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LIVING BY DESIGN NEWSLETTER
by Leslie Karen Sann, MA, LCPC
V1, Special Feature
November 12, 2001
IN THIS ISSUE
The Hundredth Monkey
THE HUNDREDTH MONKEY
There is a story, a scientific study, which I'd like to tell you about. In its message
lies hope for the peace on our planet. Here is the story of the Hundredth Monkey:
The Japanese monkey Macaca fuscata, has been observed in the wild for a period of
over 50 years.
In 1952, on the island of Koshima, scientists were providing monkeys
with sweet potatoes dropped in the sand. The monkeys liked the taste of the raw sweet potatoes, but they
found the dirt unpleasant.
An 18-month-old female, the scientists had named Imo, found she could solve the
problem by washing the potatoes in a nearby stream. She taught this trick to
her mother. Her playmates also learned this new way and they taught their mothers, too.
This cultural innovation was gradually picked up by various monkeys before the eyes of
the scientists.
Between 1952 and 1958 all the young monkeys learned to wash the sandy sweet potatoes to
make them more palatable.
Only the adults who imitated their children learned this social improvement. Other
adults kept eating the dirty sweet potatoes.
Then something startling took place. In the autumn of 1958 a certain number of
Koshima monkeys was washing sweet potatoes -- the exact number is not known.
Let us suppose that when the sun rose one morning there were 99 monkeys on Koshima
Island who had learned to wash their sweet
potatoes.
Let us further suppose that later that morning the hundredth monkey learned to wash potatoes.
THEN IT HAPPENED!
By that evening almost everyone in the tribe was washing sweet potatoes before eating
them. The added energy of this hundredth
monkey somehow created a breakthrough!
BUT an even more surprising thing occurred. The scientist observed that the habit of
washing sweet potatoes then jumped over
the sea --
Colonies of monkeys on other islands and the mainland troop of monkeys at Takasakiyama
began washing their sweet potatoes!
Thus, when a certain critical number achieves an awareness, this new awareness may be
communicated from mind to mind.
Although the exact number may vary, the Hundredth Monkey Phenomenon means that
when only a limited number of people know of a new way, it may remain the consciousness
property of these people.
BUT there is a point at which if only one more person tunes in to a new awareness, a field is
strengthened so that this awareness is picked up by almost everyone!
YOU may be the "Hundredth Monkey." YOU may
be the one that furnishes the added consciousness energy to actually bring into manifestation
peace on earth.
"Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me."
*The above was adapted from Ken Keyes, Jr. "The Hundredth Monkey" pp 10-18
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c Copyright 2001 by Leslie Karen Sann, Living by Design
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leslie@living-bydesign.com
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Copyright 2001 by Leslie Karen Sann,
Living by Design.All rights reserved.
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