Before language evolved our ancestors lived consciously in the present moment; they were like the rest of the animals and the plants; and the galactic minerals; and the patterns in those minerals. We are the churn of stardust.
The hard wiring of our body and mind is fleshed out by our culture, subculture and parenting. There is an interplay of nature, nurture and serendipity in our conscious and unconscious patterns of thoughts, feelings, words and actions.
We evolved over millions of years to survive in relatively unchanging hunting and gathering groups in the plains of Africa. Thus we have Stone Age brains.
Self-consciousness is fairly new. It can be seen as co-terminous with language and thus perhaps only 50,000 to 100,000 years old.
Language has made exponential, cultural growth and development possible in the last few thousand years. Our Computer Age nurture is now well out of step with our Stone Age nature. We now ask much more of our minds and brains than they are capable of achieving in a stable and balanced way. In short, most ‘civilized’ people are screwed up and suffering because of individualized cravings.
Fortunately there is a cure. There is neuro-plasticity – even in the hard wired parts of the brain. Those who choose a simple and good life are able to be mindful of what goes on in their heads and thus to change it. Frugality, renunciation and enlightenment result - along with wisdom and compassion.
It is easy to say but hard to do – there is an end to suffering and dis-ease. No-self, no problems.
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