wisdom, because they define the Way to live in balance with our selves, families, society, and Nature.
Furthermore, the scientific worldview is beginning to recognize that these patterns and systems of patterns are forms of consciousness. Atoms are atomic consciousness. Molecules are molecular consciousness. Cells are cellular consciousness. Humans are human consciousness. Everything is aware because everything is an expression of, a participant in, and related through an absolute ground or field of pure being-energy-awareness, which is commonly referred to as God.
This view has enormous implications for natural philosphy and spiritual praxis, especially in regard to evolution, which can no longer be understood only in terms of natural history. Evolution is sacred story, as well. It is the modern myth of creation and of divine incarnation. It is the story of how Spirit is having Cosmic experiences, and how the Cosmos is spiritually awakening.
soulcraftwisdom 