The evolutionary process of Nature provides humanity the opportunity, but not the guarantee, of providing the foundation for the next evolutionary stage to develop. Historically we note the systematic development of increasing powers of consciousness. There is a general correllation with an increasing power and complexity of consciousness through this development, with the first stages generally corresponding to the basic physical and vital needs and considerations, with further development focused on the mental and emotional powers including ethics, morality, aesthetics, religion and spirituality and science.
There is however an apparent roadblock that could represent an opportunity for humanity to miss the opportunity to lead the further evolutionary development. The rise of materialism and focus on the use of science to develop physical comfort and media for distraction and entertainment has created a society that has essentially gone back to a focus on the physical and vital needs and fulfillment of desire. Should humanity fail to overcome the temptation to simply create a society of physical creature comforts and vital satisfaction, without encouraging, supporting and developing the higher ranges of consciousness, then we would become another “dead end” of evolution, a species that becomes more or less “static” in the increasing development of consciousness, an evolutionary “failure”.
Nature will not abandon its further development. It is simply that another form or species will have to develop to take over for the failed initiative of humanity.
Sri Aurobindo describes the necessary impetus: “…it is the inner spiritual necessity, the push from what is there yet unrealised within him that maintains in him, once he has attained to mind, the evolutionary stress, the spiritual nisus.”
If we reject this effort, then humanity will lose its pre-eminence in the current evolutionary developmental cycle.
Sri Aurobindo, The Life Divine, Book 2, Part 2, Chapter 28, “The Divine Life”
Tags: Integral Yoga, Sri Aurobindo
July 13, 2012 at 10:13 pm |
Reblogged this on Sri Aurobindian Ontology.