Jan 2004
No. 8
Future of Humanity
by Rael Cahn MD/PhD Student
UC San Diego Cognitive Electrophysiology Lab The Scripps Research Institute Lab
Hello all!
I feel a deep sense of hope for the future of humanity. I do not accept the view that we are uncapable of total transformation of what it means to be alive and human on the planet today. It seems clear to me that the consciousness of humanity has been engaged in an ongoing evolution for thousands of years. Greater awareness of our connectedness and essential at-oneness with all that is will continue to develop within humanity, and it will be the engine that drives our maturation into a society wherein war, hatred, and even personal pettiness are no longer humanity's way of interacting. I believe this out of an inner conviction that the experience of truly being at one with everything is not just an interesting experience people sometimes have, but instead reflects something deeply real and fundamental in the structure of the world/universe in which we live.
It also seems clear to me that this growth of awareness will only come concomitantly with a great growth of awareness within the so-called "structures" of society. The view has been dominant within communities of spiritual aspirants for thousands of years, but as we learn more about the amazing role of our attention, intention, and awareness in shaping the world in which we live, this knowledge will continue to spread within such systems as medicine, science, and politics. We in medicine, I believe, are in an especially significant role -- we have chosen to enter the socially-sanctioned field of healing of our culture today. We have the responsibility to truly safeguard the health of our patients, which deeply interconnects with the health of our world. As such, continued growth of awareness of the healer's path within medical training is an essential aspect of our "responsibilities" as a medical student in 2003, in a world increasingly interconnected and yet still at war with itself.
Arise arise arise -- the healer within seeks to arise and awaken the pulse of human awareness, and why not let it start with us, those of us here and now who hear the call that the world so clearly chants: peace now, acceptance and love now, let there be no more room in our hearts for holding grudges and feeling vengeful for past wrongs -- let us embrace the possibility of healing, and transmit it fully into our developing medical careers, giving up the chase of the ego and self-importance, and resting in the joy of living for the common good of us all.
I write all this as a deep expression of my heart, knowing full well that the "realities" of the world are deeply troubling, and having wrestled with the anger, fear, and hatred so naturally arising from being present in our world where ignorance and hurtfulness is expressed so ubiquitously... I deeply respect and appreciate the impulse to enter medicine as a way to be of service to the world, and would like to express my deepest bow of respect to all of you for doing so, and also remind us all to stay present to the deeper reasons for our involvement, so easy to overlook and forget in the hustle and bustle of studying the molecular biology, the biochemistry, the anatomy and the scientific state of the art in the understanding of the human body in health and disease. may we be ever more vigilant of the need to also explore the mystery and reality of healing on the many individual and collective levels that contribute to our state of well-being. Great love to you ...