Perhaps best known for the video, Global Brain, principal interest is the deeper, spiritual significance of the times we are passing through. He has written several books in this area -- The TM Technique, The Upanishads, The Brain Book, The Global Brain Awakens, The Creative Manager, The Consciousness Revolution, Waking Up in Time, and From Science to God.
::::::::
Peter Russell,
M.A., D.C.S., F.S.P.
Peter Russell is a fellow of the Institute of Noetic Sciences, of The World Business Academy and
of The Findhorn Foundation, and
an Honorary Member of The Club
of Budapest.
At Cambridge University (UK), he studied
mathematics and theoretical physics. Then, as he became increasingly
fascinated by the mysteries of the human mind he changed to experimental
psychology. Pursuing this interest, he traveled to India to study
meditation and eastern philosophy, and on his return took up the first
research post ever offered in Britain on the psychology of meditation.
He also has a post-graduate degree in computer science, and conducted
there some of the early work on 3-dimensional displays, presaging by
some twenty years the advent of virtual reality.
In the
mid-seventies Peter Russell joined forces with Tony Buzan and helped
teach "Mind Maps"
and learning methods to a variety of international organizations and
educational institutions.
Since then his corporate programs have
focused increasingly on self-development, creativity, stress management,
and sustainable environmental practices. Clients have included IBM,
Apple, Digital, American Express, Barclays Bank, Swedish Telecom, ICI,
Shell Oil and British Petroleum.
His principal interest is the
deeper, spiritual significance of the times we are passing through. He
has written several books in this area -- The TM Technique,
The Upanishads, The Brain Book, The Global Brain
Awakens, The
Creative Manager, The Consciousness
Revolution, Waking
Up in Time, and From
Science to God.
As one of the more revolutionary futurists
Peter Russell has been a keynote speaker at many international
conferences, in Europe, Japan and the USA. His multi-image shows and
videos, The Global
Brain and The
White Hole in Time have won praise and prizes from around the
world. In 1993 the environmental magazine Buzzworm voted Peter Russell
"Eco-Philosopher Extraordinaire" of the year.
He is 23,297. days
old. Your age in days.
Notes from the interview:
corporate
work
any philosophy that's worth it's salt has got be expressible in
down to earth terms.
Global Brain Video; the whole Gaia
hypotheses that the whole earth is a living system. What is humanity
doing here. If everything on the planet fits in, here we have a species
that is a young upstart. What are we doing. We are the information
processors-- we are like neurons in a global brain. Had just finished
university work on networking-- internet didn't exist then-- the nerve
cells of the global brain were going to become more and more connected.
Saw parallels with how brain wires itself up. And spiritual work-- had
been to India a few years earlier. Crucial thing needed was a widespread
awakening of human consciousness.
Now we have the internet, but
where's the consciousness?
The internet could be a tool in that--
that could further wisdom.
The video was almost accidental.
peter
russell version on youtube.
Tielhard De Chardin
Geosphere--
Biosphere
No-osphere level of thinking going on accross the whole
planet.
bottom up 16:00
growing up-- local
connection to a handful of people, then 20-30 local people. plus pen
friend.
Didn't have any other interaction beyond my immediate social
network.
Didn't have input of being able to chat with someone from
Taiwan or Australia daily.
We are much more global in our thinking,
much more aware of the environmental issue.
More compassion for
different people, different cultures
Growing realization that there
has to be a widespread shift in consciousness. --awakening, liberation,
freeing of consciousness-
More creative thinking-- INternet provides a
basis for that.
What interests me particularly-- how do we awaken
consciousness to it's full potential. There are so many opportunities
for that. ... 19:00
What happens when we do wake up a lot of the
human race
dealing with Fear
shift in consciousness.
--awakening, liberation, freeing of consciousness-Â things limit our
awareness
Deep inside we have a tremendous source of peace,
compassion, love, wisdom
This is what I call natural mind-- the
natural state, before we get caught up in our thinking, anxiety, worry,
etc. and all that stuff.
We're so busy that we don't notice that
quieter state.
All spiritual practices are about unwinding, letting
go of the grip. When we do there's this feeling of release. this state
of okay-ness, contentment- that sense of I'm feeling okay, I don't need
to go or do anything else.
Dali Lama quote.
what
we're looking for is our own inner essence.
meditation technique
I evolved myself...  TM, then Buddhist techniques of mindfulness--
being conscious of what's happening-- breath or feelings come up.
The
practice I've developed
practice of profound simplicity-- to
completely let the mind relax-- relax into your experience in the
moment. Once people get it the mind can very quickly settle down. .
It's
teaching people an attitude of mind. As soon as you start to TRY to
meditate it messes things up.
The best way to describe it is an
untraining of mind.
When it comes to meditation, the less you try
the better.
clips on website on website under
meditation.
Three minute meditation
peopleÂ
think they shouldn't be thinking in meditation.
Wrong. You always
have thoughts, even the most experienced monks do.
The skill is how
you deal with the thoughts-- recognize-- aha- there's a thought. Just
notice it. Oh, I've just gotten lost in a thought for a moment.
Then
come back to the moment-- to the breathing, or some subtler sensation
in some feeling or in the body... or just noticing an experience of
presence...
Decoupliing from trying, wanting...  don't go for
trying to make it better.
It's being fully at ease with what is.
Not with the world, or the situation in your own life. There are
manythings we should not be okay with. WHen I talk about being at ease
with what is, I mean your experience of being in the moment.
The
principle of letting go is a part of every spiritual tradition around
Most
excited now: Aspect of physics and consciousness-- idea that comes up
in many metaphysical traditions around the world-- mind, spirit
consciousness-- When somebody from a scientific bent, their response is
Pheh-- rubbish
Everything is mental, spiritual in nature-- not
physical.
Science doesn't realize that it points to that truth.
I
see god as not some external being but as our own inner essence.
New
paradigm-- consciousness is already there-- an inner aspect to
everything that exists.
It isn't that consciousness suddenly arises.
With the richness of evolution.
Like planet Pandora in movie
Avatar.
David Chalmers consciousness
Christian De Quincey
The
Key word here is panpsychism-- means all is mind-- everything has mind--
in greek.
Shows in a way that we're all connected in a way... this
is saying we share something in common on a psychic level.
Tying
world's problems with his models-- all comes back to human thinking,
limited, shortsighted, misdirected way of our thinking.
Heroes:
James
Lovelock-- started Gaia hypothesis-- how's been since then, really
sticking to his position on the environment.
Adya Shanti teacher in
bay area is somebody who is clearly awake and is a good teacher and he
is humble with it and compassionate.
Compassionate teachers are what
we really need.
Final words for interview
Be kind to one another.
Authors Bio:One theme has run through my work for the past 40 plus years-- a desire to play a role in waking people up, raising their consciousness and empowering them.
I was the organizer founder of the Winter Brain, Optimal Functioning and Positive Psychology and StoryCon Meetings and president of Futurehealth, Inc., with interests in Positive Psychology as well as being involved in the field of biofeedback/neurofeedback since 1972.
see my more detailed bio, reflecting my work in biofeedback, here.
In 2003 I founded www.OpEdNews.com , where I've written over 1800 articles and have published over 100,000 other people's writings, with the goal of raising people's consciousness in political and activist ways.