What is really Evolution? And what is human evolution in
particular? Is Evolution same as Transformation or Change? Is Evolution
automatic or is there any effort involved? Is it a Conscious process or an
unconscious process or both? Can Evolution be accelerated? What are the tools
of Evolution if it is a Conscious process? Does one need any help from
anybody to evolve? Does Evolution have any limit or Goal? Does Evolution end?
Why should one evolve? Do we have any choice? What if one does not evolve?
These are some of the many questions that have been bombarding
me constantly for several years now and I am still trying find convincing
answers about Evolution in my own way. I shall attempt to share what I have
understood so far thus:
Evolution is inner growth in several dimensions - physical,
mental, emotional, moral, spiritual especially when referred to a human
being. Physical evolution consumes several million years takes very long.
It is said in our scriptures, it takes the soul or Being to go through
8.4 million yonis (bithplace of any living being, the vulva of the species) to
evolve into a human being. That is it takes 84,00,000 species for a single-cell
organism to evolve or become into a human being and that takes several millions
of years. Thus every human being according to our scriptures has travelled
quiet a distance so far. This agrees with Darwin's theory also. But Darwin's
theory does not talk about Evolution after the stage of human being. So
the physical body that we have can only decay or disintegrate but cannot
evolve. So this is about physical evolution.
I don't think evolution and change are same though evolution
involves change. Even decaying or disintegrating involves change but that
cannot be called as evolution. May be Evolution can be called as Change for the
better or improved situation. Changes may refer to the external s while
evolution pertains to something inside, let's call it Being. The Being in every
species is the one which evolves. While Change is automatic but Evolution is
automatic to a certain extent. For example: according to my Spiritual Master,
evolution is automatic up to the level of human being. But after the level of
human being there is much more evolution yet to happen, that is called
spiritual evolution. But Nature wants now only willing participants for further
evolution. The choice is given to opt for evolution or not at the level of
human being fortunately or unfortunately by Nature. Perhaps that is the reason
why there is apparent chaos around us. Or perhaps there is order in the chaos
where we need a refined a sense of perception.
So it is clear that there are always some evolutionary forces
that are trying to pulls us up and also there are always anti-evolutionary
forces that are always trying to pull us down. And we are in between. The fact
that who we are with - evolutionary forces or anti-evolutionary forces-
determines our level of evolution. And this is exactly where the Effort plays
the role to be always with the evolutionary forces. And that is where the role
of all spiritual practices comes. Spiritual practices can be termed as tools of
Conscious effort to align with the forces of evolution or Nature. Because
Nature or Creation itself is still evolving. Creation is not done and it is
still continuing. And the conscious effort is possible only at the human level
and NOT in other sub-human levels where the evolution is automatic. No effort
is involved at sub-human levels. No effort at the human level can pull human
being being to devolve into sub-human levels or continue at the human level
till he naturally evolves. The conscious efforts or spiritual practices only
hasten the process of evolution as they are aligned with Nature or Creation.
Unconscious evolution applies to all human beings and is always there. But the
conscious effort or process speeds up the process of evolution that is aligned
with Nature. Thus evolution of human being can be accelerated only if one is
willing. Why should man be interested to evolve? Because it is the very nature of
Nature to evolve. And no living being can afford to go against the Nature as we
pay the price for it, again naturally.
Assuming that Conscious process or Effort hastens the evolution,
what are the tools that we can use? All normal human beings have gross body
(physical body), subtle body (that consists mainly of mind, intellect ego
and consciousness) and the causal body (the soul). Now among these bodies, the
subtle body is something that evolves and that determines the overall evolution
or the inner growth of the being. For most of us human beings, if not all these
subtle bodies viz., mind, intellect, ego and consciousness are in a corrupt
state/impure state. Unless these faculties are refined or purified there is no
desired evolution. They are called subtle because they do exist but cannot be
seen with the physical eye. Here there are various tools such as Meditation,
Yoga and other spiritual practices suited to each one's mind-set that can
contribute to refining/purifying these subtle bodies to restore to their
original state when they were created. This is evolution.
Why should we be willing to evolve? To be with the Nature or in
tune with Nature. For we cannot go against Nature. What happens if we do not
evolve? We either stay there where we are now or we devolve into sub-human
levels as it amounts to falling down. And falling down in any context does not
involve any effort at all. What happens if we evolve? Especially the human
being is always enjoy peace, tranquility, stillness, Love, Bliss in spite of
the challenges that the being faces. The very act of participating in the
Nature's evolutionary process gives all these privileges and helps us to face
the challenges boldly and effectively which in turn again contribute in our
evolution/growth further.
Is there any limit to evolution? It appears there is absolutely
no limit to evolve. And it is spiritual evolution that is the fastest than
other levels. And hence the need to lay the emphasis upon. In fact we do not
have choice to evolve though apparently it appears that we have an option. It
is only that we go down for a while only to realize that it is essential to
evolve and we come back. No being can go against Nature or Creation as it is
the integral part of it. And the faster the human being realizes that he does
not have choice, faster is his evolution, for he would involve in the process
consciously making necessary efforts. Evolution is innate in every being.
Can anybody help in the process of evolution? Yes. Like we seek
an adept in any field to excel, we do have fortunately the adepts apart from
the scriptures that can guide us to evolve in this process. One cannot select
the adept with his limited faculties and abilities, so one should wait in a
particular way for the adept to pick us up. And when he/she appears, the being
will intuitively know and recognize. And that is the moment we start a new
journey in this evolutionary process. Finding an adept is as if the problem is
mostly solved. Most of the time gets invested in preparation only. May the
Adepts find all the seekers at the earliest! And pray that All Beings evolve to
the highest possible limit in this very incarnation.
