EDITORIAL

Age of Convergence
Charles Ostman

Let’s assume that humanoid lifeforms, as a species and planetary civilization, are at the edge of an evolutionary test. Assume that we are approaching a threshold for which there is no known precedent. Traditional theoretical models accept certain specific inarguable conditions: (1) linear progression and systemic development of cultures, organizational complexity, and genetics are the precursor to our current existence status; and (2) no development or intervention by “external” means ever occurred. I would argue that neither of these conditions is necessarily true. In fact, an increasing body of evidence suggests alternative possibilities that directly defy the more traditionally “accepted” development and evolutionary models.

First, note that around the world and across myriad boundaries of race and cultures, people in all walks of life are currently responding to a profound sense of urgency. Our current existence is exposing us to increasing levels of complexity. We are becoming immersed in an environment where everything that affects our perceived existence is interconnected at all times. This interconnectiveness is accelerating in real time. We are experiencing an “existence velocity” never before encountered in human history!

Second, note the future projections from a myriad of ancient cultures around the world. Well over 60 different cultures on five continents – regardless of the unique nature of their linguistics, narrative methods, and styles of expression – constructed monuments using fantastic feats of engineering. They chronicled and depicted, in great detail, spectacular and significant events to be encountered in current or near current time. They inscribed highly sophisticated astronomical calculations detailing these events, often with technical skill that cannot be explained or duplicated to this very day. These inscriptions, foretelling events for the first third of the 21st century per the Julian calendar, show remarkable consistency. The question is, why?

Today we are at that edge of time specifically cited by this diverse collection of cultures. What we find are features of a current world that could not possibly be comprehended by the ancient cultures. Our future “existence” is currently being driven by synthetic biology, artificial lifeforms and intelligences, applied nanotechnology, cybernetic enhancements to the mind and body, and many other areas of already applied science that are redefining such basic concepts as "what is life, thought, or even consciousness itself?"

I believe that the evolution of living systems tends to be a trauma-induced process. When the periodicity and amplitude of the trauma cycle does not exceed the system’s capacity to respond, the system evolves to a more robust form.

Furthermore, like a fractal, this system dynamic tends to operate at all scales of interaction both large and small. For humans as a societal mechanism, this system dynamic affects the evolution of the individual, the family, the clan or tribe, on to entire civilizations. On a macro scale it extends to planets, and further extends to cosmological evolution.

I would argue, at this juncture in time, that a further extension of this process-dynamic model could be applied to spiritual evolution. This is what was chronicled as an approaching event horizon by various cultures at ancient monuments. Thus, it appears that we will be compelled as a requirement, to reach a stage of spiritual maturity. As an artifact of spiritual evolution, we will be absolutely confined to a system purge, like a system reset, but on a planetary scale. This is a logical system mechanism designed to purge and protect the integrity of a cosmological ecology. This is the message conveyed in ancient prophecies, told to various societal sampling sites millennia ago. This rapidly approaching evolutionary event horizon, currently referred to by some as the "singularity," is an era when artificial forms of life and intelligences will merge together with "naturally occurring" versions to become an operational ecology of our making.

Supporting evidence for this possibility exists in the organic compounds that have been spectro-graphically identified in regions of cosmic dust and related regions beyond our solar system. Specialists in the field of exobiology have found examples of life here on this planet that, by previous scientific criteria of only a few years ago, could not exist. This suggests that the “rules” for life occurring elsewhere are much more flexible than previously thought. Hence, I propose that life is absurdly common throughout the cosmos. We are not special or unique, but are part of a larger cosmological ecology. It is very likely that we are, in fact, the byproduct of a process I would refer to as intelligent panspermia, the artifact of a combination of our own unique genetic formulation and the intersection of “others” from somewhere else. This directly defies the traditional development and evolutionary models.

In closing, we are now facing an evolutionary test. It is one that occurs regularly on countless planets scattered throughout billions of galaxies. We are entering an age where at least potentially, accelerating technologies will converge with an emergent form of spiritual maturity. This combination will enable us to see our world, the cosmos, and ourselves holographically. I refer to this age as the age of convergence.

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About the Author

Charles Ostman is an active participant in the Millennium Project for Global Futures Studies and Research, a part of the American Council for the United Nations University. He has authored numerous technical papers and published articles, lectures frequently around the country and abroad, and has contributed content featured in a number of books, including CyberLife, Secrets, the SIRS Applied Sciences Journal, and is involved in various other authoring projects. He has been a featured guest and speaker from PBS Television to the nationally syndicated Coast to Coast AM. He has 25+ years experience in the fields of electronics, materials science, computing and artificial intelligence.

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FMBR Commentary

Both within the educated esoteric community and the modern new age movement there is much talk about major changes approaching within the coming decades; "end of the world," so to speak, as is pointed to by a number of traditions. Some of the evidence cannot be denied such as astrological and planetary changes. Yet what concerns me is not the truthfulness of the idea or the scale of the change. My concern is of the effect that this idea has on those who are captivated by it.

A wise friend once said on the subject: "We can speak as much as we want about the near end of the world, but for each person it means his personal end. And if you look at it this way, the value of each moment is penetrated by responsibility for the events in this life – for the way that you manage what was given to you by nature. This includes both your own abilities and capabilities (internal resources) and your attitude towards everything that surrounds us. This is why I prefer biosensory personal development, marked by the acceptance of the many-sidedness of life and by being conscious in your choice of actions.” The term biosensory is based on an interconnection of two words meaning elements: bio from the Greek bios (life), meaning in relation to biological objects; and sense from the Latin sentire (to perceive; feel), meaning by application of the sensing apparatus.

Whether the world will end tomorrow or in a billion years, the real question is how each of us will meet that moment. I think that if more of us would be concerned with this instead of other theoretical, sometimes interesting, but in the end irrelevant information, we would find ourselves to be completely different, and life would begin to become a little clearer. To begin to examine those "dirty corners" and the "abandoned attics" within ourselves is where real change begins, bringing us a tiny bit closer to what we long for the most – our real selves. These are the changes in consciousness that collectively could lead to a brighter, more sustainable world.

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