Is Self Awareness Evolutionary or Voluntary?
A newly born child can just lie where it is and kick its legs in the air. At some point, it turns over onto its stomach. This is followed by dragging itself forward. It progresses to crawling on its knees. Then, it attempts to stand. It falls again and again but does’nt give up. A brave attempt to stand holding onto a chair or stool and plop – it falls back on its bottom. A moment later, it tries again. Eventually it does stand up. It then attempts its first tentative step forward. It learns how to walk and later, it learns how to run. Of course, I refer to a normal and healthy child as it grows up. The development of our bodies is natural and spontaneous. Our growth in physical terms is not a result of conscious choice. Growth and evolution in physical terms from cradle to grave seem to be involuntary. Is it the case with our spiritual development? It seems unlikely. Awareness implies consciousness. It refers to the ability to be conscious and aware, to see things as they are. What if
