"Our universe is an evolutionary process. It gives rise to progressively greater levels of complexity, from atoms to stars and solar systems, and finally to a unique planet like ours, which can produce a whole living world. Isn't this amazing? Here on Earth, we have the biological evolution of diverse ecosystems, millions of species and innumerable individual life forms. Our own species has developed cultural evolution. A special case of cultural evolution is the development of excellence, creativity, mastery and wisdom — qualities found in highly evolved humans such as Buddha, Bach, Gandhi or Einstein.
"The global ecological crisis is also the defining spiritual crisis of the human species. We are being challenged as a species, to 'grow up or get out of the way.' Our old social patterns have pitted personal well-being against that of others. The self-interest of the nation state still supersedes the collective well-being of humanity, as every global summit that purports to be concerned with humanity's future confirms. Meanwhile, the new reality of ecological overshoot exposes how radically interdependent we are with the whole living world. All kinds of old stories of our separation from the natural world have brought us to where we are now.
"The challenge is to create a new story that brings together the best of science with the best of the non-dual spiritual traditions — Buddhism, Advaita Vedanta, Taoism, Sufism and other mystical traditions. By looking deeper than the duality of a God who created the universe, deeper than the duality of a nirvana to which we can escape from earthly samsara, and deeper than the duality of scientific materialism, we recognize that the universe is a self-aware creative process. This pure creative potentiality is in us too. It can awaken and free itself from the limiting identities and games of the human condition.
"At the edge of the roof, we need to be exquisitely mindful. We need to know our values. That makes for clarity and good decisions. Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh coined the term Engaged Buddhism. He points out that love and connection are the heart of spiritual ecology:
" 'When we recognize the virtues, the talent, the beauty of Mother Earth, something is born in us, some kind of connection — love is born. We want to be connected. That is the meaning of love, to be at one. . . . You would do anything for the benefit of the Earth, and the Earth will do anything for your well-being.' "
