AWARENESS/CREATIVITY/ART/EGO & BALANCE
The state of non-existence that preceded our current existence was one of potential.
There was an unimaginable energy that, once released, resulted in what we perceive as
the universe. Scientists refer to the event as the ‘big bang;’ spiritualists call the energy
God, who is credited with creation. Either explanation will do. We do know that atoms
comprise everything seen and unseen. Atoms are energy in a potential state that, when
organized in ever increasingly complex arrangements, result in the elements and
everything that comprises the material universe, visible or not.
If one charts energy from the potential state it follows a course that results in inert matter
evolving into organic life: plant, insect, reptile, fish and mammal. When conditions exist
that can support life, life will occur. If the environment cannot support life, it will not
appear. The earth has evolved the most miraculous ecosystem supporting millions and
millions of species. Each species is an expression of the potential for life that manifests
as living organisms. The concept of scarcity is non-existent in nature, since the life forms
that appear are not separate from the context from which they evolved, but are the
flowering, so to speak, of those conditions.
Creativity is the force that propels energy into more and more complex arrangements.
When humans evolved the faculty of self-awareness, problems appeared. With selfawareness came fear and attachment to existence. Man no longer trusted his existence,
seeing that everything (all matter) processed (ate) everything else. The transformation of
energy from one state to another is the basis of the living planet that we are. Humans are
the conscious component of existence. We are the universe perceiving itself. Once man
saw how perilous existence was, he began to resist the inevitable demise that each must
face, and, in keeping with the creative drive that is behind existence, began to develop
tools to increase his chances for survival.
The dilemma of western man is the perceived separation of the individual from all other
life, including other humans. The position it has taken for millennia has been to exploit
other life forms and cultures in support of its own survival. The over-emotional
attachment to our own life has spread to our material possessions as well. We are
obsessed with material wealth. While living on a planet of infinite energy, where life
evolves naturally, we are the only species that knows starvation. We humans have
created scarcity by a self-serving manipulation of resources that are in the control of
those individuals who’ve put themselves above all others.
The development of manufacturing, where billions of people work long hours performing
mindless, repetitive work, has strangled and suffocated the human spirit. The creative
force that exists in every molecule that lead to life in all its forms, flows through every
human. The suppression of this force, as is the case of the modern industrial world, is the
single most horrific aspect of contemporary life and culture. We were meant to live
simply, raise our children in a natural setting, leave no footprint of our passing through,
and celebrate life through ritual, dance, music, story-telling and laughter.
Look closely at any war, and you’ll discover a small group of individuals with ambitions
fueled by greed, and a desire for power, indifferent to the pain and suffering of others, as
they exploit the masses for personal gain. This has lead to the current crisis of the
environment, and the continued waging of war as a tool for exercising these ambitions.
Of the many emotions humans experience, two fuel all art. We either celebrate existence,
or we express the pain that is felt when we experience injustice. The natural emotional
state of being alive is joy. When creativity and freedom are suppressed, anger, outrage,
and frustration result. When either of these emotions is felt, a charge builds up in our
minds and hearts, and when combined with the natural creative impulse, results in a work
of art. If we refer back to the creation of the universe, we’ll see that this creative force is
the same one that runs through every atom, through every material object, through every
creature, and every human. Creativity is as natural as breathing. Cooperation and interdependence is not only necessary, it is the model on which all life depends. Our
obsession with ego and self has lead to our current crisis. We view ourselves as separate
from that which we evolved from, and unless we embrace the concept of cooperation, we
will continue to upset the balance that nature created, and destroy the conditions that
support life. The planet will survive and flourish. However, it will do so without
humans.
Humans learn by making mistakes. The current state of affairs regarding human culture
and the environment will lead to a catastophy unimagined in the history of life on this
planet. Religious zealots refer to it as Armageddon, the end of the world, etc. This event
will take place. However, it will not be some sort of punishment, but will simply be the
inevitable result of the path we have taken. Hopefully, there will be enough humans
remaining who will resume life more in keeping with nature’s way.
mch
25 June 2009