Summary

• Creativity is the most important instrument confided to the consciousness of mankind. However, a possible ambivalence may result from a fragmented intention influencing the result of creations.
• During some 6000 years, humanity went through periods of intense creativity both in a material and spiritual sense. However, there were also periods of decadence and decline. After the Renaissance period a crucial change occurred. A new ideal, which is almost uniquely founded on Materialism lead mankind to the untenable extreme conditions of today’s world.
• For the first time in the history of mankind creativity is driven by an almost purely materialistic ideal. Moreover, this ideal has been degraded to idols. The history of civilisation shows periods where great material creations have fallen into disuse while spiritual creations persisted and remained identical. The behavior of human beings faced with catastrophes reveals that Universal Wisdom continues to reside in the hearths of everyone and can lead us beyond any personal interest. Do we always need a crisis to wake up?  
• Creativity, which takes its source in the Hearth and stimulates the consciousness of every individual and humanity, will loose its ambivalent character. It will therefore become the most important access route to the Supreme Ideal, which will initiate a phenomenal force of cohesion creating a new Humanity

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CREATIVITY of HUMANITY

The ambivalence of Creativity

Creativity is the free expression of human talents in the creation of things. It is the source of all solutions. It is the most powerful instrument at the disposition of mankind.

A generally accepted definition of creativity indicates that it is about a capacity to imagine original and enhanced solutions irrespective of the domain (Encyclopedia Larousse). This definition seems rather restrictive because it does not explain what a capacity to imagine really is. Do we all have this capacity or is it solely the privilege of a few? Does creativity always manifest itself through solutions and are these solutions always an improvement?

Diagram 1: the ambivalence of Creativity

The fragmented intention induces ambivalence between the noble intentions of the hearth and the egocentric desires. It is important not to underestimate the influence of this ambivalence which generates hidden intentions. In conclusion, the ego has the capacity to change the original nature of the intention for its own benefit or even completely ignore it. Often the result does not show the initial intention nor does it reveal the interior conflict.

Whatever its nature, the intention activates the mental process to give it the shape of its manifestation, either in the abstract or spiritual universe or in the material or concrete world.

Clearly, creativity seems much more complex and subtle than the generally accepted notion.

In order to better understand this process, let’s observe creativity with regard to the evolution of human civilisation. This will allow us at the end of this paper to propose a much wider and profound vision for the future.

The influence of an Ideal on Creativity and Civilisation

The concept of an Ideal has intrigues philosophers for a long time. There exists no exhaustive or complete definition. The reason is probably that an ideal can have its origin beyond our sensorial or intellectual capacities. The Ideal is more a shared feeling which creates a consensus in consciousness. Nevertheless, it is possible to describe an ideal partially and its realisation in the concrete or abstract world is perfectly feasible. An elevated ideal is often characterised by noble and pure intentions. Such an ideal creates a force of cohesion, gathers, aligns and re-unites mankind.

Obviously, there are also many tangible ideals where the definition does not create any problem. For example, the declaration of Human Rights is perfectly well defined. It’s still fragmented application represents merely the difficulties of the process to accomplish this ideal.

Every creation finds its source in an ideal of perfection. For as long as the consciousness remains centered and aligned with the ideal, the manifestation will be in accordance with the essence of the ideal. However, sometimes the essence of the ideal is deviated to serve the ego and its needs and expectations.

It is interesting to observe the different ideals that have inspired creativity through the main episodes of the development of civilisation.

Diagram 2, below provides a short history of our civilization.

Diagram 2, Evolution of Civilisation.

Before the start of civilisation, mankind has lived a long time in osmosis with Nature and was inspired by an animist consciousness close to the essence of Life.

Suddenly, people grouped together and rooted themselves in different regions and progressively abandoned their spiritual ideas and the harmony with nature. A new ideal would introduce itself into the human consciousness. This ideal directed the creativity towards a very advanced level of material realisation. In less than three thousands years, cities arose, temples and pyramids and other gigantic works reaching a level of sophistication and mastering of material matters. During the same period the organisation of community life inspired a more abstract creativity such as the creation of writing, organisational and governing systems and the collection of taxes. In the Western world, around the year 2000 B.C., the first recognised great prophet, Abraham, introduced the basic elements of a Universal Spiritual Ideal.

Some thousand years later Moose elevated, amplified and re-enforced this ideal.

After the departure of Moose (around 1250 B.C), the Egyptian empire lost its ideal which lead to a complete decline of its formidable material advancement and the evolution of civilisation in this area. For almost a thousand years Egypt lapsed into decadence until the arrival of the Greeks (300 B.C). During this same period the spiritual Ideal reached a remarkable perfection in the Oriental world through the teachings of Buddha (650 B.C) and Lao Tse (300 B.C), the great founders of Buddhism and Taoism.

In the West the ambition to conquer the world made Alexander the Great the initiator of geopolitical expansion, followed two centuries later by the formidable Roman colonial expansion. These expansions were merely driven by economic ideals.

In this context of expansion, turbulence and disruption, Jesus Christ arrived to reveal and incarnate a Supreme Ideal stimulating and activating the power of Comapssion. His message was also uniquely clear that only a Spiritual Ideal can lead mankind to its supreme accomplishment. He showed that every individual has possibilities equal to Himself to achieve the same accomplishments and even more. His crucifixion and resurrection testify that the Ideal is well beyond a person and cannot be changed or replaced by an idol. His message traced the Ideal of the Future, which inspires the practical action of every day. Christianity spread very rapidly through the Roman Empire, the Middle East and Europe.

Almost 600 years later, the prophet Mohammed created the Muslim Religion, which expanded first through the Middle East and later Africa. All great religions and spiritual philosophies were now created.

During the same period the Roman Empire collapsed completely and Europe slipped into a profound sleep deprived of any creativity or ideal. The middle Ages proved a fertile ground for the Muslim and Christian religions to carry their ideals through a mission of expansion. The process of conversion was conducted through periods of purification, eradication and many conflicts. The result was a strong institutionalisation of both religions manifested by an organised command structure as well as a proliferation of holy places. The religious power was strongly enforced by its marriage with political power in order to assure an almost total domination over all territories, people, and all domains of creativity and knowledge.

In Europe, towards the end of the Middle Ages (around 1500), the power and dogmatism of the Church had choked all creativity not aligned with the religious doctrine. A totalitarian regime always creates dissidents, and several visionaries had the courage to create an opposition.  Copernicus explained the movement of the celestial bodies and Galileo produced the first laws of movement, which constituted the basis for the Newtonian physics. In the mean time Christopher Columbus returned safely from his voyage westbound, thereby opening maritime navigation in all wind directions. In less than one century, almost the entire world was discovered, the start of an era of colonialisation and exploitation on all continents. Global commerce was firmly rooted.

Diagram 3, below, provides a short synopsis of the expansions of civilisation and its periods of decadence.

Diagram 3, the expansions of Civilisation

From a philosophical perspective, towards the end of the Renaissance period, it was Descartes who first proclaimed the divorce between Science and the Church. This position was very well received by most of the European society. This radical divorce stimulated the basic principles of modern science, entirely founded on an objective perspective with regard to matter and a desire to control all phenomena. A new Ideal was born. It was an Ideal introducing the belief that all that exists can be explained, controlled and managed. This Ideal continuous to drive civilisation today.

In less than 200 years the conditions were created for a fundamental revolution in almost all areas of civilisation. Some examples:

·    The Industrial Revolution continuous its exponential acceleration.

·    Science has diversified to all areas of life and some disciplines are believed to have reached some of their limits (e.g. physics).

·    The feudal political system transformed through numerous revolutions into a predominantly democratic system.

·    Commercial transactions and financing have become more and more sophisticated, resulting in today’s truly global almost virtual economy.

·    The creation of the United States, originally founded on an almost spiritual ideal, the Declaration of Independence manifests its divine nature  

Where are we today?

It is important to remember that this new Ideal emerged from opposition against the domination and dogmatism of the Church, representing the spiritual world. This opposition generated a strong refusal to accept even the slightest spiritual influence with regard to the conception of Life and its principal domains of existence. This Ideal was uniquely founded on Materialism. It could be the first time in history of mankind that an Ideal was void of its spiritual aspect.

Virtually all creativity is therefore now directed and focused essentially on Materialism. This unbridled enthusiasm, without boundaries generated a turbulence of effects often detrimental for humanity and the planet.

What we observe here is a process turning an original Ideal towards the benefit of the ego.

In the early stages of a creation, the perfect ideal diffuses, inspires and manifests its essence, permeating the character and nature of all that emerges in a concrete or abstract manner. Next, over time a progressive slippage occurs. The essence of the Ideal drifts towards an idealisation of the Ideal carried forward or projected on the object or the person which represents this ideal. The object or the person which personifies the original creation is therefore idealised and given more and more power. The users or admirers finish by characterizing, incensing and worshipping the object or the person as an idol. People will then adapt or more often attempt to receive the benefits and favors, acknowledging a unique power to the object or the person, obviously not transferable to the self.  This process of idealisation generates within people imperious sentiments of need, lacking something, desire, jealousy, frustration, possession, greed and idolatry. This phenomenon also has the capacity to gather and connect people temporarily

Let’s take money as an example. Originally, the perfect ideal allowed money to facilitate and simplify exchanges between individuals and exchanges of merchandise. Slowly, money became idealized, the original intention turned into a means of power and to exercise power. Money became an idol, an idol of power, buying power.

Similar processes appear in all the domains of existence. Let’s consider a few more examples and the implications and consequences of this ideal-to-idol process in today’s world.

·    The economy dominates the thinking and behavior of people and focuses the mind on buying power and economic value. This creates a fear of shortfall and insecurity through an obsession of protection and possession. Despite the growth of the world economy poverty and unfairness continue to increase. Money has become an idol.

·    The disastrous consequences of the ecology are now well identified. Nevertheless, there is no coherent global strategy, nor a coordinated global management or a shared responsibility to face the situation. Although matters are slowly changing, ecologists are still considered Idealists (in the wrong sense of the word). We don’t even have an Idol in this area.

·    The generalised individualism and indifference is extending and increasing more and more the social fragmentation. A social collective ideal has been replaced by self interests often reflecting the worshipping of idols.

The original Materialistic Ideal has been degraded and transformed to the benefit of idols which dominate and make people blind. This usurpation drives mankind to extreme limits, which threaten seriously the entire civilization in many aspects.

Clearly, it is the Ideal entirely based on Materialism that drives us to these extremes and creates the conditions for the current period of decadence (absence of an Ideal)

The history of civilisation reveals that all great Ideals always contained a spiritual and material dimension. It has always been the material creation that went into decline accompanied by a period of decadence. However, the spiritual Ideal, based on Universal Wisdom has always remained unchanged since the origin of time. This Ideal exists and will always exist.

How do we recognise this Ideal? It suffices to observe the behavior of people confronted with an urgent situation as a consequence of sudden tragic events or natural disasters. Under these conditions people forget instantaneously there own conditions beyond all personal and social considerations and beyond all differences in beliefs and cultures. People re-unite naturally in total and perfect evenness. On these occasions something extraordinary happens: the ego, the mind and the cortege of fears disappear spontaneously, the hearth opens, delivering its Ideal and generates a phenomenal force and energy.

How can we stimulate this consciousness, which is evidently in all of us, without the shock trigger? In numerous areas people are already in a state of shock, but most refuse to recognize or admit it. A new consciousness is required and without this raised consciousness humanity will witness the collapse of the current civilization. Only the Vision of an elevated Ideal of the Heart, based on Universal Wisdom, can enlighten us and make this new consciousness alive.

Vision of the Ideal for the future

Today, we don’t have to create an Ideal; it is sufficient to surface the Ideal that resides in the hearts of mankind and to amplify its vibrations as one goes along. The global Vision will result from this Ideal and will give it a coherent shape. 

The Ideal of the Future will bring us back at every instant to the present. The distance that separates us from the Ideal of the future is the time that we take to integrate this Ideal, to become this Ideal and to realise it.

The evolution process tends to reveal itself to firsts who become aware of “The Ideal of the Future”. Those will maintain the consciousness of the Ideal in the present, well beyond utopian consideration by the rest of mankind. Because, this utopia today is the seed of tomorrow’s reality. The more this collective awareness is stimulated, the more the seed is amplified, nourished and grown until it becomes obvious for a growing majority of people that this is the right and natural Ideal for Mankind.

What would a Supreme Ideal for Mankind look like?

This Supreme Ideal will be a civilisation essentially based on Universal Wisdom. Mankind will return to a state of harmony with Life and the Planet. Obviously, this Supreme Ideal will also represent a perfect balance between Science and Consciousness and Spirit and Matter.

Creativity, having its source in the Hearth and stimulating the consciousness of everyone, will loose its ambivalent nature and will become the most important access route to this Ideal, which will manifest a phenomenal force of cohesion.

Diagram 4 below provides an indication of what might be the important stages towards this Ideal.

Alliance du Coeur, July 2007