By: Chris Thomson

It is not too much of a simplification to say that COTF is mainly about preparing individuals and communities for a very different kind of future indeed for any future. One thing is clear we live in times of unprecedented change.

To be able to survive and thrive in a very different/any future, people will need to have the necessary skills, qualities, knowledge and attitudes (mindsets). That much seems clear. The question, of course, is: what skills, qualities, knowledge and attitudes? Some spring to mind for instance, adaptability, openness, tolerance, ethics and courage. Others are, perhaps, less clear and more open to debate.

The point I want to make in this note is that unprecedented change is happening at a moment when human evolution itself seems to be accelerating. The qualities I have just mentioned are part of this. I also believe that we have more control over our own evolution than ever before. Therefore, and this may seem an odd thing to say in todays chaotic, runaway world, we have more control over our future (i.e. the future) than ever before. This is why I have been focusing of late on conscious evolution. What follows is what I mean by this, and why I think it is important.

Human evolution has not stopped. There is no a priori reason for believing that it has. In any event, if it did stop, when did it stop, and how would we know?

Although we are still evolving physically, we also seem to be evolving in four other important respects

First, we are evolving in consciousness. This is not the same as improving our consciousness, which is what usually happens during a lifetime, as we naturally become more aware of ourselves and the world around us. What I mean by evolving is that the nature and spectrum of our consciousness are changing. We seem to be able to penetrate deeper and higher than before. Of course, there have been people able to do this down the ages initiates and mystics but it does seem that forms of consciousness previously available to the few are now becoming available to the many. The esoteric is becoming exoteric!

Second, we are evolving as knowers. Both the quantity and quality of our knowing and understanding are changing. We know vastly more. A minute spent browsing the internet will quickly confirm this. But the quality and nature of our knowing and understanding is also changing. We are becoming better knowers! It is as if, as we grow inside, the world outside reveals more of itself. It may be helpful to think of knowing as a process of resonance between ourselves and the world. This aspect of our evolution is closely related to the evolution of our consciousness.

Third, we are evolving in character and maturity. This means many things. For example, it means that, in general, we are becoming more intelligent, more ethical, and stronger in some ways. Yes, I accept that the state of the world today seems to contradict this, but I believe that this is the direction we are taking. Of course, there are many exceptions, but it is the exceptions that prove the rule! It is very important that we evolve in character because, as Martin Luther King pointed out: Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles, but misguided men.

Fourth, and not least, we are evolving in capacity/ability. Just to be clear, I am speaking here about things we can do without the aid of technology. This aspect of human evolution means two things. It means we can do current things better (e.g. run faster, climb impossible mountains, and so on), but it also means that we can do completely new things. The part of this that most interests me is paranormal abilities, such as telepathy, precognition, distant healing, and supernatural manifestation. In fact, there are quite a few of these abilities. Contrary to widespread belief, these are not gifts, limited by chance to a few people. They are natural human abilities, potentially available to all of us. The fact that they are considered to be paranormal, or even impossible, is simply a reflection of the very materialistic times in which we live, dominated as they are by the very outdated worldview of classical science. There is an abundance of evidence (Dean Radin is a good source) that these abilities are all on the rise. Significantly, they can be learned and developed, when we work on them, just like learning to read or write or ski or play the piano.

I said at the beginning that I think we can control our own evolution. We can decide in what ways we want to evolve, and we can decide how quickly we want to evolve. Millions of people are already doing this, by engaging in the myriad forms of personal development, therapy, or spiritual practice. Although they may not think of this as human evolution, if it helps them to evolve their consciousness, or their knowing, or their character, or their abilities, then it surely counts as conscious evolution.

The relevance of all this to COTF? I believe that it is highly relevant. Although we tend to think of the future as something out there coming towards us, whether we like it or not, the fact is that it is our future. We are the species that is largely responsible for what the future on the planet will be. While it is evidently true that, as individuals, we seem to have little influence on the collective future, it is equally true that there is a lot we can do to shape our own personal future, as well as the future of those with whom we relate. This is very significant, because it confers on each of us the serious responsibility to make ourselves competent enablers of the future. This, I believe, is where conscious evolution comes into its own, so far as COTF is concerned. Let me be clear about this. The more we work on all aspects of our own evolution, the more competent we are to help others create the future they wish to have.

Chris is the author of Full Spectrum Intelligence: Changemakers Books: 2014

Continued here:
COTF and Conscious Evolution : Communities of the Future