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Post by Deleted on Aug 14, 2018 16:36:33 GMT
The Mineral World ~ Our Forgotten Ancestry ~
For more than a century, learned scientists have informed us that humanity emerged from the animal kingdom through the processes of evolution. Though some differences do exist, the Esoteric Philosophy is generally in agreement with this notion. However, esotericism goes on to say that our animal relatives are not our most distant kin, but instead our closest. Though our mammalian or reptilian friends do represent previous stages in human development, it is the mineral kingdom that is the domain of our most distance ancestry and origin. To begin our inquiry into this obscure subject, we must first acquaint ourselves with the principle of hylozoism. It is an axiom that is foundational to the esoteric view of reality, and therefore crucial in our consideration of the mineral kingdom. Hylozoism is an ancient spiritual law that suggests that there is no such thing as inorganic matter. For long we have been conditioned to believe that there is a distinction between matter that is living from substance that is void of life. This organic/inorganic distinction has been a major conditioning factor in the way modern humanity views existence. Yet, this is occultly considered an erroneous view. Ancient esotericism states that there is only One Life in all of creation, and that the universe (and all that it contains) is the outward expression of that One Life. In our Western framework we call this universal entity God, and from the Eastern viewpoint Brahma is the title given to this all encompassing being. It is not God and creation but God as creation that is at the root of esoteric thought. We can see why it is, therefore, that the organic/inorganic duality is illusionary. For if there is only One Life manifesting as (and through) creation, then nothing can escape the livingness of that One Life, not even mineral forms. Having established the hylozoic principle, we need then to understand that the spirit (monad) within each human being is destined to evolve through every kingdom of nature, from lowest to highest. The fact that we exist in the human kingdom necessitates that we have already journeyed though three previous domains of life – the mineral, vegetable and animal kingdoms. There is an old saying that the spirit sleeps in the mineral, awakens in the vegetable, develops motion in the animal, and realizes its individual consciousness in the human kingdom. Though a simple notion to be sure, it nonetheless is an expression of a profound truth. Each kingdom in nature provides the spirit with new and important attributes essential for developing self-consciousness when it finally begins its journey through the human kingdom. The amount of time a monad resides within a kingdom of nature is enormously long, spanning millions of years per kingdom, the longest being the period of mineral existence. Because the mineral kingdom is the foundational domain in nature, it provides the monad with the experiences necessary to develop the foundation of consciousness. To understand what is learned when in this kingdom, we must first consider what life is like for the monad (individual spirit) prior to it incarnating into mineral forms. In truth, words can’t adequately describe such a state. However, a poor attempt would be to say that it is divine bliss, ignorantly perceived. At this pre-incarnational time, the monad is not individually conscious. Rather it is naively identified with the Boundless All (to use an ancient name for God), and the bliss that accompanies such a state. It does not know itself as a part within the whole. The journey of the monad through the kingdoms of nature make it possible for it to slowly discover its own individualness. When this long sojourn is complete (after traveling through 7 kingdoms of nature) the monad is then able to know itself as individual and universal, the part and whole, and this simultaneously.
It is what all people, as spirits, are seeking to eventually realize, and will inevitably do so in the distant future. The monad’s descent into the mineral kingdom provides it with experience that is foundational to understanding itself as individual, though such realization does not manifest consciously until it reaches the human kingdom. When incarnate as mineral, the monad is forced to exist in a state of inert concretion. As it descends into mineral form, it experiences a condensation of itself. In so doing, it sacrifices its realized unity with the Boundless All, in order to begin to experience itself as an individual part. Mineral existence is the most isolative and restrictive domain of life. As such, the spirit is forced to realize profound limitation. As earlier stated, this is not a conscious realization, because at this point in its development the monad cannot reflect on its experience. Rather, mineral experience creates the first unconscious etchings into that which becomes the mind much later. To use a very tangible analogy, we can examine the life of a newborn baby to see this dynamic at work.
As is well known through research, the consciousness of a newborn child is non-dualistic. For the first few weeks of life, a child is unable to distinguish between him/herself and the world around him/her. To the newborn, s/he is all that is, and it is only later that the mind begins to correctly separate these two aspects of experience. Eventually, through the gradual development of the brain and the interactions experienced with the environment, the child becomes aware of the subject/object distinction, the self and the not-self. By analogy, we can see that this is similar to the dilemma that the monad faces as it enters into the mineral kingdom, in that the issue centers upon the assumption of being the All, and the forfeiture of that awareness in order to discover its individualness. While in this first kingdom, the monad evolves through four broad categories of mineral. Each of these categories provides the spirit with needed experience. Below are these categories, as well as their developmental sequence. Each movement from one category to another is equivalent to an initiation of sorts, and has a correspondence to the spiritual initiations that a human must eventually go through (see article entitled, Spiritual Initiation, Milestones to Enlightenment. Point of Light, Summer 2001 issue). Base Metals 1st initiationStandard Metals 2nd initiationSemi-Precious Stones 3rd initiationPrecious Jewels 4th initiationWhen we speak of evolution within the mineral kingdom, fire, heat and pressure are the forces that facilitate this evolution. These tectonic forces create the circumstances needed for the monad to evolve through the categories of mineral forms noted above. This too is similar to the experiences of a human being who is trying to evolve consciously upon the Path. Always initiation is a fiery experience generated by the soul, and through the resulting inner heat, the lower self is thus transformed. This is experienced by the human personality (lower-self) as an inner pressure that forces conformity to the soul’s intention. Most importantly, as the monad slowly evolves through the mineral kingdom, two essential attributes are gradually developed. They are the qualities of geometric precision, and the power of radiation, both of which make it possible for the monad to evolve into higher kingdoms of nature. With regard to the first attribute, geometric precision, we are here referring to the monad incarnating as crystalline structure, and to thereby demonstrate the capacity to organize physical substance with mathematical exactness. The geometric precision evident in a crystal is testament to the power of its indwelling life to efficiently organize its form expression. This attribute will continue its expression in various ways, even after the spirit has evolved into higher kingdoms. The forms found in the plant and animal kingdoms are more complex, and are precise in their geometries. In the case of the human body, the quality of geometric precision is clearly evident in its complexity and symmetry. As such, the experiences learned when in crystalline substance make these later elaborations of higher forms possible. The second attribute that the spirit must develop (in rudimentary form) is the capacity to be radioactive. Radioactive substance, such as uranium, represents a form of mineral life of a very high order. Its capacity to emit radiation indicates that it has mastered its form expression to such an extent that its inherent life is not longer imprisoned within that form. As such, radiation is understood as the livingness of spirit radiating through form without encumberment. This attribute, now foundationally developed in the mineral kingdom, makes it possible for the spirit to express its essential nature through higher forms of life within more evolved kingdoms. For example, one need only witness the beauty of a flower to recognize the life principle radiating through such a magnificent form of life. Within the human kingdom, this quality is further developed.
Over the course of countless incarnations, the human soul learns how to radiate its essential nature through the mental, emotional and physical bodies it is encased within. Enlightenment is then achieved. For what is enlightenment, but the capacity of the soul to radiate its “light” through its lower forms, and thus demonstrate its radioactive power? Such a state of development indicates that there is no longer anything within one’s personality that can now hinder the light of the soul from shining through its personality vehicle. This then signifies that one has mastered form life within the human kingdom, and liberation into the 5th kingdom is now his/her immediate destiny. This is precisely what is occurring with life found within radioactive substance, though of course on a much lower level of evolution. In this case, the spirit within such form is demonstrating perfection of expression through that form, and liberation into the vegetable kingdom is now its just reward. At the beginning of the spirit’s journey into the mineral domain, its life was completely imprisoned in a condition of inertness.
Yet, through the fiery ordeal of heat and pressure its capacity slowly grows, and at the acme of its mineral experience the spirit then demonstrates its readiness to upward move, for the glory of its radioactive display gives testament to this readiness. The rite of passage is then granted, and a new regime in the growth of consciousness begins, but now of a higher order. Whether mineral, vegetable, animal or human, movement from one kingdom to the next must be earned. Always this is done through demonstrating freedom from the form limitations found within the kingdom that the spirit desires to rise above. Such is the nature of evolution. In this brief discussion we have focused on the fact that life is evolving through all kingdoms in nature, including the mineral domain. Contrary to most scientific thought, minerals are teeming with life, thus casting aside the illusion of organic versus inorganic matter. In truth, each and every human being, by necessity, evolved through the mineral kingdom aeons ago. It is a past hidden deep within the recesses of consciousness. During that time so long ago, the foundations of the human mind were laid. It was a period when consciousness was so subtle and undeveloped that the specific experiences are not retrievable to our conscious minds. Though the memory of it is lost in the mist of time, the gift of efficient organization of form, and the power to radiate one’s being through form, were the foundational lessons learned when we resided within the mineral kingdom. Without such rudimentary experiences, we could not be the complex beings that we are today. Our experience as mineral life established the substructure from which higher dimensions in consciousness could later be built. As we walk along the countless footpaths of nature, let us therefore be more mindful of the ground that we are stepping upon, for to know its livingness is to appreciate its sacredness.
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Post by Henrik on Aug 15, 2018 8:27:36 GMT
That was very interesting, thank you!
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Post by ML on Aug 15, 2018 8:50:05 GMT
I'll check this out later.
Thanks
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Post by Deleted on Aug 15, 2018 11:00:09 GMT
I thought i'd just post all the phases here in case the Site goes down some day LOL and a soul in 10 years from now misses it haha...
The Animal Kingdom ~ A Legacy Still Inwardly Sensed ~
All life evolves, and does so through categories of form. This is an idea central to the esoteric understanding of Creation. The miraculous achievements of the mind have emerged only because the foundation of human consciousness was built long ago, when life was lived within mineral, plant and animal forms. Each of these three kingdoms of nature contributed to the development of various attributes of consciousness that we, as human beings, now take for granted. Yet, it is our ancient experience within the animal kingdom that is most apparent, for the legacy of our animal past is still clearly felt within each of us. The call of the wild still resides deep within the recesses of the human mind, and it is this that gives evidence to our animal ancestry. Each kingdom in nature provides the evolving spirit with certain traits essential to the development of consciousness. To understand this, we must realize that each of Nature’s kingdoms is a category of form through which all life must evolve. The forms found within a kingdom give to the evolving spirit essential attributes. These attributes form the substructure for what will later becomes the reasoning mind, as life evolves into the human kingdom. In this regard, there are two primary attributes etched into animal consciousness. They are: 1. Instinctual Activity
2. Devotion to Greater Life
Instinctual Activity The underpinning of mind is instinct, and it first arises within animal form. Specifically, it is the category of mind that shapes the collective consciousness of a species. Through it, an animal participates in the instinctual behaviors of its kind. Instinct gives rise to collectively defined behaviors that support the perpetuation of animal life. The consciousness of an animal is not individualized, but is instead conditioned by the soul of the species to which it is a part. For example, when an animal is threatened, its survival response emerges automatically. Its capacity to reason, independent of its survival instinct, is not yet developed. As such, instinct is ingrained into the very fabric of an animal’s consciousness. This is true when considering the wide variety of additional behaviors demonstrated by any animal species. The behaviors related to mating, feeding, and social organization are all examples of instinctual activities defined by the consciousness of an animal type. Most important to our consideration, animal instincts always govern the activities of a species in support of its survival. It is not difficult to see the remnant of animal instinct within humanity today, and this, for both the good and ill. For example, our capacity to develop complex social systems in support of human welfare is rooted in our animal past. Admittedly, humanity’s political, economic and social institutions represent complex elaborations of the human mind. Even so, upon close examination we can see that they fundamentally exist as expressions of our survival instinct; a trait built into our consciousness when animal existence was our lot. Such is an example of the positive aspects of our animal past. Considered negatively, we can see how some attributes of our animal instinct can limit us as a society. For example, the herd instinct (rightly developed in the animal kingdom) can be quite detrimental at times. Herd instinct often gives birth to the shortsightedness and over-reactivity of the masses. In addition, it is the instinctual root for the emergence of gang activity so destructively prevalent in our cities today.
Devotion to Greater Life In the Esoteric Tradition it is understood that the various forms of life existing on our planet are expressions of utter equality, while simultaneously being hierarchical. The equality of Life is based upon the principle that all expressions of life are cells within the One Life, which is God. In this sense, all life is sacred and equal. Yet, when we consider life as it relates to the evolution of consciousness, inequality (therefore hierarchy) emerges. For example, the consciousness of a human being is far more evolved than is the consciousness of a squirrel or snake, even though in their essential divinity they are absolutely equal. The array of life within a particular kingdom is also hierarchical, and this no matter which kingdom in nature we consider. Within the plant kingdom, for example, a blade of grass is far less evolved (in its consciousness) as compared to a rose or mighty oak tree. In addition, there are certain species of animals that are further evolved than others. Interestingly, the most evolved animal forms are those that are beginning to demonstrate devotion to greater life, namely to human beings. Dogs, horses, cats, as well as many other species of animal, represent the most evolved life forms within the animal kingdom. Their evolutionary status is largely (though not exclusively) indicated through their close association to humans. Generally speaking, domesticated animals represent the pinnacle of animal evolution. Because of their proximity to human living, they have benefited from humanity’s radiation and aura. It is also true to say that we, as human beings, can learn much from the animal kingdom, particularly as it pertains to living in harmony with nature. A domesticated animal’s willingness to follow human direction is the key to understanding their status. The training of an animal (when lovingly done) shapes behaviors that are antithetical to its instinctual nature. For example, when teaching a dog to “stay”, we are conditioning its consciousness to resist its reactive instinct to move. As such, domestication builds new structures within an animal’s consciousness, and this quite apart from the ingrained instinct that normally governs its actions. Though these new behaviors are rudimentary, they nonetheless form the foundation for what will eventually become individualized consciousness when the animal transfers into the human kingdom in the distant future. Domestication leads to devotion, and devotion is a special kind of love. It is the type of love that manifests as loyalty toward another. In truth, it is a form of animal affection that recognizes the greater consciousness demonstrating through the person who willingly cares for its well-being and development. This is why humanity’s responsibility toward the animal kingdom is so great. As already stated, kingdoms in nature are hierarchical, and this as measured by their scope of developed consciousness. Animal life is next to enter into the human domain when the greater cycles of time permit such entrance. Given this fact, humanity’s duty to care for and protect animal life cannot be understated. Human beings have a divine responsibility to lovingly prepare animal life with the rudiments of independent thought, in preparation for their eventual entry into the human kingdom. Wise training, based upon patient love, insures that this preparation occur without harm. When life enters into the human kingdom, this devotional note continues to evolve. Our devotion to family, friends and nation are manifestations of this same quality implanted within us so long ago. Even our devotion to God is a part of our animal legacy. As animals we learned to supplicate to the will of a greater life (human), just as today humans supplicate to a still Greater Life (God). For to an animal, a human being is a god. Animal husbandry is therefore a far greater responsibility than may first appear. To love and train an animal is to give it divine guidance in support of its evolution toward non-instinctual thought. Consciousness expands as Life evolves through Nature’s great divisions (kingdoms). Life within the mineral and plant kingdoms existed for us, but the seeds of such experience have long disappeared from view. Yet, our animal legacy is still recognizable within us. We know all too well the animal still living within the recesses of our thoughts and desires. In truth, our animal instincts are both friend and foe, for they have the power to save or imprison us, and it is we who define which it shall be. For millions of years we lived as feral creatures upon the Earth. At that time, instinctual mind marked our crowning achievement. Today that same instinct is what draws us together in search of societal forms that will support humanity’s collective welfare. Most importantly, instinct serves as the foundation of individualized consciousness, which is the major developmental theme of our human existence. Toward the later phase of our animal past, the quality of devotion toward greater life began to emerge. During that distant epoch, we unconsciously sensed a greater life expressing through the humanity of the time, and devotedly supplicated ourselves to its wise and loving guidance. That etching within consciousness is still shaping our lives today, but at a higher level of experience. We now consciously (or unconsciously) sense a greater life beyond our human existence. This grander Entity we call by many names. Some call it God, while others refer to it as Brahman, Universal Intelligence, or simply the Laws of Nature. Whatever the title, humanity devotedly supplicates to this Greater Being. In truth, it was when we lived as animals that the seeds of this tendency were implanted within us. Such is the great gift bestowed upon us so very long ago, for it gave to us the ability to yearn for the greater expressions of Life.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 15, 2018 11:02:43 GMT
Gosh how can you not develop compassion with all this?! I guess all this confirms and affirms the Law of Non-Intereference
The Human Kingdom ~ Life Discovers Itself ~
I Am! No other assertion is as revealing of human existence as this. Such words represent the true mantram of human experience, for it is in the human kingdom that evolving life first develops the capacity to know itself. The evolutionary journey is vast, lasting countless millions of years. Before incarnating as human beings, each of us lived for aeons within the mineral, plant and animal kingdoms of life. These domains of existence were important to us, for they each provided essential substructures for the evolution of consciousness. As such, life within each kingdom confers evolutionary gifts. Amazingly, it is within the human kingdom that the spirit comes to realize its individual identity, and this for the first time. Such is the great blessing, and curse, of life within human form. When we examine the drama of life, we can see that there are three attributes most important to human evolution. They are: 1. The Emergence of Individualized Mind 2. Self-Realization via Introspection 3. The Vision of DualityIt is well to here keep in mind that the human domain is merely the fourth of seven kingdoms in nature. Though we often think that humanity is at the top of the evolutionary ladder, this is a false assumption. We are given to understand that there are three kingdoms in nature (on this planet) where consciousness is further developed than our own. These higher kingdoms exist subjectively, rather than objectively. We therefore do not see them, but their existence is crucial to the understanding of this subject. For example, the fifth kingdom is called the Kingdom of Souls. It is a field of consciousness that is subtler than normal human consciousness, and in its collectivity, it is understood as the kingdom we eventually must evolve toward. These three attributes, therefore, represent features of consciousness that must be developed before one can truly begin to live life within the fifth kingdom. As such, we will examine each of them, and their implications for the full flowering of human consciousness.
The Emergence of Individualized Mind Though we (as spirit) spent aeons of time evolving through mineral and plant forms, it is our animal consciousness that is most easily recognized within us. We are all too familiar with our animal nature, its instinctual urges and passions. In truth, this aspect of us is merely a remnant of our developmental achievements when life was lived as animal or beast. During that distant age, the spirit within each of us worked toward the development of instinctive mind. Herd consciousness then emerged, and instinctual response was the driving force of our consciousness. The basic instincts of survival were then shaped in the very fabric of our developing consciousness. Even so, the capacity to individually think, ponder, and to reason were not yet developed. Animal life, then and now, hasn’t the capacity to employ these attributes of consciousness. Instead, an animal is largely governed by the instinctual consciousness of its species. Yet, when life eventually evolves out of the animal kingdom and into the human domain, the development of individualized mind becomes the central evolutionary goal. This is one of the most distinguishing features between animal and human life. One is dependent upon instinct, while the other learns to rise above it, and this through the development of independent thought and reason. To graduate from human life, each of us needs to learn to think clearly, and to demonstrate independent reasoning. This means that to be human requires that we no longer conform to the consciousness of the masses. Mass consciousness is little more than a residual effect of the herd instinct developed when we lived as animals so long ago. At that time it was a useful and necessary aspect of consciousness to be developed and expressed. Yet to a human being, this is no longer true. Independent thought must eventually replace the instinctual animal urges that still, at times, arise within us.
Self-Realization via Introspection With the advent of the individualized mind, human beings are able to slowly realize their individualness. That is to say that the self, as a construct within consciousness, begins to emerge in one’s awareness. Unlike prehuman life, people are able to realize their individual identity. We are able to know ourselves, particularly in contrast to others. We see our uniqueness, and learn to prize those attributes that make us stand out as different from the masses (herd). Fundamentally, the discovery of the self is a major development within human consciousness. It occurs via the power of introspection. The capacity to look within is only developed as life enters into the human kingdom. Prior to the human stage, introspection is not possible. For example, an animal is unable to introspect. As such, it cannot examine its feelings and thoughts, and because of this, is unable to arrive at an understanding of itself. Instead, it simply acts and reacts according to its instinctual nature. More deeply considered, the reason human beings are able to introspect, and therefore realize their unique identity, is that they have individual causal bodies that make such realization possible. The causal body is the vehicle that houses the consciousness of the soul itself. Essentially, it contains those aspects of human awareness related to one’s individualness. By contrast, an animal does not have an individual causal body. Instead, its behavior is governed by the causal body overshadowing the species of which it is a part. This is why animal consciousness is collective and instinctual, for the inner vehicle containing its consciousness is shared by the entire species. Because human beings have individual causal bodies, they are quite different in this regard. As such, humanity’s evolutionary destiny is to realize the value of individualized thought, and through this the self is realized, then actualized. Though self-realization is a wonderful gift bestowed to humanity, it is not without peril. We need only look at human society, with its selfish tendencies, to see the negative effects that can emerge when the self is realized and asserted. Yet, though such is unquestionably true, the larger truth is that self-discovery is fundamental and essential to continued evolutionary growth. Any attribute of consciousness has the potential of misuse. This is not only possible, but is most often predictable. The first expressions of the self are frequently immature and sometimes destructive. This is so with all newly acquired capacities in consciousness. It should also be stated that this realization of self occurs in two phases over the long evolutionary journey of a human being. For most of the human journey, the identity that is inwardly realized is the personality, or lower self. Yet, toward the later phases of human evolution there is realized a deeper Self, thus indicating that the soul has finally been consciously sensed.
The Vision of Duality When the higher Self (soul) is beginning to be inwardly felt, then the third attribute of human consciousness becomes operative. This is the realization of the duality inherent in one’s beingness. Specifically, it is the duality of the lower self (personality) in relation to the higher Self (soul) that comes into view. This inner duality, when consciously recognized, gradually becomes a central preoccupation in one’s life. From the esoteric perspective, this is the mark of entrance upon the Spiritual Path. No one is truly living a spiritual life if they are not confronted with this great duality manifest within them. More fundamentally, it is the realization that both the animal and the divine are coexisting within us, and that these two forces are often at odds with each other. Those who are consciously trying to live a spiritual life are all too familiar with this inner duality. For when the radiance of the soul is inwardly sensed, its light is cast upon the personality (lower self). Because of this exposing light, the resisting aspects of the personality are more clearly seen. In occult literature, this aspect of the personality is called the Dweller on the Threshold. Importantly, the realization of this inner Dweller, and its eventual transformation, is central to disciplic life. In truth, this duality stages an inner conflict that will ultimately lead to enlightenment and liberation. Human spiritual development is rooted in the resolution of this inner duality, and this through the power of soul-infusion. When the soul has fully infused itself into the yielding personality, perfection of human consciousness is then achieved. This is indeed a rare occurrence. It signifies that the inner war is over, for now the personality it completely subservient to the divine soul within. Admittedly, most of us who try to live according to the will of the soul, are partially soul-infused, rather than fully. By way of honest self-appraisal, we can see that our personality desires have, at times, undue influence in our lives. As such, we must remember that spiritual evolution is incremental. The goal is to ever work toward gradually achieving more and more soul infusion into the fabric of our lives. Even so, full infusion is a certainty at some point on the long and arduous Path leading to enlightenment. In some incarnation such an achievement is inevitable. When this is the case, the individual has risen to the summit of human development, and full entrance into the fifth kingdom (Kingdom of Souls) is granted. Then the light of Oneness becomes the dominant theme, for the fully enlightened person has learned to truly live within the field of divine Unity. As such, the urge toward individualism is no more. Prior to this (full soul-infusion), participation in the fifth kingdom is partial, and is considered probationary. The journey of human evolution follows millions of years of life lived within animal forms. When compared to animal existence, the gains made in human consciousness are truly staggering. Human existence is the first developmental stage where evolving life learns to reason and think independent of animal instinct. In addition, from the power of the individualized human mind emerges the capacity to look within. It is to introspect, and by so doing, learn of our unique and individual nature. Such a realization, though easily misapplied, is nonetheless a sacred gift on this long sojourn of spiritual evolution. Through the continued development of introspection, a human being will eventually realize the higher Self, the soul, hidden deep within. The inner duality (soul and personality) is then clearly seen, and conflict between the two will surely emerge, often with fierceness. Such experience gives indication that one has fully stepped onto the spiritual Path. Gratifying it is to realize that the resolution of this inner conflict leads to eventual enlightenment and liberation from continued human existence. It has been said that Creation is the out-picturing of Life in search of itself. This is an esoteric notion of major importance. When Life expresses itself within the human domain, then introspection emerges, and the inner search truly begins. Thus makes possible Life’s first real discovery of itself. In truth, Life can only find itself when it inwardly searches — a capacity that begins when evolution reaches the human stage. Such is the privilege and challenge of being human.
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