Subtle Activism

David Nicol

Description

Can awakened consciousness contribute to social change and, if so, how? David Nicol introduces the concept of "subtle activism" to describe the use of consciousness-based practices like meditation and prayer to support collective transformation, such as global meditation directed toward peaceful resolution of a conflict. Subtle activism represents a bridge between the consciousness movement and the movements for peace, environmental sustainability, and social justice. It is not a substitute for physical action but rather a potentially crucial component of a more integrated approach to social change. Although ancient lore is rife with tales of shamans and adepts intervening on spiritual levels for the benefit of humanity, this book is the first comprehensive treatment of this topic. Nicol grounds his consideration in the available scientific research and in dialogue with a broad range of thinkers in the fields of consciousness studies, transpersonal theory, and New Paradigm thought.
List of Illustrations
Acknowledgments
Foreword

Introduction

An Ancient Approach, Revisited
Science and Consciousness
Empirical Evidence
Direct “Versus” Subtle Activism
Skepticism
Meaning

1. The Inner Dimension of Social and Planetary Transformation

The Planetization of Humankind: Teilhard de Chardin
The Integral Earth Community: Thomas Berry
The Re-enchantment of the Cosmos: Richard Tarnas
Summing Up
The Path of Subtle Activism
Broadening the Scope of Activism
Broadening the Scope of Spirituality
Global Meditation and the Evolution of Consciousness

2. Subtle Activism and Spirituality

Shamanism
Yoga, Hinduism, and the Vedic Tradition
Buddhism
Judeo-Christian Tradition
Western Mystery Traditions
Eclectic/Interfaith
Caveats

3. Subtle Activism and Science

Lessons and Metaphors From Quantum Physics
Parapsychology
Distant Healing
Implications of Psi and Distant Healing Research for Subtle Activism
The Maharishi Effect
Field REG Research
Global Consciousness Project
Global Coherence Initiative
Discussion

4. Foundations of Subtle Activism

What is Consciousness?
History of the Scientific Study of Consciousness
Theoretical Perspectives Examined in the Chapter
Maharishi’s Theory of Vedic Defense
Sheldrake’s Hypothesis of Formative Causation and Theory of Morphic Fields
Bache’s Model of Collective Healing by Individuals in Non-Ordinary States of Consciousness
Areas of Overlap and Difference
Parallels in Physics: Bohm’s Theory of Holomovement and the Implicate Order
Parallels in Psychology
Parallels in Esoteric Thought
A General Hypothesis of Subtle Activism

5. Subtle Activism and the Emergence of Planetary Consciousness

Definitions and Concepts of Planetary Consciousness
Owning the Shadow
Embracing Difference
Identifying Resistance
Signposts of an Emerging Order
Crossing the Threshold
Subtle Activism and Planetary Consciousness

6. Conclusion

Appendix 1: Subtle Activism Resource List
Appendix 2: Subtle Activism: Science, Magic, or Religion?

Note
Bibliography
Index

Sujets

• System

Informations

• Publié par: State University of New York Press
• Date de parution: 24 août 2015
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781438457529
• Langue: English

Extrait

SUBTLE ACTIVISM
SUNY series in Transpersonal and Humanistic Psychology

Richard D. Mann, editor
SUBTLE ACTIVISM
The Inner Dimension of Social and Planetary Transformation
DAVID NICOL
S TATE U NIVERSITY OF N EW Y ORK P RESS
Cover art: Gaia Rose by Bonnie Bell and David Todd, © 2012
Blue Marble image in cover art: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Image by Reto Stöckli (land surface, shallow water, clouds). Enhancements by Robert Simmon (ocean color, compositing, 3D globes, animation). Data and technical support: MODIS Land Group; MODIS Science Data Support Team; MODIS Atmosphere Group; MODIS Ocean Group. Additional data: USGS EROS Data Center (topography); USGS Terrestrial Remote Sensing Flagstaff Field Center (Antarctica); Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (city lights).
Published by
S TATE U NIVERSITY OF N EW Y ORK P RESS , A LBANY
© 2015 State University of New York
All rights reserved
Printed in the United States of America
No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. No part of this book may be stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission in writing of the publisher.
For information, contact
State University of New York Press, Albany, NY
www.sunypress.edu
Production, Laurie D. Searl
Marketing, Anne M. Valentine
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Nicol, David, (date)
Subtle activism : the inner dimension of social and planetary transformation / David Nicol.
pages cm. — (SUNY series in transpersonal and humanistic psychology)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-4384-5751-2 (hardcover : alk. paper)
ISBN 978-1-4384-5752-9 (e-book)
1. Transpersonal psychology. 2. Human evolution. 3. Self-actualization (Psychology) 4. Consciousness. I. Title. BF204.7.N53 2015 155.2′5—dc23 2014036364
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
CONTENTS

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
FOREWORD
INTRODUCTION
An Ancient Approach, Revisited
Science and Consciousness
Empirical Evidence
Direct “Versus” Subtle Activism
Skepticism
Meaning
CHAPTER ONE
The Inner Dimension of Social and Planetary Transformation
The Planetization of Humankind: Teilhard de Chardin
The Integral Earth Community: Thomas Berry
The Re-enchantment of the Cosmos: Richard Tarnas
Summing Up
The Path of Subtle Activism
Broadening the Scope of Activism
Broadening the Scope of Spirituality
Global Meditation and the Evolution of Consciousness
CHAPTER TWO
Subtle Activism and Spirituality
Shamanism
Yoga, Hinduism, and the Vedic Tradition
Buddhism
Judeo-Christian Tradition
Western Mystery Traditions
Eclectic/Interfaith
Caveats
CHAPTER THREE
Subtle Activism and Science
Lessons and Metaphors From Quantum Physics
Parapsychology
Distant Healing
Implications of Psi and Distant Healing Research for Subtle Activism
The Maharishi Effect
Field REG Research
Global Consciousness Project
Global Coherence Initiative
Discussion
CHAPTER FOUR
Foundations of Subtle Activism
What is Consciousness?
History of the Scientific Study of Consciousness
Theoretical Perspectives Examined in this Chapter
Maharishi’s Theory of Vedic Defense
Sheldrake’s Hypothesis of Formative Causation and Theory of Morphic Fields
Bache’s Model of Collective Healing by Individuals in Non-Ordinary States of Consciousness
Areas of Overlap and Difference
Parallels in Physics: Bohm’s Theory of Holomovement and the Implicate Order
Parallels in Psychology
Parallels in Esoteric Thought
A General Hypothesis of Subtle Activism
CHAPTER FIVE
Subtle Activism and the Emergence of Planetary Consciousness
Definitions and Concepts of Planetary Consciousness
Owning the Shadow
Embracing Difference
Identifying Resistance
Signposts of an Emerging Order
Crossing the Threshold
Subtle Activism and Planetary Consciousness
CHAPTER SIX
Conclusion
APPENDIX 1
Subtle Activism Resource List
APPENDIX 2
Subtle Activism: Science, Magic, or Religion?
NOTES
BIBLIOGRAPHY
INDEX
ILLUSTRATIONS

Figure 1.1. A spectrum of social action.
Figure 1.2. Matrix of Nine Modes of Spiritual Practice. Reprinted with permission from Donald Rothberg (2008).
Figure 1.3. Rothberg’s Nine Modes of Spiritual Practice. Adapted with permission from Donald Rothberg (2008).
Figure 2.1. Changes in TM group size compared with changes in a composite index of quality of life. Reprinted with permission from Orme-Johnson et al. (1988). Reprinted by Permission of Sage Publications.
Figure 3.1. Response of Global Consciousness Project network to coordinated global meditation and prayer. Reprinted with permission from Nelson (2003).
Figure 3.2. Updated analysis of response of Global Consciousness Project network to global harmony events. Reprinted with permission from B. Williams, (2014). Global Harmony Events Composite: 1998–2014 . Retrieved from http://global-mind.org/papers/pdf/global.harmony.2014-Williams.pdf .
Figure 4.1. The structure of the unconscious. A: ego consciousness; B: personal unconscious; C: group unconscious; D: unconscious of large national units; E: universal archetypes. From von Franz (1985).
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I wish to express my deep gratitude to the following people and organizations who have supported me, in a variety of ways, throughout this project.
First, I acknowledge the wonderful faculty and students of the Philosophy, Cosmology, and Consciousness Program at the California Institute of Integral Studies for providing the richly creative intellectual and spiritual container from which the ideas in this dissertation emerged. In particular, I thank Sean Kelly for his friendship and encouragement throughout the process.
I acknowledge Leslie Meehan, my close friend and colleague on the Gaiafield Project, for her love and support on multiple levels, including generous financial support that made this project possible.
The Gaiafield Council, especially Leslie Meehan, Myra Jackson, Claudia Weiss, Cynthia Jurs, Philip Hellmich, Bonnie Bell, and David Todd nurtured this work on the subtle realms for many years.
My beloved teacher and friend Florentin Krause guided my spiritual development throughout this project and beyond.
I thank my other spiritual teachers, Hameed Ali, Karen Johnson, and David Silverstein, and my Diamond Approach small group for their support at key moments.
Thanks to the people and organizations who provided physical spaces for me to write: Jon Rubenstein and Karin Swann, Lisa Tompkins, Ted Seymour, Leslie Meehan, and the Vedanta Retreat Center at Olema, California.
I give thanks to the production and marketing team at SUNY Press—especially Nancy Ellegate and Laurie Searl—for their warm encouragement and support throughout the process.
I acknowledge the many inspiring pioneers in this field: Dion Fortune, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Sri Aurobindo, David Spangler, and Marianne Williamson.
I thank my family in Australia and the United States for their unconditional support.
Last, but certainly not least, I thank my wife Kate for her fearless and steadfast love.
FOREWORD

Many good books are published each year but important books are harder to come by. One of the marks of a truly important book is that it challenges our deeply held convictions about what is real and what is possible in the world. It opens new intellectual horizons by showing us previously hidden connections. David Nicol’s Subtle Activism is an important book, a very important book.
As a professor in a department of philosophy and religious studies all my life, I know firsthand how difficult it is for new ideas to dislodge deeply entrenched ways of thinking. Although a growing alliance of scientists has been demonstrating that wholeness and non-locality are inherent features of existence at multiple levels, this is still far from being the mainstream view in psychology and related disciplines. The Newtonian paradigm encouraged the emergence of an “atomistic” psychology that views minds as discrete separate entities, reinforcing our everyday experience of separateness. This vision continues to dominate our psychological thinking even after quantum theory and relativistic physics have radically changed our understanding of the universe. It seems easier to redraw our outer landscape than the inner landscape where we live and breathe.
This is precisely what makes Nicol’s book so important. Subtle Activism invites us to rethink our entire inner landscape. It tackles one of the deepest questions we can ask about consciousness, namely, what are the boundaries of our mind? Where does one mind stop and another begin? I think this question is even more fundamental than the “hard problem” of consciousness—how does conscious experience arise from nonconscious biochemical processes? While not diminishing the significance of this question, I think the question of the boundaries of consciousness is more fundamental because it reframes how we interpret large bodies of data that bear on the hard problem itself. Most of the contemporary discussion about the significance of various neuroimaging technologies, for example, assumes the entrenched model tha