The notion of evolutionary becoming, or evolutionary emergence, is a very new and unique orientation for the self. It’s hard to even conceive of how different this orientation is from the ways we have traditionally and culturally been conditioned to relate to the human experience. 
With the exception of very rare individuals, throughout history our orientation has generally been toward creating security, towards carving out a safe place in which to experience comfort and pleasure. Even revolutionaries who challenge the status quo in order to gain more rights and freedoms usually do so only until those rights and freedoms are achieved, after which they tend to settle in to a new status quo. Of course, there have always been rare individuals and inspired geniuses who, animated by the pulsation of the evolutionary impulse, are ever-reaching for that which is new, who have felt compelled to make significant progress and create new pathways in their particular fields. But what I’m speaking about here is not a particular kind of genius or talent—it’s a certain attitude and aspiration in relationship to the whole process of being alive. This shift in values that creates the conditions for perpetual emergence is a fundamental shift in orientation that is just beginning to dawn on us as we awaken to the fact that we are part of a process that is going somewhere. And it’s not merely a personal shift; it is a very deep cultural change in the human psyche as a whole.
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Andrew Cohen is a spiritual teacher, cultural visionary, founder of EnlightenNext, and the author of 
Hi Andrew,
Understand what you’re saying as regards a relational shift and think you’re right about that. Also reckon insights can be temporary in not then further being lived out. In aspiring towards a non-dual view wasn’t so sure about you seeming to privelege Eros over Agape re a recent EnlightenNext exchange with Ken Wilber. For me the two need to be ultimately far more integrated and balanced, with compassion and humility being valued as regards Agape as for me at least that’s about a far greater inclusion (as well as the necessary transcendence).
I’m European in often having concerns that American spirituality can be far too egoic and ascending. Ditto as to what I can also think about Ken Wilber, although I can also think there’s ultimately integration there re an actual vision. Perhaps too as regards your own unfolding sharings.
Thanks for the post which was an interesting read.
Yours in being interested in ‘BEING’ as well as ‘BECOMING’ and as well ‘SEEING’ to a fair degree,
Phil
Hi Phil,I really appreciate your comment,and I,too,read that article on Eros and Agape and have something to add.
Eros and Agape,Wisdom and Compassion,Shiva and Shakti, God and Goddess,are *literally* Interdependent and Inseparable.These are the Two Highest Active Principles that make the One…the One Being,or Divine Self, is a term of Three,hence,the Three Bodies of the Buddha, the Trinity of Christianity,and so forth.The individualized Soul,thru the eons of its evolution in manifestation,via cause and effect or Karma, develops/evolves particular propensities and unique capacities.Meaning, some Souls may be shaped more by Eros, while others,by Agape.You see? Once the Soul is developed enough to Awaken in any single lifetime, those capacities come to the fore as undeniable imperatives of the Selfs’ expression,not something the mere “I” of the ego is choosing. So in defence and explanation of Andrew’s “Eros imperative,” he has,as he explained in the article, more expression of Eros,and therefore, he is uniquely qualified to “talk” in representation of Eros.But this doesn’t mean he is lacking Love/Agape,since the realized(and unrealized) person does not and cannot separate out one from another…it just means he has a job to do concerning Eros,other realized Souls;Agape.Understand?
And the only way I can speak thusly is because eight years ago, I Awakened to the Primordial One Self. I know Eros and Agape as myself, and they are both fiercely active principles of the Soul.Have you ever heard Compassion compared to a Sword? Agape cradles you right before it slays you! Don’t be fooled by your ideas, the Eros in you wants to burn those ideas to the Ground!
So, choose wisely the Cause and Effect of this lifetime, because you will be re-living that Karma later!
LOL(;}
P.S.Phil,
Ken Wilber, as the mind of Integral Theory, stresses in all of his work that a truly Integral approach is to recognize Immanence, as well as Transcendence, Descent and Ascent.
But here’s the point; The Immanent is *enfolded* as potential in the Ground Unconscious, already within the Soul upon manifestation…but to unfold what is enfolded, one must Transcend, Ascend and that is the energy of Eros *greeting* Agape in the emergent structure, and this is when genuine transformation is occuring in an “upward climb” through the Hierarchy or Holarchy of Being, up the proverbial ladder,spiral, or as Ken calls it, the Great Nest. But don’t think because Agape or the Immanent is latent, that it is not active…it’s not sleeping, in other words. The Immanent is always there at the edges, poking, teasing, whispering, but one must be inwardly focused, not on thoughts,emotions,desires or fears, but on the nameless energies arousing the Soul and Psyche. And meditation has shown to create an Omega pull from the lowest to the highest; why do you think Buddhist monks spend hours meditating?
The stages are these; Matter,Body,Mind,Soul,Spirit, with Spirit as both Ground and Summit.
I hope this clarifies!
LOL
Excuse me, Phil,correction inmy language use;
The two Active Principles arise from the One, and “return” to the One.
Thanks
Good concept of evolutionary becoming. Yet in our becoming we must also know ourselves in our being, not always in a restless quest, but knowing how to be still, to be in a state of inner peace. Then, we can continue on our pathways as evolving beings. Let us not forget lessons learned from the past, get selective amnesia and be aware of our beingness all along the way as evolving beings.
~Namaste
“Selective amnesia” – so truly said, thank you!
Yes, beingness is all that IS. Only by being one is, becoming can never happen if you ARE NOT! Becoming is nothing else and can be nothing else but being – Now and Here, utterly yourself, the way existence has made you. Then each precious moment of being is a becoming, only then.
Hi Aliya,
May I ask, you an obviously very consciously aware person, if there are those who are not very developed consciously to recognize your assertion of beingness, Isness, of becoming and not being aware of it?
I am so taken by the Buddhist figure of Bodhisattvas who have attained a higher consciousness which testifies to their commitment to becoming enlightened but divest themselves of ordinary ego and assume a Transcendent Ego which is dedicated to non-egoistic invovolvement.
Not ignoring their own spiritual development, Bodhisattvas turn their attn to trying to instill in others the kind of understanding that will allow others to attain their own higher consciousness. In this way by promoting that consciousness in many others, a better world of more enlightened individuals will be around to infect a wider sphere of people committed to bettering the status quo or at least maintaining it in a positive non-egoistic way.
In keeping with my blogging activities as a 21st century Bodhisattva, I’ve adopted the desination of The Blogging Bodhisattva, with thanks to Ann Mercaida of Gather.com’s Losing Your Religion blog.
I will try to trasport that icon here when I can figure out how to do that.
Re: “as we awaken to the fact that we are part of a process that is going somewhere”
There is no process by itself which is just going somewhere. No process can exist on its own, separate from the Living Being. No process has its own existentiality outside of the Being, independent from the Being. All processes are just mind notions and mind games. Mind projects its own limitations on Existence and sees processes, concepts, theories (integral), whereas they are not.
Each and every human being stands alone for God, utterly unique and authentic. There is no process or evolution or theory existing somewhere and binding man to follow it. Nothing can bind a man who has known himself.
Hi Aliya, re: “There is no process or evolution or theory existing somewhere and binding man to follow it.”
I can accept that evolution may be part and parcel of God’s doing but does your statement deny that evolution proceeds independent of mind and will of humans?
What’s interesting is that I see this push for freedom going on in the Mid East and even worldwide is perhaps an extension of evolution’s dynamic.
Whereas evolution’s development has been manifested in exterior biology, more or less, it seems that humankind has now developed psychologically to the point where oppression/repression is now unacceptable.
When autocratic governments are abolished, I believe humankind will be enabled to live in a more productive manner with democracy and respect for Constitutional laws and human rights, a big step in human evolution.
I see that social equality is entwined in humankind’s spiritual aspirations, not separate and apart from it.
Frank, an addition from my perspective;
Evolution IS development, and development IS a binding imperative of the soul/mind/body. From the moment we are born, we are developing thru lines and levels of awareness. Think about it, you once crawled and said “ga-ga-goo-goo”, then, because you were developing/evolving, you stood then walked then talked. The new level of walking/talking transcends but includes the previous level, meaning, you can still crawl and say ga-ga, but now you say “mommy may I, please” and run like the wind; you’ve evolved to a new form. This proceeds through ego/rational body/mind development,which in most cases becomes exclusively identified with.
Consciousness, the Self, has been running the developmental show the entire time. Evolution is the imperative of the Self/Spirit/Brahman, wanting all souls to develop/evolve to realize conscious union in any single lifetime. But just because an individual has “mystical” experiences does not mean that their psycho-sexual-emotional bodies are developed and integrated in wholeness. The “spiritual” line of development is both a separate line, and the highest point of ALL lines of development. Have you ever met a really “spiritual” person who was emotionally immature? Morally corrupt,prejudice,sexist? I have! It’s important to recognize all lines of development as imperative to evolution’s unfolding, to Spirit’s unfolding in and as us, and not believe that simply because you can meditate and have “experiences” of witnessing awareness,that you are a “developed” spiritual person…that is the ego talking!
What’s happening in the M.E is the satus quo awareness enforced by the dictators is crumbling, and let’s hope a more global embrace takes its place;tribalism is still very much the game.
Take care!(;}
We must remember that all language is inherently limited when attempting to represent the Self in conversation,and so,even as I used “The One” in my above comment,it is only a mere referent,at best a symbol,and is therefore inadequate.Likewise, when “Being” or “Beingness” is used as a referent to the Self,or in opposition to “Becoming,” it is inadequate as an absolute statement,especially because Being and Becoming are Not-two.The Self is All simultaneously; the Self does not choose Being over Becoming, nor good over bad, nor this over that. Any preference of Being as superior or necessary first to Becoming is the opinion of the one commenting and nothing more.Think about it; What would “Being” BE if there were no “Becoming”?The one conditions the other, this is an unavoidable truth.
So when Andrew Cohen says “we are a process that is going somewhere,” he means Being and Becoming ARE THE PROCESS. That is, one cannot exist without the other inherently present and active as the process.There is no separating one from the other and any idea that this could be so is just that,an idea.Where there is stillness, there is movement; where dark,so there is light. The Creative Potencies ARE Pristine Awareness – Not-two! Being is not the subject and Becoming the object,this is a colossal error! The Self is the pure subject with no object, and “Being” is just a way to describe a memory or feeling or self-concept;all are objects that can be recalled.
That said,it is the radical engagement with the energies of Becoming that are the imperative issue,because the separate-self avoids transformation,fearing its own death.But as Andrew states,awareness that we are the process that is going somewhere is in the collective psyche & hence,unavoidable!Embrace it and Be Spirit’s Process!