Some thoughts.

I just posted this response on a friend's blog -- Messes of Ben. It's a pretty good statement of one of the fundamental beliefs that inform and inspire my art, so I thought I'd repost it here.

Our species evolved the ability to make the most of any environment we set foot in, thus making us capable of living in almost any environment on Earth. (When I say make the most, read: utilize any and all resources for our own survival.) We can do this not because of physical ability, but because of our mental capacity - this is a quantum leap in the natural world, no other animals use their brains to the extent and effect that we do. Now, we are in a position where we have taken our particular evolutionary adaptation to the extreme. We don't simply utilize all resources in our environment for our survival - we exploit every single resource, including other humans, to amass wealth, status and power. Concepts that hold sway over us more than any other animal because of our advanced mental capacities - because of our minds.

I personally believe that as a species we are approaching another quantum leap, another advance in our evolution. If we don't, we will destroy ourselves, other species and the vitality of Earth for some time (certainly not forever, how arrogant of humanity to think we have that power!). The status quo of human behavior is headed down this road towards annihilation, but I don't think we'll get there - simply because I believe that Nature/The Universe/God/what-have-you doesn't intend it.

I think the creativity of Nature/God/The Universe will surprise us just the way good ideas do - they come in a flash! (You know what I'm talking about!) This is how evolution works in all species, there is a period of exponential growth then suddenly a quantum leap and transformation happens. I believe we're pushing ourselves as a species to a point of such friction this transformation will have to occur -- and it will have to occur in our MINDS and, here's the kicker, our SPIRITS.

Physical evolution to mental evolution to spiritual evolution. We will have to, as a species, transcend those concepts that hold such sway over the mind - wealth, status and power just to name a few - and what can transcend the body and the mind but spirit? We won't throw away our bodies and minds when we evolve spiritually, just as we didn't throw away our bodies when we evolved mentally - we will just add another dimension to our capabilities. We know humans are already spiritual, but just as there was a leap in our mental capacities to make us the humans we are now, there will be a leap in our spiritual capacities to make us the humanity we will become.

Thanks for listening!

C:

Oh!! And!! I had my first sale on Etsy last night! Thanks, Angela!  WHOO!! more exclamation marks--> !!!!!!!