FAQ
1. Is the Human Odyssey – A Map for the Journey a religion?
- No. There is no requirement for belief in any religion, philosophy or ideology, or indeed for belief in anything which may be discussed in any aspect of our work. It is your individual and personal discernment as to the relevance and truth of the work that is the measure of its value to you. However, there does need to be enough common ground to make the work mutually enlivening and productive.
2. What do you mean by the term ‘human odyssey’ or ‘human journey’?
- The human odyssey refers to the journey that each of us takes from birth to death, again and again, across many lives. It is a journey marked by a series of expansions of consciousness that result eventually in an understanding of the purpose of life from a human perspective, and of our role in it. The journey is completed when we have entered into a full Realisation of the essential oneness of all life.
3. Why bother to think and write about ‘the human odyssey’?
- A great theme in human history is the quest for knowledge and understanding, not just of the physical world, but of the metaphysical world. Human beings have always asked, “Why are we here? What is the meaning of ‘this experience’ or ‘that situation’? This work is designed to make a contribution to the process of exploration and learning.
- In the face of pain and difficulty, a context for making meaning can make the difference between despair and an ability to keep going. The Human Odyssey – A Map for the Journey provides a framework for making meaning of the ordinary and the extraordinary events of our lives.
- Our ability to embrace a world that is larger than ourselves and our own desires and preoccupations, is the starting point for a conscious, civil society and for the journey that ends with Realisation or Enlightenment. As we do this, we find that there is a feedback loop from the wider world to ourselves, enriching and extending our individual lives.
4. Who is the Human Odyssey for?
- Those who are seekers of insight and awareness as to the meaning and purpose of Life and of the place of humanity within it.
- Those who are aware of an inner potential in themselves and who are seeking to express it in ways that serve a higher purpose and a wider community than the personal.
- Those who seek a spiritualised place of service in the world.
- Those who seek union with soul or spirit.
- Those who want a rich psycho-spiritual framework for making everyday decisions, solving everyday problems and taking action in the world.
- Those who want to meet and share with fellow travellers.
5. What are the assumptions that underpin the Human Odyssey – A Map for the Journey?
- There is an inherent meaning and purpose in Life which is ours to discover
- Reincarnation – The human story is a story of the development of ever deepening and widening consciousness. This is something that all human beings participate in. It takes many lives before the Enlightenment process is complete. NB. The work is equally applicable within the context of a single life. While reincarnation is a framework we hold, it is not a required belief, nor is any other of the underpinning assumptions.
- God/Goddess/Life/All That Is/Source/That Which Cannot Be Named – There are many terms to describe that field of consciousness or organizing principle that interpenetrates all that is and which expresses in many forms
- Every state exists within the context of its polar opposite and has its functional and dysfunctional forms. Our task is to embrace and ultimately, to transcend those opposites, by entering into a place of union and oneness.
5. Will I notice a difference as a result of undertaking a Human Odyssey program or working with the materials?
Persistent self-reflection, support for self and others, aspiration, open learning and non-judgemental discernment that is the basis for this work, will bring you inevitably to a mastery of the core joys and challenges of your current stage of development and will release you into the next stage of development with its own focus for experience and learning. As this happens, you will live more joyfully and creatively, with greater awareness and purpose. Your sphere of influence will expand, and your capacity to contribute constructively to the harmonizing of society and the enrichment of the human race, will increase.
What does The Human Odyssey do for you?
