Being Human Is a Development

At her SAND 2018 appearance, Karen Johnson, co-founder of the Diamond Approach, reminds us that "human" comes from humus, the earth, and "being" is what we feel meaningless without. We feel both these to be real, to be who we are. Learning to acknowledge and welcome both these aspects of ourselves is the process of becoming more and more transparent. This includes knowing our history and our culture, but not having to defend them, knowing we are nestled in the arms of the universe.

Key insights

•  The journey of being human is about finding our way back home, to that place within ourselves where we feel a deep sense of belonging and authenticity.
•  Our humaneness comes from our connection to the earth, and our existence encompasses both our earthly presence and a presence beyond time and space.
•  Our individual consciousness is like a current in the ocean of consciousness, allowing us to dissolve into the vastness while still maintaining our unique experience.
•  Our consciousness goes beyond physical sensations and can be experienced as an expansive feeling that is beyond any previous ideas or physical sensations.
•  We crave interaction and want to be real, finding ways to be realized, free, and have relationships and families while still embracing our spiritual and inner lives.
•  Many traditions view the ego as something that needs to be discarded or rejected, considering it to be false and not aligned with one's true nature.
•  True humanity is characterized by an open and vulnerable heart, where true connection and contact with others can occur, transcending identification with the past and history.
•  The human being has the ability to transcend space and time, being both everything and nothing and make intimate contact with the world.