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'''Spiritual evolution''' is the [[philosophical]], [[theological]], [[esoteric]] or [[spiritual]] [[idea]] that [[nature]] and [[human being]]s and/or human [[culture]] evolve along a predetermined [[cosmological]] pattern or ascent, or in accordance with certain pre-determined [[potentials]].

'''Spiritual evolution''' is the [[philosophical]], [[theological]], [[esoteric]] or [[spiritual]] [[idea]] that [[nature]] and [[human being]]s and/or human [[culture]] evolve along a predetermined [[cosmological]] pattern or ascent, or in accordance with certain pre-determined [[potentials]].

This predeterminism of [[evolution]] [[concept]] is also complemented by the [[idea]] of a creative [[impulse]] in [[human being]]s, known as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epigenesis epigenesis].

This predeterminism of [[evolution]] [[concept]] is also complemented by the [[idea]] of a creative [[impulse]] in [[human being]]s, known as [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epigenesis epigenesis].

Within this broad definition, [[theories]] of spiritual evolution are very [[diverse]]. They may be cosmological (describing [[existence]] at large), [[personal]] (describing the development of the [[individual]]), or both. They can be holistic (holding that higher realities [[emerge]] from and are not reducible to the lower), [[idealist]] (holding that [[reality]] is primarily mental or spiritual) or [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nondual nondual] (holding that there is no [[ultimate]] distinction between [[mental]] and [[physical]] reality). All of them can be [[considered]] to be [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teleology teleological] to a greater or lesser [[degree]].

Within this broad definition, [[theories]] of spiritual evolution are very [[diverse]]. They may be cosmological (describing [[existence]] at large), [[personal]] (describing the development of the [[individual]]), or both. They can be holistic (holding that higher realities [[emerge]] from and are not reducible to the lower), [[idealist]] (holding that [[reality]] is primarily mental or spiritual) or [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nondual nondual] (holding that there is no [[ultimate]] distinction between [[mental]] and [[physical]] reality). All of them can be [[considered]] to be [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teleology teleological] to a greater or lesser [[degree]].

<center>For lessons on the [[topic]] of '''''[[Evolution]]''''', follow [https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Category:Evolution '''''this link'''''].</center>

<center>For lessons on the [[topic]] of '''''[[Evolution]]''''', follow [https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Category:Evolution '''''this link'''''].</center>

<center>For lessons on the related [[topic]] of (Spiritual) '''''Growth''''', follow [https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Category:Growth '''''this link'''''].</center>

<center>For lessons on the related [[topic]] of (Spiritual) '''''Growth''''', follow [https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Category:Growth '''''this link'''''].</center>

Philosophers, scientists, and educators that have proposed theories of spiritual evolution include [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_Schelling Schelling], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hegel Hegel], Max Théon, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henri_Bergson Henri Bergson], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudolf_Steiner Rudolf Steiner], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Aurobindo Sri Aurobindo], Jean Gebser, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Teilhard_de_Chardin Pierre Teilhard de Chardin], Owen Barfield, Arthur M. Young, Edward Haskell, E. F. Schumacher, Erich Jantsch, Clare W. Graves, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_North_Whitehead Alfred North Whitehead], Terence McKenna, P.R. Sarkar and contemporaries [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Irwin_Thompson William Irwin Thompson], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Swimme Brian Swimme], and [[Ken Wilber]].

Philosophers, scientists, and educators that have proposed theories of spiritual evolution include [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_Schelling Schelling], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hegel Hegel], Max Théon, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henri_Bergson Henri Bergson], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudolf_Steiner Rudolf Steiner], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Aurobindo Sri Aurobindo], Jean Gebser, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Teilhard_de_Chardin Pierre Teilhard de Chardin], Owen Barfield, Arthur M. Young, Edward Haskell, E. F. Schumacher, Erich Jantsch, Clare W. Graves, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_North_Whitehead Alfred North Whitehead], Terence McKenna, P.R. Sarkar and contemporaries [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Irwin_Thompson William Irwin Thompson], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Swimme Brian Swimme], and [[Ken Wilber]].

==Dynamic evolution==

==Dynamic evolution==

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_M._Young Arthur M. Young] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Haskell Edward Haskell] have each independently incorporated the findings of [[science]] into a larger [[theory]] of spiritual evolution, and extended the [[traditional]] human, animal, vegetable, and mineral categories with kingdoms representing photons, [[atoms]] and [[molecules]]. Arthur M. Young goes further in considering the human state as a subset of a larger kingdom of "Dominion", of which the sixth stage is represented for example by [[Christ]] and [[Buddha]], and the seventh (final) stage an even higher level of [[Enlightenment]] or God-realisation. Moreover, both Haskell and Young present [[profound]] accounts of evolution through these kingdoms in terms of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cybernetics cybernetic] principles. A more "[[mainstream]]" scientific presentation of this same [[idea]] is provided by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erich_Jantsch Erich Jantsch] in his consummate account of how self-organising [[systems]] evolve and develop as a series of "symmetry breaks" through the sequence of [[matter]], life, and [[mind]]. Although abiding strictly by the [[understanding]] of science, Jantsch arranges the various elements of [[cosmic]], [[planetary]], [[biological]], [[psychological]], and human evolution in a single overall framework of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergent_evolution emergent evolution] that may or may not be considered [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teleology teleological].

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_M._Young Arthur M. Young] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Haskell Edward Haskell] have each independently incorporated the findings of [[science]] into a larger [[theory]] of spiritual evolution, and extended the [[traditional]] human, animal, vegetable, and mineral categories with kingdoms representing photons, [[atoms]] and [[molecules]]. Arthur M. Young goes further in considering the human state as a subset of a larger kingdom of "Dominion", of which the sixth stage is represented for example by [[Christ]] and [[Buddha]], and the seventh (final) stage an even higher level of [[Enlightenment]] or God-realisation. Moreover, both Haskell and Young present [[profound]] accounts of evolution through these kingdoms in terms of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cybernetics cybernetic] principles. A more "[[mainstream]]" scientific presentation of this same [[idea]] is provided by [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erich_Jantsch Erich Jantsch] in his consummate account of how self-organising [[systems]] evolve and develop as a series of "symmetry breaks" through the sequence of [[matter]], life, and [[mind]]. Although abiding strictly by the [[understanding]] of science, Jantsch arranges the various elements of [[cosmic]], [[planetary]], [[biological]], [[psychological]], and human evolution in a single overall framework of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergent_evolution emergent evolution] that may or may not be considered [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teleology teleological].

==New Age ideas==

==New Age ideas==

[[New Age]] thought is strongly syncretic and based on a superficial but [[creative]] [[interpretation]] of previous [[spiritual]] and [[esoteric]] traditions, especially [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_philosophy Eastern thought], Theosophy, and popular (mis)interpretations of [[science]]. A common theme is the [[evolution]] or the [[transcendence]] of the human or [[collective]] planetary [[consciousness]] in a higher state or higher "vibratory" (a [[metaphor]] taken from [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G._I._Gurdjieff G. I. Gurdjieff]) level.

[[New Age]] thought is strongly syncretic and based on a superficial but [[creative]] [[interpretation]] of previous [[spiritual]] and [[esoteric]] traditions, especially [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_philosophy Eastern thought], Theosophy, and popular (mis)interpretations of [[science]]. A common theme is the [[evolution]] or the [[transcendence]] of the human or [[collective]] planetary [[consciousness]] in a higher state or higher "vibratory" (a [[metaphor]] taken from [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G._I._Gurdjieff G. I. Gurdjieff]) level.

Representative of [[New Age]] [[thought]], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Spangler David Spangler]]'s communications speak of a "New Heaven and a new Earth", while [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Hills Christopher Hills] refers (perhaps influenced by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Aurobindo Sri Aurobindo]) to the divinization of man.

Representative of [[New Age]] [[thought]], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Spangler David Spangler]]'s communications speak of a "New Heaven and a new Earth", while [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Hills Christopher Hills] refers (perhaps influenced by [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Aurobindo Sri Aurobindo]) to the divinization of man.

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Livingston_Seagull Jonathan Livingston Seagull] narrated the [[idea]] of [[evolution]] in a fascinating fashion. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Redfield James Redfield] in his [[novel]] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Celestine_Prophecy The Celestine Prophecy] suggested that through experiencing a series of [[personal]] [[spiritual]] [[insights]], [[humanity]] is becoming aware of the connection between our [[evolution]] and the [[Divine]]. More recently in his book God and the Evolving Universe: The Next Step in Personal Evolution (2002) co-written with [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Murphy_(author) Michael Murphy], he claims that [[humanity]] is on the verge of undergoing a [[change]] in [[consciousness]].

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Livingston_Seagull Jonathan Livingston Seagull] narrated the [[idea]] of [[evolution]] in a fascinating fashion. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Redfield James Redfield] in his [[novel]] [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Celestine_Prophecy The Celestine Prophecy] suggested that through experiencing a series of [[personal]] [[spiritual]] [[insights]], [[humanity]] is becoming aware of the connection between our [[evolution]] and the [[Divine]]. More recently in his book God and the Evolving Universe: The Next Step in Personal Evolution (2002) co-written with [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Murphy_(author) Michael Murphy], he claims that [[humanity]] is on the verge of undergoing a [[change]] in [[consciousness]].

==Integral theory==

==Integral theory==

An [[interpretation]] of [[social]] and [[psychological]] [[development]] that could also be considered a theory of spiritual evolution is [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiral_dynamics spiral dynamics], based on the work of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clare_W._Graves Clare W. Graves].

An [[interpretation]] of [[social]] and [[psychological]] [[development]] that could also be considered a theory of spiritual evolution is [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiral_dynamics spiral dynamics], based on the work of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clare_W._Graves Clare W. Graves].

More recently the [[concept]] of spiritual evolution has been given a sort of respectability it has not had since the early 19th century through the work of [[Ken Wilber]], in whose [[writings]] both the [[cosmological]] and the [[personal]] [[dimensions]] are described. In this [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integral_movement integral philosophy] (inspired in part by the works of Plotinus, Hegel, Sri Aurobindo, Eric Jantsch, and many others) reality is said to consist of several realms or stages, including more than one of the following: the [[physical]], the [[vital]], the [[psychic]], (after the Greek psyche, "[[soul]]"), the [[causal]] (referring to "that which causes, or gives rise to, the [[manifest]] world"), and the ultimate (or non-dual), through which the individual progressively evolves. Although this schema is derived in large part from [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tibetan_Buddhism Tibetan Buddhism], Wilber argues (and uses many tables of diagrams to show) that these same levels of being are common to all [[wisdom]] teachings. Described simplistically, Wilber sees [[humans]] developing through several stages, including [[magic]], mythic, pluralistic, and holistic mentalities. But he also sees [[cultures]] as developing through these stages. And, much like [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hegel Hegel], he sees this [[development]] of [[individuals]] and cultures as the [[evolution]] of [[existence]] itself. Wilber has also teamed up with [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Beck_(management_consultant) Don Beck] to integrate Spiral Dynamics into his own Integral philosophy, and vice versa.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiritual_evolution]

More recently the [[concept]] of spiritual evolution has been given a sort of respectability it has not had since the early 19th century through the work of [[Ken Wilber]], in whose [[writings]] both the [[cosmological]] and the [[personal]] [[dimensions]] are described. In this [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integral_movement integral philosophy] (inspired in part by the works of Plotinus, Hegel, Sri Aurobindo, Eric Jantsch, and many others) reality is said to consist of several realms or stages, including more than one of the following: the [[physical]], the [[vital]], the [[psychic]], (after the Greek psyche, "[[soul]]"), the [[causal]] (referring to "that which causes, or gives rise to, the [[manifest]] world"), and the ultimate (or non-dual), through which the individual progressively evolves. Although this schema is derived in large part from [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tibetan_Buddhism Tibetan Buddhism], Wilber argues (and uses many tables of diagrams to show) that these same levels of being are common to all [[wisdom]] teachings. Described simplistically, Wilber sees [[humans]] developing through several stages, including [[magic]], mythic, pluralistic, and holistic mentalities. But he also sees [[cultures]] as developing through these stages. And, much like [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hegel Hegel], he sees this [[development]] of [[individuals]] and cultures as the [[evolution]] of [[existence]] itself. Wilber has also teamed up with [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Beck_(management_consultant) Don Beck] to integrate Spiral Dynamics into his own Integral philosophy, and vice versa.[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiritual_evolution]

==See also==

==See also==

*'''''[[Evolution]]'''''

*'''''[[Evolution]]'''''

[[Category: Philosophy]]

[[Category: Philosophy]]

[[Category: Cosmology]]

[[Category: Cosmology]]