Spiritual Tools for Ecological Wounding
Introduction
There has never been a time on the planet where the possible ending of humanity’s evolutionary path has been so clear to us. While existential crisis is a pattern that emerges in human consciousness, it has often been embedded in myth and belief. ‘The End of the World’ narrative appears again and again through history. It is quite possible that all through time people carrying a certain visionary capacity have been able to see the eventual outcome.
The last 100 years have increasingly brought existential crisis to the forefront of human consciousness. The first way was through the cold war, nuclear weapons, and policies of ‘Mutually Assured Destruction’. Today we stand on a precipice of destruction not only through climate change but a profound ecological collapse.
Those of us who are adult now have the first imprint of growing up in a world where continued human existence was not a guarantee. In the past, our destruction seemed very much bound to decision making capacity of the leaders but our current crisis shows us we are all participating in the system. Our system may currently still be supporting us, but in the long run it contains the seeds of our own destruction.
The last 100 years have increasingly brought existential crisis to the forefront of human consciousness. The first way was through the cold war, nuclear weapons, and policies of ‘Mutually Assured Destruction’. Today we stand on a precipice of destruction not only through climate change but a profound ecological collapse.
Those of us who are adult now have the first imprint of growing up in a world where continued human existence was not a guarantee. In the past, our destruction seemed very much bound to decision making capacity of the leaders but our current crisis shows us we are all participating in the system. Our system may currently still be supporting us, but in the long run it contains the seeds of our own destruction.
Spiritual Support
Through all of existence, humanity has turned to the spiritual, to guide itself through the darkest of places. It seems to be a fundamental aspect of our nature. Over time however, integrated spiritual knowing has become increasingly rare. For much of our history the spiritual path was outsourced to the Shaman, the Priest or whoever would take on the job and their advise would be obeyed. Now, as we descend into chaos, and the religious institutions’ betrayal is clear, we find ourselves without the tools to cope, right at the moment when it is most required.
It became clear to me in about 2013 that we were on trajectory of possible human extinction. My own journey with the depth of this existential threat has taken me through incredibly dark valleys. There have been significant times of loss of capacity to live my life. And each new piece has changed me in deep and fundamental ways. The acceleration of change is unprecedented.
While we are still very likely on that trajectory, my own consciousness is completely reordered. I wouldn’t say that it has made the scenario easy but I do feel that I am significantly on an even keel. I think there’s no escaping making descents into the underworld. What’s changed significantly for me is that I feel equipped to make these particular descents and I am able to emerge with with a deepened sense of who I am and with better tools to cope with the realities of our times. I am also able to navigate those dark realms far more expediently than I was able to when I first began digesting this situation.
It became clear to me in about 2013 that we were on trajectory of possible human extinction. My own journey with the depth of this existential threat has taken me through incredibly dark valleys. There have been significant times of loss of capacity to live my life. And each new piece has changed me in deep and fundamental ways. The acceleration of change is unprecedented.
While we are still very likely on that trajectory, my own consciousness is completely reordered. I wouldn’t say that it has made the scenario easy but I do feel that I am significantly on an even keel. I think there’s no escaping making descents into the underworld. What’s changed significantly for me is that I feel equipped to make these particular descents and I am able to emerge with with a deepened sense of who I am and with better tools to cope with the realities of our times. I am also able to navigate those dark realms far more expediently than I was able to when I first began digesting this situation.