Cosmic Consciousness
Religion / SpiritualityA consciousness of the cosmos, knowing the life and order of the universe. It is considered a higher, yet at present an exceptional peak in human evolution which the race is expected to reach in a distant future.
According to Dr. Richard M. Bucke (1837-1902), a friend of Walt Whitman, some individuals, mostly of the male sex, between 30 and 40, and who are highly developed with good intellect, high morals, a superior physique, and an earnest religious feeling can acquire this consciousness.
Dr. Bucke considered thirteen individuals to have possessed such a consciousness: Gautama, Jesus, Paul, Platinus, Mohammed, Dante, Las Casas, John Ypes, Francis Bacon, Jacob Behmen, William Blake, Balzac and Walt Whitman.
The experience comes suddenly without warning with a sensation of being immersed in a flame or rose-colored cloud and is accompanied by a feeling of ecstasy, moral and intellectual illumination in which, like a flash, a clear conception in outline is presented to the mind of the meaning and drift of the universe.
The man or woman going through this experience knows that the universe is a living presence, that life is eternal, the soul of man is immortal, the foundation principle of life is love, and the happiness of every individual in the long run is absolutely certain. All fear of death, all sense of sin is lost, and the personality gains added charm and is transfigured. In a few moments of the experience the individual will learn more than in years or months of study and will learn much that no study will teach.
Walt Whitman described cosmic consciousness as "ineffable light, light rare, untellable, light beyond all signs, descriptions and languages."
Dr. Bucke, whose conclusions was presented in his remarkable book Cosmic Consciousness, was a descendent of Sir Richard Walpole, and was in the position of superintendent of the Asylum for the Insane at London, Onterio, Canada, for 25 years.
Distinctly there are many degrees of higher consciousness from the elementary awareness of shared consciousness with other individuals to the perception of profound scientific insight, and the transcendental experience of the mystic. These represent the varying degrees of creative intelligence of the cosmos, the infinite divine principle represented in the anthropomorphic symbolism of "God" in the many religions of the world.
linda said:
I have a ways to go, a loooong ways to go! Does making an effort or thinking about the need to improve count for something? ;-)
You remember that long "P" word used in the post about Buckley? The word Vaughn knew just like you suspected.! Well, of course, I didn't, and I looked it up before Vaughn shared that a simple and incomplete definition would be shrewd. In my looking up I also found, "penetratingly discerning or perceptive." I liked those words - I like that the people here are perceptive and sometimes "get" what we say when we didn't say it well and that we are discerning enough to be here among people who really do understand how powerful love is and how important it is to nurture our souls with love.
OK, so that's too deep and mushy. But it really does make a difference who you choose to hang out with! Maybe I just prefer to go gently into the world (I stole those words from a poem but can't give credit 'cause I don't know who wrote them).
You remember that long "P" word used in the post about Buckley? The word Vaughn knew just like you suspected.! Well, of course, I didn't, and I looked it up before Vaughn shared that a simple and incomplete definition would be shrewd. In my looking up I also found, "penetratingly discerning or perceptive." I liked those words - I like that the people here are perceptive and sometimes "get" what we say when we didn't say it well and that we are discerning enough to be here among people who really do understand how powerful love is and how important it is to nurture our souls with love.
OK, so that's too deep and mushy. But it really does make a difference who you choose to hang out with! Maybe I just prefer to go gently into the world (I stole those words from a poem but can't give credit 'cause I don't know who wrote them).
Danny said:
Linda,
What I do, is when someone calls me a name, I just ignore it or laugh. I've learned to do this quickly at a young age, because as those who know what my last name is knows that if you replace a particular letter in it one gets a great "bad" word out of it. :D
And yes, I was always tormented as a child because of it. Oh well, doesn't bother me now and people just think I'm weird for not getting upset over it. However, generally I do just avoid people who must resort to name calling etc. I don't mind heated debates where two or more people believe strongly in a particular issue, so long as it remains on the issue.
What I do, is when someone calls me a name, I just ignore it or laugh. I've learned to do this quickly at a young age, because as those who know what my last name is knows that if you replace a particular letter in it one gets a great "bad" word out of it. :D
And yes, I was always tormented as a child because of it. Oh well, doesn't bother me now and people just think I'm weird for not getting upset over it. However, generally I do just avoid people who must resort to name calling etc. I don't mind heated debates where two or more people believe strongly in a particular issue, so long as it remains on the issue.
Tracy said:
Danny, I can relate.
I kinda' grew up being a boy named Sue.
Thanks to Johnny Cash, a lot of people thought it was real funny to call me Tracy Sue.
Kinda led to some fights.
I had a black eye in a lot of my kid pictures.
I kinda' grew up being a boy named Sue.
Thanks to Johnny Cash, a lot of people thought it was real funny to call me Tracy Sue.
Kinda led to some fights.
I had a black eye in a lot of my kid pictures.
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