Our forum network is like slime mold

[JGeropoulas]

I know my title seems like a sensational claim—but it really seems to be true, at least according to something I just read in “The Living Universe” by Duane Elgin (a book recommended by Dr James Oschman in his video lecture featured on this forum thread http://cassiopaea.org/forum/index.php/topic,43520.msg697330.html#msg697330)

Elgin’s a good writer and he shares a lot of scientific studies supporting his thesis: we are part of a participatory universe which is a living organism. (I’ve included Amazon’s book summary at the end for those interested.)

Elgin is discussing the evidence of consciousness in every aspect of the universe. He begins with atoms, then moves to molecules. Next, as part of his discussion of one-cell organisms, he gives the following details about slime mold [my immediate associations are in brackets]:

The behavior of slime mold is another clear illustration of sentience in the smallest organisms. Slime molds are primitive organisms that originated very early in Earth's history and are classified as neither a plant or an animal [as STO candidates we’re "in the (STS) world, but not of the world”]. For most of its life, slime mold exists as a single-cell organism, living in moist soil, feeding on decaying bark, leaves, and other matter on the forest floor. [before stirring from sleep, we were just simple, individual, mechanical units of organic life feeding on decay]

But when the food supply runs out, something remarkable happens: between 10,000 and 50,000 individual cells come together to create a multi-cellular organism. Individual cells organize themselves, without the aid of an apparent leader, into a tower-like stalk supporting a ball of spores.

This micro "super-organism" seems to have a will of its own and is able to move across a forest floor, responding to changes in light and temperature [doing "the work" as a group in hope of moving via the wave into a 4D STO existence]. Upon reaching a better feeding area, the multicellular entity releases its spores into the air, dispersing them into the more favorable feeding ground. New single cells grow from the spores and then go about their foraging as individuals."

Through its actions, slime mold demonstrates that, at the fundamental level of individual cells, some form of primary consciousness is able to communicate with the consciousness of other cells to co- create a larger entity. In turn, this larger entity is able to respond to the surrounding environment and to work for collective survival.

After reading that, I thought more about parallels with some familiar esoteric concepts:

Mouravieff: “Esoteric Man”
The esoteric circle consists of the persons who have attained the full development possible in human life, so they view the world with increased clarity and understand each other precisely. Their actions cannot be in contradiction with their knowledge and the same knowledge is clear to all members of this circle. Thus their actions become naturally aligned and make them capable of acting on esoteric principles.
https://thecasswiki.net/index.php?title=Exoteric,_mesoteric,_and_esoteric_circles

Gurdjieff: “group of conscious humans” and “knowledge”
“the universe needs a group of conscious humans. A certain number of people must have attained the esoteric level by a certain time in order for a cosmic purpose to be fulfilled. Otherwise, the branch of the Ray of Creation involving Earth will wither and be wasted.
https://thecasswiki.net/index.php?title=Exoteric,_mesoteric,_and_esoteric_circles

esoteric knowledge is like a material substance. There is only a certain amount of this substance allotted to the world at each time. If this stuff of knowledge is spread too thin, it does nobody any good. In great condensations, when a large amount is shared between relatively few, knowledge can produce great change and benefit… When in possession of such knowledge, groups become, as it were, more intelligent, they can do at a level that surpasses their individual or collective 'regular' intelligence.
https://thecasswiki.net/index.php?title=Knowledge

Colinearity and Networking
… a natural tendency to head in the same direction. Colinearity does not imply sameness of experience or equal level of knowledge or advancement but it does imply seeking in the same fundamental direction. The word is most often used in the context of aspiring to be of service to others.
https://thecasswiki.net/index.php?title=Colinearity

A group can involve specialization…may exist for performing a specific esoteric task, as may be required by the time and context…For (graduating to higher levels of consciousness) a network offers distinct advantages over working alone. The members can complete each other even though their own vibrational purity were not perfect.
https://thecasswiki.net/index.php?title=Networking

The C’s: unified awareness and telepathic connection
Q: Does that mean that essentially people who have their chakras connected by proper networking would essentially be inspired or moved to do what's needed to be done as a part of the network without necessarily having to be told
A: And more. There will also be enhanced telepathic ability when the frequencies change.
https://cassiopaea.org/forum/index.php/topic,35536.msg511412.html#msg511412

The C’s: “Full tribal unit strength” and the crystal project
As Foxx posted, “it made me wonder, as the Cs have referenced reaching "full tribal unit strength" in the past, if the crystal project will help us move in that direction and reach that tribal unit strength, and what kinds of possibilities might open for us if that happens.
https://cassiopaea.org/forum/index.php/topic,42494.msg669495.html#msg669495It

The C’s: “Receivership capacity” and potential of physical transformation
Laura’s recap: “when you work on yourself, and you change something from a certain level, that it acts on more fundamental levels even as far as your DNA? Which then enables you to receive finer or differently tuned energies, which can help to change you more? And if that happens, it enables you to achieve more and do more.”
https://cassiopaea.org/forum/index.php/topic,22855.msg706413.html#msg706413

Q: Are there any limitations to what our physical bodies can transform to…? Could we literally grow taller, rejuvenate, change our physical appearance, capabilities, or whatever…?
A: Change to broader receivership capability.
Q: That means how good is your receiver?
A: Yes
Q: So that’s the whole issue of gaining knowledge and developing control over your body. If your mind and CNS are tuned to higher levels of consciousness, that has significance in terms of your receivership capability?
A: Close
https://cassiopaea.org/forum/index.php/topic,23033.msg251201.html#msg251201

Gurdjieff's and Mouravieff’s “cosmoses"
The hermetic maxim ("as above, so below") can for instance be understood to refer to this…A cosmos cannot be understood by itself. It must be seen in relation to the next higher and next lower cosmos…Cosmoses should be seen in triads, together with the immediately higher and lower. What is the center of one triad will be the lower end of another and the higher end of yet another, thus cosmoses overlap and interpenetrate.
https://thecasswiki.net/index.php?title=Cosmoses_(Fourth_Way)

Recently in another thread https://cassiopaea.org/forum/index.php/topic,43853.msg706766.html#msg706766 Laura noted parallels between the cosmos “above” and the human brain. Here, we can see parallels between slime mold “below” and human beings. The fractal nature of creation just keeps getting “curiouser and curiouser”. No wonder “learning is fun”!

Here’s Amazon’s book summary:

“The Living Universe, Duane Elgin marshals evidence from cosmology, biology, physics, even his participation in NASA-sponsored psychic experiments to show that the universe is actually a living field of existence and that we are always in communion with that field of aliveness whether we are conscious of it or not. This is a worldview that, as Elgin explains, is shared by virtually every spiritual tradition, and the implications of it are vast and deep. In a living system each part is integral to the whole, so each of us is intimately connected to the entire universe. Elgin eloquently demonstrates how that identity manifests itself on a whole series of levels, from subatomic to galactic. We are, he writes, far more than biological beings; we are beings of cosmic connection and dimension.”

 

[Starshine]

This short video helped me picture your analogy. Fascinating how it can move using "waves" and solve mazes! As I was listening to the comments, I had the forum in mind and found it relevant. Thank you
This book seems really interesting, as is "Intelligence in Nature" by Jeremy Narby. As above so below.

http://<iframe width="560" height="...gk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[JGeropoulas]

Glad to hear you enjoyed pondering this as much as I did! I'll check out the video. Thanks.

 

[whitecoast]

I dislike thinking of the network as a slime mold, just because of all the negative connotations with the word "slime". Barring that, watching these many cells spontaneously form sophisticated networks for nutrient acquisition IS quite fascinating nonetheless.

 

[JGeropoulas]

Yeah, I know what you mean but upon closer study, "slime mold" seems to be the antithesis of "human slime" ;) What impresses me most, aside from it's ability to communicate and organize into a complex organism, is the fact that it then gains a brand new capacity--mobility, which opens the door to an entirely new universe and allows it to relocate to a more nurturing environment.