By Pamela Dozois

“The Covid-19 Pandemic may prove to be the most influential global event thus far in this new century and millennium. The question is ‘can the bright, engaged, forward-thinking individuals in every community use it to begin elevating their lives, their communities, and humanity?’”

This is the question posed by Eric Hutchins, author of “Becoming Humanity’s Next R/Evolution.”

His new book offers a clear description of how to do just that. He suggests that “the most socially engaged, forward-thinking, one percent in each community begin healing the Earth, humanity, and themselves by using at least two of five proven, easily learned techniques” described in his book.

Eric Hutchins enjoying a day sailing.
Photo contributed

“One percent of any community can begin to create the necessary and sufficient conditions to elevate the life of every citizen, the social, economic, and environmental sustainability of their community, and foster global peace by integrating, in greater abundance, the eight key qualities of thought, intention, communication, and action. These qualities are steadiness, joy, empathy, compassion, generosity, creativity, intelligence, and wisdom. We need a balance of all 8 of these qualities that is unique to each situation in life,” said Hutchins.

The book showcases traditional forms of “introspective self-transcendence” (a specific, effortless type of meditation) as the necessary techniques for cultivating an abundance of these qualities. It also showcases four other proven, easy-to-use techniques that promote the reflexive expression of these qualities in our relationships, school and workplace organizations, communities, and public institutions. These techniques are Compassionate Communication, Appreciative Inquiry, Affirmative Coalescence and Nonviolent Direct Action.

“After all is said and done, there is simply no other way to transform the usual form of static, circular ‘change’ into ‘r/evolutionary change’ that spirals ever upward,” he stated. “To achieve both the lives we want and the communities humanity desperately needs on a local-to-global scale, we simply begin cultivating these r/evolutionary qualities from their inexhaustible source: our vast inner ocean of pure consciousness.”

“Humanity is presently at a crossroad between accelerating decline and renewed ascension. Accelerating decline will inevitably lead to a dramatic reduction in global population and misery on an almost unimaginable scale,” Hutchins said. “Renewed ascension, on the other hand, will lead to greater happiness made long-lasting by inner joy and humanity’s greatest achievements both here on Earth and elsewhere in our solar system.

“This is the r/evolution urgently needed in every life and every community on a global scale. The key is not a new physical or digital technology, mass conversion to a new religious or social doctrine, or the further restriction of citizen freedoms. The key is the growing use of one long-proven technique to cultivate our most positive core qualities directly from their source.”

“Becoming Humanity’s Next R/Evolution” is for those seeking the full enjoyment of their lives and a leading role in bringing their community across the threshold of humanity’s fourth global r/evolution,” Hutchins said.

Hutchins’ lifelong quest has been to live a full, joyful life in a more sustainable world. At university, he immersed himself in psychology, sociology and anthropology and studied social philosophers from Plato, Burke, and Paine to Marx and Gandhi. He also began the daily practice of a traditional, self-transcending form of introspection. From these influences, Hutchins says he has come to recognize that the key to humanity’s survival is our inner wholeness of mind not the universal embrace of any one philosophical, religious or social doctrine or the global application of physical or digital technologies. For five decades, he’s maintained his twice-daily introspective practices; East-West studies of human consciousness; and interest in elevating global society by elevating each individual.

It took Hutchins 12 years to write the book, which was written as a syllabus for a weekend workshop or for a 10-week workshop, in two different formats.

Hutchins lives on the Central Coast and may be contacted at eric@theNextRev.site.

To purchase a copy of “Becoming Humanity’s Next R/Evolution, visit https://www.balboapress.com/en/bookstore/bookdetails/751703-becoming-humanitys-next-revolution or https://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Humanitys-Next-Evolution-Communities/dp/1982203080/

Arrange for the author to speak with your group by emailing publicspeaking@the NextRev.site.