Monastic Academy’s Soryu Forall Featured in the Atlantic Magazine

An insightful and thought-provoking article highlighting Soryu Forall’s fascinating views on the trajectory of humanity, intelligence, and artificial intelligence (AI), was recently published on July 14, 2023.

The piece illuminates Soryu Forall, an ordained Zen Buddhist monk and founder of a decade-old monastery in Vermont, discussing his unique perspective on humanity’s course over history and into the future. Forall is known for his intense yet enlightening discourses, often infusing his teachings with insight drawn from human history, religion, and technological advancement.

The monk presents a panorama of our species’ evolution, starting from the cognitive revolution 70,000 years ago that enabled Homo sapiens to communicate in narratives to the era of Buddha about 2,500 years ago when some individuals began to surpass this narrative understanding, moving towards enlightenment. His timeline continues to our modern era, marking the start of the scientific and industrial revolutions around 300 years ago, which he suggests has been a period of exponential destruction of life alongside the exponential increase in intelligence.

The future, Forall postulates, is an era dominated by artificial intelligence. He suggests that human intelligence, as we know it, is gradually becoming obsolete, highlighting the emerging dominance of AI.

“The article is a profound exploration of our history, our current reality, and the impending future,” says Peter Park. “It challenges readers to confront the possibly uncomfortable realities of our rapidly advancing technological world.”

The Monastic Academy stands as a beacon of transformative education, merging monastic traditions with contemporary leadership. Participants are immersed in a rigorous training program that combines meditation and mindfulness with practical leadership skills. Personal growth is deeply valued, but equally important is the Academy’s commitment to societal benefit. By equipping participants with the tools to become compassionate, effective leaders, the Academy is contributing significantly to the creation of a more thoughtful, empathetic world.

For more news and information about the Monastic Academy, please visit monasticacademy.org or call +1 (802) 540-0820.