MARK L LOCKWOOD

A new you is a new world! There is no doubt about what may be the most important seven words ever strung together in a sentence. As you think so shall you be. When we observe and study people who completely transform and turn their lives around we see that all that has really happened is that they have become more conscious. Conscious of who they really are. With this new understanding they see the world differently. They are even able to quell their anger, self regulate and be empathic and compassionate with others. Their entire worlds have changed and they start to see themselves, others and the world differently. Nothing has really changed except their outlook and perspectives. What happens in a classroom or on a psychologist couch, or at church, mosque or university is simply a process of developing more consciousness.

We call call this process re-cognition, or re-thinking about the world which is the art of practicing contemplative thinking. Re-Contemplate the world without any stories or judgements and you may experience a state of grace that surpasses what you thought you once believed was reality. It is that same state the world itself is evolving towards as it becomes more conscious. Heaven perhaps? Why of course! The New Earth is an expression used in the Book of Isaiah, 2 Peter, and the Book of Revelation in the Bible to describe the final state of redeemed humanity. John first described the new creation as a marriage of heaven and earth. 

What this means for both science and spirituality as two separate perspectives to most people, is that there is a process that we go through. A growth process of the mind and heart is underfoot. A new you is a new world through conscious evolution. Just as the body has a visible growth process, our hearts and minds do too. This means that we are moving towards that ‘redeemed humanity’ on purpose. We somehow break and then mend and it appears quite clearly that is happening both to and for us. We know this because through trial, hardships and suffering we grow. In other words the process of life looks a little like this. If we are to be redeemed it means we must have something we need to make amends for. We are less perfect then become better beings. We are selfish and become more empathic through life; or one would hope if we’re not too hard headed. First the fall and then the recovery from the fall, both are the mercy of God said St. Teresa of Avila. We’re made to grow and contribute to the whole. Perhaps this is what they mean by ‘the meek shall inherent the [new] earth. The meek or egoless shall attain nirvana, heaven or simply what we call is psychological terms peace of mind. In scientific terms homeostasis. In spiritual terms enlightenment. If God is love this all makes perfect sense. The creator is making the creation just like her. She or he is pulling the created back to him or herself . Trillions of fragments back to one much like rain becomes an ocean or an exploded supernova becomes a neutron star.

Amor Conscientia

Life is happening both to us and for us. We are supposed to become more conscious and not less conscious although many human beings do their utmost to do the latter by all ways and means. The scientific evidence of this is that we all have a distinct and identical set of needs. Not wants but needs. What you want and desire is under your control and innate. Your needs however are very different. Just like food, sleep, water and warmth needs are those things that you cannot do without. Remarkably growth, love, empathy and contribution are needs we all have. Needs we can never extinguish or quell. We can only surrender to them and succumb to our fate and purpose. Amor Fati is a saying that describes the love of one’s fate and today I would suggest Amor conscientia or the love of consciousness is something that we need to be aware of. Especially if awakening or becoming more conscious is a core principle of life.

“Everything is determined, the beginning as well as the end, by forces over which we have no control. It is determined for the insect, as well as for the star. Human beings, vegetables, or cosmic dust, we all dance to a mysterious tune, intoned in the distance by an invisible piper.”

Albert Einstein

Why we need contemplation or meta-thinking so much today is due to the fact that we have become distracted from life’s true purpose. We tend to resort to our lower and more animalistic natures when we’re not looking and can become enmeshed in small thinking that creates big problems for the mind. We worry about traffic, the news, Trump, fuel prices and sales deadlines, or how we can get our ADHD kids to become geniuses or get our partners to change. Yet, life is about much bigger things. Things that require more and more consciousness to recognise, accept and then allow them to carry us towards a new mindset. A new you. A new world. A new you is a new world because you can change your attitude about it at any given time. On a whim really, you can change your outlook about black, yellow or white people. You can alter your thoughts about adventure and travel, or relationships that are no longer working for you. You can start yoga, mindfulness classes or study philosophy or the dead sea scrolls. Just like a supernova if you experience enough gravity pulling you down in life you can explode into a new consciousness. A new you is a new world just like a new star. You can awaken at any time. Why wait? Remember the power of this moment and you will be able to understand who you are without your stories that create you personality. None of you is stagnant and nothing else is either. No cell, atom or molecule or particle every stops moving. This is the law of vibration and I say go with it! A new you is a new world -pursue it. Namskaram.