It’s interesting that you bookended this essay with Campbell’s ideas of the Hero’s Journey, which I think is often misunderstood.
The journey is never really about slaying the dragon, finding the gold, or saving the world. Or even about discovering you’re a superhero. It’s about the hero discovering himself or herself—who they are already/not yet.
In that, they are surprised by their innate “magic” abilities. Skywalker becomes a Jedi (which he always was), Tom Anderson becomes Neo, Tom Morgan becomes himself. In a way we all become the boon, the gift, to our world. That was always the main quest.
Thank you for writing this. I’ll be contemplating it for awhile.
Excellent. This made something click for me. If we are to grow into union with God, the body of Christ, whatever…then it is essential that a being destined to be as powerful as God needs to learn first to act from absolute love and integrity before being handed such power. This makes the whole earth school idea click into place.
Yes! And I think a part of that is realizing reality flows. So manifest loving life that flows, not static things that don’t, or may even halt the flow…
These tiny miracles? They happen to me every day *when* I am more widely aware and aligned with my world and myself. Okay, (finally) time to listen to the Whetten interview.
Another brilliant article Tom. One question as I am also taken further towards a life of greater meaning and authenticity. Do you find it hard to hold relationships with people who don’t view the world/see the same things as you (maybe people you were previously closer to). How do you reconcile the drift away from others as you move towards your own defined path (that’s what I have found to happen).
I take solace from a few things. Never interfere with someone else’s journey. So take questions don’t offer answers. But the problem you describe is also why I started Leading Edge. It turns out the world is filled with people just like us….
I struggle to find words effusive enough to describe how much I enjoyed this piece of beautiful writing. It’s like it aligned all the electrons in my body and made them point ‘north’ … chanting “this is the way!”
Honesty, truth and integrity make this magnificent. Personal to you and yet relevant to everyone.
I had a teacher 20 years ago who was a direct student of Daskalos towards the end of his life. His influence on her was evident in the prominence she gave to elementals and visualisation, with elementals sometimes being used to materialise visualisations. I prefer not to give her name here, because while I learned a good deal from her, my experience with her was that she had a strong inclination to abuse her powers, both those she was born with and those developed subsequently through her eventful life.
I went through some pretty tough times back then, in part because of this woman's "attentions" to me on the subtle planes, aimed primarily at keeping me tied to her as her "disciple". But looking back on it, the experience certainly taught me in a pretty irrefutable way the reality of such planes of being, in their malign as well as benign expressions.
Daskalos was certainly a very remarkable figure. I have a friend who, like me, was a student of the woman just mentioned, and she remains very devoted to him. She visited Cyprus and met his family and spoke to me of the energy of simplicity and purity still pervading the place where he lived. But I never really followed up the Daskalos lead myself, not even reading The Magus of Strovolos, since Daskalos disowned the book.
Well, funny to see him turning up here at The Leading Edge!
My worldview and hope for our future almost always resonates with your writings, however:
"As a sociologist, Beck believes we are as little as two years from a major shift in global consciousness."
"Beck thinks it takes ~25-30% of the population to catalyse a phase shift in consciousness, and this one is moving much faster than any previous time in history."
What leads Beck or you to think 25 - 30% of the population is entering the right "headspace/frame of mind/ worldview/ consciousness" to catalyze a phase shift?
And is he ( or you ) referring to the population of a country or culture or the planet?
Thank you! And to be honest, I have no idea. I’m actually working on something at least marginally more quantitive at the moment which I’m hopeful will give me a better sense for whether it’s happening or whether it’s just confirmation bias. Here’s hoping…
Tom, thank you for writing this! I am obsessed with this and finding your blog has made me feel a little less alone! My therapist recommended Beck's 'Way of integrity' last month and I stumbled upon the podcast you mention last week as well. This week, a friend challenged me to think about my 'soul's desire' and I chance upon this lovely article of yours. What beautiful synchronicity! There is magic everywhere, we just need to cultivate the eyes to see ✨
Taking further what Asher tells Bodhi, would one of the effects of the unstoppable AI wave be, that humans (freed or thrown out of the automated "jobs") are forced to reflect on their existence, their capabilities, their potential to be much more than the common materialistic, acquiring living being.And this forced reflection would drive some to further their journey on the consciousness flywheel and others to fear/confusion and hopefully start seeking their path.
Great post! Glad I came across it. Explores a lot of themes that I touch upon in my book, which I’d love to send you if it sounds interesting! Will send you a message.
Sounds like you're having more and more fun writing these :)
FWIW, similar thoughts have been bouncing around on the peripheral of my consciousness for a while now... e.g. I told myself the best thing that could happen for me to finish the novel I'm writing could be losing both my sources of income... that then happened in a week, and the consequence was not 'novel becomes full-time job', but 'oops, wrong; clearly not ready for that'...
Circs rolled themselves back a bit, but the same pattern repeated a few more times, in a way that started to feel a bit spooky. Only seems to happen when it's something to do with the novel, though... which, in turn (three months in the Himalayas focused on it), is increasingly feeling like it's writing me just as much as I'm writing it... the slower bits to edit always layering up an internal lesson first before the tighter external expression emerges on the page ;)
It's quite funny how the ‘main quest’ tends to find you the moment you stop auditioning for it. From my own personal experience, at least. I’ve always believed that meaning isn’t something you chase so much as something that ambushes you when you’re sufficiently disillusioned. There’s something a tad erotic about refusing to buy into the whole pursuit of perfection that has been forced down our throats our entire lives. A little act of private rebellion... To let yourself be a beautiful mess and find peace in believing the story will find you too. 🤩
This is so good, Tom.
It’s interesting that you bookended this essay with Campbell’s ideas of the Hero’s Journey, which I think is often misunderstood.
The journey is never really about slaying the dragon, finding the gold, or saving the world. Or even about discovering you’re a superhero. It’s about the hero discovering himself or herself—who they are already/not yet.
In that, they are surprised by their innate “magic” abilities. Skywalker becomes a Jedi (which he always was), Tom Anderson becomes Neo, Tom Morgan becomes himself. In a way we all become the boon, the gift, to our world. That was always the main quest.
Thank you for writing this. I’ll be contemplating it for awhile.
Welcome to one of my psycho obsessions. https://newsletter.theleading-edge.org/p/the-story-that-changes-the-world?r=2613wg
Ooh. Right up my alley. Excited to read this. So glad you’re the same kind of obsessed (deranged?) as me.
As a great man once said “if we’re ever gonna survive, we gotta get a little crazy”
Excellent. This made something click for me. If we are to grow into union with God, the body of Christ, whatever…then it is essential that a being destined to be as powerful as God needs to learn first to act from absolute love and integrity before being handed such power. This makes the whole earth school idea click into place.
Yes! And I think a part of that is realizing reality flows. So manifest loving life that flows, not static things that don’t, or may even halt the flow…
Yes!
These tiny miracles? They happen to me every day *when* I am more widely aware and aligned with my world and myself. Okay, (finally) time to listen to the Whetten interview.
Glad I could bully you into it!
😂
Another brilliant article Tom. One question as I am also taken further towards a life of greater meaning and authenticity. Do you find it hard to hold relationships with people who don’t view the world/see the same things as you (maybe people you were previously closer to). How do you reconcile the drift away from others as you move towards your own defined path (that’s what I have found to happen).
I take solace from a few things. Never interfere with someone else’s journey. So take questions don’t offer answers. But the problem you describe is also why I started Leading Edge. It turns out the world is filled with people just like us….
M
Wow! Thank you!
I struggle to find words effusive enough to describe how much I enjoyed this piece of beautiful writing. It’s like it aligned all the electrons in my body and made them point ‘north’ … chanting “this is the way!”
Honesty, truth and integrity make this magnificent. Personal to you and yet relevant to everyone.
And so many references to follow-up.
Thank you.
Thank you.
🙏
Well. Comments like this are why I do ANYTHING I do. I love you, thanks Andy!
Wonderful! Thank you, as always, Tom!
Thank you Dominic!
I had a teacher 20 years ago who was a direct student of Daskalos towards the end of his life. His influence on her was evident in the prominence she gave to elementals and visualisation, with elementals sometimes being used to materialise visualisations. I prefer not to give her name here, because while I learned a good deal from her, my experience with her was that she had a strong inclination to abuse her powers, both those she was born with and those developed subsequently through her eventful life.
I went through some pretty tough times back then, in part because of this woman's "attentions" to me on the subtle planes, aimed primarily at keeping me tied to her as her "disciple". But looking back on it, the experience certainly taught me in a pretty irrefutable way the reality of such planes of being, in their malign as well as benign expressions.
Daskalos was certainly a very remarkable figure. I have a friend who, like me, was a student of the woman just mentioned, and she remains very devoted to him. She visited Cyprus and met his family and spoke to me of the energy of simplicity and purity still pervading the place where he lived. But I never really followed up the Daskalos lead myself, not even reading The Magus of Strovolos, since Daskalos disowned the book.
Well, funny to see him turning up here at The Leading Edge!
My worldview and hope for our future almost always resonates with your writings, however:
"As a sociologist, Beck believes we are as little as two years from a major shift in global consciousness."
"Beck thinks it takes ~25-30% of the population to catalyse a phase shift in consciousness, and this one is moving much faster than any previous time in history."
What leads Beck or you to think 25 - 30% of the population is entering the right "headspace/frame of mind/ worldview/ consciousness" to catalyze a phase shift?
And is he ( or you ) referring to the population of a country or culture or the planet?
Thank you! And to be honest, I have no idea. I’m actually working on something at least marginally more quantitive at the moment which I’m hopeful will give me a better sense for whether it’s happening or whether it’s just confirmation bias. Here’s hoping…
Thank you for this article. It has connected many loose ends for me. I'm full of new curiosity!
All I can ever ask from my life.
Tom,
Boom! This hit the nail on the head for me. I’ll be digging in. Thanks.
Cheers mate!
Tom, thank you for writing this! I am obsessed with this and finding your blog has made me feel a little less alone! My therapist recommended Beck's 'Way of integrity' last month and I stumbled upon the podcast you mention last week as well. This week, a friend challenged me to think about my 'soul's desire' and I chance upon this lovely article of yours. What beautiful synchronicity! There is magic everywhere, we just need to cultivate the eyes to see ✨
Interactions like this are why I write. Thank you for the gift Varsha.
Taking further what Asher tells Bodhi, would one of the effects of the unstoppable AI wave be, that humans (freed or thrown out of the automated "jobs") are forced to reflect on their existence, their capabilities, their potential to be much more than the common materialistic, acquiring living being.And this forced reflection would drive some to further their journey on the consciousness flywheel and others to fear/confusion and hopefully start seeking their path.
It’s one outcome that I think will definitely be the case for some. And for the mass, it’s definitely the dream outcome.
Great post! Glad I came across it. Explores a lot of themes that I touch upon in my book, which I’d love to send you if it sounds interesting! Will send you a message.
Sounds like you're having more and more fun writing these :)
FWIW, similar thoughts have been bouncing around on the peripheral of my consciousness for a while now... e.g. I told myself the best thing that could happen for me to finish the novel I'm writing could be losing both my sources of income... that then happened in a week, and the consequence was not 'novel becomes full-time job', but 'oops, wrong; clearly not ready for that'...
Circs rolled themselves back a bit, but the same pattern repeated a few more times, in a way that started to feel a bit spooky. Only seems to happen when it's something to do with the novel, though... which, in turn (three months in the Himalayas focused on it), is increasingly feeling like it's writing me just as much as I'm writing it... the slower bits to edit always layering up an internal lesson first before the tighter external expression emerges on the page ;)
Ha- I am definitely not trying inverse manifestation. Send some photos from the Himalayas!
In your inbox :)
Love you, Friend!!
Sending love. Letting the elementals do my work.
It's quite funny how the ‘main quest’ tends to find you the moment you stop auditioning for it. From my own personal experience, at least. I’ve always believed that meaning isn’t something you chase so much as something that ambushes you when you’re sufficiently disillusioned. There’s something a tad erotic about refusing to buy into the whole pursuit of perfection that has been forced down our throats our entire lives. A little act of private rebellion... To let yourself be a beautiful mess and find peace in believing the story will find you too. 🤩