Consciousness and Compassion

Consciousness arises even in molecules, in atoms, as clinging. It is an impulse to endure or belong, which only appears fleetingly when outside forces force them to “let go” – as when water molecules let go of a melting snowflake. Certainly this is true in people (and many other creatures) who do not appear to appreciate belonging until they feel vulnerable in some way. But if all consciousness is local, perhaps consciousness also arises when we have some sense of another beings’ consciousness. What we know about the “wood wide web” which connects plant and tree roots to their neighbors and families suggests that this awareness runs deep (no pun intended) throughout evolution. There even may be elements of compassion in this woody local consciousness, but that may be an anthropomorphic projection upon other beings, just as we project “fearfulness” upon so many animals as part of their essential character. Still, compassion is the element of consciousness that we humans must cultivate in ourselves if we are to save the planet.