As we grow in depth in meditation, as expressed in the attainment of the various superior fruit (maha-phala), we develop insight, which is intuitive and revelatory. As we do so we begin to realize that most people live in deep delusion. The deeper we meditate the more those delusions fall away.
As our delusions fall away the more we realize just how precarious civilization is. It actually teeters on the edge of collapse at all times. Here are a number of collapse scenarios, which are very real, likely, have happened in the past, and will indeed happen at some point in the not to distant future:
1] Global nuclear war
Global nuclear war has been a social fear ever since WWII when the USA developed the atomic bomb and dropped 2 of them on Japan.
2] Global war
Global war is a very real possibility and there were 2 in the 20th century.
3] Global economic collapse
Global economic collapse almost took place around 2008 when the gas prices in the USA soared from less than $1/gallon in 1999 to over $5/gallon in 2008.
4] Plague
Plagues come to every culture, and when they do they have killed up to 30% of the population. WWI came to an end, not because either side won, but because so many soldiers died or were too sick from the Spanish influenza to fight. The Spanish influenza killed about 50 million people world wide in 1918. We can only expect other plagues to come our way in the future, possibly
Ebola.
5]
Carrington level event The Carrington level event was a solar storm of 1859. It was a massive solar mass ejection, which brought down the small amount of technology that had just begun to be developed and deployed. If it were to happen today all technology on the planet would be fried. Those level of solar storm events happen ever few centuries. One could occur any minute. Could we reboot the technology to get the global economy running in time to prevent mass starvation. It is doubtful.
It just so happens that there also appears to be an emotional component to massive solar storms, because the American Civil War broke out about 2 years after the Carrington level event, but the social conditions leading up to the American Civil War began to develop immediately after the Carrington level event.
6] Significant volcanic eruption
There was a significant volcanic eruption in Iceland that caused wide spread famine in Europe in the late 16th century, which precipitated the French Revolution. Another significant volcanic eruption could occur and it could occur anywhere.
7] Asteroid Impact
Asteroid Impacts are very real, and far more frequent than the scientific community has been willing to acknowledge. There is growing evidence that civilization arose at the end of the last ice age. There is also growing evidence that there was a mass die-off in Europe and North America at the end of the last ice age, and that the last ice age came to an abrupt end. An asteroid impact is the likely cause.
8] Super volcano eruption
Super volcano eruptions have been documented. They seem to occur every 25,000 years. They tend to bring on or end ice ages. Think asteroid impact, when you hear about super volcanic eruptions.
So, as our delusions of safety fall away, as we develop deep meditation, what do we do? The core psychological state that is the foundation of deep meditation is letting got. It just so happens that the core psychological state that we need to be able to respond to global economic collapse, is letting go. However, preparedness also helps. When we are prepared for global economic collapse, then we can relax, and let go.
How can we prepare for global economic collapse? We can learn to camp, forage, hunt, fish, and do without. Primary doing without should be surviving without the aid of technology, because technology is the most fragile aspect of culture. This is a good description of the mendicant lifestyle. The GWV retreats could also be seen as a way to prepare for global economic collapse.
