Consciousness: A burden or a gift?

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a plant? Mindless, growing towards the light, bathed in warm radience. Feeling no pain, neuron-less...no howls of misery or protest, even when torn up by the roots. Simply...being. Sounds rather nirvanic.

Are plants more advanced? Is our consciousness, our deviousness, a huge waste of time, a millstone around our necks? Wouldn't life be simpler as vegitable, spreading seeds and tendrils without a care or worry? There are far more plants than people. Many plants, such as trees, live longer than any animal. They were around before animal life, and something tells me they will survive after the last human has died. Doesn't that imply they are more successful and thus superior to us mobile, fragile creatures with spinal cords, at least in some way?



[edit on 10/29/09 by silent thunder]

according to the philosopher ken wilber, each new step forward in the evolution of consciousness supercedes and includes the lower forms.

in that sense, within the boundaries of our current state of consciousness, we contain the conscious state of the tree.

Originally posted by tgidkp
according to the philosopher ken wilber, each new step forward in the evolution of consciousness supercedes and includes the lower forms.

in that sense, within the boundaries of our current state of consciousness, we contain the conscious state of the tree.

Hmm...interesting.

Humans tend to view any increase in intelligence as an absolute good, but from a wider perspective, intelligence is just another trait that can be overdone to disasterous results. For example, a now-extinct species of long-tailed swallow originally developed a longer tail that helped it navigate better than other birds. For awhile, it thrived. The brids kept breeding for longer and longer tails, as the females tended to select longer-tailed males for mates. They perceived them (correctly, for many years) as more evolutionarily fit. Finally, however, the birds's tails got too long, slowing them down. Birds of prey were able to pick them all off rather rapidly at that point, and they vanished in a few generations.

If human intelligence increases to the point where it causes extremely unbalanced or neurotic behaviors, for example, or allows us to create a "doomsday machine," we could end up wiping ourselves out. This would belie the assumption that intelligence per se is an absolute good in and of itself.

reply to post by silent thunder


To me it's better to die reaching for the impossible goal of the stars than to simply sit and watch them go by. You learn nothing with inaction.

[edit on 29-10-2009 by Watcher-In-The-Shadows]

Originally posted by Watcher-In-The-Shadows
reply to post by silent thunder

 

To me it's better to die reaching for the impossible goal of the stars than to simply sit and watch them go by. You learn nothing with inaction.

[edit on 29-10-2009 by Watcher-In-The-Shadows]

You might like the following expression. I always did, despite my original post:

"Per aspera ad astra"
(roughly, "From the mud to the stars")
-Apollo 1 plaque at launch complex 34.

reply to post by silent thunder


You are right. I do.
Second line.

Consciusness is both a burden and a gift. Each "new" realization of our revolution outwards thrusts upon us new burdens of responsibility towards action and creation. It is not easy, and it is much easier to misunderstand than to accept each revelation into the fabric of our individual and collective livelihoods.

The burden IS the gift. Don't reject it. Re-work it. Re-do your entire self from the ground up, if need be. Some see change as a burden, because it requires death, pain, confusion, and repeated failure... but that is the gift we get here. Joy is suffering, in the higher scheme of things... because it is creation at work. If you don't suffer for your art, it is meaningless.

Plants suffer. Easy to be a plant? Do you know how many seedlings never sprout? and out of those seedlings that do sprout, how many make it to planthood/treehood? A fraction of a fraction of a fraction. And those that do make it to solid being are basically at the whims of the elements and the many animals who feed on them mercilessly.

You don't know where you're going until you get there, and when you get there, you'll decide yo wish to go somewhere else.

Happiness is what happens when we reflect on how hard we worked towards achieving a goal, and it is highly temporary. The only true joy is suffering. That's what being enlightened is all about... suffering for your art. FEELING the pain of birth and death. Using pain as your fuel, not as your fence.

Sounds nihilistic or something, but it's the only thing which is constantly available to us, should we choose to accept it as the Reason we are here.
Any good lesson in life is a hard lesson. The hardest lessons of all are avoided until catastrophy strikes.

Armageddon of the soul... initiates the aspirant into a new way of percieving the hardships we face. The greatest men in history were the result of great personal catastrophy and strife. We look back upon them as heroes with great admiration because we ourselves are afraid to step up and accept our own personal armageddon. Too much to lose. Might as well play it safe, because the unknown is too dicey.

Except that the unknown is what separates ordinary from extraordinary.

Consciousness is all there is. Sentience is a rule, not an exception.

The eternal gift of Being. Only dead men have seen the end of suffering.

But for some reason, men are always being born to this day. Consciousness must love a good challenge. Even being born.... requires much pain and suffering.

Wow, we're born. Now what? Onto the next set of failures and heartaches which lead to the next victory.

[edit on 29-10-2009 by dunwichwitch]

Consciousness is most certainly a gift...

It's in everything, and with out it life would not exist and neither would the universe...

It binds us all... science has not figured this out yet

Your plant over there; well that has consciousness too... what do you think makes it turn to the sunlight?

Machaelle Small Wright is a spiritual pioneer with the profound ability to "see" and "hear" the invisible forces of nature.
Her personal story is one of triumph, from a childhood of torment and isolation to discovery of her ability to communicate with the world of nature spirits and devas.

At "Perelandra," her 45-acre private nature research center in Virginia, Machaelle devotes her life to understanding and demonstrating a new approach to ecological balance:

* The foundation and development of co-creative gardening * The ecological effects of humans * The roles of the animal, mineral and plant kingdoms * Humankind's unrealized custodianship of Planet Earth

A book beyond theory, Behaving as if the God in ALl Life Mattered will excite the minds and capture the hearts of all who dare to dream of a dynamic world of harmony and compassionate living.

www.perelandra-ltd.com...

Behaving as if the God in All Life Mattered is available at all bookstores and on line..I read this book years ago and still have it in my library, Machaelle Small Wright believes you can communicate with plants, the book is an amazing read.




[edit on 30-10-2009 by Aquarius1]

Originally posted by PhotonEffect
Consciousness is most certainly a gift...

It's in everything, and with out it life would not exist and neither would the universe...

It binds us all... science has not figured this out yet

Reminds me of another favorite quote:

"Everything dreams. The play of form, of being, is the dreaming of substance. Rocks have their dreams, and the earth changes. . . . But when the mind becomes conscious, when the rate of evolution speeds up, then you have to be careful. Careful of the world....You must learn the skills, the art, the limits. A conscious mind must be part of the whole, intentionally and carefully—as the rock is part of the whole unconsciously. Do you see?"
-Ursula Le Guin

Originally posted by Aquarius1
Machaelle Small Wright is a spiritual pioneer with the profound ability to "see" and "hear" the invisible forces of nature....

Very cool! Thanks for your input. I will be sure to check it out.

Originally posted by dunwichwitch
Consciusness is both a burden and a gift...

Another good post, thanks for your perspective. Lots of good quips in there. I suppose I agree for the most part. The following, however, is true of both animals (human and otherwise) and plants:

Do you know how many seedlings never sprout? and out of those seedlings that do sprout, how many make it to planthood/treehood? A fraction of a fraction of a fraction. And those that do make it to solid being are basically at the whims of the elements and the many animals who feed on them mercilessly.

I especially liked this:

You don't know where you're going until you get there, and when you get there, you'll decide yo wish to go somewhere else.

Plants flourish or are stunted, just like us.

And how do you know that plants feel no pain?

Plants, like people, respond to kindness - fulfilling their needs in other words.

Neglect these needs and the plant will die, but humans usually do not die, they just get damaged. This is what leads to crime, perversion and unhappiness. An abused person will grow up damaged and twisted, like an abused plant - the difference is that the plant dies, and the human has to try and keep on living.

Another thing to consider is this:

"Judge not, lest ye be judged."

What does this mean? It means, to me, that life in all degrees just IS.

Evil has its reasons. Good its reasons. And all in between. Those reasons may not be in line with each other, obviously.

Not everyone must be preoccupied with the environment or going back to nature. Not everyone must be entirely preoccuped with bodily well-being. Not everyone must be kind and gentle.

Enlightenment goes both ways. Consciousness goes both ways. Good, evil... matter not. Evil sometimes is just that way because it can be. Evil is a condition of God.

Evil is sometimes Good's greatest ally. Vice versa, as well. Harsh lessons make stronger students, which in turn develop into wiser teachers.

Life is funny that way.

I am that I am. I enjoy double cheeseburgers. I am open to change if someone wishes to change that factor, but I personally am more concerned with just being an open minded and accepting person. Simply accepting who you are and all of your flaws, and all of your pain, and all of the things which challenge you out in the world, as a part of your experience... and appreciating them.

The world will never be perfect. Consciousness does not require you to be perfect. Just be and become, and don't dwell on the question so much...

The question is the answer. Accept the questions as they come, and often times, there is no real need for a definitive period point oh answer to have them resolve themselves in some manner.

All this strenuous focus on environmental problems is doing more harm than good. Being "green", or being a slave to Mother?


That's another thread altogether.
Do not ask why. Ask why not.

reply to post by silent thunder


You might want to check out this link also.

www.findhorn.org...

Originally posted by Aquarius1
reply to post by silent thunder

 

You might want to check out this link also.

www.findhorn.org...

Thanks.

I know a little bit about Findhorn...it was mentioned in one of my all-time favorite movies: My Dinner With Andre, back in '81.

Machaelle Small Wright was associated with Findhorn at one time and remember that so linked it as an after thought, they do have a section on nature, I think that was originally what they were all about and have expanded to other areas.

Originally posted by spellbound
Plants flourish or are stunted, just like us.

And how do you know that plants feel no pain?

Plants, like people, respond to kindness - fulfilling their needs in other words.

Neglect these needs and the plant will die, but humans usually do not die, they just get damaged. This is what leads to crime, perversion and unhappiness. An abused person will grow up damaged and twisted, like an abused plant - the difference is that the plant dies, and the human has to try and keep on living.

Good point. I talk to my plants each day, mentally...they seem to have flourished.

There is an old, stooped over man who can't be under 90 years old, not far from where I live. He's kind of a neighborhood institution. He has lined the whole street with potted plants of every description, far beyond the reach his small home. I don't know if its legal or not, the streets being public property and all, but nobody has ever stopped him...and what sane person would?

Each morning I see him out there with his little set of tools, muttering to the plants and to himself, picking up dead leaves, snipping and pruning. Its a truly beautiful and inspiring sight. I think they keep him alive as much as he keeps them alive.

There is another book by Peter Tompkins and Christopher Bird called Secrets of the Soil: New Solutions for Restoring Our Planet, they did experiments on plant communication with electrodes. I own the book also, still available on line.

reply to post by Aquarius1


Just to comment on something here....

I would be EXTREMELY weary of these spiritual/nature retreats or institutions. I was formerly a member of World Wide ORganization for Organic Farming.... and I am quite #ting you not... most of those places are indoctrination camps for spiritually confused neo-hippies. I was a spiritually confused neo-hippie for awhile, and I almost fell for the whole idea of being a farmhand and eating only locally produced veggies and stuff... but I grew suspicious of some of the processes by which people are "accepted" into these places. I began researching many listings in the WWOOF listing booklet, and almost half of the entire listings are very eccentrically behaving spiritual "retreats"..... and quite a few turned out to be Urantia cults.

That's all great and grand and all to farm organically and live locally if that's your thing... but our booming population will not be able to be fed using completely local or organic methods anymore. Those who wish us back to the stone age in order to preserve "Mother Earth" do not understand the basic mathematics of the situation. That is impossible now.

We don't need to better understand our relationship to the Earth. I think the majority of the people get that. We need to better understand ourselves and we need to rediscover universal morality which is just common sense, and we need to actively infiltrate the corporate and political world with these morals. We can't just abandon our mess.

Anyway.... that's off subject... but since you dig up some echoes of my past ventures... I just thought I'd share my thoughts.