“Originally, human cultures evolved as part
of a natural ecosystem, part of a natural bioregion, and the cultures that
evolved, in part, evolved out of that natural harmony and relationship between
nature and human culture, human groups.”
John P Milton (Shaman, Founder, The Way Of Nature), “With One Voice”
Within the documentary, “With One Voice,”
John Milton describes a rather logical sequence of human evolution that
explains much of the differences within humanity. Milton posits that human beings are creatures
that inhabit many different natural habitations throughout the Earth; from the mountains to the seas to the deserts
to the lakes to the prairies to the islands to the hot to the cold to the
temperate to the rainy to the windy, and additionally. There is even the consideration (given the
many different renderings of the Creation narrative), that human beings physically
emerge from each of these different natural habitations.
In either event, human beings settle within
these natural habitats and learn how to survive and procreate within these different
environments. Human beings develop
methodologies, amidst the respective natural habitats, for living and
interacting with each other. And these
methodologies evolve into cultures; with
the purpose of these cultures to preserve and progenerate the lives of the
human beings living within the respective natural habitats.
But it gets even deeper than that: human beings become living extentions, biological
manifestations, of these respective natural habitats. The Buddhist Monk, Thich Nhat Hanh explains
that a flower exists much beyond the basic petals, stamen, stem, leaves, and roots
that comprise the flower. The flower
needs soil, needs water, needs Sunshine (and some may offer: needs a positivity of consciousness), in order
to grow and thrive. And Thich Nhat Hanh
explains that when you look at the flower, you can cultivate a vision that
actually sees the Sunshine and all the additional, perceivably separate,
elements that feed the flower; the
flower is the Sunshine.
In a similar manner, we are all the
manifestation of the natural habitat that sustains us. Throughout our historic generations, we drink
the water that flows in our nearby streams, we consume the vegetation that
grows in our midst, we utilise the healing qualities of the herbs and plants
that grow around us. Now, within our
post-modern, post-industrialised communities, much of what we drink, consume,
and utilise is frequently derived from locations that are very distant from our
dwelling places. However, this is a
comparatively new phenomenon: the
majority of our respective biological constructs still carry the heavy
influence of living within a very homogeneous natural habitat.
Within the course of humanity (and even
through to today), there is previously substantial competition, conflict, and
warfare between different cultures;
different methodologies for living and prospering. But this cultural conflict is both asinine
and futile. It is like telling an arid
jasmine to live as a mountain lily, or an arctic hare to live as a meadow
rabbit. Each culture and each natural
habitat has its rationale, its legitimacy, and its inevitability. There are reasons why people in Africa behave
in a certain way, why people in the Mediterranean behave in a certain way, why
people in Europe behave a certain way, why people in Asia behave a certain way,
and people in the Western Hemisphere behave in a certain way. Imposing 1 culture over another culture
abstains from accounting for the rationale, legitimacy, and inevitability that originally
establishes that other culture.
Now, eventually during the course of this
human evolution, an innovation emerges within a community, and certain
individuals reap the benefits from that innovation. In order to compete amidst the power shift,
other individuals look for additional innovations to establish a competitive
advantage. And often, these other
individuals travel to other communities to find these additional
innovations. As the competition
escalates, civilisations form and spread.
And the other individuals begin looking for innovations that are derived
further and further away from the community’s natural habitat.
So, during the evolution of human
existence, communities and civilisations increasingly lean upon each other’s
innovations. During this same process of
human development, we each experience the necessity of preserving the integrity
of the perception of ourselves: our
thoughts and ideas, our knowledge, our language, our relationships, our
material prosperity, and even our leisurely pursuits: our cultures.
So, we historically engage upon egocentric-based subjugation or annihilation
of the thoughts and ideas, knowledge, language, relationships, material
prosperity, and leisurely pursuits that are different from our own. Whilst some look for innovations from other
communities, others look to conquer or annihilate other communities in a
process of expanding others’ own communities and cultures.
Whilst religion can be arguably considered
as part of culture, for the purposes of this exposition, we consider religion
(and with increased accuracy, spirituality) as a distinct phenomenon of
“belief.” So in this respect,
religion/spirituality/belief exists as a means of reconciling our natural
existence with our esoteric existence.
Organised religion exists as that tangible medium where nature-based
culture is fused with the intangible experience of an esoteric Ultimate
Reality.
It can be arguably considered that we all
share this same esoteric Ultimate Reality, though we each have a different
religious experience and means of communicating this esoteric Ultimate Reality. And indeed, there are numerous historic
accounts of conflict that previously emerges through these differences of
religious experience and belief. Yet, it
is very much our nature-based culturalistic differences, (including the manifestations
of our self-involved egos) that lead individuals into conflict, rather than our
spiritual/esoteric-based beliefs;
because violent conflict is a physical manifestation of our physical,
nature-based beings. Of course there are
differences between tangibly communicated experiences of esoteric/spiritual
beliefs, but even these are also manifestations of nature-based cultural differences
(language, words, and similar contextualisations). Mystical pursuits of respective religious
traditions reveals that there are commonly held beliefs amongst our many
different religious traditions of humanity.
And it may be considered that the very highest composition of our
respective religious/spiritual/esoteric beliefs and traditions exists within
these commonly held beliefs/principles as the Ultimate Reality.
Today, amidst this progression and
evolution of human civilisation, we substantially exist as international
entities, with some exceptions. Through
the emergence of international economics and additional phenomena, our physical
beings and nature-based cultures are increasingly derived from, and dependent
upon, a comprehensive set of ideas, innovations, and natural habitats that
respectively exist from throughout the Earth and throughout humanity. We acquire produce and spices to/from distant
lands with distant people, we manufacture and transport products to/from
distant lands with distant people, we acquire services and labour to/from
distant lands with distant people, we travel for recreation and solace to/from
distant lands with distant people, and we make spiritual/religious pilgrimages
to/from distant lands with distant people.
As these exchanges are made, we increasingly become a part of these
distant lands and distant people, and the respective, coinciding ideas,
innovation, principles and nature-based cultures of these distant lands and
people.
Today, people frequently communicate or
intimate the notion of “white people” (meaning people of European ancestry)
ruling the Earth. This, however, is very
much a woeful inaccuracy for numerous reasons.
1st, we can briefly review the
course of human civilizational development.
With respect to religion, Judaism (in Israel of the Mediterranean) and
Hinduism (in India of Asia) both emerge, emphasising familial lineage, social
rank and order, and relationship with God.
Then, after a few millennia, a Prophetic figure respectively emerges in
both traditions, teaching radical compassion and turning the conventional
hierarchy of social rank and order on its head.
And territorially in-between these epicentres of the Mediterranean and
Asia, a number of traditions emerge, at different, intermittent stages, as
voices of mediation and temperance:
Zarathustrianism, Islam, and the Baha’i Faith.
During this same process of religious
development, there is exists an evolution of philosophical development within
these areas; and this evolution of
philosophy is intertwined with the previously described esoteric-based belief
systems. This includes Taoism and
Confucianism within Eastern Asia (China), and Socrates, Aristotle, Plato in the
Northern Mediterranean (Greece). And
through to this past century, the Japan-China binary is very comparable to the
Britain-Deustchland binary (considering the respective development of empire
and competition with both regions, utilising the respective philosophical and
religious constructs and cultural innovations).
But before we even reach today (when
considering the perception of European dominance), it is appropriate to
consider the development of culture and civilisation. Over a millennia ago, Europe exists as a
disparate collective of rather homogeneous communities. Religion and culture are both substantially
derived from the experience of being reconciled with 1’s immediate natural
habitat. Eventually, the Roman Empire,
travelling from its base within the area of the Mediterranean, arrives within
Southern Europe, bringing Mediterranean innovations (also from Greece, Egypt, Persia,
Asia, and additionally). The Romans also
bring the foreign belief-system and ethics of Judeo-Christian religion. As these innovations are utilised, the power
dynamics in Europe are altered, and Judeo-Christian religion becomes increasingly
dominant compared to indigenous belief-systems.
Within the next few centuries, as
Judeo-Christianity becomes widespread, the psychical dynamics of European
thought significantly shift. The
narratives, ideas, and principles of Rome, Greece, Christianity, and Judaism
(amongst others) are increasingly indoctrinated and become authoritative within
European nature-based cultures and religions, spirituality, and beliefs. A Creation narrative takes hold where Europe
is other than the epicentre. All of this
intrinsically challenges the authority, legacy, and influence of European
forefathers; and that effectively and
innately establishes an inferiority complex with much of the European
psyche. So, in the recent centuries when
Europeans experience increasing innovations and technological advancement (that
prompts exploration and colonial expansion/conquests), it is at the cost of becoming
subservient to culture and religion that is other than its own.
As Europeans and Mediterraneans arrive in
the Western Hemisphere, there is a similarly disparate collective of
communities with religions and cultures that are significantly informed through
respective natural habitat; that of the
respective indigenous people. Europeans
and Mediterraneans continue colonising Western Hemisphere, effectively establishing
an unprecedented phenomenon: people
respectively of European and Mediterranean biological constructs, governed substantially
by Mediterranean innovations and religion, relying upon additional innovations
(substantially labour, agricultural, and additional acumen) of Africans, and
living upon (and learning from) the natural habitat and culture of the Western
Hemisphere.
As the centuries of this colonial period
develop, the very nature of all the people (particularly the colonialists) changes
substantially. Individuals continue to
culturally evolve and are called to hold ideas and beliefs that include, and
are accepting of, the different areas of civilisation (Mediterranea, Europe,
Africa, and the Western Hemisphere) that form the communities in the Western
Hemisphere. Amidst the joy, there are
also tremendous difficulties (particularly as individuals attempt asserting 1
specific nature-based culture on all other cultures). But amidst these joys and challenges, there
is tremendous prosperity; and this
significantly influences other communities around the Earth (further evolving
the cultures and beliefs of other communities).
Within the past few generations, another
new phenomenon emerges: the influx of
Asian civilisation within the Western Hemisphere. This poses additional challenges, but it also
provides new ways for individuals to be reconciled amidst the diversity of
cultures and beliefs within the Western Hemisphere. This also provides the prospect for reconciliation
throughout humanity as lessons and innovations are shared: a new consciousness; a new awareness, where respective spiritual,
esoteric beliefs are increasingly synonymous with respective nature-based
cultures.
Thus, there is relief for people of
European ancestry and people of all ancestries.
To experience this, it is helpful to recognise that there is purpose for
all paths and evolutions; there is
validity in all paths and evolutions, even within those paths that are
previously abandoned. And there is encouragement
all individuals to explore a spirituality/religion that harmoniously coincides
with individuals’ own nature-based construct;
and to find harmony with all other individuals of other natures and
spiritualities and religions.
Postscript.
Amidst the internationalisation of humanity,
there is also a reactionary call for greater homogeneity: the preservation of perceived nature-based
culture and spirituality/religion. This
reactionary call for homogeneity is actually reasonable, but it is important to
abstain from inter-cultural conflict, and it is important to pursue and
maintain this homogeneity in a genuine manner.
1st, this homogeneity is unattainable as a colonial entity
(living on a land that is different from the nature-based culture that is being
pursued and maintained). To pursue and
maintain such homogeneity, 1 must 1st relocate to that original land
of that nature-based culture. 2nd,
1 must refuse to accept, as much as possible, any advantages derived from the
emergence of ideas and innovations from any foreign nature-based cultures. The extent of the purity of this homogeneity
of 1’s own nature-based culture and religion is dependent upon the ability to
genuinely abstain from utilising the innovations and advantages provided from
other nature-based cultures and religions.
The 3rd protocol is to avoid attempts of expanding 1’s own
nature-based culture and religion to other lands and other people. Such attempts inevitably result in a
fundamental transformation of the nature-based culture and religion attempting
to be preserved homogeneously. Amidst
adherence to these protocols, the rest of humanity should respect the interests
for being homogenous and autonomous from the rest of our internationalised humanity.
Love And Peace.
