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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