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In LOVE with Humanity

A tribute to some of humanity’s greatest Heroes; 153 men & women who have chosen, via their brave words &/or noble deeds, to reflect the deeper Greatness residing within us all

A tribute to some of humanity’s greatest Heroes; 153 men & women who have chosen, via their brave words &/or noble deeds, to reflect the deeper Greatness residing within us all

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Hero #129: Brian Swimme<br />

Born in 1950, Swimme obtained a PhD in mathematics from the University of Oregon<br />

(1978), and is currently a member of the faculty of the California <strong>In</strong>stitute of <strong>In</strong>tegral Studies<br />

in San Francisco, where he teaches evolutionary cosmology to graduate students. He has<br />

also authored several books related to the field of cosmogenesis, among them The Universe<br />

is a Green Dragon and The Hidden heart of the Cosmos …<br />

Though he was a mathematician by training, Swimme far transcended the traditional<br />

boundaries of that discipline. Combining human insight <strong>with</strong> scientific discoveries in<br />

astronomy, geology and biology, he offers a science story of humanity's origins, its current<br />

place in the cosmos, and its destiny that are far more encompassing and far more noble than<br />

current, weather-worn scientific models allow. Swimme believes that humanity's epic<br />

journey is much more than a mere collection of historical facts & biological data; that<br />

science can and should be every student's guide to a far grander worldview -- a view that<br />

includes the interactive presence of morals, meaning, values, and purpose.<br />

―I have a sense that something amazing is at work ... I think our planet is actually<br />

moving into a time of profound harmony and fecundity and peace ... As we humans begin to<br />

take seriously the planetary dimension of conscious self-awareness, we will become<br />

harmonized versions of natural selection — we will begin to make decisions <strong>with</strong> the large<br />

scale dynamic of the planet in mind ... There are so many things that we care about, that we<br />

carry in our hearts, that we want to help. People are suffering. Animals are suffering. So<br />

how can we interact in a way that would be helpful? That's my focus. All that I think about is<br />

somehow related to that. Just to be responsible and to participate in a process that will<br />

deepen joy … That's my high hope. There can be such a tendency for the individual to focus<br />

on 'my enlightenment' and so forth. But it just doesn't seem to be what is really needed right<br />

now ... [Let us] reinvent ourselves at the species level, in a way that enables us to live <strong>with</strong><br />

mutually enhancing relationships —not just <strong>with</strong> humans but <strong>with</strong> all beings—so that our<br />

activities actually enhance the wellness of the world.‖ ~ Brian Swimme<br />

146

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