The following Bill Plotkin quote is from ION’s Shift magazine, No 19, June-August 2008, page 9:
"Over the past two hundred years, industrial civilization has been relentlessly undermining Earth’s chemistry, water cycles, atmosphere, soils, oceans, and thermal balance. Plainly said, we have been shutting down the major life systems of our planet. Compounding the ecological crisis are decaying economies, ethnic and class conflict, and worldwide warfare. Entwined with, and perhaps underlying, these devastations are epidemic failures in individual human development.

True adulthood, or psychological maturity, has become an uncommon achievement in Western and Westernized societies, and genuine elderhood nearly nonexistent. Interwoven with arrested personal development, and perhaps inseparable from it, our everyday lives have drifted vast distances from our species’ original intimacy with the natural world… “

I strongly agree with this Bill Plotkin quote, particularly underlining his points that “underlying these devastations are epidemic failures in individual human development --- true adulthood, or psychological maturity, has become an uncommon achievement in Western and Westernized societies, genuine elderhood nearly nonexistent…”

Nothing about the direction that we are going in, that Plotkin points to in his statement above, will change until a significant number (most often estimated at a minimum of 10%) of the adults in Western and Westernized societies shift their consciousness to higher levels. The only scientifically proven way to accomplish this shift requires healthy, self actualizing adults doing consistent formless meditation beginning with at least 4 disciplined years and going on from there. Even then only a small percentage of meditators will accomplish a shift in the initial four years. Others will require longer.

Complete information on optimal psychological development during adulthood, where our potential stalls out and why, is in Mind, Thought & Consciousness Part I & Part II. Complete information on formless meditation practice is in Shamata Meditation classes and Meditation Practice. There is no faster, or more direct way to shift your consciousness than Shamata practice. Engage in an effort to WAKE UP NOW. Nothing else will make a difference. Everything else is just window dressing, politics as usual. Those who are able, try harder NOW. The people who shift their consciousness higher are the people who will dream... and facillitate... those changes that are urgently needed on our planet Earth going forward, for as long as it is habitable by humans.
Lama la, June 2008

Wilber - There isn't a single pregiven world lying around out there waiting for all and sundry to see. Different phenomenological worlds - real worlds - More ..."

Visit the KTC Blog
A source for KTC: news and photos covering recent events, last minute schedule changes, important thoughts, and more for our Sangha and friends .....

"There's something happening here. What it is ain't exactly clear. There's a Lama with a pen over there. Telling me I got to beware. I think it's time we start Marinating Here."

Join our mailing list; Contact us ...
Keep up with important happenings at KTC: news, programs, Blog posts, events, classes, and more..... We rely upon you to check our website, including our calendar. We do not send out frequent emails...

KTC Member Library Online
So you can see some of the books that we use, the KTC Member Library is now online. The library site currently is a very large page. The site works best if you have a broadband internet connection and a reasonably fast computer. It is not suitable for dialup and/or an old computer unless you have patience. Introduction; Recent Adds

Reference Guide for Students and Teachers of Comparative Religion