Of Past Human Civilisations: Cosmic Catastrophes and Consciousness

By Raja Arasa Ratnam

This smorgasbord (a random collection) of my (approaching-death) thoughts, expressed as posts on my website offers a kaleidoscope of probable historical scenarios of an unverifiable historic time. These scenarios are supported by reliable but fragmented reports based on research findings, and also by some sensitive speculations, about what was or may have been.

A lack of decisive factuality does not, however, deny any attempt to perceive the reality of the past through the veil of intuitive speculations and associated implications, filtered through intellectual analyses and spiritual experiences through life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: William R. Potter
• Release date: May 30, 2020
• ISBN: 9780463961865

Raja Arasa Ratnam

I am an octogenarian bicultural Asian-Australian, formed by the communalism and spirituality of Asia, but with my feet firmly grounded in the individualism of the West. I am a communitarian small-l liberal, and a freethinker in matters religious. I seek to contribute to building a bridge between these cultures (as suggested to me by the spirit world about 2 decades ago); and have thereby been writing about issues relating to migrant integration (but not assimilation).I claim to be widely read. A professor of history and politics (a published author of renown), who treats my books as representing a sliver of post-war Australia’s history, did describe me as an intellectual who cannot be categorised (but not slippery). Two of my books were recommended in 2013 by the US Review of Books. All of my six books were reviewed favourably by senior academics and other notable persons. I am not just a pretty face!My books are all experience-based, including the book of short, short stories of imagined people and situations. Usefully, I was Director of Policy on migrant settlement-related issues over nine years in the federal public service in Australia. My highly interactive and contributory life, reaching leadership positions in civil society, also contributed to my writing, as did a demeaning life under British colonialism, a half-starved existence under a Japanese military occupation, and exposure to the White Australia-era racism, sectarian religion-fuelled tribalism, and a denial of equal opportunity.

Book preview

A Framework for Seeking Meaning

Young children everywhere will ask about the ‘what’ and the ‘why’ of many levels of their existence. ‘How did that happen?’ is also heard from adults who, through the demands of life, may have skated over these questions. Near the end of life, beyond one’s commitments to family and society, some senior citizens will, almost unavoidably, begin to wonder ‘Why was that so?’ about some historical matter. Then, some of us just want to delve into pre-historical times; we seem to need to know.

Could the reincarnation process be involved? Edgar Cayce, the American clairvoyant, who spoke in a somnambulistic manner about ancient civilisations, did say that many of those who had asked him about Atlantis had actually been residents of Atlantis! A need to know about probable past civilisations (such as my need) may only reflect an intellectual curiosity.

Through the (assumed) gift of God, the (experienced) guidance of the Spirit Realm, and my (lived) personal destiny-path, I admit that I am almost driven to know what happened to earlier civilisations; how skilled or morally advanced they were; the probable involvement of interstellar visitors (even settlers); who built the massive stone buildings in various parts of the globe (humans like us could not possibly have built them); did the sinking of Sundaland, Kumari Kandam, Ferringhia, Appalachia, and other huge land masses drown any advanced civilisations sited thereon; and did not the finding of some highly-worked artefacts and jewellery deep underground imply the burial of the people who had made them.

What of the role of cosmic catastrophes? Did these destroy human civilisations and their structures? Were these not responsible for the subsidence of huge tracts of land over the globe, and the offsetting orogeny (the rise of mountains) elsewhere? Did they also re-align the continents from east-west to north-south as at present? An east-west alignment could explain the frequent references by scholars to a former Golden Age enjoyed by mankind, when the climate was uniformly benign.

When professional sceptics ask ‘where is the evidence?’ in their sustained efforts to deny anything they are not familiar or comfortable with, there can be little hope of specialists at the centre of relevant disciplines of science joining together to seek to penetrate the hitherto impenetrable very distant past.

There is also evidence (apparently) of fraud, apart from claims of infallibility, by a few leading researchers of the past.

Even now, it is claimed that many ‘facts’ of science are only mathematical conclusions, and are not confirmed by observations. Does not the scientific method require repeatable observations? Where the latter is never going to be available, should not the mathematical conclusions be held as tentative, and not taught as facts? I have in mind the Big Bang Theory of cosmology and Darwin’s Theory of Evolution.

Any speculations about the very distant past based upon further research may necessarily be tentative, while throwing some light onto dark corners.

In order to know the hitherto indecipherable, very distant (and perhaps the not-so-distant) past of mankind on Earth, one would need to over-ride not only the innate perceptual Maya posited by ancient Hindu philosophy, but also the astigmatism and other forms of intellectual blindness known to affect fallible egos. We need open minds, and less arrogance as the claimed chosen species, or as the highest human civilisation ever.

Leaving aside the Hindu cosmology of cyclical human existence (the largest cycle extending to 3.11 trillion years), we may wish to focus urgently on the asserted probability of the so-called Sixth Extinction of existence on Earth. Yet, a confluence of cosmic catastrophes and an anthropogenic tsunami may produce an improved species of human beings, hopefully a morally enhanced one!

A Modified Chimp Within a Transcendent Reality

This book is offered as a melange of my thoughts, my reading, and the writing of researchers and scholars who may not belong to the mainstream of specialist studies. It is also intended to re-kindle the thoughts raised in their youth by readers.

The presentation is unstructured, mainly because of the complexity of the information provided. There are also no lineal patterns in my presentation. The reader is thereby invited to skip from subject to subject – holding in abeyance any scepticism which may arise.

My intention is: Hey! Have a look! Is it not interesting? While I am indeed a sceptic myself, I am agnostic about any presentations about our very dim past. I am yet inclined to believe that we humans have been around for a very long time.

As members of the kingdom of fauna, we have obviously descended from the chimp, but a very long time ago. It also seems that there have been significant modifications to the original simian version. By whom or what? Evolution, as per Darwin? Not persuasive. Extraterrestrials? Possibly. Mutation caused by cosmic catastrophes? Probably!

That life forms (including plants) do display ‘purpose’ is well known. There also seems to be an inbuilt ‘driver’ within all forms of life, enhancing prospects of both structural and operational improvement – including achieving symbiotic relationships. Could this include a progressive moral maturation in humans, in the way artistic expression appeared about 40,000 years ago, but in association with a cosmic catastrophe?

Hopefully, we should ultimately be able to trace the impact of horrendous cosmic cataclysms in modifying human (and other) beings, including their cultures, as well as their habitat.

However, sporadic catastrophism may not significantly thwart the pacific path of uniformitarianism – as long as the occupants of Earth are capable of being modified from time to time, or even replaced.

The durability of any life form or species may, of course, be comparable to the durability of any component of the physical universe. Newton’s Second Law should apply to both. What then of a transcendent ethereal reality?

Could Consciousness, as posited by ancient Hindus – whose speculations (drawn without instrumentation) about the measurements of the physical Universe are being continually confirmed by modern hi-tech science – have an enveloping role to play in the survival of forms of life anywhere in our Universe? Could human soul-path experiences enlighten us?

Speculations on Human Soul-Paths Through Consciousness

A few years after early retirement, I was introduced to the spirit realm, which I did not know existed. Since I had been reading about religion and the principal religions since age 24, I had commenced my retirement by comparing what modern physics and Hinduism have to say about the Cosmos. The congruence between the phraseology (concepts) of both approaches was exciting, except that it was only the speculative scientists who had progressed from mathematical conclusions.

When, purely out of intellectual curiosity, I had approached a reliable clairvoyant, intending to ask about his approach in guiding his clients, he confounded me by presenting to me at his door the spirit of my uncle. This uncle had been the second-most important man in my life (after my father). The clairvoyant could see the spirit and communicated with him psychically.

How was the carrier (medium) enabling this transfer of thought? All waves – including sound and sea – need a medium to traverse. Thought waves should be no different. Is Consciousness the necessary medium?

Higher beings had sent my uncle to guide my spiritual development, as he was the only one I was likely to accept (so said my uncle). Yes, my initial reaction to the extraordinary new is controlled scepticism in an open-minded manner. I subsequently accepted his advice and wrote a number of books on immigrant integration. He had suggested that I seek to contribute to building a bridge from where I came to where I am; and I did have the necessary policy knowledge and settlement experience for this. (After all, it was the spirit realm which had ‘exiled’ me to Australia. Read my previous book.)

Uncle displayed his possession of his Earthly mind and associated memories to the clairvoyant during their dialogue. Since I could not see Uncle, while it was clear that he could see and hear me, I relied on the clairvoyant to tell me what Uncle was saying. I was able to confirm some of his memories.

The challenge arising from this situation is this. How does a human soul take both his mind and his memories when leaving his Earthbound as spirit?

NOTE: This issue may be of irrelevance to the followers of the 3 Abrahamic religions. These religions offer only a single life on Earth, with no continuity of existence thereafter, except to end in Heaven as spirit. I have no problem with this scenario. Courses for horses?

For the soul, as spirit, to have access to its memories (known to be stored in the brain normally), and to its mind (its site, if any, is not known), both of these core facilities need also to have a connection outside the body. I speculate that this connection is Consciousness.

What is Consciousness? I believe this to be an ever-existing, all-embracing, and all-pervasive essence which enables awareness. This would include self-awareness, the subconscious, intuition, and all manner of psychic phenomena. Psychics like my clairvoyant are probably fine-tuned to the vibrations of this transcendent ethereal medium. I would very much like to know how this can be achieved.

Consciousness would also enable the soul/spirit to move to the Afterlife (the mysterious R&R – rest and recovery – temporary home for former Earth-bound humans, with their mind and memories).

My experience with 2 spirits (including my Spirit Guide) visiting my home, leaving evidence of their visit, lends support to my belief about the existence and role of Consciousness. Its counterpart in the physical realm of material and mechanistic science is the aether. There are a number of scientists working on this.

Hinduism also posits that we humans rose from the Unbounded Ocean of Consciousness, and that, ultimately, we will return to it. This belief offers meaning to Earthly existence, as well as to the process of reincarnation.

The extended continuity of individual human existence on Earth through reincarnation is, however, ‘book-ended’; it has a beginning and an end. Since this occurs in what seems to be an un-created, ever-existing Universe, unending cycles of individual reincarnation would need to occur. In this unimaginably vast arena, galaxies and their component solar systems may also be comparably ‘book-ended’ with beginnings and endings of individual solar systems and galaxies.

Thus, the ‘caravan’ of cosmic existence could move on – forever! Eternity may be the hallmark of all systems and forces of existence!

Impact of Cataclysms on Soul-Paths

What determines soul-paths? In the short-term, recent past lives would seem to have the major influence: an autonomous process. This is reflected in the concept of karma or personal destiny. However, the human soul, as it traverses space and time (not space-time, an experientially meaningless term) would be the repository of the totality of its experiences when embodied on Earth.

I have reason to believe that the soul may also be a mirror of events to come. The latter may be read by clairvoyants. My future has been accurately foretold – initially by a yogi, and then by a number of clairvoyants and casual seers.

Could the soul also be more than a recorder and mirror, with the ‘driver’ of the Earth-bound ‘chariot’ being its mind during ‘normal’ circumstances? Why then do I feel that, in relation to some segment of significance, ‘hints’ of certain past lives have been somehow made available to me? I have in mind the scenes of Central Asia (around the Aral Sea) which appeared when I tried auto-hypnosis. Or, my sketches for a planned stained-glass artistic creation which I discovered much later to have reflected the beautiful mosques (in both shape and colour) in Central Asia? I find this incredible, as only my soul could have produced these scenes of my apparent past life.

That cosmic catastrophes cause mutations in Earth-bound life on Earth is unchallengeable. The long-time survivors of modified species are known. The reality is that the human species may also have been affected. Could the spirit realm (our invisible guardians) do anything more than ameliorate some of the outcomes of a cosmic impact? On the other hand, I am certain that our Spirit Guides do protect us (where they can).

The Cosmos Will Have Its Way

In the absence of intervening entities (or forces) of a transcendent (ethereal) nature in the Universe we think we know, the forces of Nature, as we understand them, will continue with their business as usual. What happens beyond our universe is surely irrelevant to us. Or, is it?

I suggest that the Cosmos (of many universes) will have its way. It is highly probable that, since everything in our Universe is inter-connected, everything in the rest of the Cosmos can also be expected to be inter-connected. Inter-connection, in this context, would suggest inter-operability of some kind. This may enable, like homeostasis in humans, self-adaptations directed to successful survival. The Cosmos may be eternal.

Recently, the prevailing cosmology, based on gravity, is being challenged by a cosmology based on electricity. Laboratory experiments have replicated (yes, reproduced) the electric occurrences seen in the sky, thus strengthening the case for an electric universe. What is interesting is that the source of the electricity is believed to come from outside our universe (of known or observed galaxies).

Should the electricity source be another segment of the probable multiverse Cosmos, could human civilisations be no more than necessarily transient life-form conglomerates?

That is, the ‘laws’ of the Cosmos may be our influencers. Would Consciousness have a role too in this extended network? Hinduism says so, given the seemingly intuitive knowledge of its rishis of the infrastructure of the Universe, and possibly the Cosmos; and the apparent longevity of this philosophy. (I hasten to point out that I am a Hindu only in this life; that I was without doubt a Muslim in my immediate past life; and that I expect to move on to yet another faith in my next life.)

Speculations About the Cosmos

Unlike the 8-year-old who wanted to know what all this (the sky and what lies below) came from, I do not ask where the Cosmos came from. I speculate that it is an ever-existing, un-created, self-adjusting operating system; that its major components, the universes, are not stacked side-by-side or on top of one another; but co-exist. How?

Adapting my intuition about the location of our ‘Afterlife’ (humanity’s temporary home between Earthly lives), that it is most probable that each universe (like our Afterlife) is in a ‘dimension’ which freely intersects the other ‘dimensions’ (or domains) of existence. Just as members of the Spirit Realm are able to visit us easily (as I have experienced), and (in the case of my Spirit Guide) are able to be aware of, or ‘see’ what is happening on Earth.

Current concepts about materiality have no relevance here. As well, consider that only 4% of the estimated material in our Universe is visible; the balance is split between invisible energy and invisible matter.

If I am not being too mystical, could we not contemplate with our ‘mind’s eye’ (the so-called third eye) the possibility that, against the reality that plasma (neither solid, nor liquid, nor gas) allegedly represents 99.999% of all matter in our Universe, that the Cosmos may essentially be non-material?

Improbable? Are not human beings, whose souls have moved to the Afterlife in spirit form, insubstantial? Could their new temporary home also be insubstantial?

What of the Creator of mankind in our Universe? Perhaps he/she is one of the influencers operating within one of the relevant ‘dimensions’. As Hinduism’s Rig Veda says about Creation – who knows.

Being Conscious of Consciousness

We talk about the subconscious; but, has anyone seen one? Where is it located? In the brain? If not, how is it connected to our thoughts?

The assumed subconscious is derived from the felt Consciousness. Here, we can thank the ancient Hindus for offering mankind a coherent view of what it seems to be.

Ever-existing, all-pervasive, infusing (human) body and soul, and manifesting (as appropriate) through our minds; what a glorious vista! Yet, are we conscious of our place in