Pursuing Evolution

[Russell]

I am confident that many people who stumble upon Leo's videos and Actualized.org wonder why so much focus is given to personal evolution. With the myriad of things that a person can do with a minor degree of development, the question is asked as to why this is so important. Evolution first and foremost should be the main focus of our path. Humanity, as it currently stands, has stagnated and no further major development has occurred beyond minor adaptation to its protean environment. The necessity of another major jump in human evolution becomes apparent as humanity, as a whole, is no longer capable of exploring or reacting to its environment as it currently senses it and science has been unable to answer the questions that are still debated amongst the faith-holders/pre-rationalists and the scientific materialists/rationalists. Thus, pursuing evolution holds the key for both man's obvious development and the answer to all of the unanswerable questions that still exist. Moving into a post-rationalist mind-state (as Leo talks about) as one evolves helps answers these "unanswerable questions" that I am referring to. 

Contrary to popular belief, one major element is required to trigger any kind of evolution. This element is the crisis. It doesn't have to be something serious or life threatening, although often the catalyst is. But there must be a deep NEED to evolve or surmount a limitation and the presence of at least one negative stressor that is directly related to the desire is required. There must be a surmountable obstacle that must be overcome before the person sees reason to trigger the evolutionary process. A problem, issue or limitation must be so profound that only developing the ability to overcome it is the only answer. This is not the same as developing tools to do the work for them. Usage of tools is humanity's greatest boon as well as greatest vice. The latter is because the presence of tools deprives the physical body of the need to develop for difficult tasks. Wouldn't you agree that even with the greatness of technology and social media, some fall victim (by their own volition) to devoting all of their time and energy to it and become addicted to it, wasting their life away and devolving. And the wiser use technology and social media to watch Leo and join Actualized.org!  While this statement is not a call to take a Neo-Luddite approach by any means, one should bear in mind that there is a loss upon humanity due to the usage of tools and technology. 

Evolution is not limited to physical means. Humanity, as a culture and society, also has the ability to evolve. It is in this aspect where humanity is deficient. With all of its technological and developmental aspects stripped away, humanity is an extremely violent, intolerant and insular species that has managed to successfully integrate the opposing principles of the "herd" and "pack" mentalities. These groups are extremely xenophobic and are intolerant to change. An Alpha (either a single individual or a specific subset that operates as an Alpha) ALWAYS dominates the remainder of the structure and enforces its groupthink. Humanity and its herd-packs will not hesitate to engage in violent mass conflicts for the sake of ideological disagreements. Unlike endemic warfare or skirmishes in the animal kingdom, which are always the result of resource demands, Humanity is willing to become violent because some groups disagree with others. Because of this inability to rationally see all sides and come to an accord, Humanity, socially speaking, is still in a rather primitive state.

Thus, the burden of evolution falls upon those individuals how see this problem and DESIRE to overcome it. Inevitably, these individuals will gravitate to one another and new communities will establish themselves (such as we are seeing on Actualized.org, all because a man named Leo recognized this need and desire and took rigorous action). It becomes both an individual and a group responsibility to work to better both the individual and the concept of the group. Actualized.org is an example of this principle in action.

In the end, the choice comes down to the individual. Anyone can lead a fulfilling life and existence without pursuing evolution, but the truth is that they will have contributed nothing to the betterment of humanity. Each person who pursues and attains some degree of development, in even the smallest measure, can state that they have made some contribution to the betterment of humanity and should enough people do so, humanity can get out of its stagnation and the doldrums of mediocrity it now endures.

[philosogi]

Quote

“He who knows others is wise; he who knows himself is enlightened.” 
― Lao Tzu

Quote

“Your own Self-Realization is the greatest service you can render the world.” 
― Ramana Maharshi

Quote

“No one is free who has not obtained the empire of himself. No man is free who cannot command himself.” 
― Pythagoras

 

[Russell]

@philosogi what do you think about Leo's philosophy of the self not existing and do u think it contradicts your quotes from Lao Tzu, ramana, etc? Leo stesses that there is no self and no you so how do you think that pertains to those quotes?

[philosogi]

@Russell I don't think it contradicts at all. They all have the same message fundamentally. If you have a self, getting to know it gives best clues to help you get to "no-self."

Have you seen Leo's video on paradoxes. Some messages which sound paradoxical and contradictory now will become clearer when you're ready to hear them. 

[SOUL]

This is about personal evolution of the individual, not a grand scale humanity evolution.

No crisis isn't required for evolution even though yes a crisis can provide an environment that only certain traits will survive and flourish in it but that isn't the only conditions that adaptation happens.

Change is constant, you can't help but change so either you become an influence that contributes to the transformation or you become the one who has to deal with the random results of it.

It's your choice but either way, we are changing.

Edited April 26, 2017 by SOUL