About the Lila Centre

Lila fosters social and environmental justice by facilitating the use of self-investigation tools, such as meditation and compassionate communication, as ways to increase both individual and global consciousness.

Self-investigation tools result in a deeper knowledge and understanding of mind and consciousness that is not necessarily the result of conscious thinking. It is more often the fruit of direct experience and with it comes increased wisdom and compassion.

Lila believes that deepened wisdom and compassion in each individual is our most powerful means of effecting much needed change in the world.

We feel that a shift in our contemporary world views about the relationship between consciousness and the ‘outside’ world is necessary. A deeper understanding of ourselves and simultaneously our universe from an experiential viewpoint could usher in a new era of ‘conscious’ evolution.

 Is there any conventional support for this line of thinking?

Over the last decade there has been some very credible research into the neurophysiology of meditation. It seems to indicate that it is possible to radically retrain the neuro-circuits associated with thought and emotion. This literally allows a re-engineering of the human being from the bottom up by rooting out our destructive tendencies.

More controversial is the fact that many of the concepts found in modern day physics are strikingly similar to experiences of mystics throughout history. Those areas of quantum physics which contain parallels and that some feel are relevant are:

1. the study of complementarity where it is observed that particulate ‘things’ can also be seen as waves;

2. the related uncertainty principle which states that although as a particle a given entity is localized, its wave nature makes its location within a particular atom impossible to ascertain with certainty - it remains a probability only;

3. the phenomenon of non-locality which shows that when a physicist probes a particular atom, it is disturbed not only by the probe but by a vast array of distant events - events that are occurring right now elsewhere on the globe or in other galaxies; and

4. in the acknowledgment of the creative power of the void.

What do you think needs to happen in order for a shift to occur?

Mainstream scientific endorsement of the power of conscious intention would have an enormous impact on realizing this shift.

Although there is currently significant research taking place there needs to be much more. If more people were to strive for heightened consciousness and their experiences were to become common it would help facilitate a more fruitful dialogue between scientists and mystics, and ultimately an increased investment of time and money into research.

What are the implications for each individual in regards to these practices?

Inner happiness, peace and contentment are states of mind. For an individual to develop the skills required to healthily detach from outside circumstances, and have it not affect their inner happiness, they will have to have cultivated three things...

1) a higher moral discipline,
2) higher concentration and
3) higher wisdom.

For most, this will take a great deal of effort as it typically only comes with time, practice and discipline...and because of this a certain degree of suffering. This suffering however is minuscule in comparison to the suffering each one of us and our planet will endure should we not overcome our negativity and raise our individual and collective consciousness.

What does Lila believe will be the outcome for us collectively if we do not effort in this direction?

Our violent tendencies, ranging very broadly from harmful thoughts through to practicing genocide, are driven by unpleasant feelings. Lila believes each of us must develop the skills to bring these negative tendencies out into the light of our consciousness where they can be healed.

As humans we have higher capacities than most of us have cultivated at this time in history. Our negativity and violent tendencies have an inherent momentum and they will not simply die or fade away without concerted effort. During our lifetimes if we do not exert effort to rid ourselves, compassionately and non-judgementally, of these persistent inner forces, we will remain transfixed in this cycle of unconscious destruction and continue to pass it on to future
generations.

Both the planet and our children are depending on our moral and spiritual growth
and on our individual commitments to social and environmental justice.