With the greatest respect for the suffering, losses and anxiety caused by Covid and the lockdowns, there have nevertheless been benefits. In particular, to the surprise of many, there have been ecological, social and spiritual benefits especially with the increased use of online meetings and communications.
I know many technophobes whose dislike of the digital world has been transformed.
The ecological and social reasons are obvious.
Pollution has been substantially reduced by the limitations on travel and increased online meetings. I pray that our skies will remain so blue. This has been a definite green win.
Less travel has also produced another public good, which is the strengthening of local communities due to a lessening of the number of people travelling into inner cities for work.

Psychologically the blessing has been twofold. First, online meetings are far better than no meetings at all and have introduced many people, previously separated by distance or technophobia, to the connections available in the digital ecosystem. This has created new layers of community.
Second, online meetings have proved easier for many people who are introvert, shy or anxious in real-life social or work gatherings, where they may be intimidated by those who are noisy, pushy or hog the airtime. The device screen provides a filtering distance, as do the tools of mute and invisibility. There is also an equality: everyone’s image is the same size. Introvert friends have told me how comfortable they are in online meetings.
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Then there has been the pleasant surprise of those who are empathic, sensitive or psychic, particularly healers and meditators.
Historically there were always people who did distant healing and meditation and could sense the subtle connections and changes in vibration. In the online meditations, trainings and workshops now available, this sense of subtle energies has been amplified. Many of my colleagues and students have commented on how strongly they sense these energies when working online. Personally I find it easy, graceful and rewarding to work in this dimension.
It is as if the planet’s energetic network — of prana and qi — has been made more tangible. Is this an evolutionary step forward for Gaia and humanity?
Some of you may remember the core concept of Peter Russell’s book The Global Brain.
The opening paragraph of the Wikipedia article on the Global Brain reads:
‘The global brain is a neuroscience-inspired and futurological vision of the planetary information and communications technology network that interconnects all humans and their technological artifacts. As this network stores ever more information, takes over ever more functions of coordination and communication from traditional organizations, and becomes increasingly intelligent, it increasingly plays the role of a brain for the planet Earth.’
This reflects one of the core tenets of esoteric philosophy and ancient wisdom, which suggests that our planet and solar system are beings in their own right, entities on their own paths of growth and development.
What I want to underline here, following the concept of the global brain, is that the energy network of the planet is coming more fully alive.
This approach is also shamanic and elemental.
Water is inhabited by undines. Air by sylphs. Fire by salamanders. So too the worldwide web of electromagnetic connections can be seen as vibrant with its own life —elementals of telepathy and energetic connection.
Over the last year, therefore, we could suggest that there has been a new evolutionary convergence of human consciousness with the worldwide web of electromagnetic connections.
To put this another way, the global brain is no longer just a technical artefact. It is now filled with the subtle vibrations of human consciousness.
And it is worth noting that all of this — humanity and technology — emerges from Gaia.
Perhaps Gaia knows exactly what she is doing.
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Perhaps humanity is achieving a new level of sensitivity and telepathic rapport.
But if that is the case then the global brain needs to be balanced by the heart.
The new sensitivity needs to be fully grounded in ethics and compassion — in a dynamic dedication to green healing, inclusivity and social justice.
Then all the challenges of the last year may prove to have been a blessing in disguise.
As always, the transformation relies on and begins with us.
Wishing you and all beings a wonderful New Year.
Excellent article – a friend forwarded it just at the right time. Healers working on line have noticed from personal experience and client feedback that healing energies are amplified through internet connectivity. Another friend had asked me why the energies present in a circle of people that had met for years seemed amplified through internet connectivity. Your article puts into words what we have been experiencing. Thanks so much. I’ve signed up to your newsletter.
Conscious Choices
I choose Human connectivity on all levels, We are after all One!
I choose online connectivity BUT
I choose Open Source and secure private platforms
I choose not to let Big Tech firms mine and sell my data
I choose not to let Big Tech firms manipulate or control my online connectivity
I don’t expect the government to protect me from or regulate these companies
I educate myself with digital self defence and privacy information
What choices are you making today?
Liberate your Tech and keep the internet free!
Thanks Kim. I sign up to this!
Very interesting and stimulating – even challenging.
Stephen Hawking’s concern was that Artificial intelligence (AI) was developing so rapidly that it will end up controlling mankind (see “Social Dilemma” on Netflicks to see how close this may be), so I suggest the development of mankind’s global connectivity is essential. This has to be on the basis of mankind raising its awareness and connectivity – it must not be just technology based which could “dumb down” mankind.
Is this happening? From my limited experience the answer is “Yes”. It certainly needs to happen as the status quo is no longer tenable.
Dear William,
What a comprehensive, life affirming article!
Absolutely brilliant!!! Truly a much needed awareness preface for us all as we enter this celestial new age…..thank you.
Peace to ALL.
Carol
Thank you William. When you talk about empaths and sensitivity of the energies when online, it reminds me of my background training in Classical Ballet. You spend a lot of time everyday at the ” Barre” learning to sense every part of your body – fine tuning your instrument. Feeling the pull of the earth beneath your feet as you learn to balance and breath. Leaning and holding – noticing the spaces between the notes of Chopin on the piano. Then moving to the centre of the room with no “Barre ” for support – you trust and go with the flow. Letting go and allowing it all to just happen . Freedom, ebb and flow, moving through the spaces of light and shade. I am now 63 and have revisited my Classical training with online classes !!!!! As Torstein mentioned above ” It is where time and timeless meet. My meditations through movement have such a different quality now. It is as though I have received a download from the universe !!
I have been following the Schumann Resonance readings for a while and the frequency is indeed rising from its previous base of 7.8 to 10 now regularly and bursts of up to 300.
The other phenomenon seems to be a clearing – much as a chimney sweep to allow smoke to exit or air locks cleared in a central heating system. It is as though those who wish through their own clearing and the clearer resonance of Gaia are more able to tune in.
Thank you for recommending Peter Russell’s book. I met Peter when literally guided to Avebury in about 1990 for the Winter Solstice. I had never been there before – but felt as though I had been switched on. I also met an extraordinary group of people and found that I was called a light worker. I couldn’t get to Avebury for the Solstice but went yesterday.
Thank you once again, William for your insightful observations.
Excellent thought-piece, William. Thank you.
To build on your conclusion “the global brain needs to be balanced by the heart”, I would say the way we organise the “global organism that is humanity” requires balance in each of the seven chakric energy vibrations. And to become conscious of the need fir that balance, we healers need to tune-in to those fields of vibration to identify and rebalance those energies.
I really appreciate your kind wisdom and humour. Reading your thoughts, there is a sense of being uplifted, and still rooted in reality. It warms the heart.
I believe this proves some of the value of your work. Coming from the “right place”. When what we do comes from the right place, the Soul, this work in the way that it feeds the right places, the souls, of other people.
The soul, i believe, is both deeply personal – it’s our core – and at the same time transpersonal. It’s were time and Timeless meet, like a two way river.
Thus, when the Soul is our “modus operandi” we are living in two worlds at the same time. Time and Timeless. In this state, the Good – inborn and original virtue – is our natural way of functioning
A few philosophical digressions from the north.
Happy to see you will publish a book on meditation
All the best,
TS