Entries in the 'Integral Upbringing' Category

A Happy Balance: “We And The World”

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: You said that through advances in technology, people got more free time and that they could study science, culture, and philosophy as something not essential for life. Today, in our free time are we beginning to develop an “inner industry”?

Answer: First of all, everyone must go through educational courses: a long and pleasant study of a new world, the structure of man, his psychology, the relationships between people: parents and children, spouses, child-rearing, the structure of society, and the history of egoistic development. We need to examine global and integral systems with the example of the human body and the structure of the universe. A person should be a little more developed.

But all this is studied in a soft, gentle form, without any examinations, but through discussions, empathy, and communication within the group. This is not a class where you come in, learn, and go home as soon as possible. You are in this atmosphere because you need to know yourself and the world in which you live, just as we teach children. After all, what do we want from them? We want them to know the world in which they exist, and to learn to put to good use everything that surrounds them.

Adults should learn the same things now because they have not been taught that! “I and the world” is the essence of the study. They also should learn how this “I and the world” turns into “We and the world,” and then this “We and the world” turns into one big whole, into an integral system.

This is what we teach people because the general law of nature is balance. Inside this state of equilibrium, we feel most comfortable. Everything tends to equilibrium. That’s why it’s necessary to show people the laws existing at all levels in physics, chemistry, biology, and zoology, to see that this is true. And then it’s clear that human society is also obliged to be organized on the same principle.

This is not mysticism, but a serious science. We do so, not because some Lenin or Trotsky decided to implement such an idea, but because the nature of the global crisis compels us to do it. And we do so not because we are communists embodying the ideas of Marx, but because we have learned this from modern life, and we see that in fact, he was right.

Marx was right in what he said about the crisis. He did not really delve into how to realize this in practice. But in order to implement this, we address all the professionals that exist in our world. And whom can we trust if not scientists? We build everything on their recommendations.
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From KabTV’s “A New Life” Episode 6, 1/3/12

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Psychological Development

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: A psychotherapist’s work consists of continued evaluations of a person’s problems, at the end of which he begins to understand what is happening with him.

Answer: Your job is not to turn a person into a psychologist. Your objective is to give a person a specific correct advice, a prescription that he can use, and then everything will be good at this given stage. But he will possibly be back in a couple of months or years because he is always changing and problems and circumstances change. He will need you.

Basically, that is a very different approach. You are a professional and he comes for advice. Briefly speaking, you just give him medicine and that is it.

But our objective is to turn every person into his own specialist because he constantly needs to work with himself.

He constantly finds new unfamiliar inner areas inside of him, he reveals cavities, egoistic qualities, thoughts and desires. And as they all change they put him into specific new positions in relation to the environment. This is why a person needs to be constantly developing psychologically. He needs to be a master.
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From “Lessons About the New World” #7, 12/14/12

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A Small Part Of An Enormous Mechanism

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: What needs to change in me for me to become a properly operating cogwheel in a common mechanism?

Answer: A cogwheel supports the movement of the entire, cohesive mechanism instead of becoming a small useless wheel in it. Right now we spin in it against our will, this is why our lives are full of suffering. And if we were to spin with understanding, with a song in our hearts: What would happen then?

The fact is that when man connects correctly to the entire mechanism, since he affects it, gives it his thoughts, feelings, and his effort, he actually begins to spin this mechanism himself. He becomes like the Creator of this mechanism. He rises to the level of the upper force of nature, its design and its plan. And then a completely different level of existence, understanding, perception of eternity and perfection, which permeates all of nature on its higher level, appears in man. This is where we are going.

We are heading towards a state we cannot imagine. We cannot imagine what has been prepared for us. But this is the next stage, far from modern practical psychology.

Question: How can I become this good and proper cogwheel?

Answer: You first need to go through a certain number of classes, assimilate them, preferably in a group where people correspond to you in their development, mentality, etc.

Then, you can begin practical work through discussions and debates under the guidance of the instructors.

Then you need to create your environment, which will influence you and you will influence it. And in this way you will gradually build this system.

We must understand that mankind has gone through all the stages of its previous development in a gradual manner over hundreds of thousands of years, and this stage we can literally pass in one generation. We see the way everything develops today, how quickly it develops, because egoism has grown qualitatively, and there is high frequency of changes on its highest levels.

We have begun our talks with the idea that we have certain knowledge provided through a collection of lectures, through which you should receive certain knowledge, and then skills. And this in turn is followed by practice and their realization in life.

We cannot simply “throw” a person into the world; after all, we spend twenty years preparing an infant for life. We at least need to spend half a year working with a person so he could begin to realize himself.
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From “Lessons About the New World” #7, 12/14/12

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Rising Above Our Egoism

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: What is the action of rising above egoism? Is it a thought process or activation of a certain intention? What is it?

Answer: You can try to reveal your essence either independently or with the help of psychologists. Just reveal yourself; it is like surgery, laying your essence down before you in all its qualities, desires, thoughts.

Qualities are given to us by nature, desires are formed under the influence of the environment, and thoughts form in order to execute and realize these desires, to attain the desired. This is the way we are made.

When you see the entire picture of your psychological inner world before you, you can be objective towards it, as if it were not you, and work with yourself.

If at the same time, you connect to a special goal, which you want and can attain; begin to work correctly with your inner data, the qualities obtained from your parents or ancestors; work with the desires acquired from the environment during the upbringing process; and aim your thoughts for the purpose of realizing these qualities and desires as much as possible; and if you see a certain, very serious, big, and grand goal before you—this means that you can objectively begin to work with your properties with the purpose of attaining this goal.

This goal is supported by the surrounding society. You can begin to work with it with the help of the society, with its judgment and approval; this is the “pump” that provides strength and energy to start this work. And this society will always show you the precise direction toward the goal, because the goal is inside the actual society, your inclusion in this society as a harmonious element.

In this case you rise above yourself and look at yourself from aside, from the point of view of this society, this goal. And you naturally begin to change yourself correctly and objectively; moreover, you change independently from what you feel in your egoistic desires, thoughts, and qualities. Your main test is in your integral connection with the society, and coming even closer to your goal.

If this is so, you absolutely stop caring what you do with yourselves. This is called “to rise.”

A person must come to this goal, this level on his own. This is because every one of us must consciously achieve the state of integrated interaction with others through the use of all the internal and external social and personal resources at the same time. But the person must actually change instead of just popularizing this method.
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From “Lessons About the New World” #7, 12/14/12

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Different Strokes For Different Folks

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: Should there be different books or textbooks in the integral education course? Or should there be one textbook for all, translated to different languages?

Answer: When a person begins to ascend, he loses his identification with the corporeal world: “your tribe,” the people, the clan to which you belong, your upbringing.

This does not matter because when you direct everything towards the good of others, you must understand the others: What does it mean “for the good”? Maybe it is not at all for their good? Basically, you cannot be the judge of that.

For example, when I like a certain food and it is good for me, I might cause harm or unpleasant sensations to another person by offering it to him because there are many opposite tastes and opinions.

This is why integration assumes both, the feelings of the other person and the inclusion of his desires and thoughts, and using yourself for his fulfillment. Basically, in this case I must constantly control myself, but not in accordance with my desires and thoughts: not that whatever is good for me is good for others, and thus “pushing” whatever I wish for myself at them. This sometimes happens with us, and it usually causes conflicts between parents and children. On the contrary, I must enter this person, feel his desires, and fulfill them with the help of my desires.

This is the right connection of cogwheels. Thus every one of us is working for everyone else, like cells in a body.
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From “Lessons About the New World” #7, 12/14/12

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The Purpose That Gives Strength

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: What is the difference between a good integral environment and an incorrect one?

Answer: Only the desire to ensure that we attain the perfect level of our state and nothing more.

In other words, people who understand that there is no other choice and that we must come out of the crisis, and preferably without a war or horrible dramatic events come together. It is best if we artificially direct ourselves toward this and start doing it. We study this system, try to realize it, and thus influence each other. There is nothing else. But at the same time we rouse the power of the goal they strive to, which is concealed in nature, and this goal seems to shine at them from afar. It emanates its power, its perfection, and this is their life. And this is why they acquire new strengths.

Any great goal has power. And those connected with it can overcome enormous work.

Question: Is this aspiration to the goal the “ascent”?

Answer: Yes, every time we ascend specifically in relation to the goal. But when we are in the group, this small community, we can coordinate ourselves correctly.

How can I know what this goal is, where it is, what mutual participation of the cogwheels in the mechanism is, etc.? I can see the way I apply myself in the group: whether I behave correctly inside this small community, with maximum integration and kindness towards all. I must study the consequence of all my thoughts: thoughts, not just actions. The thought is the action.

Our thoughts and desires play the same role on the next level of our existence (on the level of “Human” (Adam), the level of the integral system) as actions do on our current corporeal level.

This is why we must reach the control and correction of our desires and thoughts. This is the main thing. Actions can remain just as harsh and cruel as in an operating room, but they will be directed towards the good of others. The main transformation takes place in desires and thoughts.
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From “Lessons About the New World” #7, 12/14/12

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The Environment’s Amazing Influence

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: I understand that I must not suppress my egoism. It is like the fuel I will use to change and transform. But I do not understand which action will turn me, an egoist, into a part of the integrated society?

Answer: The influence of the environment and nothing else. The only positive thing there is in you is the fact that you submit to environmental influence. And this is why only the environment can control you, and nothing else.

When the environment gives you a direction, the value of and the importance of certain qualities, behaviors, etc., you are obligated to follow it. You cannot refuse it because fame, power, jealousy, shame, these huge forces that drive us, will still obligate you to listen to the environment.

Question: Let us assume that we are studying the course about the evolutionary development of egoism. Is this enough to begin to behave in an integral manner?

Answer: No! This is just knowledge. But we also need to unite everyone into a group and turn it into a society, which will have the proper influence on every one of its members.

For example, when we put children into certain conditions under the guidance of specialists and educators who behave the right way in relation to them, when we bring older children in and they become instructors for the younger children, we get amazing results. This is because the younger child enjoys listening to the older child and tries to become like him. This is natural among children. They do not take the example from us, but from other children, who are 2-3 years older than them.

This is why we need to use the only opportunity that exists: the environment and nothing else.

Question: I enter an environment where people are warm and attentive to one another. I also really want to become a part of this system. Is my desire enough to eventually become a part of this system?

Answer: Your desire is optional. It would be a bad thing if your desire were necessary, because this would mean that the method would not work.

If we take any person in the world and place him in the right environment, there is no doubt that he will change.

There are many examples especially in psychology. Bring any person to a nude beach. Let him try to avoid taking his clothes off… Shame will force him to undress!

This is why the environment is the only method of correction.
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From “Lessons About the New World” #7, 12/14/12

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It’s Nice Doing Good!

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: Let us say I am driving; I am running late and I’m stuck in a traffic jam. Suddenly an opening appears, so I can either move my car there or let someone else take the spot.

Answer: I assure you that you will be letting everyone go before you because you will enjoy doing it. You will feel like you are doing good. And you will simply enjoy doing it.

Try to somewhat feel this state, to feel this example, instead of just accepting it. Just accepting it is impossible. If we were to show this through mass media, if our plays, films, etc. spoke of this, we would naturally see a different picture of human behavior on the street.

Question: So we can imagine that a person who has received integrated upbringing will be letting other people go first through the doors?

Answer: He will not be able to do otherwise. He will do this automatically. Social influence will put us in a new field of influence, which will not allow us to act egoistically. We will not be able to do that! Everything only depends on the environment.

This is why the first thing we need to do is to educate individuals, and to create a strong environment with them. Try to penetrate the mass media and the government. Explain to them the need for such social development. Society will do the work in transforming individuals to correspond to it; moreover, they will do it willingly. And all this naturally needs to be accompanied by explanations.
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From “Lessons About A New World” #7, 12/14/11

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A Delicate Experiment

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: Modern people are completely opposite to integrality, which we are speaking about. A person who steps on other people to get ahead is better off than a person who yields to everyone and cares for others. As a rule the second one is a loser.

Answer: Let’s do an experiment; let’s photograph people and start showing them how they behave in different places. Let them see themselves from aside. Do you think this would not cause them to change, even without any social work?

Let us show children their parents’ behavior. This is the strongest factor of influence on the parents! Let us see how they will react to this.

This will change them. If the children at home were to express their disrespect or resentment of their parents’ actions, the parents would not be able to remain in the same state. They would be compelled to fight for the respect of their children. It is an awful catastrophe for parents when their children resent them, when children not only disagree with their parents but also with their actions, with who they are. We need to use this. Carefully and delicately, but necessarily, we must do it.
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From “Lessons About a New World” #7, 12/14/11

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Corporeal Altruists And Spiritual Egoists

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: Recently I have attended a gathering of representatives of Eastern beliefs. They all were very nice and caring toward each other. What in their behavior differs from the integral global upbringing that we are speaking about?

Answer: First of all, their behavior is not driven by the necessity of nature. I am an egoist. I am completely indifferent to all the methods, including mine (if you can call it mine). I simply regard the world, its movement and evolution, like a technician, and I understand that there is nothing that can be done.

I am not a supporter of a specific idea. I am not trying to invent anything fictional, some beautiful new kingdom. I understand that we are here on the path of necessary development, and this is why this path is the best one for us and leads us toward the right goal. This is the first point.

Second, I do not have idealistic ideas. I apply egoism to our development without suppressing diminishing, or hiding it. It does not go anywhere; instead, it continues to develop even more.

In fact, now we are shutting down the egoism between us, it won’t develop. We do not feel how much we really hate each other, how opposite we are, how each one of us really wants to destroy everyone and remain completely alone, or just leave others as meek performers of all of his desires.

The method of integral upbringing and education involves the use of all the internal and external natural and human resources. It is in no way built on the suppression of anything, and this is why it works for all of mankind.

All the other methods are based on the suppression of egoism, the absence of its use. But it still jumps out and shows itself because it always continues developing in us, every second, from one generation to another, and there is nothing we can do about it.

Moreover, all of these methods are intended for a very limited number of people. According to studies, between six and ten percent of people in the world have natural altruistic inclinations: to give, to live in harmony, to paint flowers, etc. We are familiar with this phenomenon. But this destiny only belongs to a very few people and others cannot understand them at all: “Good, keep visiting hospitals, keep helping the sick and the elderly. You are not hurting anyone; it’s great what you do, you are good people. But do not drag us into it.”

But it is a whole other business here: Nature specifically obligates egoists to become altruists with the help of that same egoism. In other words, we give this egoism—all of our nature, all our properties—the maximum realization.
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From “Lessons About a New World” #7, 12/14/11

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