As I start out on my spiritual journey, I’d like to begin with this quote from Emily Dickenson: “The sailor cannot see the North, but knows the needle can.”
For most of my professional career as a futurist, I have relied on my mind to understand and navigate the future. I no longer have faith that the mind alone is sufficient for this task. We also need heart, soul and spirit if we are to understand where we are headed as a species.
I cannot scientifically prove we are pointed “spiritward” but, like the above quote from Emily Dickenson, I sense an “inner needle” pointing me in a direction different from most mainstream futurists.
For years, I have admired the work of fellow futurist John Hagel. One of his most personally influential pieces was an article he wrote on a concept he labeled “Spiritset”. (I strongly encourage you to give it a read.)
Perhaps more so than John, I am comfortable acknowledging my own mystical leanings and I readily identify myself as a contemplative Celtic Christian. I do not, however, expect you to either accept or even agree with my own belief that we are spiritual beings. In fact, I am setting out on a more in-depth and conscious spiritual journey in large part to probe the validity of my own beliefs.
Next week, I will share with you many of the “guides” who have heretofore influenced me and I would welcome hearing from you the names of people you believe have insights into the future direction of human evolution–whether you believe this direction to be spiritual, materialistic, something in between or, even, altogether different.
We are headed somewhere and it is time we give our whole selves to this vital issue.
