Those who are going through integral studies need to know that they aren’t assembling together as a regular group for pleasant communication that might not lead to anything: to talk and flee. They gather together in order to connect with each other, and in this connection to realize the next level of their perception, of the communication between them, of their state.

The matter is that everything we are based on in our everyday life comes to us at the level of inanimate, vegetative, and animate nature. Thus, psychologists deal with psychology on the animate level of humans, and we deal with human psychology, the psychology of “turning” people into human beings. Therefore, at the beginning of the studies one needs to explain the task to people so that they’ll understand how serious and special it is, and that it requires a certain inner tension from them.

In our regular life, we are directed through instincts that come to us from our ancestors, from the tribal feeling that existed long before the appearance of cultures, the development of civilization, and long before the technological and social progress. We use these instincts unconsciously, but they constantly direct us, and we can’t rid ourselves of them.

This is the failure of all psychological treatments, since we try to treat human society, the communication between people and of man himself, as part of the society at the same level he is on today. It’s as if we try to change the instincts, the communication between us, and that’s practically impossible.

We place the person in certain narrow limits where there is some kind of correction, and as a result of that it’s more convenient for him to do it this way or that way. He somehow combines within him his instincts, manipulates them a little, and it seems to us that he behaves correctly, according to the desires of society, the family, etc.

But it is not enough to attain the correct behavior from a person today. Thus, lately, psychology has developed in order to realize, to some extent, the way to change a person, the society, a person in society. But the important thing is to discover its initial failure, and rise to the next level.
[85084]
From a “Talk on Integral Upbringing” 2/29/12

Related Material:
A Mysterious “Assent Above One’s Self”
A Conscious Birth Of Humanity
The Perception Of A Single Field

Filed under: Education, Integral Upbringing, Society - No Comments →

Question: How can one imagine the group in its ideal state?

Answer: A group is one whole. This is its model, its image. Suppose we have some common desire, a common intention, common thoughts, and ideas. Where are they? They are between us. This desire, intention, thought, begins to guide everyone. We begin to support it, and we see that our existence is in that.

With the help of creating this image, we then will transform the whole of our life in order to support this image. We will relate to each other differently, build family and social connections, transform industry, and relate to nature, based precisely from the fact that we have created this united whole, the image of Adam, the image of one person.

Humanity will become free of excess work, will cease polluting the Earth, will stop messing with being a society of consumption of completely unnecessary things. It will be forced to free many people from unnecessary work since nature is purposely leading us toward our dedicating five to eight hours of our time per day to the studies of integral connection, the creation of an integral society.

We will be obliged to do that, and, on the scale of the whole of humanity from young to old. Absolutely everyone, from pensioners to small children, must go through this level of re-education.

Question: In order to build this image, some kind of energy is needed. Where can we get it from?

Answer: Nature gives us energy! It pushes us with a stick toward happiness. Of course, we need introductory explanations, courses, understanding the necessity of these transformations, realization of the fact that, otherwise, each one of us will enter his or her own personal crisis and the crisis of society.

See how the ecological crisis is approaching. The Earth is being depleted. How will we warm ourselves? What will we eat if within the coming couple of decades, we will completely deplete Earth, including uranium, fuel, gas and other natural resources? We must stop at the right time, and nature is slowing us down in advance.
[85180]
From a “Talk on Integral Upbringing” 2/29/12

Related Material:
The Perception Of A Single Field
The New Image of the New Man
A Mysterious “Assent Above One’s Self”

Filed under: Collective Soul, Education, Group Work, Integral Upbringing, Q&A, Unity - No Comments →

Question: Could you give an example to show what the economics of the future society should be like, what we need to come to?

Answer: This is very simple, and there is really a lot to think about here. To begin, we need to take such tangible things that gradually will help us come to more abstract communication and definitions.

We see that our economics is going through a serious crisis. It must “deflate,” become the economics of reasonable consumption. This will happen whether we want it or not. If we really wanted it, we would begin to restrict it gradually and to free ourselves of excessiveness and things we do not need.

At first, we would eliminate all advertising. There should be no advertisements, but announcements about reasonable, useful things that people need so that people would know that here are the normal things that make life easier.

Even now, every country and every society has a necessary basket of consumption that every person must have to support themselves, such as food, medicine, necessary accessories, and so forth. We also must keep a basket like this, but not a minimal one, a basket of extended consumption for a normal and reasonable existence. All other production needs to be restricted.

By gradually restricting unnecessary production, first of all, we will receive an abundance of energy, which is a very good thing. Why waste it? We will have an abundance of natural resources. Let us leave them for our children and grandchildren. In other words, we will come practically to a point where we will be able to dress, feed, and equip all of mankind on a reasonable level.

This is the economics of the future that we gradually must come to, in other words, on one hand, the deflation of excessive consumption and, on the other hand, the raising of all of mankind to the level of normal existence. Achieving this level is our initial objective. This way, we take care of our animal existence, making sure that it is equal for everyone.

Imagine the psychological revolution we must create in people, but this cannot be done without the integral upbringing of people. Before taking care of economics, it is necessary to show people the need to rise to the next level. This next level where we form a society—which we call the human level, Man, Adam—determines our voluntary descent to the level of reasonable consumption.

It is necessary to create a program of gradual transition toward this because the main thing is not the final result, but a smooth, multi-level transition. Here, we simultaneously must have integral upbringing, integral education, and gradual reduction in unnecessary production, as well as a gradual increase in serving the population with integral education and upbringing; in other words, the restructuring of all mass media to do educational work. When mankind is occupied with transforming themselves, it is like an enormous world machine.

Finally, mankind will be occupied with itself, but not to show off before their neighbor for having a billion more or humiliating someone by showing that they are stronger, but with the purpose of achieving integration.
[85299]
From a “Talk on Integral Upbringing” 2/29/12

Related Material:
The Economics Of Happiness
Shifting To The Economy Of The Future
State Security Agencies Out Of Commission

Filed under: Crisis, Economy, Education, Integral Upbringing, Q&A, Society - 2 Comments →

Question: Most people don’t understand how they can go from the state they’re in right now to a perfect integral picture. Can we discuss this and bring up a few examples?

Answer: We can discuss it. Moreover, we must develop a plan of transition, a program, a movement, toward the global government that would consist of people with an understanding of the problems we’re facing and that would be spiritually elevated above other people.

These would be progressive and developed people, not today’s egoists that are only developed in their narrow knowledge of a particular field, but people that are developed in their integral understanding of nature and society. They must lead this entire movement.

There are people that possess good organizational skills naturally: the same government officials, the wealthy, and the merchants. They just need to be given a different direction, and their organizational skills can be implemented.

Question: What about their greed?

Answer: Let them remain greedy. All they need is to redirect it and ensure that all of humanity learns a sensible way of consumption in the shortest amount of time so that everyone would have everything. Let them provide this, and, in return, we will give them our full gratitude and love. Do you think this won’t fulfill people?
[85296]
From a “Talk on Integral Upbringing” 2/29/12

Related Material:
How To Manage The Integral World
Transformation Of The Familiar World
Altruism Is Precise Calculation

Filed under: Education, Integral Upbringing, Q&A - No Comments →

In the News (from Simon Fraser University, Canada): “Using scientific theories, toy ecosystem modeling and paleontological evidence as a crystal ball, 21 scientists, including one from Simon Fraser University, predict we’re on a much worse collision course with Mother Nature than currently thought.

“In ‘Approaching a state-shift in Earth’s biosphere,’ a paper just published in Nature, the authors, whose expertise spans a multitude of disciplines, suggest our planet’s ecosystems are careering towards an imminent, irreversible collapse.

“Earth’s accelerating loss of biodiversity, its climate’s increasingly extreme fluctuations, its ecosystems’ growing connectedness and its radically changing total energy budget are precursors to reaching a planetary state threshold or tipping point.

“Once that happens, which the authors predict could be reached this century, the planet’s ecosystems, as we know them, could irreversibly collapse in the proverbial blink of an eye. …

“Once a threshold-induced planetary state shift occurs, there’s no going back. So, if a system switches to a new state because you’ve added lots of energy, even if you take out the new energy, it won’t revert back to the old system. The planet doesn’t have any memory of the old state.

“These projections contradict the popularly held belief that the extent to which human-induced pressures, such as climate change, are destroying our planet is still debatable, and any collapse would be both gradual and centuries away.

“This study concludes we better not exceed the 50 per cent mark of wholesale transformation of Earth’s surface or we won’t be able to delay, never mind avert, a planetary collapse.

“We’ve already reached the 43 per cent mark through our conversion of landscapes into agricultural and urban areas, making Earth increasingly susceptible to an environmental epidemic.

“’In a nutshell, humans have not done anything really important to stave off the worst because the social structures for doing something just aren’t there,’ says Mooers. ‘My colleagues who study climate-induced changes through the earth’s history are more than pretty worried. In fact, some are terrified.’”
My Comment: How can it be done without connection? How can we unite without integral education?—Only it is intended to evoke a desire of community in man.
[85437]

Related Material:
“The World On The Edge”
The Apparent Failure Of The Environmental Summit
How Do We Protect Ourselves From Nature?

Filed under: Crisis, Education, Integral Upbringing, Unity - No Comments →

In the News (from LiveScience): “The new research, published in Nature Geoscience July 29, suggests the western evergreen forests, which cover an area from southern Canada to northern Mexico, took up a lot less carbon from the atmosphere during the drought that lasted from 2000-2004. That’s normal, and expected. The question is what happens after that.

“Christopher Schwalm and his colleagues at Northern Arizona University’s School of Earth Science and Environmental Sustainability think that there is a good chance the drought could be the new normal. If that happens, a big carbon sink will be lost. …

“There’s a lot of uncertainty in those measurements, but even assuming the smallest loss and the highest carbon uptake — which is unlikely — it still means a non-trivial dent in the amount of CO2 removed from the atmosphere.

“A lengthy drought will cause a big dieback of the evergreen forests that are familiar to hikers and skiers, bringing in vegetation that will likely more resemble a desert scrubland. Those kinds of plants take up carbon, but not as well as forests do. …

“If people don’t cut back emissions or mitigate the die-off somehow, the result will probably be an increase in the rate of carbon-dioxide accumulation in the atmosphere, leading to greater warming, Schwalm told LiveScience. …

“The study also looked at the severe the turn-of-the-century drought using the ‘Palmer Drought Severity Index,’ which measures precipitation, runoff and other factors. Taking a five-year average, and using indicators such as tree-ring data, Schwalm found that this most recent drought of 2000-2004 was as bad as any since about the year 1200.

“That doesn’t bode well; there is a real possibility given current trends that this drought could be one of those that lasts decades, or even a century, he said.”

My Comment: The strongest influence on an imbalance of the planet is caused not by emissions of gases, but by our wrong behavior. We have to consume only what is needed for normal life (the economy of reasonable consumption), work as much as it requires (a couple of hours a day) and dedicate the rest of the time to communication/unity and leisure.

Thus, on the animal level (our bodies) we consume like animals, in balance with nature, and at the level of human in us, we unite and become filled with the power of connection, which aims at fulfilling all our desires fully. The balance with nature will lead the whole system of “still-vegetable-animal-human” in balance, as organs of one body.
[85200]

Related Material:
The Climate Becomes Unpredictable
Nature In Crisis
Are We Moving Towards Climate Catastrophe?

Filed under: Crisis, Integral Upbringing, News, Unity - No Comments →

Question: During the breaks at the convention, there will be a presentation of books, the Internet, and so forth. Won’t this distract from the internal flow of the convention?

Answer: The fact is that we still must think about what we are coming out with to the world. A person leaves the convention, goes home, and what is next?

As our ascent depends on the dissemination breadth-wise, we must give everyone some knowledge about what it is in general that we do: the Internet, books, lectures, workshops, roundtables, and so forth. We must show all this to everyone. That is why there should be short fifteen-minute presentations during the breaks.

With what do we leave the convention? We leave with that which we need to take further into the world. Each of us should try to be a lecturer, an organizer of workshops, a distributor, and so on. I am addressing you, personally, everyone! The world will need the integral method; even now, it needs it, but it is not yet aware of this. And you will see in a couple of months that they will run after you; you will be in demand because no one except you will feel what should be done in any case to get the correct result, because you will think integrally.

You will be the teachers of the world, advisers to prime ministers and bankers and to ordinary workers because you will be able to see why this should happen, and not otherwise. This is what is called, “Come for a blessing.” You will be required and in demand. Thus, you still should be included in dissemination.
[85409]
From a Virtual Lesson 7/29/12

Related Material:
Clouds Over The Horizon
The Baby Wants To Grow!
The Aim: Integral Unity!

Filed under: Conventions, Education, Integral Upbringing, Kabbalah Dissemination - No Comments →

In the News (from the Daily Mail): “Having close relationships with friends and family as a child makes people happier in later life, a new study has found.

“New research has shown how positive social relationships in childhood and adolescence are key to adult well-being, while academic achievement has little effect.

“Scientists do not know much about how aspects of childhood and adolescent development – such as academic and social-emotional function – affect adult well-being.

“They define well-being as a mixture of sense of coherence, positive coping strategies, social engagement and self-perceived strengths.

“Researchers analysed data for 804 people, followed up for 32 years, who participated in the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study (DMHDS) in New Zealand.

“They measured the relationship between levels of family disadvantage in childhood, social connectedness in childhood, language development in childhood, social connectedness in adolescence, academic achievement in adolescence and well-being in adulthood. …

“Results showed there is a strong pathway from child and teen social connectedness to adult well-being – showing the significance of positive social relationships over the lifespan to adulthood.

“Also, the Journal of Happiness Studies research revealed the pathway from early language development – through adolescent academic achievement – to adult happiness was weak.”

Tip: Lead by example and teach a child how to build relationships with others.
[85118]

Related Material:
“Respect Matters More Than Money”
If You Want To Be Happy, Then Just Let It Be!
Health, Not Wealth, Makes Us Happy

Filed under: Children, Economy, Integral Upbringing, News - No Comments →

Question: Do we have to be humiliated before we reach connection?

Answer: We are low with regards to our ego, but not with regards to the goal and the Creator.

Question: But still, why do we develop by suffering?

Answer: How else? If we feel good, we won’t move forward. On the contrary, such feelings block our way. This is because “goodness” is pleasure and fulfillment, and if I am content, I don’t move. This is the natural reaction of my egoistic desire. On the other hand, when I feel bad and it hurts, I immediately look for a way out.

A person is a feeling element. Pleasure prevents him from any action; it prevents movement for an unlimited time. If a person feels good, he won’t move, if you “prick” him by sufferings or even by lack of fulfillment, he will immediately begin to look around searching for a new source of pleasure. If the dissatisfaction exceeds the threshold, a person begins to move.

On the development level of the still nature, by being motionless, he doesn’t fill himself and only develops new desires, until the sufferings grow and oblige him to move to the level of the animate. The plant knows how to open up to the sun and to absorb nutrients, to breathe, and it seems to be calm, but once again there is something missing and even more than before. This obliges him to move and to exhibit greater activity in order to enjoy.

This is how our desire to receive is created: It is enough to feel pleasure or pain and by balancing them it undoubtedly reaches the goal. Nothing else is required from it. This process depends on the size of the desire and on its uniqueness and its diversity. Suppose, I am a great egoist; the egoistic fulfillment overcomes me and conceals me under a load that weighs thousands of tons. I can’t do anything other than to enjoy. In order to come out of this situation, I need to receive thousands of tons of sufferings and one kilo more, which means to totally empty my vessel and add some more negativity to it. Only then will I move from my place.

Thus two opposites meet: The more advanced I am the greater my desire. It hangs over me thus demanding greater work and curbing the process, so we have no choice. The desire responds only to pleasure or to pain and so we have to go through them.

But what is the use of these falls? Give me pleasure, and I will immediately freeze in my place, give me some deficiency, and I begin to move. It can be compared to an engine that runs on AC power: if you connect a constant current to it, it will stop. This is because the consistency doesn’t fill the deficiencies and the fulfillment in an alternating order of being emptied of your fillings. So what is required of me if the response of my desire was given to me from the start? How can I break out of this closed circuit?

This is why the mind develops by the desire as a separate parallel system. It accumulates information in its archive, identifies the causes and the goals, and evaluates the phases that it has been through and weighs the future states. Today, in the last the spiritual phase of our development, the cognitive element is the important one. Until now we have been pushed forward by our feelings and now the time has come to develop in our awareness.So our connection brings everyone wisdom by enabling us to exchange data and by providing great experience and a deep understanding. Thus we can avoid many troubles since the current state demands that we develop very quickly, and in several decades, if not before attaining the end of correction. So just imagine what afflictions we will have to go through.

So, the key to our development is education, understanding and recognition, and in activities that make a person feel and understand that feeling. A qualitative development is required here. On the whole, it’s very important for us to disseminate this wisdom; this is the uniqueness of our generation.
[85098]
From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/9/12, “Introduction to The Book of Zohar”

Related Material:
To Suffer In Order To Live
Man Does Not Give Up
How Do We Protect Ourselves From Nature?

Filed under: Daily Kabbalah Lesson, Education, Group Work, Integral Upbringing, Kabbalah Dissemination - No Comments →

Question: How should we imagine this single field that exists outside of us? What do people need to do when training in groups of integral learning?

Answer: Let us imagine that we are connecting to the desire of another person. In other words, we do a regular psychological practicum. I try to determine the desires, intentions, and thoughts of a person.

What are the stages that people and groups experience while they gradually enter these states? Primarily, people need to feel each other, like during regular psychological training. How do I feel the person with whom I am speaking? How do I connect to him? How do I determine what his desire is, to become involved with him, and reach a good attitude toward him, to learn to love him and communicate with him?

In other words, his desires, which are referred to as his heart, and his mind that leads these desires, must become critical to me, the way a mother feels regarding her infant when she desires to fully serve him with both her desires and her mind. The heart and the mind is what a person has. This way, it is as if I were taking a step toward all the participants of the group, radiating kindness at each one of them, and everyone does this in relation to everyone else.

This common attitude in the group, which we are constantly developing, must create such a level of reciprocity in it that begins to create a certain field between us. This field of mutually good attitude must acquire a certain foundation.

Why do we do this? We are not just doing this to have a good relationship between us. We now want to lift them to the next level so that we could exist in this mutual field of kindness, a field of mutual attitude toward one another and so that we would maintain it.

This common, good field between us—let us refer to it by its mutual quality of bestowal—needs to be created through our mutual guarantee when I think about you and you think about me. We must develop ourselves constantly this way through a good attitude. We must perceive this mutual warmth from everyone toward everyone in order to create something mutual, even independent from us, like a mutual child of ours.

We can refer to this common image of us, already independent from us, one we already are beginning to work for, a group. Life in this image, this group, must be the main thing for us. This group is what we actually assume a society to be.
[85174]
From a “Talk on Integral Upbringing” 02/29/12

Related Material:
The New Image of the New Man
From Linear To Quantum Reasoning
A Conscious Birth Of Humanity

Filed under: Education, Group Work, Inner Work, Integral Upbringing, Mutual Guarantee, Q&A, Society, Unity - No Comments →