Towards Higher Consciousness in the 21st Century
Global Sustainability, Peace and Total Wellbeing!

London, UK - 17 May 2007, 21:47 GMT - When we look at any complex global challenge which has hitherto proved to be intractable, it appears to be deeply interlinked to other complex global challenges. When addressing the subject of clean energy and climate chaos in developing countries, one cannot ignore the parallel need to raise masses out of poverty. When examining radicalisation in our society and the decline of moral and ethical values, one cannot ignore the need for a spiritual awakening that takes human society to a higher level of consciousness in the 21st century, so that humanity may survive and thrive rather than carve itself and nature out.

Dear ATCA Colleagues

Re: Towards Higher Consciousness in the 21st Century: Global Sustainability, Peace and Total Wellbeing!

His Holiness Master Kirpal has said, "Man is the highest in all creation. All creation has been made subservient to you; all are lower than you are -- animals, birds, reptiles. The laws of Nature you are controlling. Man is next to God. So have reverence for all. God resides in every body, whether high or low; have reverence for all who are over you, above you; reverence for all who are around you; and reverence for all who are beneath you, under you."

The most striking creativity one sees in any given country, community, or company, is when each individual takes responsibility for his or her personal growth, self sufficiency, and inner connection to their spirit manifest as love towards one's own and all fellow beings via collaboration. Until a kindred spirit -- an espirit de corps or a team spirit -- is cultivated first and foremost in the individual, people tend to operate from a level of personal interest instead of seeing all as a part of the 'whole'. When kindredness or love is first and foremost, the life of the individual -- as a humble member of a team -- becomes an example and inspiration of the 'way' to be which is stated in all the faiths. The essential purpose of each faith is to be a way to show higher knowledge with human interpretation as inspired from the unifying Divine Light within. It has been proven that higher consciousness brings in the understanding and compassion that each individual is valuable and can contribute to the welfare of all in their unique way. This is true philanthropos -- or philos which means love and anthropos which mean humanity -- where each and every one is invaluable and no one is superfluous. Money and materials are secondary even tertiary and not primary drivers of global transformation -- for the real battles-of-ideas are for hearts and minds and have to be won with love, trustworthy bonds and common understanding.

What is the cause of violence towards fellow humans and our environment? It is an internal lack of confidence in oneself -- a deep sense of insecurity or injustice -- which contributes to indifference towards one's fellow humans and nature in all of its forms. And as Mahatma Gandhi said, it is about greed and coveting: "There is enough in this world for everybody's need but not enough for everybody's greed." We are all essentially spiritual beings, capable and designed to fulfil the divine intention of Oneness and this is our natural flow. What is not natural is the misnomer that one is unworthy and one needs to possess more to feel secure. This idea of unworthiness can be due to past events and other peoples expressed impressions or treatment of one, and one's own feelings of lack of self worth.

As the Great Spiritual Masters have said, meditation is the sublime communication with the source of love within. Contemplation is the reflection of one's own actions and accountability, and Dharma is one's duty in life. As the Holistic Quantum Relativity project has shown, Einstein's Theory may be re-presented where the 'unified field' means unity. One can tap into this unlimited experience and live unity. Unity is conscious understanding through direct experience which proves everything is interconnected with its synchronicities. This knowledge gives one the understanding that there is perfect order in the universe, and balance must be maintained or is forced upon us.

Unity is also lived as Dharma, which in Sanskrit means righteousness, truthfulness, compassion, and understanding. To realise one's own real nature is also to experience and understand through direct knowledge the inner value of all things in life. This gives deeper understanding of the value within each individual, and the value within all forms of life. Non-violence is a product of inner peace and unity. One who experiences this inner peace reflects this in all areas of life and shares in life from this understanding. With love non-violence becomes natural; from within, the thoughts become more refined, more compassionate, and more attuned with the Consciousness. The essence of love is to experience peace and this sublime bliss carries one over in one's daily life.

Divine Light manifests as Supreme Intelligence or Wisdom and provides the rules for balance and order; this is also known as the Universal Set of Laws or the Divine Laws. One must live life in unity recognising all as having come from the divine light within manifest as the love within our heart, this is union or yoga. It is not enough to talk of this 'unified field' of all possibilities; we must live it and BE it, if we are to begin to tackle the complex global challenges of the world. The development, growth, and greater potential of each individual must be recognized. As long as one does not value themselves or see their own potential, they will not value anyone or anything outside of themselves.

How are we to tackle consumerism and the desperate desire to acquire in order to feel good? In and of themselves, material objects are for one's use, they are neither positive nor negative. The misguided value an individual places on themselves causes the internal stress that leads to the idea of possessiveness. As long as one does not understand their own value, they will grasp at material things, have addictions, and misuse others. Material things do not cause violence. What does cause violence and destructive thoughts is jealousy due to lack of self appreciation. From a higher perspective, all material goods are due to the positive productivity of individuals, and this enhances all areas of life. It is not just material wants that cause pain. The desire to be accepted, have one's needs fulfilled, and enjoy life, is a natural universal theme. Those who have the ability must educate those who do not have the means to create their own self sufficiency. It is the responsibility of those who have greater understanding to speak for those who do not have a voice, and who do not have the understanding or means to speak for themselves, hence the World Future Council, by way of a solution.

Non-violence (Ahimsa) can be sustained by the regular practice of union with the spirit combined with higher education for all ages. The children of today are our Leaders in the future. They must have role models. The values of life must be re-presented to them, and the practical integration of spiritual and self sustained living must be seen and experienced to have effective changes. The practice of alignment of values should begin at an early age. For adults, the practice of alignment with correct values leads to better decisions, better living, and better ways of taking care of one's life. The global economy will naturally improve with a higher level of individual consciousness due to the natural unfolding of the unlimited potential within.

The experience of higher consciousness establishes the basis for maintaining peace within oneself, which creates peace naturally in one's environment. From this level of higher consciousness, this advanced science crosses the boundaries of traditional science and scientific education in an innovative and dynamic way. The spiritual understanding shows the interconnected value of all life which creates and sustains unity. Through this integration, the individual has a greater sense of responsibility; this effects the environment and maintains non-violence through the appreciation of the inner and outer values of life. The combination of meditation, spirituality, and education provides the foundation for even greater economic potentials through the individual's comprehension of obligations to family, society, and government. Spiritually, at the level of love, the individual feels a sense of belonging to humankind through the direct experience of "Oneness" within; crossing boundaries of prejudice, and creating harmony in ones family, community, nation, and extending into a global view of unity.

We cannot have an economically sustained society without the personal experience of inner peace and love. Higher consciousness and the experience of peace within give a self-affirming understanding of non-violence, promoting personal productivity in all areas of life. Compassion combined with understanding of spiritual values, reveals through direct experience the greater values for all life.

Non-violence cannot be had by merely telling one who has very little to desire even less. Non-violence is a product of higher consciousness due to a cultured heart and increased intelligence. Non-violence means to not harm, and this means respecting all life; the way we treat one another, the way we treat animals and other sentient beings, and the compassion we extend to other life forms and our own selves. We are Spiritual Beings and this must be experienced, understood, and lived to be in unity for the betterment of all life, the environment, and with each other. We can create a better today and tomorrow. True and lasting peace on earth begins with each individual.

Through love and peaceful living, one gains the highest knowledge. The heart becomes pure, and the mind has unlimited potential for receiving and retaining education in any field of learning. The Educator has fertile ground in the mind of the student, for each understands the greater potential, and each understands and comprehends the more complex thoughts and ideas. Higher consciousness, beauty and refinement, are results of this great potential. Due to direct understanding of Dharma, one lives in the awareness of "cause and effect" or the knowledge of self-affirmation. This leads one to living the principles of personal duty, understanding equality, and transcending false ideas of limitation and prejudice of religion, race, gender, or caste.

All that is needed to realize a better reality of life is to raise consciousness, restore traditions of respect, and establish higher values in all areas of life. This is up to each individual, and is a loving obligation for having the gift of life.

Experiencing unity and self awareness is higher consciousness. It is a practical means to peace, giving each person the ability to be self sufficient, to be self-governing, and being able to add to the welfare of all life, while experiencing Divinity within. We can create peace, we can create unity, and we can be the Divine Spark that becomes the Living Flame. Like the sun -- the creator of light -- we can shine our Light, which carries energy and a profound appreciation for all life, touching each person, reaching each country, and encircling the globe with this peaceful Divine Light for an ecological, economically and spiritually viable, Sustainable World.

[ENDS]