Shamanic Wisdom: The Sources of Cosmic Meaning
Shamanic Wisdom: The Sources of Cosmic Meaning Jan Engels-Smith
The universe is an entity — a fully integrated system consisting of interdependent elements that lack meaning except in the context of the whole. Humankind has attempted to fragment the components of this singular body in a vain effort to decipher meaning from pieces and parts, but our struggles have only contributed to confusion and failure.
The history of civilization is blessed with discoveries and inventions that have made life less of a physical challenge, extending the lengths of our lives and giving us many creature comforts. Reason and intellect have allowed us to move forward on these fronts, and our technologies seem to have no limits in their potentials.
However, this “progress” has also been tempered by continuing conflict among races, religions, political ideologies, and nations. We have contended with nature for dominance, and our failure to respect our unity with all life has created a degradation of our environment and a crisis of dangerous climate change.