By
Jimmy Henderson
‘Consciousness, like the universe, is ever expanding,
moving outwards to fill the framework of all possibilities’
J. Henderson
The evolution of the human consciousness is merely
another way of describing the process of spiritual evolution or the unfoldment
of our souls or true spiritual selves through the different levels of so-called
physical reality. Everything seems to point to the fact that the universe is
geared towards growth and that in terms of human development this evolutionary
process usually takes place naturally as the result of our day-to-day learning and
growth experiences. However, as metaphysicians, we also know that the process
can be speeded up through more fully conscious living and a daily commitment to
self-development which usually occurs with religious, spiritual or metaphysical
practices. These evolutionary processes can also be assisted by an association with
higher forms of life and consciousness such as celestial beings and spiritual
masters. For example, we know that the more we interact with, and stimulate children
intellectually, the quicker they develop the necessary life and learning skills.
This whole idea of evolution has always been
a contentious issue usually involving religionists versus scientists. However,
even within metaphysics itself, many still do not fully understand the principles
involved in the migration of the soul (or consciousness) through the animal,
vegetable and mineral kingdoms. And this is often purely due to conceptual
confusion and semantics. For example, does the idea of our consciousness entering
the material world and passing through an evolutionary process of unfoldment really
imply that at some stage we were a specific animal or insect, a vegetable such
as a carrot or even a stone lying somewhere on a beach? To some people this seems
unimaginable and even absurd, so perhaps the basic principles have not been clearly
explained.
For instance, we need to first understand
that the process taking place on this plane is not the spiritual self evolving
but rather a gradual transmigration of a soul consciousness through increasingly
complex physical structures in order to be able to more perfectly express its
essential nature, which is, in fact, a part of God-Consciousness.
Second, individuation (or the emergence of a
distinct individual personality), can logically only take place when there is
at least a degree of self-awareness. This suggests that during the earlier
stages of unfoldment, the soul consciousness is more likely to be submerged in
a group or collective consciousness to emerge only later as an individual when
the particular structure is sufficiently complex to receive it. In other words,
even as early man may have existed in some primitive form or another, he did
not become a distinct personality until his body and nervous system had evolved
to a point where it could sustain self-awareness, at which point he became a
‘living soul’ (Gen. 2:7). (This answers the question as to how evolution and
creationism can be reconciled).
This idea of group and collective
consciousness is supported by research on the coordinated movements of animals
such as schools of fish and flocks of birds (group consciousness) and the
‘connected’ and co-coordinated actions of bees and ants (collective
consciousness). However, the antics, intelligence and emotion displayed by
higher animals such as dolphins, apes and even some dogs and cats do suggest a
distinct personality, so perhaps at that level of consciousness soul individuation
is beginning to take place.
To conclude therefore, it is more logical to
assume that on lower levels of consciousness, namely that of the minerals,
plants, insects and even most animals, we are dealing with an embryonic group
or collective consciousness through which the distinct spiritual personalities
of our souls are merely passing and it would be wrong to say that any one of us
was ever a specific vegetable or a fruit on the table, as opponents of the principle
of the evolution of the soul or consciousness have laughingly challenged.
Jimmy
Henderson a well-known metaphysical teacher and regular radio talk show guest.
He is the author of many articles as well as two spiritual self-help books
entitled ‘Multi-Dimensional Thinking’ and ‘Multi-Dimensional Perception’ which
are available at Exclusive Books, Amazon.com and kalahari.com. He is also a
facilitator with Metavarsity and based in Durban ,
South Africa
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