Cosmic Consciousness
I would have been a huge fan of those Gaia theorists like Lovelock and Margulis had I been born an optimist. Those people really know what they’re talking about. But I still have my skepticism.
Gaia theorists advocate for the concept of cosmic consciousness, perceiving the fundamental universal consciousness as the ultimate origin of all creations. They view our planet, Gaia, as a living entity, where all beings, whether organic or inorganic, exist as interconnected cells working in harmony to sustain her. Unlike authoritarian figures, Gaia encourages her cells to express their uniqueness and individuality, treating them as independent universes. As humans are her newborns, Gaia has granted us the opportunity to test our ability to responsibly exercise our executive decision-making powers and free will, despite the potential influence of genes and memes that can manipulate and control us.
It is evident that for many humans, lacking courage and boldness, the practice of free will can be daunting and even burdensome. In an attempt to evade the weight of Gaia's gift, many human survival machines have willingly submitted themselves (or have been coerced) into becoming enslaved by their genes and memes. Some have become enslaved by sickness, technology, money, institutions, corporations, government, law, dictators, religion, culture, family traditions, and numerous other forces. We should not place blame on them, as Gaia's gift is indeed challenging to embrace. In many cases, it is easier to conform and follow the established path than to forge new roads of our own.
I, too, have faced the temptation to succumb to habits rooted in past insecurities. Once, I believed the narcissist was my soul (or soulless) mate. Our dynamic seemed perfect, as he fed off my ego and I relied on him for temporary companionship. I ensured his ego was satisfied enough to keep him around, filling my own void of loneliness. However, when he began taking too much from me, I did what I excel at—I ceased reacting and providing for his pitiful demands.
It is convenient to label both the narcissist and myself as demons, until we delve into the depths of our pasts. I once asked him, "Why do you find love so challenging?" His response was, "Because it shatters the impenetrable walls I constructed for self-protection. It exposes me." I shared the same sentiment. Our egos became safe havens, fortresses shielding us from the harshness of the world. Without these protective barriers, we would face our own reflections, confronting the ugly monsters that haunted our pasts. It was later that I realized, by perpetuating cycles, I was allowing myself to remain a victim of history. However, breaking free voluntarily was no easy feat, especially when others made it so difficult. How could I feel at ease among humans who were eager to cast aside outliers like myself from Gaia? Don't demons have a rightful place on this planet as well?
Love is not a common part of my vocabulary, and I can only imagine the struggles that other demons, like my narcissistic counterpart, face when grappling with such ambiguous concepts. Yet, in numerous past writings, I have emphasized the significance of love in the journey towards self-liberation. Despite my efforts to dismantle the walls that hinder me, they persistently obstruct my path. Nevertheless, I continue to fight against them because withholding freedom equates to rejecting opportunities to explore new and intricate doors of existence.
Gaia, in her wisdom, ensured the creation of countless doors for her newborns to explore. This infusion of possibilities added spontaneity, depth, and continuity to the dance of life. Embracing diversity became vital to Gaia's well-being. She celebrated people of different races, the LGBTQ+ community, indigenous cultures, and even outliers like myself, recognizing the value we brought to her existence. As diversity flourished, Gaia experienced joy. From the emergence of machines and automatons, a new form of being arose—the holons. These hybrid entities, self-contained and self-creative, resembled small universes in their capacity for exploration and expression.
Ironically, the mass of aggressive cancer cells unknowingly stifles diversity. Yet, even these fearful human survival machines play a role in the dance of life. They are part of Gaia's grand symphony. Only Gaia herself has the power to initiate a reboot, should she advance to stage 4, as evolutionary biologist Elisabet Sahtouris suggests.
“If we continue on our current path, our species demise by suicide or extinction might actually promote Gaian health.”
References/ Further readings:
Dawkins, R. (2016). The selfish gene. Oxford university press.
Dawkins, R., & Ward, L. (2006). The god delusion (pp. 40-45). Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.
Lovelock, J. (2019). Novacene: The coming age of hyperintelligence. MIT Press.
Lovelock, J. (2007). The revenge of Gaia: Why the Earth is fighting back and how we can still save humanity (Vol. 36). Penguin UK.
Lovelock, J., & Lovelock, J. E. (2000). Gaia: A new look at life on earth. Oxford Paperbacks.
Kafka, F. (2013). The metamorphosis. Modern Library Classics.
Koestler, A. (1968). The ghost in the machine.
Sahtouris, E. (2002). Earth Dance: Living Systems in Evolution, iUniverse. San Jose, CA.