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Never before has the pressure for a spiritual renaissance been so strong; and never before have the possibilities for such a renaissance been so great.
Our choice of spiritual path is no longer limited to the tradition into which we were born. We can draw from the entire spectrum of the world�s wisdom. We can learn from cultures as far apart as Tibet and Peru; from traditions as different as Buddhism, Christianity, and Shamanism; from teachings given thousands of years ago, and from contemporary adepts.
Moreover, the quality of the knowledge can be preserved in ways not possible before. In the past, as spiritual teachings were passed on from person to person, translated into different languages, and absorbed by foreign cultures, some of the teaching was inevitably misunderstood or lost, while embellishments were added. What remained was a poor rendering of the original inspiration.
Today, teachings are disseminated much more accurately and easily. We can watch videos, and listen to audiotapes as we travel. We can tune in to a satellite broadcast of a seminar taking place on the other side of the planet�and record it for later viewing. We can speak directly to almost anyone, anywhere in the world. We can search the Internet and draw on the insights and realizations of countless people whom we may never meet or know. For the first time, the essence of spiritual wisdom is being made globally available.
This is a wide-ranging inquiry into collective consciousness and cultural healing. These are among the core themes of this report:
Collective crises and collective consciousness. The condition of the world reflects the condition of our collective consciousness. Collective or group consciousness (also sometimes called the empathic field or collective knowing) provides a common context from which we can collectively recognize--and begin to heal--the psychic wounds that divide humanity (such as racial and gender oppression and injustice). Perhaps the most basic challenge that we face is to awaken our capacity for collective knowing and conscious action so that we can respond successfully to the immense social and ecological difficulties that confront us.
How the Internet is Changing Society
The internet is creating a revolution, challenging, then changing long established theories. In the past, the print media had total control of published content. They only accepted articles from people with quality writing skills and from socially acceptable sources. Public opinions were created and formed by these people. This requirement prevented the experiences of blue-collar people to get their opinions and experiences published. The internet is changing all that.
For the first time in history, people from all social levels can publish their opinions and there is someone out there to read them. Internet information seekers require information based on verifiable or firsthand experience, not theories. This requirement is leading to a culture revolution. For example:
Deep