Kindom

[Guest guest]

This is an interesting piece shared by Adyashanti on Twitter and wanted to

share it with the Amma Kindom. . .It hold resonance with the Nature of Supermind

by Sri Aurobindo.

 

Namaste to One and All

ordinarysparrow

 

IMAGINAL CELLS AND THE BODY POLITIC

 

 

A Story for Our Times

 

 

When a caterpillar nears its transformation time, it begins to eat ravenously,

consuming everything in sight. (It is interesting to note that individuals are

often called " consumers " and one of the largest manufacturers of heavy

construction machinery is called " Caterpillar, " Inc.) The caterpillar body then

becomes heavy, outgrowing its own skin many times, until it is too bloated to

move. Attaching to a branch (upside down, we might add, where everything is

turned on its head) it forms a chrysalis—an enclosing shell that limits the

caterpillar's freedom for the duration of the transformation.

 

 

Within the chrysalis a miracle occurs. Tiny cells, that biologists actually call

" imaginal cells, " begin to appear. These cells are wholly different from

caterpillar cells, carrying different information, vibrating to a different

frequency–the frequency of the emerging butterfly. At first, the caterpillar's

immune system perceives these new cells as enemies, and attacks them, much as

new ideas in science, medicine, politics, and social behavior are viciously

denounced by the powers now considered mainstream. But the imaginal cells are

not deterred. They continue to appear, in even greater numbers, recognizing

each other, bonding together, until the new cells are numerous enough to

organize into clumps. When enough cells have formed to make structures along the

new organizational lines, the caterpillar's immune system is overwhelmed. The

caterpillar body then become a nutritious soup for the growth of the butterfly.

 

 

When the butterfly is ready to hatch, the chrysalis becomes transparent (much as

the Internet is making many hidden actions transparent). The need for

restriction has been outgrown. Yet the struggle toward freedom has an organic

timing. Were the chrysalis opened too soon, the butterfly would die. As the

butterfly emerges, it opens its " right wing " and its " left wing, " and then flies

away to dance among the flowers.

 

 

The awakening of the global heart results from transforming the body politic

from the unconscious, over-consuming bloat of the caterpillar into a creature of

exquisite beauty, grace, and freedom. This coming of age process takes us to a

new mythic reality, a larger story, ripe with meaning and direction. It takes us

from the naïve egocentricity of childhood into a larger reality of

interdependent reciprocity. It is not a passage that ends in the gray grimness

of adult responsibility, denying the colorful spirituality of childhood

innocence. Rather, it is a reclaiming of wholeness that denies little, and

embraces all.

 

 

 

Catalysts for the Coalescence of Consciousness

 

 

The awakening of consciousness happens first in individuals. It is

a shift from third chakra, ego-based consciousness to fourth chakra, relational

consciousness, a shift from I to We. It is a realization that we are in this

together, that we are interdependent, integral agents, part of a larger unity

that needs each of us as individual agents. This awakening could result from

spiritual practices such as yoga or meditation, psychotherapy, workshop

experiences, disenchantment from one's " normal " life, or any manner of doorways

through which we awaken from the trance of consumption and exploitation to a

higher vision of perpetual reciprocity, compassion, and unity. At first such

individuals might feel alone or isolated; they might be misunderstood or even

attacked by others for their strange ideas.

 

When these individuals find others of like mind, they are

strengthened and reinforced. They feel less alone, more empowered, and inspired.

They literally " vibrate " at a higher frequency. They catalyze each other. This

is how the imaginal cells come together, organize amongst themselves and become

centers of awakening in the new body politic.

 

We call these imaginal cells " co-hearts, " people who are

simultaneously called by something in their own hearts to share with others, to

serve and to save what they love. Co-hearts can be of any kind: healing

co-hearts, artistic co-hearts, democratic co-hearts, yoga co-hearts, gardening

co-hearts, parenting co-hearts. They can be lovers or friends, business

associates or volunteers in an organization. Co-hearts share a kin-dom – not a

kingdom ruled by a king but a kin-dom where everyone is kin. Co-hearts are like

the cells, and kin-doms are the organs of the body politic. We recognize that at

all levels we are part of a larger whole.

 

 

Our workshops focus on awakening the imaginal cells, through

personal healing and transformation, and teaching spiritual practices. Our

Sacred Centers hubs act as kin-doms for the awakening of global heart

consciousness, by bringing together the imaginal cells so that they are

strengthened and can survive the onslaughts of the collapsing cultural values.

They then become like life-boats: islands of sanity, celebration, and joy in the

emerging transformation, agents in the dawning age of the heart.