Ode to Elisabet Sahtouris: Song for an Unsung Hero

Twenty years ago, I was honored to be a member of the medical research community at Stanford University’s School of Medicine. It was personally an exciting time, for the results of my human stem cell experiments fully supported, and in fact, expanded upon, the groundbreaking research I carried out earlier at the University of Wisconsin.

These studies, which presaged the epigenetic revolution, described the membrane mechanisms by which environmental information controls DNA activity. The surprising results profoundly undermined conventional beliefs regarding genetic control. Specifically, the experiments challenged the notion that the environment, and/or an individual’s life experiences, cannot feed information back into and change the genetic
code.

My colleagues, at both Wisconsin and Stanford, dismissed the radical nature of my research, attributing the results to “anomalies,” “aberrations,” or “exceptions.” Thirteen years of being marginalized by my peers had taken its toll on me. It was personally depressing to think you have something valuable to offer and can’t find anyone who will
listen.

I began to realize that the public was open to hearing this new story for it made more sense of their lives than the insights provided by conventional scientific beliefs. However, I was still a bit uncomfortable presenting my theories on the “new” biology, for without any collegial support and reference, I waffled between thinking I had something great to offer and that I might be insane.

My research specialty was stem cell biology with a focus on medical science, fields of study that offered no connection with evolutionary biologists. Consequently, I was intrigued when a participant at one of my early public lectures informed me of another scientist who was presenting a radical new view of evolution, similar to the story I was describing. I began hearing the name of this scientist, Elisabet Sahtouris, on a regular
basis. Nature took its course and soon I was afforded the opportunity of meeting Dr. Sahtouris in the suburbs of San Francisco.

My life changed on the fateful day I met Elisabet. Within minutes, I realized that we were on the exact same path. In my excitement of finding someone who understood what I was talking about, I think I overwhelmed the poor woman. Our conversation opened a floodgate of information that had been pent up in my head for 20 years. I experienced our times together, on this and several subsequent encounters, as nothing less than intellectual
and spiritual highs.

Elisabet’s vision of evolution as an endlessly repeating cycle of maturation from competition to cooperation at all levels, reinforced the same beliefs I had acquired through my stem cell research. Her research and profoundly important conclusions mesmerized me. Elisabet’s vision and beautiful mind resolved massive complexities into elegant simplicity. How refreshing it was to find another maverick scientist who was
bringing in new truths as she fearlessly walked outside the box of conventional thought.

Because of our time together, I left my doubts and insecurities behind and began to fully own the “new” science. Unfortunately, our crossed paths once again divided as we went separate ways and I lost contact with Elisabet. We were fortunately reunited a few years ago when we both became participants in Deepak Chopra’s Evolutionary Leaders Group. Since that reunion, I have come to realize that my disconnection from Elisabet has truly
been a disservice to the both of us.

We have been presenting similar versions of the current evolution crisis for the last twenty years. What’s important is that we arrived at our conclusions through different approaches, yet our studies offer virtually identical conclusions to help smooth the path through the imminent upheaval we face. When the different perspectives Elisabet and I offer are combined, our collective insights provide a more complete foundation for both understanding the nature of the current crisis and for creating a plan to thrive into the next level of Humanity’s evolution.

I now realize I have been remiss in not emphasizing Elisabet Sahtouris’ important contribution to the “new” biology in my lectures and video presentations. I fully believe that her insights are vitally important to our survival. Consequently, I am making a special effort to introduce you to Elisabet’s important research. A quick overview of her science can be found in the attached chapter entitled Celebrating Crisis: Towards a Culture of Cooperation, published in A New Renaissance: Transforming Science, Spirit, and Society (Floris Books, London 2010).

For further information, visit Elisabet’s website and check out her seminal books: Earthdance: Living Systems in Evolution (2000) and Biology Revisioned (1997), coauthored with Willis Harman.

I am honored and proud to be a colleague and friend of Elisabet and will continue to sing praises of her efforts to bring peace and harmony into our world. Hopefully, you will arrive at the same conclusion. Thank you for your consideration. May your lives be bathed in peace, health and harmony my dear visionaries!

Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D.
April 2011