Individual Consciousness Is Not Enough - Tomas Björkman

Summary

In this insightful podcast, Carl Hall interviews Thomas, a successful entrepreneur and social entrepreneur, on the intersection of business and spirituality. Thomas shares his journey from building an investment bank to focusing on philanthropy and projects aimed at creating a new conscious society. He discusses the need for an inner shift in individuals to bring about societal change and the importance of recognizing our role as co-creators in the evolutionary process of the universe. The conversation delves into the limitations of a purely materialistic worldview and the necessity of a multi-perspectival approach that includes inner development and collective sense-making. Thomas emphasizes the potential for business success when aligning with the evolutionary force of the universe, advocating for a future where entrepreneurship and consciousness development go hand in hand.

Takeaways

• 💼 **Business and Spirituality Intersection**: The podcast aims to explore the relationship between business practices and spirituality, a topic considered controversial but essential for holistic success.
• 🧘 **Inner Shift to Outer Shift**: Carl Hall believes that societal change begins with an inner shift in individuals, which then extends to the external world, affecting how we structure society and conduct business.
• 🚀 **Entrepreneurial Success and Social Impact**: Guest Thomas discusses his journey from building a successful business to focusing on philanthropy and social entrepreneurship, emphasizing the role of personal growth in business success.
• 🌏 **Global Initiatives and Collaboration**: Thomas has been involved in numerous global initiatives, highlighting the importance of international cooperation and the establishment of hubs worldwide for social change.
• 📚 **Education for the 21st Century**: There is a call for an updated education system that prepares individuals for the complexities of the modern world, focusing on both cognitive and emotional development.
• 🧠 **The Complexity of Human Action**: The conversation touches on the limitations of the scientific perspective in understanding human action, suggesting a need for an inner perspective that includes values, worldview, and consciousness.
• 🌱 **Evolutionary Force and Human Role**: Thomas suggests that humans are incarnations of an evolutionary force, here to co-create the world, and that aligning with this force can lead to successful and meaningful business ventures.
• 🔄 **Emergent Phenomena in Evolution**: The script discusses the concept of emergence in evolution, describing how complex systems like life and consciousness have arisen from simpler forms.
• 🌟 **Individual and Collective Growth**: Stressing the importance of personal development in handling complexity and the need for collective sense-making to address societal challenges effectively.
• 📉 **Declining Collective Consciousness**: The dialogue suggests that Western society may be less conscious collectively than in the past, indicating a need for a shift towards more awareness and action on global issues.
• 🌈 **Secular Approaches to Spiritual Questions**: As society becomes more secular, there is a need to find non-religious answers to existential questions that provide a sense of purpose and direction.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the podcast 'Cash and Soul'?

The podcast 'Cash and Soul' explores the intersection of business and spirituality, aiming to bring the soul back into business practices and discussing how spirituality has affected the careers of successful individuals.

What is Carl Hall's background and his focus as an entrepreneur and investor?

Carl Hall is an entrepreneur and investor who primarily focuses on impact investing. He is interested in inviting successful business individuals to discuss how spirituality has influenced their careers and how to create a societal shift.

What significant business did Thomas build and sell?

Thomas built an investment bank, which he later sold to a Swiss bank.

What is the Inner Development Goals project that Thomas is involved in?

Inner Development Goals is a project co-founded by Thomas, represented in over 100 countries with 500 hubs worldwide. It aims to help individuals develop inner capacities and skills to cope with the complexity of the modern world and meet global challenges.

How does Thomas view the relationship between spirituality and religion?

Thomas differentiates between spirituality and religion, considering himself non-religious and atheist. He sees spirituality as an inner perspective that complements the scientific perspective, taking into account values, worldview, and meaning-making systems.

What is Thomas's perspective on the materialistic worldview?

Thomas acknowledges the success of the materialistic worldview stemming from the Enlightenment but suggests it has reached its limits and needs to be complemented with an inner perspective that considers consciousness and values.

How does Thomas define consciousness?

For Thomas, consciousness is not just the content of our minds but our mind's ability to handle both cognitive and emotional complexity.

What does Thomas believe about the evolutionary force in the universe?

Thomas believes in an evolutionary force that has been active in the universe for 13.8 billion years, leading to the emergence of life, consciousness, and human culture. He sees humans as incarnations of this force and important co-creators of the world.

Why does Thomas think society is less conscious today compared to 50 years ago?

Thomas believes that while individuals may be more capable of exercising individual agency, society's collective sense-making and agency have diminished. This is partly due to the breakdown of collective sense-making and the increasing complexity of the world.

What are the three areas that Thomas suggests need attention to increase societal consciousness?

Thomas identifies individual capacity development, cultural and worldview updates, and structural aspects such as education, legal, and political systems as the three areas needing attention.

What advice does Thomas give to young individuals who want to be both financially successful and conscious?

Thomas advises young individuals to develop an ability to sense into society and the environment, aligning themselves with the evolutionary force of the universe. He suggests that by doing so, they can lead businesses that are successful and contribute positively to humanity and the planet.