ConsciousnessA.H. Almaas A talk by A.H. Almaas - 'The Unfolding Now & The Now Of All Times'A.H. Almaas is the pen name of A. Hameed Ali, the originator of the Diamond Approach to Self-Realization. The Diamond Approach is a path of wisdom, an approach to the investigation of Reality and a method of working on oneself that leads to human maturity and liberation. It is a spiritual teaching, a method of connecting with our spiritual nature and bringing it into our life. The Diamond Approach represents a new paradigm in human/spiritual knowledge and understanding. It is not a synthesis of existing knowledge, but rather a new, more integrated understanding of the entire human psyche - ego, personality, soul - and the psyche's relationship with its fundamental nature. A.H. Almaas A. H. Almaas - Essence of Intelligence - Part 1A.H. Almaas A. H. Almaas - Essence of Intelligence - Part 2A.H. Almaas A. H. Almaas - Essence of Intelligence - Part 3A.H. Almaas A.H Almaas - 'Endless Enlightenment' - Interview by Iain McNayA.H. Almaas is the pen name of Hameed Ali, who is the creator of the Diamond Approach to Self Realization. The Diamond Approach is a contemporary teaching that developed within the context of awareness of both ancient spiritual teachings and modern depth psychological theories. He has authored several books about spiritual realization, including The Diamond Heart Series, The Pearl Beyond Price, The Void, The Unfolding Now and The Point of Existence. He founded the Ridhwan School, an inner work school devoted to the realization of True Nature. The goal (orientation) of the school is directed toward helping students to become aware of and embodying their 'essence' or essential nature. In this interview he talks about his life, his experiences, and how he feels 'Enlightenment' is never ending.A.H. Almaas A.H. Almaas and Karen Johnson - 'Two Hearts Beat As One' - Interview by Renate and Iain McNayA.H. Almaas is the pen name of Hameed Ali, who is the creator of the Diamond Approach to Self Realization. The Diamond Approach is a contemporary teaching that developed within the context of awareness of both ancient spiritual teachings and modern depth psychological theories. He has authored several books about spiritual realization, including The Diamond Heart Series, The Pearl Beyond Price, The Void, The Unfolding Now and The Point of Existence. He founded the Ridhwan School, an inner work school devoted to the realization of True Nature. Karen Johnson is a co-founder of the school and is involved with Almaas in its ongoing development. They talk about their relationship going back over 30 years and how it has matured and deepened over that time.A.H. Almaas 'Acknowledging Our Mortality' - A talk by AH AlmaasFounder of the Ridhwan School and author of many books incuding 'Facets of Unity: The Enneagram of Holy Ideas' 'Essence' 'Elixir of Enlightenment' and 'Pearl Beyond Price', here Almaas talks about death and acknowledging our mortality.A.H. Almaas Love and Emptiness - Part 1A.H. Almaas Love and Emptiness - Part 2A.H. Almaas Love and Emptiness - Part 3A.H. Almaas Love and Emptiness - Part 4A.H. Almaas Spacecruiser Enquiry - Part 1A.H. Almaas Spacecruiser Enquiry - Part 2A.H. Almaas Spacecruiser Enquiry - Part 3Books 'Important Books In My Life - Edition 1' - David Bingham interview by Eleonora GilbertThe first two programmes in a new series where guests talk about books that were important to them on their spiritual journey.Books 'Important Books In My Life - Edition 2' - Pathik Strand interview by Eleonora GilbertThe first two programmes in a new series where guests talk about books that were important to them on their spiritual journey.Books 'Important Books In My Life - Edition 3' - Guy Smith Interviewed by Eleonora GilbertAuthor of the highly regarded Non-Duality book, 'This Is The Unimaginable and Unavoidable - Irresponsible Writing On Non-Duality' Guy talks about books that have influenced him during his journey.Books 'Important Books In My Life - Edition 4' - Dr Manjir Samanta-Laughton Interviewed by Eleonora GilbertAuthor of 'Punk Science' and the recently published 'The Genius Groove - The New Science of Creativity', Dr Manjir Samanta-Laughton talks about the books that have influenced her life and thinking.Books 'Important Books In My Life - Edition 5' - Martine Batchelor interviewed by Eleonora Gilbert'Buddhist meditation teacher and author of eight books, Martine's choice of books which have been impactful in her life include: Chinese poetry; the exploration of the relationship between body and mind and the paradox of embodiment. Martine explains the myths and the reality of meditation in the management of chronic pain and her final book choice tells the true story of a schizophrenic man and his harrowing fight to manage this mental illness. Cold Mountain 100 Poems by the T'ang poet Han-shan, translated by Burton Watson Being Bodies edited by Lenore Friedman and Susan Moon Finding a Joyful Life in the Heart of Pain by Darlene Cohen The Day the Voices Stopped: a Memoir of Madness and Hope by Ken SteeleBooks 'Important Books In My Life - Edition 6' - Joan Tollifson interviewed by Eleonora Gilbert.Author of four books, Joan's teaching resonates with Advaita, Buddhism, Zen and other forms of Non-Duality. In this interview the books explored are: The Book, On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are by Alan Watts. The Light of Discovery by her much loved teacher Toni Packer. I Am That, talks with Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj and lastly Buddhism Is Not What You Think by Steve Hagen.Books Marlies Cocheret - 'Important Books In My Life - Edition 7' - Interview by Eleonora GilbertIn this interview Marlies talks about the books that have touched her the most in her life. These 5 books were all written by women on women's spirituality and mysticism embracing the paths of Sufism, Tibetan and Tantric Buddhism, Christianity and Hinduism. Marlies explains: "All my teachers have been male, but all the books that deeply touched me are written by females." The following books are explored: The Chasm of Fire by Irina Tweedie, Cave in the Snow by Vicki MacKenzie, Passionate Enlightenment by Miranda Shaw, Totality in Essence by Vimala Thakar and What Is Self? by Bernadette RobertsBusiness Erika Uffindell and Nigel Linacre -The Art Of Stillness In Business - Moderated by Iain McNay(under Consciousness/Business) Nigel is author of several books including, Why You are Here - Briefly and An Introduction to 3-Dimensional Leadership. He is the co-founder of 'Extraordinary Leadership' and his clients include 'Wellboring' which provides water solutions for African communities. He says, "I practice self-awareness. I can be still. I practice gratitude and explore consciousness. I Pray. See and you shall find yourself, and you find everything." Erika worked as a brand manager for 25 years and is now transitioning out of this business to focus more on working with leaders to embrace the principles of conscious business. She works with Pinea3, the Global Institute for Conscious Leadership and Consciousness Capitalism UK. They both talk about the self enquiry they do, mindfulness, and that fact that organisations are energy and like people they too can get sick.Business Giles Hutchins - The Illusion Of Separation - Interview by Iain McNayGiles has written two books, The Illusion of Separation and The Nature of Business. He says, "Our patterns of thinking and learning are all based on a world of things which we are encouraged to think of as separate building. The dominant world view allows us to count and measure objects without their having any relational value for us.... It provides for neat definitions and a sense of control over life yet projects a logic that sets humans apart from each other and from Nature itself. Yet the deeper we look into nature the more we realise that nothing in life is separate; everything is a dynamic interplay. Life is essentially co-creative, fluid and connective. Separateness is an illusion we have created which has fast become a dangerous delusion infecting how we think and relate in business politics and beyond. It is becoming increasingly apparent that the critical problem facing our planet cannot be resolved with the same thinking that created the problems in the first place. In Devon, my daily meditations and yoga were supplemented with sitting against trees I got to know intimately. I learnt a Druidic tree meditation and healing practice which I practiced daily with the trees. I also started writing short articles while sitting next to trees, blogs for a personal website. Then the Guardian newspaper offered to pay for me to write blogs for them and soon after that a publisher approached me about writing a book on business inspired by nature. 'Leaving corporate life was all contrary to my conditioning of security, career, status, financial income, etc. and while my earnings have been pathetic in comparison since, it is with no regrets. I gave myself the vital space and time to deepen my inner psychic connection to Nature and also to recover from years of shell-shocking global travel, stress, burning the candle at both ends. I underwent something of a metamorphosis from 2012 to 2014, gradually healing while letting go of old mentalities, going through a 'dark night of the soul', embracing the unconscious depths of my imaginal realm and making friends once again with the stillness within."Business Oscar David - 'Consciousness in Government and Business' - Interview by Iain McNayOscar is author of the book, 'The Enneagram For Managers.' He works in Holland with Government officials, Army Generals, Police officials and Business leaders on how to integrate more understanding and harmony within their organisations.Business Richard Barrett - 'The New Leadership - When I Becomes We' - Interview by Iain McNayRichard is the author of four books including his latest: 'The New Leadership Paradigm - Leading Self - Leading Others - Leading An Organisation - Leading In Society.' He explains how personal development and understanding is so important when leading an organisation. The new leaders are the ones that recognise that values are changing fast on the planet, and the future of their organisations must include consciousness.Business Tim 'Mac' Macartney - The Invisible Path - Interview by Iain McNayAuthor of Finding Earth, Finding Soul: The Invisible Path To Authentic Leadership, Tim in 1983 was a gardener at a management training centre. By 1987 he was the head of consultancy at the same place, and two years later had his own London based people and organisation development consultancy working with leaders of multinationals. He has foot in two worlds. There has been times when they have been at war with each other: one part is shocked at the beauty of the earth, the other loves the business of business. He says, "Leaders are failing us and we fail them too - we get the leaders we deserve. We are at a time when we all need to find our own self-leader." "Real vision cannot embrace conformity, yet most organisations insist upon it. Conformity is the place of the slave. Leaders need to be dangerous to the status quo and restless truth seekers. They exist to articulate the dreams and aspirations of a community, they may get burnt but they don't give up; they must sit by the people side by side as equals and listen." "We are in a war with ourselves, with life, and the lines are drawn." "We are implicated whether we like it or not. We can pretend that the corporations are the enemy, but all of us are employed by, eat their food, derive our power, fuel our cars, furnish our houses, take out entertainment from the same organisations. We can deride our politicians but someone keeps voting them into power. We are the problem." "Around the world small and big initiatives are being born that are the response of dedicated and visionary people. There are millions of people just one step away from entering the garden and picking up the spade."Energy Bruce Frantzis 'Journey into Taoism' Interview by Iain McNayAuthor of 12 books including,' Opening the Energy Gates of Your Body', 'The Chi Revolution' and 'The Great Stillness', Bruce talks about his life; how he started enquiry at 6 years old, learnt Shiatsu and Zen when he was 14, and went to Japan when 18 to study with the founder of Aikido, Morihei Ueshiba. He ended up living in China, Japan and India for 16 years where he studied Zen, Yoga, Kundalini and Taoist Fire traditions. Bruce speaks fluent Chinese and Japanese. Also he is the first Westerner to be certified in Beijing by the People's Republic of China to teach the complete system of Tai Chii Chuan. This is a really unique interview.Energy Burgs - 'Energy Fields and Modern Technology - Part 1' - Interview by Iain McNayAuthor of 'The Flavour Of Liberation' and 'Beyond The Veil' Burgs has been teaching meditation in Europe and Asia since 1998. He initially trained as the main assistant to the Balinese meditation teacher and healer Merta Ada and helped him set up his Meditation school in Indonesia. The Healing meditation practices he learnt during this period, heavily influence Burgs' current teaching practice, which have a strong emphasis on the application of meditation in the maintenance and cultivation of physical and mental health. While learning from Merta Ada, he also trained in Chi Kung with a number of well-known Taoist teachers in Asia, and today integrates many of these practices into his teaching system. Went on to learn meditation from the Venerable Pa Auk Sayadaw in Burma. Burgs has since been teaching both meditation and Chi Kung in the UK. He has a deep grounding and understanding in all aspects of meditation and energetic cultivation, and has a profound appreciation of how different spiritual practices and traditions fit together as a whole. He can directly perceive the mechanics of the mind and body, and can help elucidate the relationship between these aspects of ourselves.Energy Burgs - 'Energy Fields and Modern Technology - Part 2' - Interview by Iain McNayAuthor of 'The Flavour Of Liberation' and 'Beyond The Veil' Burgs has been teaching meditation in Europe and Asia since 1998. He initially trained as the main assistant to the Balinese meditation teacher and healer Merta Ada and helped him set up his Meditation school in Indonesia. The Healing meditation practices he learnt during this period, heavily influence Burgs' current teaching practice, which have a strong emphasis on the application of meditation in the maintenance and cultivation of physical and mental health. While learning from Merta Ada, he also trained in Chi Kung with a number of well-known Taoist teachers in Asia, and today integrates many of these practices into his teaching system. Went on to learn meditation from the Venerable Pa Auk Sayadaw in Burma. Burgs has since been teaching both meditation and Chi Kung in the UK. He has a deep grounding and understanding in all aspects of meditation and energetic cultivation, and has a profound appreciation of how different spiritual practices and traditions fit together as a whole. He can directly perceive the mechanics of the mind and body, and can help elucidate the relationship between these aspects of ourselves.Energy Mantak Chia 'The Universal Healing Tao' - Interview by Iain McNayAuthor of over 40 books including, 'Healing Energy of Shared Consciousness: A Taoist Approach To Entering the Universal Mind' and 'Taoist Shaman: Practices from the Wheel of Life.' In this interview Mantak Chia talks about his life and how he was taught to access CHI energy by his Chinese teacher. He explains how this CHI energy can clear emotions and strengthen the body and the mind, and how it is connected to Universal energy and life force. Mantak Chia also shows how to start accessing CHI energy.Energy Tez Sawicki - 'The Master Game' - Interview by Iain McNayFounder of the retreats 'Gathering Essence: The Master Game', Tez takes us through his life. After years of struggle and alienation he started to find his way through studying the Daoyin system, The I Ching, Meditation and Qi Gong. After a series of openings which 'permanently re-opened the Universal Field' of his consciousness, Tez spent time developing and understanding the meditative process and cultivating the potential of the life force and its field. He says: 'The communion of body-mind and spirit with the Universal Field brings us into the effortless awareness of Wu Wei and leaves us standing at the doorway to the Absolute, to boundless Wholeness.'Enneagram 'Enneagram Type 1 - The Perfectionist' - Discussion with James Barlow, Anne Martin, Carlos Silva and moderated by Iain McNayThe Eighth programme in our series on the Enneagram. Three type 1's talk about themselves and their lives.Enneagram 'Enneagram Type 2 - The Helper.' - Discussion with Paul Burrows, Gill Harris and Renate McNay. Moderated by Iain McNay.This is our final programme in our nine part series on the Enneagram.Enneagram 'Enneagram Type 3 - The Achiever' - Discussion with Maureen Gallagher, Eleonora Gilbert, Pat Knightley and moderated by Iain McNay.The First programme in a new series about the Enneagram where we will talk in detail about each type (there are 9). Maureen, Eleonora and Pat are all Type 3's. In this discussion they explain how their knowledge of the Enneagram has helped them understand themselves and others better and live more authentic and fulfilling lives.Enneagram 'Enneagram Type 4 - The Romantic' - Discussion with Janette Blakemore, Rosemarie Morgan-Watson, Phil Dickinson and moderated by Iain McNay.The fourth programme in a new series about the Enneagram and the 9 different personality types. Here type 4 is discussed in detail.Enneagram 'Enneagram Type 5 - The Observer' - Discussion Angelina Bennet, Heather Brown, Kilian Gilbert and moderated by Iain McNay.The sixth programme in a new series about the Enneagram and the 9 different personality types. Here type 5 is discussed in detail.Enneagram 'Enneagram Type 6 - Fear And Courage' - Discussion with Grahame Morgan-Watson, Judith Priest and Lynne Citroen-Barratt and moderated by Iain McNay.This is the second programme in a new series about the Enneagram where we will talk in detail about each type (there are 9). Grahame, Judith and Lynne are all Type 6's. In this discussion they explain how their knowledge of the Enneagram has helped them understand themselves and others better. They also talk about how they see the potential of their type in terms of the bigger picture of life.Enneagram 'Enneagram Type 7 - The Adventurer' - Discussion with Chris Walton, Nina Grunfeld, Daniel Conway and moderated by Iain McNay.This is the third programme in a new series about the Enneagram and the 9 different personality types. Here type 7 is discussed in detail.Enneagram 'Enneagram Type 8 - The Challenger' - Discussion with Phil Wallace, Lynne Sedgmore and Christine Adames. Moderated by Iain McNay.The seventh programme in our series on the Enneagram. Three 8's talk about themselves and their lives.Enneagram 'Enneagram Type 9 - The Mediator' - Discussion with Dottie Baynham, Cate Parker, Sam Settle and moderated by Iain McNay.The fifth programme in a new series about the Enneagram and the 9 different personality types. Here type 9 is discussed in detail.Enneagram Faisal Muqaddam - 'The Essential Enneagram as a Spiritual Path to Awakening' - Interview by Eleonora GilbertFaisal Muqaddam is the originator of the Diamond Logos teachings. He is a psycho-spiritual teacher and a trained Reichan and bioenergetics therapist. He has been teaching for the last 35 years in the USA, Middle East and Europe. In this interview we explore the concept of 'the family hole' and how the child develops his personality structure based on what's psychologically 'missing' in the family. Also we explore the essential states of each type and which organs in our body are related to its ennea-type.Enneagram Ginger Lapid-Bogda - 'The Enneagram In Business' - Interview by Iain McNayAuthor of several books on the Enneagram including "Bringing Out The Best in Yourself at Work", "Bringing Out The best in Everyone You Coach" and "What Type of Leader are You?", Ginger talks about her life, how she found and uses the Enneagram in her work and the potential of the Enneagram in Business. She also gives a brief overview of the 9 different styles.Enneagram Helen Palmer - 'Relationships Matter - The Enneagram Tells us How' - Interview by Eleonora GilbertHelen Palmer is the author of two best sellers, The Enneagram: Understanding Yourself and the Others in Your Life and The Enneagram in Love and Work: Understanding Your Intimate and Business Relationships - currently translated in 28 languages. In this interview Helen talks about the Enneagram and its importance in our personal and spiritual evolution. She describes how it could impact our relationships in the development of real understanding of our deep-rooted habitual patterns and that of others. She talks about our assumption that we are 'seeing consensus' in our views of the world. We believe that we can have differing opinions but fail to understand that we might actually have fundamentally different views of the world and different internal structures. For us to evolve out of automatic patterns takes reflection on our inward patterns, development of an attention practice. She says, "Take a pause, centre yourself, so you are not going into a premature conclusion or projection about what will happen. A temporary silence brings you to your senses and enables you to be receptive to reality as it is occurring between two people".Enneagram Helen Palmer - 'The Enneagram - Gateway To Spiritual Liberation' - Interview by Iain McNayAuthor of 'The Enneagram: Understanding Yourself and the Others in Your Life' and 'The Enneagram in Love and Work: Understanding Your Intimate and Business Relationship' as well as other books on the Enneagram. In this interview she talks about how she first heard of the Enneagram and met with Claudio Naranjo in the 70s. At the time there were very few teachings that included the mystical realms along with a psychological understanding. She explains how the Enneagram can provide important pointers to the barriers to spiritual liberation. Self-observation and self-reflection are key as is concentration and witnessing consciousness.Enneagram Sandra Maitri - 'Introduction To The Enneagram' - Interview by Iain McNaySandra is an author, an Enneagram teacher, and a principal teacher in the Ridhwan school, home of the Diamond Approach. She was among the first group of students to whom Claudio Naranjo presented the Enneagram system in the US in the 1970s. She has been teaching the Enneagram as part of the larger work of spiritual transformation for 25 years. In this interview she talks about her early adventures in personal development and then describes the principals behind the Enneagram and gives a brief overview of the Nine different types. Sandra has written two books on the Enneagram, "The Spiritual Dimensions Of The Enneagram - Nine Faces Of The Soul" and "The Enneagram of Passions and Virtues: Finding the Way Home".Enneagram Sandra Maitri - 'The Enneagram - The Virtues and The Passions' - Interview by Iain McNayIn this interview Sandra goes deeper into the Enneagram and talks about the material covered in her second book "The Enneagram of Passions and Virtues: Finding the Way Home".Enneagram Tom Condon - 'Living the Dynamic Enneagram' - Interview by Iain McNayAuthor of 'The Dynamic Enneagram - How To Work with your personality style to truly grow and change.' Tom explains how the Enneagram is an inner map of what we have learnt, but it is incomplete. It offers many clues to out truth strengths and can greatly help us improve our communications with others and our relationships. It is a springboard for change. We are in a deep trance, only perceiving a fraction of reality. We are living the story of our lives rather than our actual lives. The Enneagram can be an invaluable vehicle to help us wake up to who we really are.Enneagram Tom Condon - 'The Enneagram and Relationships' - Interview by Eleonora GilbertTom Condon, author of The Dynamic Enneagram and of How to See Enneagram Styles in the Movies, combines in his trainings his knowledge of the Enneagram, Ericksonian Hypnosis and NLP to bring about change. Tom has also produced over 50 DVD's and CD's. In this interview we go deeper into the exploration of what other factors, besides our Enneagram type, influence our patterns of behaviour in how we relate to people and to our world. We explore parental points, the Enneagram style of the family, the subtypes and much more. Tom says: "As you apply what you learn to your life, you might remind yourself that an Enneagram style is more than the sum of someone's visible behaviour. The Enneagram describes the inner strategies that drive behaviour. It's not what people do, it's why they do it".Evolution Alastair McIntosh - 'Community and the Divine Human Being' - Interview by Iain McNayAlastair is author of several books including, 'Hell and High Water', 'Rekindling Community' and 'Soil and Soul.' His work is very much built around Community whatever form that takes and how a real experience of that can take someone into the heart and experience the connectedness that we all share beneath the surface. Alastair says: "Community is about creating synergies out of diverse parts. Becoming grounded means having one foot in the physical realities of this world and the other in the dynamics of people".Evolution Andrew Cohen - 'Evolutionary Enlightenment' - Interview by Iain McNayAuthor of many books including: "Embracing Heaven and Earth", "Living Enlightenment: A Call for Evolution Beyond Ego", "Enlightenment Is a Secret: Teachings of Liberation", "My Master is Myself: Birth of a Spiritual Teacher". Andrew talks about his life and spiritual openings and how he sees "Evolutionary Enlightenment as an original non-sectarian spiritual path for the 21st century", uniting the transcendent freedom of enlightenment with the innate human desire to change and to evolve.Evolution Andrew Harvey - 'The Death And The Birth' - Interview by Iain McNayAuthor of 30 books including 'Hidden Journey', 'The Hope' and of his forthcoming book 'Radical Passion', Andrew talks about his life, his awakening and his dark nights. He travels worldwide encouraging people to explore and engage in Sacred Activism. Here he also talks about his time with Mother Meera, the importance of shadow work, and how as a human race we are right on the edge of death, but also of a new birth. Andrew explains: "Compassion in Action is the marriage of practical action and spiritual wisdom to create a holy force capable of transforming our world crisis and preserving our planet".Evolution 'Consciousness And Evolution - A Discussion with Chris Parish, Dave Pendle and Patrick Bryson' - Moderated by Iain McNayThree long term seekers discuss Consciousness And Evolution from their own experiences.Evolution Dr Robin Wood - 'The Great Shift' - Interview by Iain McNayAuthor of 'The Great Shift: Catalyzing The Second Renaissance' and founder of 'Renaissance 2', Robin talks about the challenge that awaits us as we stand on the brink of our greatest crisis or opportunity. In his view we are faced with either evolution or extinction. Robin explains that we have to shift our consciousness, our behaviour and our systems, and talks about how this is possible.Evolution Hardin Tibbs - 'The Eco-Spiritual Futurist' - Interview by Iain McNayHardin is a UK-based futurist and business strategist with extensive experience of scenario-based strategic thinking. He is a futures researcher, strategic analyst, process facilitator and presenter, with a background in product development and visual communications. In addition to his strategy work, Hardin has made significant contributions on issues involving technology and environment. He brings together the world of Sustainability, the Future and Consciousness.Evolution Jason Liosatos, Peter Hughes and Kinga Monica - 'The Birth Of A New Society' - Interview by Iain McNayJason is author of 'The Emergency Transformation Of Human Beings'. Peter and Kinga's book is called, 'A Big Strategy.' They all share a concern for the way our society is going and understand that any real change on the outside has to come from within. In this lively and at times quite inspiring discussion they talk about their lives and the content of their books.Evolution Peter Russell - 'The Great Awakening' - Interview by Iain McNayAuthor of many books including 'The Brain Book,' 'The Global Brain,' 'From Science To God' and 'Waking Up In Time', Peter talks about his life and work. He explains what he calls Spirituality 101. He also talks about Singularity, 'A White Hole In Time,' and the bringing together of Consciousness and Science.Evolution Sophy Banks - 'The Transition Movement - Inner and Outer' - Interview by Iain McNaySophy talks about the different ways The Transition Movement works, both on the outside and on the inside. She founded the 'Heart And Soul' groups which later became known as 'Inner Transition.'Healing C Anita Moorjani - 'Dying To Be Me' - Interview by Renate McNayAnita worked in the corporate field before being diagnosed with terminal cancer. Four years after being diagnosed her body began shutting down. As her organs failed she entered into an extraordinary near-death experience where she realised the cause of her disease as well as waking up to who she truly is. On regaining consciousness she found her condition had improved so rapidly that she was released from hospital within weeks.Healing C Arielle Essex 'The Matrix Of Healing' - Interview by Renate McNayAuthor of 'The Eight Factors Of Healing' and 'Compassionate Coaching - How To Heal Your Life and Make Miracles Happen', Arielle talks about her own healing process after she was diagnosed with a brain tumour and explains very clearly the role of the mind in creating our reality on different levels.Healing C Brandon Bays - 'My Journey To The Journey' Interview by Iain McNayBrandon has written several books including 'The Journey,' 'The Journey For Kids' and 'Consciousness The New Currency.' In this interview she talks about her early spiritual search; how she healed herself from a large growth in her stomach, and the events that led to her creating 'The Journey' seminar which she has been leading now for many years.Healing C Daan Van Kampenhout 'Shamanic Rituals' - Interview by Renate McNayAuthor of 10 books including 'Images of the Soul: The Workings in Shamanic Rituals and Family Constellations' and 'The Tears of the Ancestors: Victims and Perpetrators in the Tribal Soul.' Daan talks about his life and his experiences with Shamanic Rituals and Family Constellations.Healing C Dr Eric Pearl - 'Reconnective Healing' - Interview by Renate McNayHealer and Author of 'The Reconnection - Heal Others, Heal Yourself'. Eric walked away from one of the most successful chiropractic practices in Los Angeles when he and others started witnessing miraculous healings. He talks about his mission in bringing the 'new' bandwidth of frequency never before present on Earth which awakens and upgrades our minds and human system. Dr Pearl brings his mission worldwide to a fast growing audience, to Governments, to the Healthcare System and to Prisons.Healing C Dr Guy Meadows - 'How To Sleep Well' - Interview by Renate McNayDr. Guy Meadows (PhD) is a successful Sleep Physiologist and the Director of the London Insomniac Clinic. Insomnia feeds on our fear of not sleeping and the anxiety and distress that we choose to place on ourselves when we cannot sleep. He works with "Mindful Sleep Therapy" which goes against our modern desire to try and solve the problem of why we can`t sleep. It recognises that your body knows how to sleep and that the only thing preventing you from sleeping is you. Only when you stop "trying" to sleep, then and only then, will you sleep. He states: "Be the change you want to see in your sleep!"Healing C Emilie Conrad - 'Continuum: My Story' - Interview by Renate McNayEmilie Conrad is the founder of "Continuum" and the author of 'Life on Land - The Story of Continuum.' In this interview she talk about her traumatizing Brooklyn childhood and discovery of Dance with the psychic and physical collapse that led to the development of Continuum and to her ground-breaking movement and self-realization technique.Healing C Matthew Manning - 'My Healing Journey' - Interview by Iain McNayMatthew's early life was quite dramatic. When he was a teenager he started to be a catalyst for poltergeist activity which was at times very persistent and dramatic. He then started 'automatic writing' and found that he was becoming a magnet for people from many different cultures and languages that had been dead for years. His first book, 'The Link' which told the story of this activity was published when he was 20 years old and went on to sell over 1 million copies. He then had an experience in the Himalayas which changed his life and he then started to work as a healer. He is now one of Britain's best known healers and still works from his healing centre in Suffolk. Other books he has written include 'One Foot In The Stars', 'In The Mind Of Millions; The Healing Journey' and 'Strangers.'Healing C Meir Schneider - 'My Life And Vision' - Interview by Iain McNayAuthor of 'Movement for Self Healing', Meir tells his inspiring story of how he was born blind to deaf parents. Through hard work and determination he is now able to see (has a driving license). Meir also talks about his healing Centre in San Francisco, CA and why he believes that virtually anyone who is ill can improve their health.Healing C Philip Jacobs - 'Chronic Illness and The Spiritual Path' - Interview by Iain McNayPhilip is the Sheik for the 'Turning' group at Colet House in West London. He studied with Dr Francis Roles for many years. In this interview he talks about the challenges he faced when he became seriously ill with Lyme disease. 'I had always previously thought that it was possible to change my attitude to any situation. With the illness, I realised that there was a stage where you couldn't. You could have a good attitude either side of the experience, but not while you were in it. This was when the illness was deep in the brain, there was no way out until it passed and you just had to allow the experience to be what it was and if it was darkness then it was just darkness.' ' I was having to assimilate the idea of illness and suffering as a gift - what looked like suffering on the physical and psychological levels could often have a transforming effect on the deeper spiritual levels, that may not be apparent to the casual observer.'Healing C Vidyamala Burch - 'Living Well With Pain And Illness' Interview by Iain McNayAuthor of the book 'Living Well With Pain And Illness - The Mindful Way To Free Yourself From Suffering', Vidyamala talks about her life. She describes how she seriously damaged her back 25 years ago and needs to use a wheelchair. At the same time she has found a way to live with constant pain so that it doesn't completely dominate her life. This is an inspiring and also a very practical interview.Other Adam Martanda - 'Homeopathy and Transformation' - Interview by Iain McNayAdam, now 70 years old, was a successful homeopath and ran his own school in the UK for many years. He talks about his early life in a Gurdjieff group and living in different communities. His first experience with homeopathy was quite dramatic and led to a healing process that changed his life. He talks about homeopathy and how it can transform people's lives.Other Adrian Rides and John Flaherty - 'Addiction and Awakening' - Interview by Iain McNayJohn is author of the book, 'Addiction Unplugged - How To Be Free and has worked in the field of addiction for 25 years. He was previously a Catholic Priest but left when he was 35 having felt he had handed his life over to the Church. At this point he felt physically, mentally and emotionally drained and he knew it was time to move on. Adrian started drinking heavily at an early age to avoid feelings of intense anxiety and reached the point where his marriage had broken down and he was in a deep depression. He discovered meditation and his life started to change. Shortly afterwards he had an experience, 'I realised that now is all that there is and that the past and future were simply torments of my mind. I realised that I was alive, that my aliveness was not separate from the aliveness in everything, I realised that I was life itself and that I had found myself.' He also works in the field of addiction and teaches mindfulness in London. Adrian's website is:www.lovelifelivenow.com and John's is http://www.beawarebealive.comOther Anne Geraghty - 'Death. The Last God' - Interview by Iain McNayAuthor of 'In The Dark And Still Moving', Anne talks about the sudden death of her son Tim Guest and how that started her journey to find out what death means for her.Other Brandon Bays - 'The Journey For Children' - Interview by Renate McNayBrandon is author of 'The Journey' ' and 'The Journey for Kids.' In this interview she talks about how 'The Journey' work can be used with children to help them overcome trauma and lead them back to their true self.Other Camilla Carr and Jon James -'The Sky Is Always There' - Interview by Iain McNayIn 1997 Camilla and Jon drove to Chechnya to help set up a rehabilitation Centre for war-traumatized children in war-torn Grozny. Two months later they were kidnapped at gunpoint. For the next 14 months they were kept in basements with no natural light or fresh air. She was also raped. They tell their story, and how they survived by using meditation, Tai chi, Qigong and prayer circles. They wrote the book 'The Sky Is Always There' as a kind of cathartic healing for themselves. Camilla says, 'the captors could never touch my essence - my body is only a part of who I am. My spirit will always be free'.Other Camille Carr, Jon James and Christine Jensen - 'Consciousness and Trauma' - Moderated by Iain McNayIn 1997 Camilla and Jon drove to Chechnya to help set up a rehabilitation Centre for war-traumatized children in war-torn Grozny. Two months later they were kidnapped at gunpoint. For the next 14 months they were kept in basements with no natural light or fresh air. They talk about how they dealt with the trauma that came up for them after they were released and how they dealt with it. Christine Jensen works as a trauma therapist and is based in Bath, in Somerset. The three guests discuss the importance of recognizing and healing the many different types of trauma that we all face in life. How we are unaware of the layers of trauma hidden in our psyches, bodies and nervous systems and how this trauma is one of the barriers to discovering who we really are.Other Carla Verberk - 'It Started With A Kiss' - Interview by Iain McNayCarla tells her story of how her first kiss brought her dramatically in touch with her body and was the first clue that she would eventually become one of the leading teachers of Tantra in Europe. Her Journey included the Humaniversity, Sannyas with Bhagwan/Osho; The Ridhwan school and many years studying and teaching Tantra.Other Charlie Morley - 'Dream of Awakening' - Interview by Renate McNayCharlie Morley is a Lucid Dreamer and the author of Dreams of Awakening. He teaches lucid dreaming within the context of Tibetan Buddhism and is the co-creator of Mindfulness of Dream & Sleep and gives workshops and lectures around the globe. He says: " We sleep for about 30 years in our life, we are for 30 years in a 'black out' why would we not be interested in where we are?" In this interview Charlie talks about the benefits of lucid dreaming which is also a preparation for Death and Dying and for going through the BARDOS realms. Lucid dreaming offers the opportunity for the full Realization of our True Nature. Lucidity is not only about dream dimension, it's about all dimensions and being awake in everything we do.Other Christine Jensen - 'Trauma and Awakening' - Interview by Renate McNayChristine specializes in 'Trauma Resolution Work' which was originally pioneered by American psychologist, Peter Levine. She was brought up in the outbacks of Australia very connected to nature, the stars and the earth and sees today the importance of it for regulation and harmony of our nervous system. She talks about trauma in spirituality and why trauma is in the way to fully Awaken. "Everything we experience is registered in the body and it has to be felt there so that the nervous system can release the blocked energy of the trauma, shock and stress, and heal. Our whole human system from psyche to cell wants to heal and move towards greater wholeness."Other Claudio Naranjo - 'Healing Civilization' - Interview by Eleonora GilbertAuthor of over 20 books including 'Healing Civilization' and 'Enneagram of Society: Healing the Soul to Heal the World', Claudio talks about his latest book 'Healing Civilization' and his vision for a better society.Other David Bingham -'Art and Self Realisation' - Interview by Renate McNayDavid is an Artist and had his first experience of the timeless realm when looking at a painting by David Hockney when studying art in Art School. The highest purpose of art is to reveal the Self. He demonstrates how art can lead to Self-Realisation without the need for spiritual beliefs or practices and shows examples of paintings which can activate the experience of silence and stillness in the viewer. He also talks about the acceleration of the Evolution of Consciousness and that Self-Realisation is happening now on a much larger scale. The idea of a dramatic shift is receding and that clear seeing and acceptance of one's ever present Realisation is all that is required.Other Derek Thorne - 'Atman Vichara Yoga and Meditation' - Interview by Iain McNayDerek is a yoga teacher, writer, poet and lecturer who is the Spiritual director of the YogaLiving community based near Bath in England. He has practiced Yoga for 40 years and has also trained many yoga teachers. Since 1997 has committed to Atma Vichara and the Jnana Yoga approach as given by Sri Ramana Maharshi. Alongside an ongoing professional life in the health service he now devotes his time to making that teaching accessible to all who seek it and to the development of the YogaLiving Community. In this interview he talks about his life and his work.Other Dr Peter Fenwick - 'Consciousness and Dying' - Interview by Iain McNayAuthor of several books including 'The Art Of Dying', 'The Truth In The Light' and 'The Hidden Door', neuro-psychiatrist Peter Fenwick talks about his research into End of Life Experiences and deathbed phenomena. In this interview Dr Fenwick explains what these occurrences mean in the greater picture of who we really are.Other Florian Schlosser - 'Consciousness And Relationships' - Interview by Eleonora GilbertPeople have always loved sitting and sharing in the presence of an awakened human being and experiencing that tender beingness. For about 7 years Florian has travelled around the world inviting seekers to recognize in their own experience who they really are and to live as an embodiment of truth in everyday life. In his unmistakable manner he embraces the daily and simple life that he is sharing with a constantly increasing number of 'friends of truth', as he calls all those being interested. Again and again visitors of meetings tell of spontaneous awakening, of an all penetrating silence, of simple clarity and presence and of overflowing love and gratitude which they experience in Florian presence. With both legs firmly rooted in normal everyday life and at the same time in the heart deeply connected with Ramana Maharshi, Papaji, Jiddu Krishnamurti and his teacher and friend Isaac Shapiro, Florian speaks and is silent, laughs and cries, is present with everyone who would love to savour the truth of awareness. In this interviews Florian talks about relationships and how this has impacted his life.Other Georgi Y Johnson and Bart Ten Berge - 'Anxiety And Awakening' - Moderated by Renate and Iain McNayIn this interview Georgi Y Johnson, Author of "I AM HERE" and her Partner Bart Ten Berge, Author of "THE GIFT" 7 STEPS to a Happy and Fulfilled Life", discuss the meaning of anxiety and depression in the process of Awakening. Fear is a natural part of physical life but we need to unhook our fears as the authority on our thoughts, feelings and choices. The way to do this is not to repress fear but give it space. Liberated fear is alive and appropriate to the moment. For many, severe Anxiety or Panic attacks can be the turning point in finding themselves. Georgi is telling us her own story of a period of Deep Depression, Panic Attacks and Anxiety; looking for help she met Bart who is a Healer and the co-founder of the International School of Spiritual Psychology (ISSP) based in Holland.Other James David Parker - 'The Magic Of Philosophical Illusion'James Parker is a master of the mysterious magic arts who has created the phenomenal 'Philosophical Illusion'. He is a former teen prodigy and has now developed into an internationally respected virtuoso of his craft. Here he performs a unique show for conscious.tv.Other Jeff Foster - 'Conscious Relating: the Power of Honesty' - Interview by Eleonora GilbertJeff is author of 5 books including, 'The Deepest Acceptance: Radical Awakening In Ordinary Life,' 'An Extraordinary Absence: Liberation in the Midst Of A Very Ordinary Life,' and 'The Wonder of Being.' In this interview relationships are explored from the perspective of consciousness. Can we really find the 'One' in the form of another human being? Everybody is just seeking for unconditional love. Fearless, clear and honest communication brings the end of seeking. Jeff says: "Life is about meeting ourselves, meeting our own pain, our own fears, our own bliss, our own joy - meeting all those waves in ourselves and meeting the one in front of us in the same way actually. In the end it is the same meeting - we are really just meeting ourselves."Other Jeff Foster - 'The Crucifix is the Present Moment" - Interview by Renate McNayJeff is author of 5 books including, 'The Deepest Acceptance: Radical Awakening In Ordinary Life,' 'An Extraordinary Absence: Liberation in the Midst Of A Very Ordinary Life,' and 'The Wonder of Being.' In this interview Jeff uses the crucifixion of Jesus to explain Life lived in the Present Moment. He also shares his own despair and talks about how we have the tendency to spiritually BYPASSING our human stuff and how we all long for the unconditional rest of the 'Ocean'.Other Jenny Boyd - 'Staring Into The Face Of God' - Interview by Iain McNayJenny Boyd is the author of 'It's Not only Rock 'n' Roll' a book where she presents interviews with 75 musicians about how their creativity functions. Jenny works as a psychologist and addictions consultant in London. She wanted to understand how the minds and souls of these artist could create such great music. Her own spiritual awakening first started when she was 18. 'A tingling sensation rippled through my body, everything appearing crystal clear. I felt like a channel for the deeper parts of myself, as if I was watching myself from above. There was also a feeling of unity. My search for enlightenment had begun, I was now on a path from which I would often swerve but never leave.' In 1967 she travelled with the Beatles to India to spend time with Maharishi Maheshi Yogi (her sister Pattie was going out with - and later married - George Harrison at the time)

Here she learnt to meditate. She became a successful model in London, and later married Mick Fleetwood the drummer in Fleetwood Mac. 'After many years of being involved with everything that went along with rock 'n' roll I decided to go to college and study psychology.' She talks about her own journey as well as the fascinating process she discovered about musicians creativity. 'Peak experience can happen when the artist is totally in the here and now. A time of complete concentration that overtakes the mundane - the experience of eternity right here and now - by completely concentrating on the music they are able to open themselves up - the result can be songs that come from nowhere.'

Kathy Monaco was introduced to Buddhism to get answers to some of the questions that were always in the back of her mind. She lived as a nun both in South Africa and Taiwan before disrobing and constructing a simple life for herself using Buddhist tools.

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'I had achieved outer freedom but was far, far away from inner, real freedom.'

The market crashed and he lost almost everything. Lived in a forest for a time, 'I wanted to say NO to civilisation.' Moved to Mexico and then started to experience, real, deep, suicidal depression. Moved in with an Indian tribe in Ecuador, 'it was there I found that I could not just sit and BE like the Indians.'

'This suicidal depression became my greatest teacher.'

He discovered the secret to finding real freedom was going inside his body, 'Whenever I was able to do it I became calm and my mind would stop. I spent much time sitting by the water and experimenting with grounding my body to the beach. There were moments when all of a sudden the sound of the waves became different and the mind was so still that there were hardly any remnants of the depression. I would get up and start walking and the sand and the water on my feet felt unlike it had ever felt before. This marked the beginning of the end of depression'

After a time he was able to surrender to his ultimate love - presence - the silence of nothing where the mind takes a back seat and becomes the servant and the original being is once again on the throne..

He now helps people free themselves from thought addiction.

In this interview we hear about John's fascinating history and explore the Centaur, Subtle, Causal and Non-Dual states and demonstrate the differences between these stages.

'In my daily work as a psychotherapist I attune myself to the client's way of being, in order to get on to the same wavelength, so to speak. I am what has been called 'an authentic trickster' in the sense that I can genuinely match the client's level of consciousness at all times. In other words I do not claim to be a dedicated mystic who is always at, say, the Non-Dual level of consciousness. I would rather claim to be able to enter that state at will or as appropriate.'

'Libya accelerated my drastic purgation and remaking of myself. I was on the universal mystic way without realising it - I didn't know that my dark night of the senses would help me back onto the right path of detachments, illumination and transformations - I would have to traverse hell before I could reach inner serenity - I now felt more intensely than ever that I had lost my way in a dark wood and was I still searching for my right path.' 'This was my first glimpse of the celebrated golden flower, the centre and the source of my being. White light flowing upwards... a spring opened up inside me... visions wobbled inside me... I saw a fountain of light .Finally I said to myself , 'I surrender' and I was drunk with flowing light.'

Has been teaching meditation in Europe and Asia since 1998. He initially trained as the main assistant to the Balinese meditation teacher and healer Merta Ada and helped him set up his Meditation school in Indonesia. The Healing meditation practices he learnt during this period, heavily influence Burgs' current teaching practice, which have a strong emphasis on the application of meditation in the maintenance and cultivation of physical and mental health. While learning from Merta Ada, he also trained in Chi Kung with a number of well-known Taoist teachers in Asia, and today integrates many of these practices into his teaching system. Went on to learn meditation from the Venerable Pa Auk Sayadaw in Burma. He was personally tutored by the Sayadaw, and became the first Westerner to complete the entire series of 40 Samatha meditation practices as described by the Buddha.

After disrobing as a monk in Burma, he was asked to visit the Tibetan Light Master, His Holiness Dodrupchen Rinpoche, who gave him the direct Dzogchen Mind Transmissions and subsequently recognised his attainment of some of the highest levels of Dzogchen practice. Since then, Burgs has been teaching both meditation and Chi Kung in the UK. He has a deep grounding and understanding in all aspects of meditation and energetic cultivation, and has a profound appreciation of how different spiritual practices and traditions fit together as a whole. He can directly perceive the mechanics of the mind and body, and can help elucidate the relationship between these aspects of ourselves.

Has been teaching meditation in Europe and Asia since 1998. He initially trained as the main assistant to the Balinese meditation teacher and healer Merta Ada and helped him set up his Meditation school in Indonesia. The Healing meditation practices he learnt during this period, heavily influence Burgs' current teaching practice, which have a strong emphasis on the application of meditation in the maintenance and cultivation of physical and mental health. While learning from Merta Ada, he also trained in Chi Kung with a number of well-known Taoist teachers in Asia, and today integrates many of these practices into his teaching system. Went on to learn meditation from the Venerable Pa Auk Sayadaw in Burma. He was personally tutored by the Sayadaw, and became the first Westerner to complete the entire series of 40 Samatha meditation practices as described by the Buddha.

After disrobing as a monk in Burma, he was asked to visit the Tibetan Light Master, His Holiness Dodrupchen Rinpoche, who gave him the direct Dzogchen Mind Transmissions and subsequently recognised his attainment of some of the highest levels of Dzogchen practice. Since then, Burgs has been teaching both meditation and Chi Kung in the UK. He has a deep grounding and understanding in all aspects of meditation and energetic cultivation, and has a profound appreciation of how different spiritual practices and traditions fit together as a whole. He can directly perceive the mechanics of the mind and body, and can help elucidate the relationship between these aspects of ourselves.

Has been teaching meditation in Europe and Asia since 1998. He initially trained as the main assistant to the Balinese meditation teacher and healer Merta Ada and helped him set up his Meditation school in Indonesia. The Healing meditation practices he learnt during this period, heavily influence Burgs' current teaching practice, which have a strong emphasis on the application of meditation in the maintenance and cultivation of physical and mental health. While learning from Merta Ada, he also trained in Chi Kung with a number of well-known Taoist teachers in Asia, and today integrates many of these practices into his teaching system. Went on to learn meditation from the Venerable Pa Auk Sayadaw in Burma. He was personally tutored by the Sayadaw, and became the first Westerner to complete the entire series of 40 Samatha meditation practices as described by the Buddha.

After disrobing as a monk in Burma, he was asked to visit the Tibetan Light Master, His Holiness Dodrupchen Rinpoche, who gave him the direct Dzogchen Mind Transmissions and subsequently recognised his attainment of some of the highest levels of Dzogchen practice. Since then, Burgs has been teaching both meditation and Chi Kung in the UK. He has a deep grounding and understanding in all aspects of meditation and energetic cultivation, and has a profound appreciation of how different spiritual practices and traditions fit together as a whole. He can directly perceive the mechanics of the mind and body, and can help elucidate the relationship between these aspects of ourselves.

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The physical basis of consciousness is perhaps the greatest mystery and problem in modern science. There can be little doubt that consciousness is a physical phenomenon but we cannot even begin to explain how it arises in brains. The simple and doubtless simplistic medical model of consciousness is that the cerebral hemispheres, where thinking and feeling goes on, are like millions of light bulbs. Consciousness is the brightness with which they shine. If you progressively damage the cerebral hemispheres, consciousness dims. Small areas of damage to the hemispheres have little effect on consciousness: many neurosurgeons have seen patients who walked into hospital with a knife or a nail, for instance, stuck in their brains, and yet who are fully conscious.

The hemispheres are powered, in ways we do not understand, by the brainstem, the part of the brain between the hemispheres and the spinal cord. In the medical model, the brainstem is equivalent to an electric cable supplying the millions of light bulbs. Small injuries to the brainstem can cause profound coma all the light bulbs will be dimmed at once.

Many years ago, when I was still training to be a neurosurgeon, I admitted an elderly American man who had collapsed with a brainstem stroke while watching the Championships at Wimbledon. He was completely paralysed but able to move his eyes up and down in response to my speaking to him. It seemed fairly clear to me that he was locked in fully conscious but trapped within his body. The next morning, I showed the poor man to my consultant on the ward round. These are just reflexes, he said of the patients eye movements. Just reflexes, he repeated fiercely, as he quickly walked away meaning, I suppose, that he preferred to think that the man was not conscious or suffering.

I did not agree but nor, to my shame, did I return and talk to the patient and comfort him. I fear that my failure was even more egregious than my consultants denial of the obvious, but it is extraordinarily difficult to talk to an immobile body, knowing that you cannot get any response, and even more difficult to know what to say. It feels like talking to a corpse. It is not just that the thought of what the patient might be experiencing is too horrible to contemplate but also that it feels unnatural. It is indeed unnatural, to the extent that modern medicine can now keep people alive with profound brain damage who, in the past, would invariably have died in the first few days after the stroke or injury.

So there is now a group of people who are mute and immobile and require 24-hour nursing care. They are categorised as being in a persistent vegetative state (PVS) if they show no reactions whatsoever, and as being in a minimally conscious state (MCS) if they respond to stimulation to some extent. Some, like the patient in Wimbledon, are fully aware and locked in (as was Jean-Dominique Bauby, the author of The Diving-Bell and the Butterfly).

Adrian Owen is a neuropsychologist who has devoted his life to working with these patients. In Into the Grey Zone, he describes how, almost by chance, he became involved in putting PVS patients in scanners that show brain activity rather than just brain anatomy. He demonstrated that some PVS patients, despite being completely mute and immobile, show evidence of mental activity and are possibly conscious. We must say possibly, because consciousness is an entirely subjective phenomenon and cannot be measured or directly observed from outside. It can only be inferred.

The method Owen developed was to ask PVS patients to imagine that they were playing tennis. In some of these patients but only a minority the functional scans showed activity in the parts of the brain that light up in normal volunteers brains when they are asked to imagine playing tennis. He concluded that the PVS patients whose scans show this same activity must be conscious. Not everybody who works in this field agrees it can be argued that awareness, which these patients certainly show, is not the same as having a conscious sense of self. There is much room for philosophical speculation and argument.

Owen was able to establish communication of a sort with some of these patients, by asking questions to which the patients could reply yes (by imagining a game of tennis) or no (by imagining walking around their home), but the communication was very limited.

There was tremendous media excitement about this groundbreaking work, as Owen recounts in some detail. But what does his discovery mean? Do PVS patients think and feel? Are they in hell, or perhaps even in heaven? Is the law right in permitting PVS patients to be allowed to die withdrawing food and water so that they slowly starve to death? All that is clear is that some patients who have previously been diagnosed as being in PVS have some kind of inner, mental life. What this life might be like is impossible to know. It is, in many ways, a deeply disturbing thought, above all for the patients families.

This is a fascinating and highly readable book, written with evangelical fervour, but it needs to be read with some care. Owen has made a remarkable discovery and is right to be proud of it. He describes in gripping and moving detail and there is no doubting his deep compassion for the patients and their families how his work evolved, but only towards the end of the book does he start to admit how complicated the problem is.

There are many causes of PVS and MCS. Carol, his first subject, who made a remarkable (but incomplete) recovery, having been written off as being in PVS, had suffered from an inflammatory condition of the brain that was entirely different from what many of the other patients he describes suffered: head injuries with extensive structural brain damage. Patients who become clearly conscious after severe head injuries often have terrible personality changes and disabilities, and the same would probably apply to many of the PVS and MCS patients if they are conscious, albeit mute and immobile. As it is, many of the PVS patients Owen studied showed no brain activation when asked to imagine playing tennis. Finally, consciousness is a complex grey-scale phenomenon, not simply a matter of on or off. In places, Owen comes close to making it sound as though all PVS patients were potentially wide awake but locked in.

We cannot know what these patients are experiencing but what we do know is that the suffering of their families is terrible, as I have seen in my life as a neurosurgeon. Anybody who has read Cathy Rentzenbrinks beautiful book The Last Act of Love will know this, too. Owens work raises many more questions than it answers. The complicated problems of how to look after PVS patients and how their families should see them have become a lot more difficult.

Owen is now working in Canada, trying to use electroencephalography to detect awareness and possible consciousness in comatose patients a less complex method than using brain scanners. It is not yet clear whether this will work. Emerging technologies will undoubtedly one day allow us to read the minds of others, he states . I am not so sure, but time will tell.

Henry Marsh is a consultant neurosurgeon and the author of Admissions: A Life in Brain Surgery (Weidenfeld & Nicolson)

Into the Grey ZoneAdrian OwenGuardian Faber, 320pp, 16.99

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Into the Grey Zone: can one really be conscious while in a coma? - New Statesman

You're looking for an actress who owns who she is, makes no apologies, and basically embodies what it means to be a badass woman? One who's bold with her hair, changing it up whenever she damn well feels the need? One who clapped back with total class when she was slammed for wearing locs to the Oscars? Hi, Zendaya Coleman, star of the summer hit Spider-Man: Homecoming and all-around glam icon. She turns 21 on September 1, and in honor of her birthday, here's a look back at a selection of her most fun, most audacious, most notable looks. "Shes super playful about her hair. Shes a hairstylist's dream. She loves to play dress-up. We collaborate and talk. What would complete the vision in terms of the look?" her stylist, Larry Sims, sums up for Allure. Plus, she's fearless. I believe shell try anything. It just has to be the right time, says Tymothe Wallace for Dove Hair, who has also worked with Zendaya for years.

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See Zendaya's Hair Evolution, From Mullet to Locs and More - Allure Magazine

New Delhi: The following is the text of the address of the Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Dr. Harsh Vardhan, at the Business and Climate Summit (BCS) 2017 here today:

I am delighted to speak on this occasion of the Business and Climate Summit (BCS) 2017. I am glad that the Summit has brought together businesses, investors and policymakers to mobilise the business community in support of climate action.

The world came together in 2015 and agreed upon the Paris Agreement under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. It came into force in November 2016 and till date, 160 Parties have ratified the agreement. India as a party to the Paris Agreement is committed towards its successful implementation.

It is also however, critical and necessary that equal focus is given to Pre-2020 actions by developed countries under Kyoto Protocol and that they fulfil their commitments of providing effective finance, technology transfer and capacity-building support to developing countries.

In order to strengthen Pre-2020 actions and close the emission gap, we also need to agree on a timeline for early ratification of the Second Commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol. India deposited its instrument of acceptance of the Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol on August 8, 2017. UNFCCC should endeavour to promote developed country parties in fulfilling their commitments in the Pre-2020 period.

One of the key features of Paris Agreement is Nationally Determined Contributions. India submitted its NDCs in 2015. It includes 8 goals, 3 of which are quantitative, including reducing the emissions intensity of our GDP by 33 to 35 per cent by 2030 from 2005 level; achieve about 40 per cent cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel based energy resources by 2030 and creating an additional sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of carbon-dioxide equivalent through additional forest and tree cover by 2030. The other five goals pertain to healthy and sustainable lifestyle, climate friendly and clean path to economic development, building capacities on climate technology and mobilise domestic and new additional funds.

We are now working on developing a roadmap for implementation of our NDC and have constituted an Implementation committee and six thematic Sub-committees involving key Ministries and Departments.

To achieve the goals, Government of India is implementing the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) which encompasses eight national missions representing multipronged, long-term and integrated strategies for achieving key goals in the context of climate change. The broad policy initiatives of the government are supplemented by actions of the State Governments through their State Action Plan on Climate Change. Key sectors covered by SAPCCs include agriculture, water, habitat, forestry, health and disaster management among others.

Government of India has set an ambitious target of 175 GW renewable power installed capacity by the end of 2022 and we have already achieved 58.3 GW of renewable energy installed capacity so far.

There are a number of other initiatives including distribution of energy efficient appliances where we have distributed about 23.39 crores LED lights; Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana to provide free clean cooking gas connections to women below poverty line where more than 2.8 crore LPG connections have been released.

Through our missions like AMRUT and Smart Cities Mission, we are transforming our cities to make them efficient and climate resilient.

Government of India is also implementing its own National Adaptation Fund with a corpus of Rs. 350 crore.

However, with the responsibility of lifting around 360 million people out of poverty and raising the standard of living of an even greater number of people, technology is one of the powerful solutions for countries like India that can simultaneously address climate change and our development needs.

At the international level, under the leadership of the Prime Minister, India launched the International Solar Alliance (ISA) jointly with Government of France. It provides a common platform where global community including bilateral and multilateral organisations, corporates, industry and stakeholders can make a positive contribution to the common goals of increasing utilisation of solar energy in meeting energy needs of ISA member countries in a safe, convenient, affordable, equitable and sustainable manner. So far, 36 countries have signed the ISA and 7 countries have ratified it.

Private sector is an integral part of Indias action on climate change as well. Private sector has embarked on a number of voluntary actions. The Indian industry has participated in voluntary carbon disclosure programmes whereby they report their carbon management strategy and GHG emissions.

India is also planning to establish a voluntary carbon market with World Bank assistance with focus on uncovered areas.

Going forward, as political leaders and representatives of the people, we have major role and responsibilities towards the citizens of our country and the globe and a duty to think long-term. We should listen to the voice of science seriously and act accordingly to safeguard our people against the risks posed by climate change.

Sustainability has been a way of life in India for centuries. Indian ethos and values promulgate simple living, respect for life and reverence of nature. Irresponsible pursuit of extravagant lifestyle is slowly eroding traditional values and as a result, minimalist lifestyle, has started to ebb from peoples way of life.

Access to clean air, water and a liveable climate are inalienable human rights. And solving this crisis is just not a question of politics. It is our moral obligation. We have only one planet and humankind must become accountable on a massive scale for the wanton destruction of our collective home. Protecting our future on this planet depends on the conscious evolution of our species.

The global nature of climate change calls for a collective response. India has been engaging actively in multilateral negotiations under the UNFCCC, in a positive, constructive and forward-looking manner to establish an effective cooperation and equitable global approach, based on the principles of Common But Differentiated Responsibilities & Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC) enshrined in the Convention and the Paris Agreement.

As we move forward in our work on implementation of Paris Agreement, we believe that the incoming COP 23 Presidency of Fiji and UNFCCC Secretariat will host a successful meeting with an outcome, which is agreed upon by all Parties.

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Environment Minister's inaugural address at Business and Climate change Summit 2017 - India Education Diary

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It seems that mankind has come up with a multitude of stories and rationalizations in order to explain the reason and purpose of our existence. The traditionally endorsed answers to existential questions tend to come from either religion or atheistic science. Religion generally dismisses a large number of scientific facts, while usually promoting a spiritual savior figure, guidelines, and an ultimate reward and punishment system. Science, on the other hand, studies no further than the material world, and praises coincidence, rather than acknowledging a consciousness or purpose behind the existence of life.

While humanity has largely divided itself into these two mindsets, the only alternative that seems to be left out of the loop is the merging of both science and spirituality. Could they be linked to one another, or are they bound to contradiction? Without referring to another dogmatic and deity-based theology, could an essence of consciousness possibly be involved in nature? Or is life nothing but a purposeless phenomenon in the midst of a universe of dead matter?

Lets take a moment to reflect on the galaxies, the solar system, the ecosystem, the fauna, the flora, the cells, DNA, or any other ingenious mechanisms that make up our reality. Ever wondered why snowflakes show flawlessly geometrical patterns, or why plants know when to bloom and birds when to migrate? Ever wondered why you even have the conscious ability to witness such phenomena?

The most incomprehensible thing about the world is that it is comprehensible.Albert Einstein

It is obvious that science is simply a tool assisting us in understanding the already conscious mechanics of nature. We attempt to learn about it, yet it already existed in perfect harmony before we tried to. However, many scientists insist in describing such a rich, conscious and lively existence as a mere coincidence, with no intelligence involved in its inception. The only intelligence or consciousness that mainstream science seems to acknowledge is the intellect of our brain.

CONSCIOUSNESS BEFORE THE BRAIN, OR AFTER THE BRAIN?

To this day, we read in most science books that consciousness is merely an outcome of chemical processes in the brain, as if it emergedby coincidenceout of brain tissue. But does this claim make any sense?

If consciousness only exists in the brain, then how could unconsciousness create a brain that is not only conscious, but that has a capacity for complex subjective experience? Did superficial brain processes invent the brain itself, the body, the earth, and the entire universe? Why do conscious and experiencing beingssuch as useven exist in the first place? WHY is there consciousness?

Such questions are undoubtably a problem that the scientific community seems to ignoreperhaps to avoid a more metaphysical perspective.

How is it that something asunconsciousas thematterof thebrainevergives riseto something asimmaterialas anexperience? () Scientists find themselves in the strange position of being confronted daily by the indisputable fact of their own consciousness, yet with no means to account for it. Peter Russell(M.A., D.C.S., F.S.P.)

Physics, biology, chemistry or any other sciencedespite their success in analyzing the material worldsimply cannot explain the purpose of it all, or where it all really came from. They cannot account for the fundamental essence that makes us conscious individuals with a deep sense of self and of subjective experience. Our spark of beingthe one that makes us creators, thinkers and observers with such a rich and multifaceted inner worldis undeniably beyond the bounds of mainstream science.

In one way or another, they are trying to accommodate the anomaly of consciousness within an intrinsically materialist worldview. Like the mediaeval astronomers who kept on adding more and more epicycles, the underlying metaparadigm is seldom, if ever, questioned. Peter Russell(M.A., D.C.S., F.S.P.)

Such observations are generally avoided in our society. After all, how relevant are mysterious existential questions in a system in which mindlessness, material consumption and financial success are the primary focus? However, this book is not meant to abide with either preconceptions nor popular stances. We are not going to address the cause of a celebritys weight gain, recite bible verses, talk about politics and economics or inform you of sport statistics. We are going to delve into the realm of the unresolved.

In order to understand who we are and why we are here, we have to explore the deepest level of our reality. What are we made of? What is the very source of all that exists?

My studies in mathematics and quantum physics explained how the entire material universe could have evolved from the simplest of the elementshydrogen. Yet the most fascinating question for me had now become: How had hydrogena single electron orbiting a single protonevolved into a system that could be aware of itself? How had the universe become conscious? Peter Russell(M.A., D.C.S., F.S.P.)

REALITY BEYOND THE BRAIN

When basing our understanding on a three-dimensional experience, our automatic reasoning will surely be that reality is made up of matter. Not to mention that the word real is mostly tagged upon all that is perceivable through our 5 senses. However, quantum experiments and neurological studies have proven this impression to be inaccurate. Reality is actually quite different from the images filtered by the brain.

The mind may find it ridiculous to even consider that what it so clearly perceives is not exactly as it seems. But who is to say that the human brainwhich only serves as a decoder of abstract electrical signalsis the ultimate point of reference as to what is real and what is not?

Remember how electrical currents and unseen waves were laughed at? The knowledge about man is still in its infancy. Albert Einstein.

As much as Cartesian minds may conquer, it is primordial to set aside the scientific ego and open ourselves up to a path of uncertainty. Because the first step to understanding the fundamental construct of reality is to accept that it is quite unlike our minds perception of what is out there. As the great physicist Erwin Schrdinger stated, Every mans world picture is and always remains a construct of his mind, and cannot be proved to have any other existence.

There is indeed no evidence, which could prove that the reality we experience out there is not a mere reconstruction of information/codes received and filtered through our nervous system.

As a matter of fact, studies show that the world we perceive through our eyes is merely our brains interpretation ofelectrical signals derived from light.

Lightis scientifically referred to as electromagnetic radiation, or simply as energy. We often think of light as the brightness we can see with our eyes, yet visible light is but a very small portion within a vast range of light frequencies.

The light frequencies known to the scientific community have been categorized and labelled in what is called the electromagnetic spectrum.

Visible light is a range of frequencies that project our three-dimensional reality. As these light frequencies enter the eye, it triggers chemical reactions in the retina, which produce electro-chemical impulses. These travel along nerve fibers to the back of the brain, which is where vision is interpreted. The brain then analyses the data it receives, and recreates its own picture of what is out there. However, what is out there is quite unlike the coherent and conceivable world we experience through our senses.

Consider our experience of the colour green. In the physical, there is light of a certain frequency, but the light itself is not green. Nor are the electrical impulses that are transmitted from the eye to the brain. No colour exists there. The green we see is a quality appearing in the mind in response to this frequency of light. It exists only as a subjective experience in the mind. Peter Russell(M.A., D.C.S., F.S.P.)

Even though we have labelled certain light frequencies with names such as ultraviolet or gamma rays, they are all justlight/energy. There are no definitive breaks or boundaries when it comes to light, but only a continuous range of energy, which can lower or raise its vibration speed. It is within this ocean of light, that our ingenious brain is able to translate a specific frequency range into what we call our visible reality.

THE SECRET OF THE QUANTUM WORLD

What we have calledmatteris energy (light), whose vibration has been so lowered as to be perceptible to the senses.There is no matter. Albert Einstein

Everything is inherently made of light in different frequencies, and this does not exclude solidity. Just as light can manifest itself in a frequency range that is visible to our senses, it can also manifest itself in a frequency range that is touchable to our senses. It doesnt mean that the objects we experience are solid by nature; it only means that our brain interprets them as solid.

Of course, the thought of matter being immaterial will seem farfetched to the mind, because its only reference point is the human senses. But lets not forget that all of our senses are the product of an ingenious computer called the brain, whichagainis only a decoder of electrical signals. Our 5 senses will never give us an accurate picture of what is truly out there, because they can only experience what they are designed to experience. Without a brain programmed to transform light into electrical signals, and electrical signals into visible shapes, colors, sounds and sensations, there is only light of different frequencies and vibrations. As the great inventor, electrical engineer, and scientist Nikola Tesla stated, If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration..

Are not millions and millions of blobs of energy and light, photons and electrons? They make up this imaginary three-dimensional solid world, which does not exist at all according to Relativity or Quantum Mechanics. () The only realities we know are the ones our brain manufactures. A brain receives millions of signals every minute. And we organize them into holograms which we project outside ourselves and call it Reality Dr. Robert Anton Wilson

As the quote above states, blobs of energy or light are terms that would best describe the smallest, most elementary particles that make up the material world. Most linear minds would hope to find proof of their solidity, but the truth turns out to be more puzzling than the easy to grasp concept of size and mass.

We all know that matter is composed of atoms. Yet studies now reveal that each atom is composed of 99.9999999 % empty space. They are nothing like the solid balls that science has used to describe them for two thousand years. The remaining 0.0000001% of the atom represents the elementary particles that are hundreds of thousands times smaller. This means that if we enlarge an atom to the size of a football stadium, the nucleus of the atom would only be as large as a tiny grain of rice, and so are the electrons orbiting around it.As the early twentieth-century British physicist Sir Arthur Eddington stated, Matter is mostly ghostly empty space..

The discovery that matter is mostly immaterial seemed too uncomfortable for the minds of physicists to grasp. Therefore, in an attempt to at least ascribe solid properties and measurements to the elementary particles of matter, physicists have encountered another so-called anomaly within the quantum world. Experiments show that elementary particles can behave and look like particles, but are not solid in essence. They are truly and inherently waves of potential existence.

With the advent of quantum theory, it was found that even these minute subatomic particles were themselves far from solid. In fact, they are not much like matter at allatleast nothing like matter as we know it. They cant be pinned down and measured precisely. They are more like fuzzy clouds of potential existence, with no definite location. Much of the time they seem more like waves than particles. Whatever matter is, it has little, if any, substance to it. Peter Russell(M.A., D.C.S., F.S.P.)

The reason for this abstract description is precisely because what appears to be elementary particles behave in a most abstract manner. They are inherently spread out as waves of lightwithout a defined and measurable substance or location like we would expect solid particles to have. However, this light carries all potentialities for manifestation. In other words, light has the potential to manifest itself in many ways, which would explain whydespite there being only lightwe experience a world of many particles, textures, colors, sounds, and so forth.

This isnt the world of electrons. Its the world of potential electrons.John Hagelin, Particle Physicist, Ph. D.

According to quantum studies such as the double slit experiment, that which defines what potentiality the wave will choose, is the presence of a conscious and observing mind. Physicists can now say for a fact that the very presence of a conscious mind observing and intending to define or measure a particle, consequently determines the aspect and location in which it takes form. The only question our science cannot answer is WHY light defines itself as a particle the moment we observe and define it. This quantum anomaly is scientifically known as the measurement problem.

The measurement problem is this: an atom only appears in a particular place if you measure it. In other words, an atom is spread out all over the place until a conscious observer decides to look at it. Prof. Jim Al-Khalili

And anytime we attempt to look at particles beyond a certain level, the very act of observation changes (their) lanes. Dr. Dean Radin

To put it simply, the fundamental nature of reality is originally open to all potential outcomes, yet our very consciousness is intimately hooked to the one that shall be experienced. As the physicist Dr. York Dobyns stated, Without us, (conscious beings) there would just be this expanding superposition of possibilities with nothing definite ever actually happening.

MYSTERIOUS LIGHT

Any exchange of energy between any two atoms in the universe involves the exchange of photons. Every interaction in the material world is mediated by light. In this way, light penetrates and interconnects the entire cosmos. () Although all we ever see is light, paradoxically, we never know light directly. The light that strikes the eye is known only through the energy it releases. This energy is translated into a visual image in the mind, and that image seems to be composed of lightbut that light is a quality of mind. We never know the light itself. Peter Russell(M.A., D.C.S., F.S.P.)

For the rest of my life I want to reflect on what light is. Albert Einstein

Days could be spent studying the behavior of the quantum world, and more problems and anomalies could be discussed. Yet these so-called quantum anomalies all involve the dimensions and behaviors of light.

Modern science is not in the business of asking what this light, this energy, this empty space or this wave of potentiality isall terms aimed at describing the fundamental construct of our reality. It aims at describing the way things work, but barely ever questions what or why it is this way.

Some claim that answering these questions is a job for philosophers, not physicists. However, everyone agrees that quantum theory works, but most of those who study it are not quite sure what it means.

If you are seeking the Infinite, what instruments do you have to seek the Infinite? Only sense organs, isnt it? So through your sense organs, if you are seeking the Infinite, it is like wanting to go to moon with a bullock cart. Isnt it so? That is the plight of humanity, right now: with a limited perception, they are trying to grasp that is which is beyond. Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev

SUMMARY

We have learned that

1. The universe was already conscious and intelligent before humanitys attempt to study it.

2. The reality we perceive through our senses is the result of the brain acting as a decoder of light frequencies.

3. Light is the all-encompassing source of this intelligent realitypermeating and interconnecting everything in existence.

4. Light acts as a wave of many potentialities, while the mind defines the potential.

WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?

It is simple really. The universe is conscious and intelligent, because its essence is CONSCIOUSNESSnot matter. Light is consciousness, and consciousness is the singular force that projects this entire reality in many levels of frequency.Below is a flowchart that demonstrates how quantum physicists have been led to this truth.

The tighter physics have tried to grasp on to physical reality, to understand what its really made of, what are the core building blocks of life at the basis of it all life, the universe, slips through your fingers. And you come up with something thats increasingly abstract, to come to the realm of pure abstraction. And thats what the unified field is; pure abstract potential. Pure abstract being. Pure abstract self-aware consciousness, which rises in waves of vibration to give rise to the particles, the people, everything we see in the vast universe. John Hagelin, Particle Physicist, Ph. D.

The truth is obvious. However, dogmawhether spiritual or scientificseem to have clouded a truth that does not require adversity, with the desire to prove ourselves right and others wrong. But once we set aside our egos and allow our consciousness to expand beyond the beliefs we cling to, we will begin to wonder how we could have missed the obvious.

The parallels between the light of physics and the light of consciousness do not contradict each other, for they are each other.Both are immaterial. Both cannot be pinned down through senses or technological devices. And both are the fundamental construct of our reality, permeating everything in existence. From a scientific perspective, light is the source of everything we experience. And from a spiritual perspective, consciousness is the source of everything we experience. Both perspectives lead to the same truth: Light is consciousness. Light is all there is. Light is God.

I am the light. And so are you. And so is every sentient being in the universe.Peter Russell(M.A., D.C.S., F.S.P.)

Matter is Energy. Energy is Light. We are all Light Beings. Albert Einstein

This singular consciousness has divided itself into many fragments of light, which are what we call souls. The soul is who we truly are. It simply embodies a projected physicality designed to decipher this light show into an experiential playground. Why? Simply so that our consciousness could experience its creation in many ways, shapes and forms, allowing itself to play,become experientially rich, and evolve towards the complete remembrance of itself.

The knower and the known are one. Simple people imagine that they should see God as if he stood there and they here. This is not so. () The eye with which I see God is the same eye with which God sees me. My eye and Gods eye is one eye, and one sight, and one knowledge, and oneLove. Meister Eckhart

We are all one consciousness experiencing itself subjectively. Bill Hicks

And why do our minds define the potentialities in which life takes it course? Because as consciousnessthe creatorwe are collectively co-creating our reality, moment by moment.

You are never who you were in the last moment. You are continually creating yourself from the field of infinite possibilities. You are, in every moment, born again. And so is everyone else. () The time has come for you to look at things in a new way. This is the moment of your rebirth, as an individual and a society. We are all One. Everything we are doing, we are doing in concert with each other. Neale Donald Walsch

This is an excerpt from a book that I have been working on for quite some time and hope to release in the near future. Hope you enjoy!

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After over a century, mainstream scientists finally got around to acknowledging something that has been completely obvious to most animals are conscious beings.

A year ago at the Francis Crick Memorial Conference, evidence of this obvious conclusion was presented by self-congratulatory scientists, despite the fact that only one of them had actually bothered to do any field research into wild animals and that field researchers had already made the same conclusion years before. As Michael Mountain at the Nonhuman Rights Project, which seeks to change the common law status of some nonhuman animals as things, stated:Science leaders have reached a critical consensus: Humans are not the only conscious beings; other animals, specifically mammals and birds, are indeed conscious, too.

Two of the primary reasons why it has taken so long for the scientific establishment to come to such self-evident conclusions is the nature of the study of psychology and consciousness itself, and the historical cultural values towards animals in the Western world.

The rise of behaviourism at the turn of the twentieth century as the dominant psychological model for the study of human nature represented an outright rejection of conscious and subconscious actions, reducing psychology to a strictly scientific discipline based solely on observable behaviour. Consciousness, it seems, was proving to be too problematic for the fresh-faced psychologists who were desperate for their field to be taken seriously by other scientists, with John B. Watson one of the strongest early advocates of behaviourism stating in his 1913 paper,Psychology as the Behaviorist Views It:

Behaviorism claims that consciousness is neither a definite nor a usable concept. The behaviorist, who has been trained always as an experimentalist, holds, further, that belief in the existence of consciousness goes back to the ancient days of superstition and magic.

While behaviorism doesnt have the tight grip on the academic psychological community it once had, the dominant scientific consensus still has a tendency to reject any unorthodox views on the nature of consciousness. David Lewis-Williams described this as the consciousness of rationality, describing this in his book,The Mind in the Caveas follows:

The contemporary Western emphasis on the supreme value of intelligence has tended to suppress certain forms of consciousness and to regard them as irrational, marginal, aberrant or even pathological and thereby to eliminate them from investigations of the deep past.

This suppression has manifested itself in a number of distinct ways. The study of emotions has been frequently ridiculed, for instance whenU.S. Senator William Proxmire rallied against researchers in the 1970s who were studying love and deemed the work as a waste of taxpayer dollars, issuing them his first Golden Fleece Award. The subjective nature of emotional states by definition precludes them from investigation by an ideological model rooted in empirical data.

More recently, Graham Hancock found himself under attack from the scientific community and censored by the TED organization for his talk,The War on Consciousness his major crime against established consensus was to reject thematerialistic view which relegates consciousness to nothing more than the product of electrical impulses in the brain rooted entirely in our physiology, and suggest that the use of shamanic visionary plants can teach us that we are immortal souls temporarily incarnated in these physical forms to learn and to grow.

Given the inability for any form of consensus on the nature of human consciousness, it is little wonder that the scientific community has taken so long to concede that animals, particularly birds and mammals, are conscious too.

Another problem derives from cultural values. Historically throughout the West, non-human creatures have been relegated to the status of dumb beasts incapable of love or happiness, pain or suffering. Aristotle viewed the function of animals as serving human beings as natural and expedient, and the Bible states that animals are there to be used by mankind while this was originally not intended as a license for abuse, history has demonstrated that as a species humans have failed to adhere to the proverb,A righteous man cares for the needs of his animal, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel. It goes without saying that the contemporary factory farming model represents the total reduction of animals to unthinking, unfeeling commodities.

Philosopher Rene Descartes, adopting the mechanistic view of the world, infamously described creatures other than humans (lacking, as he saw it, the body-mind duality which made humans uniquely conscious) as animal machines, while in the nineteenth century theZoological Journaldeclared that all behavior which appears to resemble characteristics of consciousness were actually little more than reflex actions. Often, people who exhibit violent or unreasonable behaviour are described as behaving like an animal, with specific creatures asses, mongrels, pigs and so on functioning as pejoratives.

All of this can be seen as an effective way in which humans have historically absolved themselves of responsibility for the manner in which they have historically exploited the animal kingdom for their own ends the reluctance on the part of the scientific community to acknowledge that animals are indeed conscious can be viewed as a continuation of a willful collective blindness.

Yet the study of emotion in animals should have cleared up the question of consciousness in animals some time ago. As the dictionary defines it, emotion is:

An affective state of consciousness in joy, sorrow, fear, hate, or the like, is experienced, as distinguished from cognitive and volitional states of consciousness.

Numerous species of animals have been seen to demonstrate sorrow. Elephant families are so closely knit and live for so long that the death of one of their number can be devastating. They are known to bury their dead and attend the corpses in what appears to be a mourning ritual; they have even been known to bury humans with thesame attendant behaviour.

Death rituals have also been observed in dolphins, and a number of primates many of whom we know to have complex social structures also show clear signs of mourning. Magpies have been observed conducting rituals similar to those of elephants Marc Bekoff wrote in his book,The Emotional Lives of Animals:

A few years ago my friend Rod and I were riding our bicycles around Boulder, Colorado, when we witnessed a very interesting encounter among fivemagpies. Magpies are corvids, a very intelligent family of birds. One magpie had obviously been hit by a car and was laying dead on the side of the road. The four other magpies were standing around him. One approached the corpse, gently pecked at it-just as an elephant noses the carcass of another elephant- and stepped back. Another magpie did the same thing. Next, one of the magpies flew off, brought back some grass, and laid it by the corpse. Another magpie did the same. Then, all four magpies stood vigil for a few seconds and one by one flew off.

Other rituals more commonly observed relating to courtship and mating. In addition to the elaborate displays of birds of paradise, hermaphroditic flatworms engaging in penis fencing; male giraffes take a mouthful of the females urine then proceeds to stalk her sometimes, when the female is particularly interested is a certain male she will pursue him and rub her neck against him in an effort to get him to rub her rump so she can urinate in his mouth. Porcupine mating rituals also involves urination, this time with the male peeing all over the female (once she has given him her approval after a bout of nose-rubbing). Male hippos prefer flinging excrement to attract the attention of a female. Some animals deal with sexual rejection in much the same way as some humans, for instance the male fruit fly, who will often turn to alcohol.

Other emotions have been observed in various species. In 2007, a 4 year old Siberian tigertook revenge on three menwho had apparently been taunting her the tiger left her enclosure and ignored hundreds of other visitors to San Francisco Zoo before attacking the men, killing one of them. A similar fate befellRussian tiger poacherVladimir Markov after shooting and wounding a tiger and taking part of its kill, the tiger found his cabin and waited for his return before dragging him into the woods and eating him.

University of Chicago neuroscientists have observedcompassionate behaviour in rats. Placing one rat in a restraining device while allowing another to roam free, the latter will attempt to release its companion, ignoring any treats available. Professor of psychology and psychiatry Jean Decety said,

There are a lot of ideas in the literature showing that empathy is not unique to humans, and it has been well demonstrated in apes, but in rodents it was not very clear.

Perhaps, given the number of psychopaths amongst the human population, rats are actually more compassionate than ourselves.

A recent book by University of Miami philosopher Mark Rowlands has suggested that animals exhibit human-like traits which go beyond displays of emotions.Can Animals Be Moral?discusses the idea that social animals know right from wrong and can choose to be good or bad. Male bluebirds sometimes beat their mates if they catch them with another bird; monkeys refuse to electric shock one another even when it means missing out on food; a female gorilla by the name ofBinti Jua rescued an unconscious 3-year old boy who had fallen into her enclosure, protecting him from other gorillas and calling for human assistance; there are many cases where dolphins have rescued humans from shark attacks.

These small samples of evidence clearly pointing to the rich emotional lives of animals indicates that the recent declaration by scientists regarding the conscious status of animals is a case of stating the obvious science, it seems, often struggles with basic common sense.

What this sense of superiority and reluctance to acknowledge the capacity for other animals to experience emotions as conscious creatures highlights is an aspect of mankinds unfailing arrogance. Many of the positive traits exhibited by animals are sorely lacking in our own species. One example might be an incident in my own city, where a young girl on the roof of a shopping mall was goaded by onlookers before jumping to her death a stark contrast to the respect shown by elephants and other animals. And while it is true that some species of animals are known to commit suicide, there is no evidence that other members of their species look on with a perverse, callous pleasure.

It is the differences between human behaviour and that of other animals which should be the focus of scientific scrutiny. We display a number of negative traits rarely witnessed in the animal kingdom which if anything mark us as emotionally inferior: we lie, cheat, steal and get pleasure from bullying and cruelty, both psychological and physical. In fact, our propensity for violence for the fun of it is believed to be as strong as our drive for sex and food. While aggressive behaviour is observable in a variety of species, most often this relates to defense of territory or mates.

These negative emotions and behavioural characteristics have achieved a kind of supremacy in the contemporary Western world and are most obvious in the upper echelons of society, where greed, power and corruption dominates the elite cliques who shape the ideologies which have the most negative impact on humanity. Cultural and political institutions reflect the psychopathic tendencies of those in charge andthe general population, through a form of mass conditioning on behalf of mainstream media and superficial popular culture, becomes infected with the value system of the rich and powerful. In daily life this manifests itself in bullying on the school playground, road rage, vicious serial killers and hierarchical street gangs.

Continuing down the path of negative behaviour, with its vast potential for destruction of both the species and the planet itself, is clearly untenable. But fortunately, the prognosis isnt all doom and gloom. While the powerful elites continue their drive towards total domination over both the people and the planet, greater numbers are standing up and demonstrating that love and compassion can work as a powerful tool in reclaiming our lives from those who seek to oppress us. Peaceful protests and movements for positive social change are emerging every day as the flimsy facade of democratic political institutions crumbles, revealing the authoritarian underbelly ruled by oligarchs and tyrants.

As Graham Hancock demonstrated in his TEDx talk, the old psychological models which allow us as a species to justify our destructive impulses on the planet and everything which lives on it are now facing rigorous challenges. Rather than being viewed as something barely worthy of consideration, consciousness is increasingly considered as something fundamental to all reality; an interconnected web which ties humanity intrinsically to all life on the planet, and indeed, the universe itself.

REFERENCES:

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/animal-emotions/201208/scientists-finally-conclude-nonhuman-animals-are-conscious-beings

Animals and Ethics

http://icb.oxfordjournals.org/content/40/6/847.full

http://www.livescience.com/24802-animals-have-morals-book.html

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/animal-emotions

http://news.discovery.com/animals/rats-empathy-111209.htm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3818833.stm

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NEW DELHI:India is working on developing a roadmap for implementation of Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) and has constituted a committee and six thematic sub-committees involving key ministries and departments.

At the Business and Climate Summit 2017 organised by FICCI here today, Environment Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan said to achieve the goals, the Government was implementing the National Action Plan on Climate Change which encompasses eight national missions representing multi-pronged, long term and integrated strategies for achieving key goals in the context of climate change.

On the Governments ambitious target of 175 GW renewable energy by 2022, the Minister said the country so far had already achieved 58.3 GW.

He said the Government had also distributed energy efficient appliances including 23.39 cr LED, while more than 2.8-cr LPG connections have been released to women below poverty line under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana.

The Minister said the International Solar Alliance which was jointly launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Government of France provided a common platform where global community, including bilateral and multilateral organisations could make positive contribution to the common goals of increasing utilisation of solar energy in meeting energy needs of ISA member countries in a safe and sustainable manner.

Stressing on the need for protecting the environment, the Minister said, We have only one planet and humankind must become accountable on a massive scale for the wanton destruction of our collective home and protecting our future on this planet depends on the conscious evolution of our species.

Pointing that global nature of climate change calls for a collective response Dr Harsh Vardhan said India was engaging actively in multilateral negotiations under the UNFCCC, in a positive and constructive manner to establish an effective cooperation and equitable global approach based on principles of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities enshrined in the Convention and the Paris Agreement.

Appreciating the initiatives taken up by the private sectors the Minister said, the Indian industry had participated in voluntary carbon disclosure programmes whereby they report their carbon management strategy and Green House Gas emissions.

He said as the world moved forward on implementation of Paris Agreement, he was hopeful that the incoming COP 23 Presidency of Fiji and UNFCCC Secretariate would host a successful meeting with an outcome agreed upon by all parties. (AGENCIES)

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India working on developing roadmap for NDC implementation: Harsh Vardhan - Daily Excelsior

The social gospel has been around for as long as Jesus, but Walter Rauschenbusch catapulted it into the nation's consciousness in the 19th century, advocating that the kingdom of God was breaking open in the present through social action. Our own age has seen the growth of social justice movements, social justice education, as well as novel movements like Occupy Wall Street. In a broad sense, social justice is about building a fair and equitable society in which all members can share in the goods of life, that is, the development of human community.

The way social justice has developed in Christianity reflects a particular understanding of God and world. In this respect, it is rooted in natural law and the common good, ideas grounded in Aristotelian and Thomistic philosophies. God creates a good creation and the law of the good is imprinted on every human heart.

While the aims of social justice are noble, I wonder if they are realistic. Is it possible to change or transform the structure of systems? After decades of committed social justice work, we are still grappling with the same problems. In some areas, the problems have worsened.

For all that is right about social justice, there is something deeply amiss. Somehow, we feel that by making social justice a primary object of concern, things will eventually get better. What I want to suggest here is that, unless we assume a different viewpoint, things will get worse. While social justice reflects the values of the Gospel, on a much more fundamental level, I think the term "social justice" is somewhat contrived.

A deep disconnect

The problem with social justice is that we have made it a human work when in fact social justice is, in a sense, a definition of nature itself. Social justice cannot exist as an independent phenomenon because it is the underlying principle of all phenomena. By highlighting social justice as a particular area of concern, we unwittingly confess our deep disconnect from nature.

Pope Francis hones in on our alienation from nature in his encyclical Laudato Si' when he calls for a radical renewal of interdependence among the Earth community. Essentially, we have developed a way of human life that opposes nature. Activist Charles Eisenstein writes: "We have defined ourselves as other than what we are, as discrete subjects separate from each other and separate from the world around us."

While modern science has revealed new information about the human person, from cosmology to neuroscience and cognitive psychology, we still think of ourselves as rational, concrete subjects, individual in nature and unrelated to one another, except by chance, accident or good-fortune. This understanding is a particularly Western one with philosophical roots that date back to the ancient Greeks. Christianity adopted Greek philosophical principles in its development of theology.

Stepping back and surveying the historical landscape, I would suggest that religion and, in particular, the monotheistic religions with their ancient philosophies and static cosmologies, lie at the core of social injustice. This would require much more than a column to expound, but for now I am proposing that old philosophical principles that support staunch theological doctrines undergird social injustice. If justice is a principle of nature, then we need a new type of religion consonant with nature, one that elucidates the justice of nature itself. Anything else will not work. As Albert Einstein quipped, you cannot solve a problem with the same conditions that created it.

Peter Wohlleben's book, The Hidden Life of Trees, is a good example of nature's social justice. Wohlleben, a forester by training, describes how he found a tree cut down centuries ago and yet was still alive. How was this possible since without leaves, a tree is unable to perform photosynthesis, which is how it converts sunlight into sugar for sustenance? The ancient tree was clearly receiving nutrients in some other way for hundreds of years. What scientists have found, Wohlleben writes, is that neighboring trees help each other through their root systemseither directly, by intertwining their roots, or indirectly, by growing fungal networks around the roots that serve as a sort of extended nervous system connecting separate trees.

Wohlleben pondered this astonishing sociality of trees and wondered about what makes strong human communities and societies. Why are trees such social beings? Why do they share food with their own species and sometimes even go so far as to nourish their competitors? The reasons are the same as for human communities: there are advantages to working together.

American forest ecologist Suzanne Simard found that primeval forests, that is, "natural" forests undisturbed by humans as opposed to "plantation" forests managed for commercial benefit, have a layer of fungus called mycelium under the top soil that connects individual trees with each other. This layer forms a kind of dense "social" network, that Nature magazine dubbed the "wood wide web," which trees use to exchange nutrients and food, to "support" those sick or weak and to "inform" each other of threats.

The hidden communal life of trees is reflective of nature's wholeness. What we can say, broadly speaking, is that nature is a communion of subjects functioning on shared principles, which include mutual cooperation, sympathy and synergy. In distinction to the natural world, humans have become individual consumers, self-absorbed individuals who relate to one another as foreign objects. Nature works along lines of cooperation and organization, while humans work individually, according to principles of competition and power. Nature is like a weaver, constantly threading together the myriad layers of energy fields, whereas humans are like individual atoms bumping into one another. Biological nature lives in synchrony with the cosmos, whereas humans have come to live acosmically.

Refocusing God and world

Pierre Teilhard de Chardin realized that the gap between science and religion lies at the core of our systemic dysfunction. Religion has become fossilized, while science has discovered a radically new universe than what the ancients knew. Nature reveals a luminous thread of justice coursing throughout its systems, while religion sputters around on a circular road, like moss in a stagnant pond.

Teilhard struggled to redefine Christianity as a religion of evolution. Despite the long history of the universe, evolution continues in a direction of increasing complexity, suggesting a force in nature that resists entropy and empowers newness. He named this principle of wholeness in nature as Omega and identified Omega with God. God is not found through opposition to matter (anti-matter) or independent of matter (extra-matter) but through matter (trans-matter)."

We take hold of God in the finite; he is sensed as "rising" or "emerging" from the depths, born not in the heart of matter but as the heart of matter. Teilhard believed that without creation, something would be absolutely lacking to God, considered in the fullness not of his being but of his act of union. He proposed that union with God "must be effected by passing through and emerging from matter." While God is in the world and the world is in God, God is more than the world. God is the absolute whole of unlimited possibilities; hence, God is the world's future.

Teilhard was concerned with the evolution of justice. Rather than positing an idealism of the common good, he realized that the heart of matter is consciousness, which expresses itself in love-energy. God is entangled with nature in a way that divine consciousness raises unconscious matter to new levels of consciousness and thus to new levels of love.

Our task is to wake up to the truth of our reality (and by "truth" Teilhard means that which makes life cohere and renders it fecund). This waking up requires interiority and centeredness. Hence the first step toward justice is focusing the mind on higher-ordered levels of love. Life in evolution requires living inward and moving outward; that is, living from an inner unified space of conscious awareness whereby we see the divine light shining through every aspect of our world. Life in evolution means that we are moving not just individually but collectively because we are unfinished and God is doing new things.

Faith in the world

To participate in the world's becoming, we must have faith in one another and faith in the world. Teilhard said that a common faith among all world religions must include faith in humanity, faith in the world and faith in the future as our common bond. As early as 1916 he wrote: "There is a communion with God, and a communion with earth, and a communion with God through earth." The human being must be seen as "an element destined to complete himself cosmically in a higher consciousness in process of formation." What constitutes the "good" is everything that brings "growth of consciousness to the world." A new morality of growth is one that will foster and catalyze evolutionary change, a growth into a new formation of being, a deepening of what we are together in which care for another humanizes us.

In Teilhard's view, religion should empower the evolutionary process by inspiring us to take responsibility for the Earth and for the future and the evolutionary process itself. In this respect, religion must be primarilyon the level of human consciousnessand human action,rather thanin institutions orbelief systems, except insofar as these manifest and give direction to the former. A rightly understood faith in the future, and the idea of a possible awakening of a higher state of consciousness, are both seen as necessary for preserving in human beings the taste for action.

Teilhard's vision of a new religion of the Earth means that a spirituality for the individual alone is no longer enough. In his view, the West "has not yet found its formula of faith" that answers the needs of the present. Religions need to recalibrate their vital centers with the cosmos. We need to find a way to harness the mystical currents of the established religious traditions and refocus them on gathering the human community into a common spiritual center so that cooperation and working together for the future may be enkindled. We are responsible for the future.

Teilhard spoke of an ethics oriented toward the future, which means nurturing the values that gather us in, bond us together, create a global consciousness and a cosmic heart. These values are not fixed; rather they must be continuously discovered and discerned. The future is our reality; it is our common good. Integral to this emerging future is the development of personhood and self-actualization. Justice is the work of humanization and personalization and therefore it is mutual in nature. We can only build the world together if are becoming persons together.

We need practices formed around principles of future becoming, emerging communities, faith in persons, faith in the world. The continuous forming and reforming of community is fundamental to future wholeness. In Teilhard's view we must try everything and let go of those things which prevent communal growth and development.

Human flourishing is relational, unitive and communal and thus our most natural state of existence. Any other type of life deviates from nature and alienates us from the future. How to weave social justice into the fabric of our lives is equivalent to asking, "How do we live community on a daily basis?" Community requires persons in relationship and integral to community is the continuous evolution from individual to person, from partial selves to more integral selves.

The arrival of the future

We humans have done a fine job of destroying nature and ourselves in the process. However, by attending to modern science and aligning core religious beliefs with what we now know about nature, we have an opportunity to wake up to our reality and turn in a new direction. But such turning will require a radical revolution in religion and culture. Quite honestly, we are neither prepared for such a revolution nor do we want one. And that is why, despite all our social justice programs and social justice majors, things will not change because justice is not the goal; rather, it is the starting point, the root reality of nature itself.

We are not to work toward justice; rather the justice of nature requires us to evolve toward authentic personhood. Physicist Carlo Rovelli writes, "a living organism is a system that continually reforms itself in order to remain itself." Our human self has a capacity for new relationships, new wholes and new communities, an inner capacity for unlimited growth which is the making of the world. When this growth is thwarted or stunted, the development of the world ceases.

Rovelli also states: "The search for knowledge is not nourished by certainty; it is nourished by a radical distrust in certainty." Religions rely on certainty of beliefs, but the unknown future is our most assured reality and the principle of our deepest belonging together.

The evolution of justice is the continuous arrival of the future. We have to think differently about ourselves if we are to evolve toward a different type of self; and we need a religious revolution to nurture this new self-discovery. Religion must begin with evolution. This is our Genesis story and the ground of a new creation. Without a planetary religion open to future becoming, we are headed for disaster. Be assured, however, that nature will do quite well without us.

[Ilia Delio, a member of the Franciscan Sisters of Washington, D.C., is the Josephine C. Connelly Endowed Chair in Theology at Villanova University. She is the author of 16 books, includingMaking All Things New: Catholicity, Cosmology and Consciousness(Orbis Books, 2015), and the general editor of the seriesCatholicity in an Evolving Universe.]

See more here:
Evolution and social justice, nature itself - Global Sisters Report (blog)

August 28, 2017

CLIFFORD GOLDSTEIN

In my last online column, Bias in Science! Say It Aint So! (Aug. 11, 2017), a commenter chided me for ignoring the progress that science, despite its bumbles, stumbles, and missteps, always makes toward the truth. When I used the obvious corruption of science in regard to the deleterious health effects of smoking, my critic said that this was actually a good example of science eventually correcting itself and getting closer to truth.

Fair enough.

He then cited other examples of science progressing toward truth, including, he said, our origins.

Origins?

You have no idea how funny I find that. Funny, but sad, too.

How far has science progressed toward the truth about our origins?

Well, for starters it has progressed to where it claims that the universe arose from nothing. None other than the worlds most famous living scientist, Stephen Hawking, has assured us that because there is a law such as gravity, the universe can and will create itself out of nothing. No doubt that a great deal of mathematics and cosmogony involved here float beyond my petty reach, but doesnt Einsteins Theory of General Relativity teach that gravity is mass bending space and time? So how did mass bend space and time when there was nothingno mass, no space, no timeto begin with?

Just a minor detail, Im sure.

Anyway, science, progressing toward the truth, declares that gravity (mass bending space and time) turned nothing (no mass, no space, no time) into mass, space, and time, what is commonly known as the universe. Then, billions of years later, some of this mass (created from nothing by gravity) congealed and cooled into a lump of matter, our earth.

Then, through laws of physics and chemistry (also created by gravity out of nothing) organic molecules arose either in the famous pre-biotic soup, or in thermal vents, in shale, in clay, or in (some argue) molten rock 1,000 degrees Centigrade. Whatever their origins, according to another famous scientist, Richard Dawkins, one of these molecules by chance became a replicator. This means that it had the extraordinary property of being able to make copies of itself. Dawkins concedes that the conversion of this single molecule into a replicator was exceedingly improbable, but given enough time it was, he assured us, bound to happen. Perhaps, then, a potato chip, more organic than a single molecule, will eventually start replicating itself, too; that is, given enough time.

Scientists remain baffled at how consciousness works, or how brain matter translates whats outside of it into qualia, images, thoughts, and rationality.

Were told by those who are progressing toward the truth about our origins that, next, this replicator molecule (still fermenting in the primeval soup, or in the thermal vent, or in the molten rocks 1,000 degrees Centigrade) copied itself again and again until some became living cells filled with DNA, RNA, and the other amazingly complex stuff of a single cell. And this spontaneous generation happened through the laws of physics and chemistry alone, though no one has ever seen the laws of physics and chemistry alone spontaneously generate molecules into anything close to life; scientists cant even do it in tightly-controlled labs.

Then, billions of years later, now through random mutation and natural selection, these living cells evolved into beaucoup de living entities, including dinosaurs, some weighing about 70 tons. (From a microscopic replicator molecule to 140,000 pound Brontosaurs; what a trek that much have been!) However, something knocked off the dinosaurs, and the theory du jour is that a giant asteroid, filling the air with dust and dirt, did them in. Others hypothesize that volcanic activity caused their demise; and, finally, some blame it on, yes, good old climate change.

Whatever killed off the dinosaurs paved the way for new life to arise, everything from peach trees (though I still wonder, in an evolutionary model what came first, the peach or the peach pit?) to human beings with conscious rational minds, a transition about as likely as organic molecules spontaneously generating into life.

In another online column, The Neo-Darwinian Inquisition (Jul. 21, 2017), I mentioned that an atheist philosopher, Thomas Nagel, disputed the idea that carbon-based matter, even as complicated as human neurons, could on its own evolve into conscious, rational, and loving beings. In response, a commentator railed against Nagels position, arguing that Nagel obviously hadnt read much in evolutionary neurobiology.

Evolutionary neurobiology?

You have no idea how funny I found that, too.

I mean, we have living and breathing bona fide rational conscious human beings to study every day; we scan brains, map brains, dissect brains, and scrutinize them in devices worth millions of dollars. We watch neurons fire and even peer into their guts. Yet with all this here and now and immediately before us, scientists remain baffled at how consciousness works, or how brain matter translates whats outside of it into qualia, images, thoughts, rationality, and the ability to make and to appreciate music. Human consciousness persists as perhaps the greatest physical (or is it only physical?) mystery before us.

Yet what? This commentator claimed that if only poor Thomas Nagel had read some scholarly papers, written by conscious beings speculating about what might have happened millions of years ago, with things that do not exist now but that, nevertheless, supposedly caused carbon-based, non-conscious matter to become thinking and loving human beings; if only he had done so, then Thomas Nagel wouldnt have challenged evolutions ability to explain the origin of human thought and consciousness. I found that funny because scientists dont know what consciousness is, much less how it works, even with it before them in flesh and blood and grey matter. Yet according to this comment, evolutionary biology has answers to how it arose millions of years ago.

But I digress. Back to the issue: What does science teach about origins? It teaches that because of gravitydinosaurs, peach trees, rational human beings, everythingcame from nothing, with no forethought or planning.

Any wonder, then, I find the notion that science is progressing toward the truth about origins funny, but sad, too?

Clifford Goldstein is editor of the Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide. His latest book, Baptizing the Devil: Evolution and the Seduction of Christianity, will be released by Pacific Press in September 2017.

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Cliff's Edge - Science and Progress Toward the Truth - Adventist Review

Big Think has an interesting article, The Basis of the Universe May Not Be Energy or Matter but Information. The author, Philip Perry, writes:

There are lots of theories on what are the basis of the universe is. Some physicists say its subatomic particles. Others believe its energy or even space-time. One of the more radical theories suggests that information is the most basic element of the cosmos. Although this line of thinking emanates from the mid-20th century, it seems to be enjoying a bit of a Renaissance among a sliver of prominent scientists today.

Consider that if we knew the exact composition of the universe and all of its properties and had enough energy and know-how to draw upon, theoretically,we could break the universe down into ones and zeroes and using that information,reconstruct it from the bottom up. Its the information, purveyors1of this view say, locked inside any singular component that allows us to manipulate matter any way we choose

Perry discusses various approaches to information theory (e.g. Shannon information), and he brings up eminent theoretical physicist John Archibald Wheeler:

[Wheeler] in his later years was a strong proponent of information theory. Another unsung paragon of science, Wheeler was a veteran of the Manhattan Project, coined the terms black hole and wormhole, helped work out the S-matrix with Neils Bohr, and collaborated with Einstein on aunified theory of physics.

Wheeler said the universe had three parts: First, Everything is Particles, second, Everything is Fields, and third, Everything is information.1In the 1980s, he began exploring possible connections betweeninformation theory and quantum mechanics. It was during this period he coined the phrase It from bit. The idea is that the universe emanates from the information inherent within it. Each it or particle is a bit. It from bit.

In 1989, Wheeler produced a paper to the Santa Fe institute, where he announced every it every particle, every field of force, even the space-time continuum itself derives its function, its meaning, its very existence entirely even if in some contexts indirectly from the apparatus-elicited answers to yes-or-no questions, binary choices, bits.

In the materialist-dominated world of modern science, it is natural to infer that matter (or fields that move matter) is the fundamental reality. But careful consideration of nature, and particularly biology, suggests that information is the basic reality, of which matter is a medium in which information is manifest.

The centrality of information to the natural world, and particularly to the biological world, has been the guiding thesis of the intelligent design movement. My colleagues Bill Dembski and Stephen Meyer in particular have written extensively on the importance of information theory in understanding nature. We in the ID movement are merely continuing a line of research that goes back quite a way into the past.

What we call information is best defined as limitation of outcomes in nature. Information is the limitation of particular configurations and functions of matter. Low information systems are chaotic, displaying a multitude of states and relationships (think of the uncountable configurations of water molecules in the ocean). High information systems, such as living things, have a restricted ensemble of states and functions. Living things are kept alive by homeostasis, which is the remarkable tendency for life to maintain a constant internal physiological environment. Understanding and maintaining homeostasis is, for example, essential to the practice of medicine, in which disease and injury may be understood as derangements of homeostasis.

The traditional hylemorphic understanding of nature as developed by scholastic philosophers who were the precursors to the Scientific Revolution stressed the centrality of information (as limitation) in a rather dramatic (and I think quite accurate) way. In the hylemorphic understanding, matter and form are manifestations of a more fundamental reality, which is potency and act. Potency is the range of possibilities inherent to a thing. Act is the actuality of the thing, as it really is. That is, act (form) is what makes something actual, and not just possible. Using modern terminology, information (form) is what makes nature real.

In nature, form is reflected in the intelligibility of a thing. Final cause, which is teleology, is the goal toward which natural change is directed, and in nature (unlike artifacts) formal and final causes are usually the same. The growth of an acorn into an oak tree has a formal cause which is all that can be known about the oak tree its structure, function, etc. and has a final cause which is identical to its formal cause. The form of the oak tree is also what makes the oak tree actual, and not just potential.

Formal and final causes are thus limitations in particular states and functions a thing can have. In that sense, formal and final causes reflect the information inherent in a thing. This is reflected in the word itself in-form-ation.

Information then, understood classically as formal and final cause, is not merely the basis for nature, it is what makes nature actual, rather than just potential, and this actuality is just what is intelligible about nature. The actuality and intelligibility of nature is what is most basic to it, and it is information that confers actuality and intelligibility to the natural world.

Perry closes with a reflection on the source of natures information:

If the nature of reality is in fact reducible to information itself, that implies a conscious mind on the receiving end, to interpret and comprehend it. Wheeler himself believed in a participatory universe, where consciousness holds a central role. Some scientists argue that the cosmos seems to have specific properties which allow it to create and sustain life. Perhaps what it desires most is an audience captivated in awe as it whirls in prodigious splendor.

Perry came close to acknowledging a designer of nature, but one suspects that the materialist/atheist ideological correctness that plagues science dissuaded him from drawing the obvious conclusion. The centrality of information to nature implies a mind on the receiving end form is after all just that which is intelligible about a thing but even more importantly, information presupposes a mind on the creating end.

Forms can exist in minds and in things, but the existence of formal and final causes in nature presupposes a mind that directs natural processes to actual intelligible ends. As Thomas Aquinas wrote in his Fifth Way, just as we infer an archer when we see an aimed arrow fly through the air, it is reasonable to infer a mind that aims natures processes according to regularities and physical laws.

Information, understood as formal and final cause, is what makes nature real. And information presupposes a designer.

Read more:
Is Information the Basis for the Universe? - Discovery Institute