Cosmic consciousness
Encyclopedia
Cosmic consciousness is the idea that the universe
exists as an interconnected network of consciousness
, with each conscious being linked to every other. Sometimes this is conceived as forming a collective consciousness
which spans the cosmos
, othertimes it is conceived of as an Absolute
or Godhead
from which all conscious beings emanate.
, Teilhard de Chardin's conception of the noosphere
, Hegel's Absolute idealism
, Satori
in Zen
, and to some traditional pantheist beliefs.
Many of those who have used psychedelics such as LSD
and Psilocybin
mushrooms have asserted that they have had direct experience of the cosmic consciousness. In the 19th century, Canadian psychiatrist Richard M. Bucke developed a theory which claimed that cosmic consciousness lies in a mystic state above and beyond self-consciousness
, the natural state of man's consciousness, just like animal consciousness lies below.
Alexander Zelitchenko in his "Svet Zhizni" (Light of Life, History of Humankind in Psychosphere of Earth)continues this line, joined the directions of thought of Oswald Spengler
, Lev Vygotsky
, Lev Gumilev
, Carl Jung
tracing the transformations of human consciousness in course of history.
According to P. D. Ouspensky
, as man evolves into higher states of consciousness, e. g. cosmic consciousness, he needs the tools of a higher form of logic, Ouspensky calls Tertium organum given to the title of his 1912 book.
Bucke’s conclusion one hundred years ago was that these individuals were gifted in the direction of cosmic consciousness but then developed this awareness through self-discipline. It now seems that the gift at birth is not as necessary as the self-discipline and the art of loving. Many of today’s psychologist and theologians make specific reference to Bucke’s work. The list includes Carl Jung, Erich Fromm, Robert de Ropp, Abraham Maslow, and Kenneth Wilbur, to name only a few. The numbers of people who make use of the concept of cosmic consciousness introduced by Bucke in 1901 is even lengthier. This list includes Albert Einstein, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, and Alan Watts.
Universe
The Universe is commonly defined as the totality of everything that exists, including all matter and energy, the planets, stars, galaxies, and the contents of intergalactic space. Definitions and usage vary and similar terms include the cosmos, the world and nature...
exists as an interconnected network of consciousness
Consciousness
Consciousness is a term that refers to the relationship between the mind and the world with which it interacts. It has been defined as: subjectivity, awareness, the ability to experience or to feel, wakefulness, having a sense of selfhood, and the executive control system of the mind...
, with each conscious being linked to every other. Sometimes this is conceived as forming a collective consciousness
Consciousness
Consciousness is a term that refers to the relationship between the mind and the world with which it interacts. It has been defined as: subjectivity, awareness, the ability to experience or to feel, wakefulness, having a sense of selfhood, and the executive control system of the mind...
which spans the cosmos
Cosmos
In the general sense, a cosmos is an orderly or harmonious system. It originates from the Greek term κόσμος , meaning "order" or "ornament" and is antithetical to the concept of chaos. Today, the word is generally used as a synonym of the word Universe . The word cosmos originates from the same root...
, othertimes it is conceived of as an Absolute
Absolute (philosophy)
The Absolute is the concept of an unconditional reality which transcends limited, conditional, everyday existence. It is sometimes used as an alternate term for "God" or "the Divine", especially, but by no means exclusively, by those who feel that the term "God" lends itself too easily to...
or Godhead
Godhead
Godhead , may refer to:*Deity*Divinity, the quality of being God*Conceptions of God*Godhead , the totality of gods, in Platonism the Transcendent One....
from which all conscious beings emanate.
History
Throughout history, there have been many renditions of universal unity, connectivity, and the spectrum of considered possibility of mankind. The idea bears similarity to the ancient Buddhist concept of Indra's netIndra's net
Indra's net is a metaphor used to illustrate the concepts of emptiness, dependent origination, and interpenetration in Buddhist philosophy...
, Teilhard de Chardin's conception of the noosphere
Noosphere
Noosphere , according to the thought of Vladimir Vernadsky and Teilhard de Chardin, denotes the "sphere of human thought". The word is derived from the Greek νοῦς + σφαῖρα , in lexical analogy to "atmosphere" and "biosphere". Introduced by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin 1922 in his Cosmogenesis"...
, Hegel's Absolute idealism
Absolute idealism
Absolute idealism is an ontologically monistic philosophy attributed to G. W. F. Hegel. It is Hegel's account of how being is ultimately comprehensible as an all-inclusive whole. Hegel asserted that in order for the thinking subject to be able to know its object at all, there must be in some...
, Satori
Satori
is a Japanese Buddhist term for enlightenment that literally means "understanding". In the Zen Buddhist tradition, satori refers to a flash of sudden awareness, or individual enlightenment, and is considered a "first step" or embarkation toward nirvana....
in Zen
Zen
Zen is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism founded by the Buddhist monk Bodhidharma. The word Zen is from the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese word Chán , which in turn is derived from the Sanskrit word dhyāna, which can be approximately translated as "meditation" or "meditative state."Zen...
, and to some traditional pantheist beliefs.
Many of those who have used psychedelics such as LSD
LSD
Lysergic acid diethylamide, abbreviated LSD or LSD-25, also known as lysergide and colloquially as acid, is a semisynthetic psychedelic drug of the ergoline family, well known for its psychological effects which can include altered thinking processes, closed and open eye visuals, synaesthesia, an...
and Psilocybin
Psilocybin
Psilocybin is a naturally occurring psychedelic prodrug, with mind-altering effects similar to those of LSD and mescaline, after it is converted to psilocin. The effects can include altered thinking processes, perceptual distortions, an altered sense of time, and spiritual experiences, as well as...
mushrooms have asserted that they have had direct experience of the cosmic consciousness. In the 19th century, Canadian psychiatrist Richard M. Bucke developed a theory which claimed that cosmic consciousness lies in a mystic state above and beyond self-consciousness
Self-awareness
Self-awareness is the capacity for introspection and the ability to reconcile oneself as an individual separate from the environment and other individuals...
, the natural state of man's consciousness, just like animal consciousness lies below.
Studies
Cosmic Consciousness: A Study in the Evolution of the Human Mind is the title of a 1901 book by Richard Maurice Bucke. In it, Bucke developed a theory involving three stages in the development of consciousness: the simple consciousness of animals; the self-consciousness of the mass of humanity (encompassing reason, imagination, etc.); and cosmic consciousness — an emerging faculty and the next stage of human development. Bucke hypothesizes that next stage of human mental development, which he named "Cosmic Consciousness," is slowly beginning to appear but will eventually spread widely throughout all of humanity.Alexander Zelitchenko in his "Svet Zhizni" (Light of Life, History of Humankind in Psychosphere of Earth)continues this line, joined the directions of thought of Oswald Spengler
Oswald Spengler
Oswald Manuel Arnold Gottfried Spengler was a German historian and philosopher whose interests also included mathematics, science, and art. He is best known for his book The Decline of the West , published in 1918, which puts forth a cyclical theory of the rise and decline of civilizations...
, Lev Vygotsky
Lev Vygotsky
Lev Semyonovich Vygotsky was a Soviet psychologist, the founder of cultural-historical psychology, and the leader of the Vygotsky Circle.-Biography:...
, Lev Gumilev
Lev Gumilev
Lev Nikolayevich Gumilev , was a Soviet historian, ethnologist and anthropologist. His unorthodox ideas on the birth and death of ethnic groups have given rise to the political and cultural movement known as "Neo-Eurasianism".-Life:His parents were two prominent poets Nikolay Gumilev and Anna...
, Carl Jung
Carl Jung
Carl Gustav Jung was a Swiss psychiatrist and the founder of Analytical Psychology. Jung is considered the first modern psychiatrist to view the human psyche as "by nature religious" and make it the focus of exploration. Jung is one of the best known researchers in the field of dream analysis and...
tracing the transformations of human consciousness in course of history.
According to P. D. Ouspensky
P. D. Ouspensky
Peter D. Ouspensky , , a Russian esotericist known for his expositions of the early work of the Greek-Armenian teacher of esoteric doctrine George Gurdjieff, whom he met in Moscow in 1915.He was associated with the ideas and practices originating with...
, as man evolves into higher states of consciousness, e. g. cosmic consciousness, he needs the tools of a higher form of logic, Ouspensky calls Tertium organum given to the title of his 1912 book.
Bucke’s conclusion one hundred years ago was that these individuals were gifted in the direction of cosmic consciousness but then developed this awareness through self-discipline. It now seems that the gift at birth is not as necessary as the self-discipline and the art of loving. Many of today’s psychologist and theologians make specific reference to Bucke’s work. The list includes Carl Jung, Erich Fromm, Robert de Ropp, Abraham Maslow, and Kenneth Wilbur, to name only a few. The numbers of people who make use of the concept of cosmic consciousness introduced by Bucke in 1901 is even lengthier. This list includes Albert Einstein, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, and Alan Watts.
Sources
- Krishna , G. (2004). What is Cosmic Consciousness?, Bethel Publishers.
- Paglia, CCamille PagliaCamille Anna Paglia , is an American author, teacher, and social critic. Paglia, a self-described dissident feminist, has been a Professor at The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania since 1984...
. (Winter 2003). Cults and Cosmic Consciousness: Religious Vision in the American 1960s. Arion. 10 (3), 57-111. - Ayre, Don (2011). Meditation and the Evolution of Cosmic Consciousness, Xlibris Publishers.