New Age spirituality: Can it actually save the planet?

placidjackal36 said:But the subconscious isn't part of the brain? Everything is in the head, Morgan Hernandez5. It's been proven through heavy use of psychoactive substances, testing, lobotomies, electrical stimulation of brain regions, hypnosis... where all sorts of things float up into consciousness. It's all in the brain; it just sits deep inside until the right conditions are met for it to fly out.

Doesn't matter, let it stay. 🙂

Angela Newman33
Knowledge without empathy is dangerous
but empathy without knowledge is practically useless

When you marry those two together, you actually achieve wisdom. That’s the only point where you even begin to tap into your actual potential

Just hoarding a mountain of data in your head without any real understanding—I mean, having awareness of individual pieces but failing to see the big picture, the connections, the cause and effect--it just stays a pile of raw info that doesn't hold much real value (aside from feeding the ego, obviously), and it mostly just creates this illusion of being smart

I get the feeling you're accusing science of being what's bolded here. It isn't. Science evolves in two directions—breaking things down and synthesizing them back together. Eventually, you land at multidisciplinarity.

Science didn't spring from dogma; it came from philosophical, skeptical inquiry. And it doesn't deal in dogmas—it deals in theories.

Anyway, we've drifted off-topic again, and a few trolls who showed up (probably just because they love my style) are going to derail the conversation again.
The point is, the topic is how to save the planett. My take? We need to calm down and act locally. Trying to fix everything on a global scale is just a fool's errand.

Even if you sounded a bit contradictory there—talking about being calm while still taking action—I think I see where you're coming from...
The only thing we can truly influence is ourselves (which is strictly "local" in this sense), because at the end of the day, you can't force anyone else to change unless they actually want to...
And once enough individuals start making those shifts, it ripples out to the rest of the world almost by default... it’s just basic logic, really, since all those individual perspectives eventually coalesce into the collective mindset of society...
It's like a single drop of water in Niagara Falls thinking it doesn't matter... that little drop is actually vital to the existence of the whole falls. If every single drop thought it was insignificant, the entire waterfall would just cease to exist, wouldn't it? 🙂

placidjackal36 said:Calm down in terms of stopping the mess we're making. Like, cutting back on the pollution. Just give the planet a fighting chance to heal itself without us constantly messing with the thermostat.

Look, the people living on this planet are the ones who caused the pollution in the first place. That's just basic ecology. The Earth isn't going to magically scrub away human-made messes on its own. If we apply that same logic to how we think, every single person needs to work on their own mental ecology. It’s a total illusion to think one person can flip the switch for the whole world, but you can definitely start with yourself. If enough people actually thought and acted that way, then—boom—you have global change. Usually, the folks who are actually awake to this stuff are working toward a higher goal, trying to serve the greater good and spark a shift in everyone else's mindset. You have to actually *do* something instead of just sitting there waiting for a miracle. And honestly? People who actually try tend to annoy everyone else because they're constantly pointing out bad habits, suggesting lifestyle shifts, or trying to "reprogram" how society works. So, maybe that’s what you mean by "making a mess."

Jacob Jackson50 said:Look, the people living on this planet are the ones who caused the pollution in the first place. That's just basic ecology. The Earth isn't going to magically scrub away human-made messes on its own. If we apply that same logic to how we think, every single person needs to work on their own mental ecology. It’s a total illusion to think one person can flip the switch for the whole world, but you can definitely start with yourself. If enough people actually thought and acted that way, then—boom—you have global change. Usually, the folks who are actually awake to this stuff are working toward a higher goal, trying to serve the greater good and spark a shift in everyone else's mindset. You have to actually *do* something instead of just sitting there waiting for a miracle. And honestly? People who actually try tend to annoy everyone else because they're constantly pointing out bad habits, suggesting lifestyle shifts, or trying to "reprogram" how society works. So, maybe that’s what you mean by "making a mess."

You hit the nail on the head there—they really do just irritate people... mostly because humans are fundamentally terrified of change. It triggers this deep sense of discomfort and pure anxiety, so most folks would much rather stay stuck exactly where they are, because at least that's familiar territory, whereas anything new is just a giant, scary unknown. And let's face it, nobody likes the unknown. When someone actually points out that changing your situation is possible, people tend to reject the idea outright... but then, when they see someone else actually succeed through that change, it just makes them even more annoyed, so they get aggressive or arrogant just to defend the miserable status quo they've built for themselves.

Exactly. You caught my drift. Focus on local impact rather than trying to tackle everything globally. If you try to play God on a global scale, you’re just asking for the system to push back hard.

The truth is, the planet has its own built-in cleaning crew. If nature didn't have these self-correcting mechanisms, we would have been buried in our own filth long ago. The Earth is teeming with saprophytes—tiny organisms that break down complex carbon compounds back into CO2, H2O, NH3,... essentially recycling them back into their raw building blocks.
Plants pull in CO2 and H2O to build those complex structures. Certain bacteria handle the NH3. Even the oceans are constantly absorbing CO2 and releasing H2O.
It’s way more complicated than my simplified version, but that’s the gist of it. It’s a massive feedback loop powered almost entirely by the Sun (with a tiny bit of heat bleeding out from the planet's core). We haven't broken the machine; we’ve just smashed the gears and scattered the parts. That’s why we’re seeing these extremes—global temperature averages are climbing in direct lockstep with how much we mess things up.

Trying to fight the fundamental physics of this isn't going to work. At best, we can just sit tight and wait, kind of like a kid who breaks a vase and then hides behind the sofa, terrified to see what happens next.
By "sitting tight," I mean minimizing our footprint, which is easier said than done. rustymaker5 already broke down why that’s such an uphill battle. Some things can be patched up—take the ozone hole, for instance; it’s actually recovering because of strict government regulations and legal crackdowns.

I find it quite amusing how certain circles insist that a new ice age is "just around the corner"

So, I just stumbled upon this heavy-duty book that’s hitting on some super timely themes—it's called "The Last Glow of an Ancient Sun." Honestly? It's a total gut punch. Not exactly a "relaxing Sunday read," if you know what I mean. It dives deep into how we and this entire planet ended up in such a massive mess and, more importantly, what kind of moves we actually have left to make.🙂

Here’s something along those lines. The Last Question by Isaac Asimov
Honestly, this might be one of the best short stories—or whatever you want to call this style of prose—I’ve ever picked up. It really makes you stop and think.
Give it a read if you can find the time.

Building a healthy world and actually keeping our humanity intact should be the baseline goal for every single person on this planet. It’s basically hardwired into us, really. We're built for this. But, you know, awareness isn't enough—you actually have to get off the couch and do something about it. If you're ever sitting around wondering how we might actually leave things better for the next generation, take a look at www.auroville.org.

The author of this thread actually had the nerve to share his "story"—or more accurately, his little pipe dream—on this forum. It’s a classic case of nature taking its course: the wild always pushes out the tame. He isn't the only one who gave up on trying to write like that, either. Since we’ve officially moved "spirituality" over to the "philosophy" section, if anyone wants some actually interesting reading on the subject, check out Ishmael by Daniel Quinn. There's already a thread about it over in Philosophy.

Honestly, we don't even need to waste a ton of breath talking about the massive shifts happening in the world right now. Everything is moving at breakneck speed, forcing us to come up with entirely new ways to make sense of reality—and more importantly, ourselves. We’re looking at deep, sweeping transformations across every single level of existence, whether we're ready for them or not. To actually get it, you have to dive headfirst into the core of what transformation really means, whether it's personal growth or something much larger. And let's be real: digging that deep takes guts. It takes the kind of discipline required to actually live an authentic life, which naturally brings us back to the whole spirituality thing. Now, before anyone gets weird about it, I'm not saying people aren't spiritual. It's actually the exact opposite. Everyone is inherently spiritual at their core, but we've just stopped checking in with our own integrity. We've somehow lost touch with that natural goodness we were born with. We're living in a society that doesn't give it much thought either, working alongside people who don't exactly champion a "cleaner" way of living—both in thought and action. People are "contaminated," honestly; they're prone to swallowing half-truths and outright lies. It's all just part of the game, so I'm not judging. But despite all that noise, deep down, everyone just wants to live in alignment with their own truth.

Jacob Jackson50 said:Honestly, we don't even need to waste a ton of breath talking about the massive shifts happening in the world right now. Everything is moving at breakneck speed, forcing us to come up with entirely new ways to make sense of reality—and more importantly, ourselves. We’re looking at deep, sweeping transformations across every single level of existence, whether we're ready for them or not. To actually get it, you have to dive headfirst into the core of what transformation really means, whether it's personal growth or something much larger. And let's be real: digging that deep takes guts. It takes the kind of discipline required to actually live an authentic life, which naturally brings us back to the whole spirituality thing. Now, before anyone gets weird about it, I'm not saying people aren't spiritual. It's actually the exact opposite. Everyone is inherently spiritual at their core, but we've just stopped checking in with our own integrity. We've somehow lost touch with that natural goodness we were born with. We're living in a society that doesn't give it much thought either, working alongside people who don't exactly champion a "cleaner" way of living—both in thought and action. People are "contaminated," honestly; they're prone to swallowing half-truths and outright lies. It's all just part of the game, so I'm not judging. But despite all that noise, deep down, everyone just wants to live in alignment with their own truth.

Transformation is simply a reaction to understanding—or as you put it, "deep insight." How can one dive into the process when you are the very subject being transformed? You can only dive deeply into the essence of the "problem," the understanding of which will ultimately change you.

jademarlin26 said:Transformation is simply a reaction to understanding—or as you put it, "deep insight." How can one dive into the process when you are the very subject being transformed? You can only dive deeply into the essence of the "problem," the understanding of which will ultimately change you.

But seriously, doesn't the "why" behind all this constant shifting fascinate you? Why does everything have to change in the first place? Honestly, my own little personal dramas and goals feel pretty insignificant compared to those massive, eye-opening insights.

Jacob Jackson50 said:But seriously, doesn't the "why" behind all this constant shifting fascinate you? Why does everything have to change in the first place? Honestly, my own little personal dramas and goals feel pretty insignificant compared to those massive, eye-opening insights.

Because they can. Otherwise, they wouldn't. 🙂 There is no point in trying to sell oneself on some elaborate cause-and-effect theory when that isn't how the world works.

jademarlin26 said:Because they can. Otherwise, they wouldn't. 🙂 There is no point in trying to sell oneself on some elaborate cause-and-effect theory when that isn't how the world works.

I respect your fatalistic take on life. Truly. It’s your choice. Just a quick heads-up though—since you jumped into the spirituality thread, you might have missed the fact that there's also a whole separate discussion going on about religion.

Jacob Jackson50 said:I respect your fatalistic take on life. Truly. It’s your choice. Just a quick heads-up though—since you jumped into the spirituality thread, you might have missed the fact that there's also a whole separate discussion going on about religion.

Let's keep things focused on both spirituality and religion, shall we?🙂>

Jacob Jackson50 said:I respect your fatalistic take on life. Truly. It’s your choice. Just a quick heads-up though—since you jumped into the spirituality thread, you might have missed the fact that there's also a whole separate discussion going on about religion.

I am unsure how to respond to your "respect" for a stance that doesn't actually exist. But, since I refuse to let this go: when you suppress and hide things from yourself for long enough, they eventually manifest as fate. Feel free to apply that logic wherever you see fit.

jademarlin26 said:I am unsure how to respond to your "respect" for a stance that doesn't actually exist. But, since I refuse to let this go: when you suppress and hide things from yourself for long enough, they eventually manifest as fate. Feel free to apply that logic wherever you see fit.

Look, jademarlin26, I think a lot of people treat this forum like some kind of battlefield—it's all about duality, winning vs. losing, constant struggle. They get so caught up in the fear of having to let go of who they used to be that they just burn out. That fear breeds this weird anger that clouds everything, making it impossible to actually see what's going on in their own lives. So instead of actually living, they just retreat into deep philosophy and mental gymnastics, drifting even further away from actually experiencing life.

placidjackal36 said:Exactly. You caught my drift. Focus on local impact rather than trying to tackle everything globally. If you try to play God on a global scale, you’re just asking for the system to push back hard.

The truth is, the planet has its own built-in cleaning crew. If nature didn't have these self-correcting mechanisms, we would have been buried in our own filth long ago. The Earth is teeming with saprophytes—tiny organisms that break down complex carbon compounds back into CO2, H2O, NH3,... essentially recycling them back into their raw building blocks.
Plants pull in CO2 and H2O to build those complex structures. Certain bacteria handle the NH3. Even the oceans are constantly absorbing CO2 and releasing H2O.
It’s way more complicated than my simplified version, but that’s the gist of it. It’s a massive feedback loop powered almost entirely by the Sun (with a tiny bit of heat bleeding out from the planet's core). We haven't broken the machine; we’ve just smashed the gears and scattered the parts. That’s why we’re seeing these extremes—global temperature averages are climbing in direct lockstep with how much we mess things up.

Trying to fight the fundamental physics of this isn't going to work. At best, we can just sit tight and wait, kind of like a kid who breaks a vase and then hides behind the sofa, terrified to see what happens next.
By "sitting tight," I mean minimizing our footprint, which is easier said than done. rustymaker5 already broke down why that’s such an uphill battle. Some things can be patched up—take the ozone hole, for instance; it’s actually recovering because of strict government regulations and legal crackdowns.

The whole feedback thing is basically the link between non-living and
living systems. Kind of crazy that since life showed up on this planet, the sun's temp has jumped about 25%, while the temp in the
country hasn't really budged. That heat spike triggers the whole
cycle—volcanoes, bacteria, erosion, algae, then back to
volcanoes—which helps regulate both the temp and the CO2!
Life basically builds its own habitat and
reshapes the environment it's trying to adapt to.

Morgan Hernandez5 said:The whole feedback thing is basically the link between non-living and
living systems. Kind of crazy that since life showed up on this planet, the sun's temp has jumped about 25%, while the temp in the
country hasn't really budged. That heat spike triggers the whole
cycle—volcanoes, bacteria, erosion, algae, then back to
volcanoes—which helps regulate both the temp and the CO2!
Life basically builds its own habitat and
reshapes the environment it's trying to adapt to.

Yeah, Morgan Hernandez5, the Earth is a living thing and part of something way bigger. In all that interconnectedness, I think human consciousness plays a huge role if we actually align ourselves with the universal Spirit. That’s really the whole point of evolution (of consciousness, anyway). What we're seeing on a massive scale right now is just the erosion of that awareness—a total lack of respect for nature (and I don't just mean looking at pretty pictures of greenery in National Geographic). You can't wrap your brain around the magnificent intelligence that sustains life, but you can definitely feel it. We need to get back to being human—to honesty and integrity toward ourselves and everyone else. That's the core of spirituality. It isn't some exclusive club for certain people; it's an open call to everyone, regardless of their education, gender, race, or faith.

Jacob Jackson50 said:Yeah, Morgan Hernandez5, the Earth is a living thing and part of something way bigger. In all that interconnectedness, I think human consciousness plays a huge role if we actually align ourselves with the universal Spirit. That’s really the whole point of evolution (of consciousness, anyway). What we're seeing on a massive scale right now is just the erosion of that awareness—a total lack of respect for nature (and I don't just mean looking at pretty pictures of greenery in National Geographic). You can't wrap your brain around the magnificent intelligence that sustains life, but you can definitely feel it. We need to get back to being human—to honesty and integrity toward ourselves and everyone else. That's the core of spirituality. It isn't some exclusive club for certain people; it's an open call to everyone, regardless of their education, gender, race, or faith.

👍

I think the mind matters too, maybe just as much as the soul.
but I get why you framed it that way. materialism has been running the show for forever
because of institutions and science.
from atoms—just closed-off things in space and time—all the way to humans
built out of egos, tied only to super-egos... whatever. everything is just fractured, no real connections, and the result is =) a crisis of meaning, right?
we've had enough of pure logic and the mind, maybe now it's time for other ways of perceiving,
emotions, intuition... is that what you were getting at? we gotta bring things back into balance.

Is consciousness spiritual intelligence? Are we really trying to define
consciousness😬