Five Proof Points That the Birds and Bees are Conscious
Five Proof Points That the Birds and Bees are Conscious
Whether focused on ourselves or the stars, humanity sometimes undervalues the beauty and intelligence of our very own blue planet. As science uncovers the complexities of the birds and bees, and their innate emotional intelligence and problem-solving skills, ancient philosophies about the universal intelligence of all matter come to life.
Animals are Emotionally and Socially Complex
G.A. Bradshaw, who established the field of trans-species psychology, uncovered the emotional and social complexities of elephants in extensive research. Her research, and the work of many others, has established a movement to understand and protect all sentient beings, in recognition of their consciousness and the impact of humans on animals and Earth. Here are five points to consider when contemplating animal consciousness. Make up your own mind, as animals surely will.
1. Animals Sense Danger
Animals sense danger, from attacks by other animals to natural disasters. A telltale indicator of a hurricane or earthquake is actually the silence of disappearance of the animal kingdom, notably birds. Theories abound on this topic, but generally include documentation of the multitudinous variations of sensory input and output animals experience; for example, whales hear a much wider spectrum of sound than humankind.
2. Plants and Animals Understand Inequity
In “inequity aversion tests, “psychological tests that measure the ability of animals to detect unfairness and to gauge their response. These tests, conducted on primates and corvids, show a hardwired sense of fairness. Some animals even protest when they are treated unfairly. Another notable phenomena is cross-species fostering and the animal kingdom’s propensity for compassion.
3. Animals Experience Stress and Trauma
Much like humans, and often at the hand of humans through habitat loss and capture, animals experience stress, anxiety, distrust, and even post-traumatic stress disorders. Elephants are often cited in studies on the impacts of trauma. If they can experience these negative traits, surely they also experience love, joy, trust, and ease.
4. Plants, Insects, and Animals Can Solve Problems
From dolphins to octopuses, the animal kingdom is intelligent (not to mention, essential to human survival). They can solve problems, learn, emulate, and express themselves. In a recent experiment, bees were filmed moving a ball in order to reach nectar. Here is the sting: the bees emulated this action after watching a puppet bee. So with this new understanding, teach a man to fish now becomes teach a bee to roll.
5. Animals Pick Up on Human Energy
This proof point is obvious, especially if you have pets. Pet owners often note that their animals know when they are sad, happy, or anxious. This is not a figment of human imagination, but a documented fact. Even the most aloof cat intuitively picks up on human energies. Animals may even carry or emulate human energy, hence the belief that pets take on the characteristics of their owners.
Recognition of Nonhuman Consciousness
The Cambridge Declaration on Consciousness states that “the weight of evidence indicates that humans are not unique in possessing the neurological substrates that generate consciousness. Nonhuman animals, including all mammals and birds, and many other creatures, including octopuses, also possess these neurological substrates.” While this may seem obvious to many, traditional science is only now officially researching and recognizing the consciousness of animals. Even Darwin recognized the lucidity of animals: “We have seen that the senses and intuitions, the various emotions and faculties, such as love, memory, attention, curiosity, imitation, reason, etc., of which man boasts, may be found in an incipient, or even sometimes in a well-developed condition, in the lower animals.”
What About Nonhuman Rights?
Several groups are actively working towards a future where animal consciousness is recognized and even celebrated. The Nonhuman Rights Project is a civil rights organization that has filed lawsuits on behalf of sentient beings, particularly chimpanzees. They are working to “achieve actual LEGAL rights for members of species other than our own. Our mission is to change the legal status of appropriate nonhuman animals from mere “things,” which lack the capacity to possess any legal right, to “persons,” who possess such fundamental rights as bodily integrity and bodily liberty.” Sentience Politics holds a conference focused on reducing the suffering of all sentience beings.
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Akashic Records for Beginners: Can We Access Our Akashic Records?
Are the Akashic Records some cosmic repository of endless file cabinets in infinite hallways and stacks? Where did this concept come from? Do these records exist in time and space like a galactic internet? How do we access the Akashic Records?
In this article, we’ll go over:
- What are Akashic Records
- The history of Akashic Records
- Who can read Akashic Records
- How to access your Akashic Records
What Are The Akashic Records?
While many describe or explain the concept in different ways, in essence, the Akashic Records are believed to be the repository of every thought, word, and deed of every living being, good, bad, and awful, in all times; past, present, future. It’s a compendium of knowledge of all life forms and entities. But those familiar with the records report that there is no judgment or implied penalty in the records — they are said to simply be a record of each soul’s journey through the infinite.
History and Origin of the Akashic Records
One of the earliest references to the Akashic Records in modern times was made by Helena Blavatsky, founder of the Theosophical movement in the late 19th century. Theosophy is an esoteric belief system that incorporates philosophical tenets from eastern religions while maintaining that “there is no religion higher than Truth.”
Blavatsky claimed she learned of the records from Tibetan monks, or “mahatmas” who said the records could be found in the “akasha,” or “akasa,” the Sanskrit word for astral light, or the ether element in eastern belief systems. This fifth element of space is considered the fundamental fabric of reality from which all other elements emerge — the source of material reality. The eastern idea of karma is a major facet of the akashic records.
These “Masters of the Ancient Wisdom,” as Blavatsky referred to them as, taught her clairvoyance, psychic abilities, and astral projection. She used these tools to channel information from the akashic records and built a large following of Theosophists, including some famous ones.
Metaphysician Rudolf Steiner also referenced the Akashic Records, asserting that every action, word, and thought leaves a trace in etheric realms. Contemporary physicist Ervin Laszlo explores concepts of Akasha from the perspective of science, concluding that the Akasha contains templates for human ideals such as harmony and equanimity. This is reflected in his “Akasha Paradigm,” which he relates to the evolutionary processes of human beings.
Those who subscribe to Akashic record models often reference the Book of Life first mentioned in the old testament (Exodus). Biblical scripture asserts that a record of every life is kept in heaven, and it is from these records that souls are judged.
Explorations of the akashic field were also a major focus of the writings and work of Edgar Cayce. Cayce’s Akashic studies posited that there is a storehouse of information in a non-physical plane of existence, which maintains a record of every soul’s past, present, and future. Cayce’s readings are some of the best known.
