Question: Let’s say I work and make my living as psychotherapist, but in my free time I work in dissemination of the integral method without any pay. The second approach is when I work fulltime in dissemination of the integral upbringing and get paid for doing that. Which way is better for advancement?

Answer: Certainly, your help as a volunteer, as the load you take for the society’s benefit should not be excluded. However, in general we have to create a huge army of educators, teachers, and lecturers who would participate in this. This is what will make the system!

A person who goes through the integral course generally works for this idea since he becomes its carrier. Therefore, we are not talking here about a career even though it exists. We are not talking about special salaries or rewards. For the most part it is an inner reward: fulfillment.
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From a “Talk About Integral Upbringing” 5/20/12

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Question: People are generally not interested in receiving information about forms of interaction, introspection, and development in self-actualization until their life becomes unbearable. Only then do they come to specialists and are willing to engage in internal work.

Does it mean that without the “I can’t live like this” scenario, it’s impossible to convey to people information about the integral method?

Answer: I believe that we must first do massive work with the people through different cinematographic, theatrical, and Internet-based campaigns, which would clearly demonstrate to people those events that, like in the movie, are happening to others, and how they can be solved.

We must show them examples, involve them in this, and through such productions, make them active participants, sympathetic and really involved in these transformations. We need to show them how all of this transpires through the example of the hero of some production, movie, or novel. But they must be serious works, such as Pelevin’s. I think that in this manner, we can create a demand for the integral method. It seems to me that this should precede everything else when it comes to the general population.

If we’re talking about specific people, representatives of culture and science, then we need to try to clothe it in the format and knowledge of whatever they are doing. For people like that, we need to disseminate materials about connection, the human influence on the world, and how it is realized linearly and globally, integrally, what the difference between the two is, and so on. We also have a big problem with children. If we show how integral upbringing transforms a child, we, in fact, create a human being of him or her, and then it would be a shining example for the parents.

There’s a very good example of that in our country. Here in Israel, by the way, a principal can do whatever they want within the framework of the school. He or she is given unlimited power, and they can introduce new disciplines. When school principals learn about our methodology, they agree to implement it because they feel and understand that it should give positive results, at the very least with regard to discipline in the classroom, reduction of violence, and various problems among children.

If they agree, then we put forth a condition that first, the teachers need to master the integral method. We come to the school one or two times a week and conduct courses on integral education and upbringing. Thus, before educating the children, the teachers themselves learn this methodology, and on themselves experience this whole transformation.

Gradually, teachers become our associates, colleagues, and partners, although in general, they are always characterized by conservatism and initially don’t understand the essence of integral methodology. But when they gradually become imbued with it, then they feel how much they benefit from the fact that they can enter a classroom without fear, that a friendly atmosphere during the lesson becomes a normal phenomenon, that academic achievement increases, and children listen to and receive from each other since a lesson is carried out as a conversation between them.

When children share their knowledge with each other, they absorb it much better than when receiving information from the teachers. This, essentially, is how old schools were arranged; children simply discussed all the problems amongst themselves and through that revealed and enriched knowledge.

A very interesting thing happens here. Once you attract the teachers to our side and work with them for some time on integral upbringing, like with children in a circle, they begin to feel for themselves how much the teaching staff has changed, how different the atmosphere in the staff room is, as well as their relationship with the management of the school. They begin to feel that there really is something revolutionary here, something completely new. And then we tell them that it isn’t enough to work with children on this methodology only in the school, they need to feel the same environment at home, that is, we need to work with the parents as well.

Then, during meetings with parents, the teachers start to convince parents that the new methodology is needed to ensure that their children, the most precious thing they have, would become real, new people, good and kind, able to understand the world correctly, interactive in the classroom completing school successfully, receiving good grades, and there wouldn’t be violence, drugs, and all else that unfortunately goes on in schools.  Horrible things occur there, and we only know a small part of it. That pressure, that environment to which our kids are subjected, this is the most salient and vivid manifestation of the most negative human traits.

When we tell parents that for this purpose it’s necessary to create a slightly different atmosphere at home, they agree immediately, especially women. This is enough because a woman “presides” over the household, while a man, as we all know, exerts very little influence on everything that happens in a family. In this manner, we begin to attract mothers to the integral methodology, and eventually encompass essentially the whole population.

Through women, through children’s success, this spreads as if in an open field. Everyone else immediately begins to see, hear, and feel. The chain from a school principal to the parents—this already is an enormous amount of people who become included in re-education.

This should definitely be taken into account.
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From a “Talk on Integral Upbringing” 5/20/12

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Question: Do we need professionals in order to create an integral mechanism for the masses so as to set new examples for people’s mode of thinking, or is it enough to be avid amateurs?

Answer: Many of the people who are studying the integral system should keep their jobs. But they understand this system, they have changed, and they want to advance and to improve. Through the unity that they have acquired by the discussions, round tables, and workshops, they feel the revelation of the new world.

But actually, we need to prepare professionals. What do I mean by to prepare?

Today about 20-30% of the people in every country are unemployed. These are healthy, normal, thinking people that would be happy to participate in something, but they cannot fulfill themselves. After a few years of being unemployed, such a person will not be able to do anything. We should draw these people to perform internal changes and then to make them the educators of the new generation. This should become their job.

In any case we have to sustain them and to do something with them. In Europe they are given some unemployment benefits, free meals, and so on.

Today people find themselves in such situations that a large part of the society lives on a meager, minimum allowance. In Holland for example, an unemployed person receives 180 Euro a month, which isn’t enough to live on. Once a day or once a week he receives food and thanks to that he can somehow manage. And this is Holland, Europe! The same thing happens in other countries where things are even worse.

We are on the verge of such a dramatic critical situation in the world and in society that we simply must do something.

In some countries, especially in the developing countries in South America, no one is thinking about the crisis yet, but it will gradually get there too. After all, we are mutually connected.

On the other hand, in these countries there are many poor people and the gap between the poor and the rich is huge. Therefore, here too, we can approach the leaders of some organizations and start working. But it still seems far away.

If we take North America, Europe, Russia, the whole northern hemisphere, even China and Japan with their problems, then we can see that there is no other choice.

We should put masses of unemployed people not just through the courses of integral self-education, but also through teachers’ training courses and courses that train educators, lecturers, etc. so that they will be able to gradually change humanity into becoming more similar to nature in their own countries and in other places. There is a great opportunity here.

When you tell people living on a meager allowance that the successful completion of the initial integral education courses and training and the following lecturer and educator preparation will provide them with a respectable job and salary, it offers them self-fulfillment, success, and peace.
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From a “Talk on Integral Upbringing” 5/20/12

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Question: What is the court, as a form of integral upbringing? What do we try: egoism?

Answer: We can judge a person himself (as it’s usually done), and we can judge his qualities while loving him. That is, we separate all this into layers: I love him like my young child and see what negative qualities are inherent in him by nature: suppose, he got this from his grandfather, great grandfather, or other ancestors.

I am trying to divide into layers what was given to him by nature and trying to relate to him differently, both to him and his qualities. Here, I can justify or judge him.

I can evoke in him an appropriate attitude towards me: This is me, and this is not mine. What is not mine is going to stay in me, I can do nothing with this. My “I” must be built in such a way that I compensate what is “not mine”—all my egoistic anti-social inclinations—in order to establish contact with others.

That is, the trial is multifaceted. The main thing is to play this and gradually organize for better perception in order to come into contact with others later because I understand him and he understands me. Even without looking—this happens in our feelings, at the subconscious level, not looking at a person, not seeing him—I can already feel him, and he can feel me.

Amazing phenomena occur here, such as the absence of human contact, overcoming the distance. All our physical characteristics, our qualities, and senses, sight, hearing, smell, taste, tactile, are dissolved together with our animal body. We begin to perceive each other at the information level, the level of feeling. His mind and heart are what is in contact with me. A gradual movement forward is taking place.

Question: It turns out that every time I get rid of part of my ego, I move toward unity, is this true?

Answer: Up to the point that you begin to feel the inner essence of people, you begin to perceive it correctly; otherwise, you will not be able to feel, one determines the other. This gradually raises you from the animate level to the human level, the level of everyone’s integral inner essence.
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From a “Talk on Integral Upbringing” 12/18/11

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Question: What is the main idea of the integral method that we can offer to wide audiences?

Answer: The idea is very simple: Everything can only be solved through unification because this is the most important law of nature.

Right now this law openly manifests to us in all the existing systems, including artificial ones we created. And this speaks to the fact that we ourselves are becoming integrally connected inside us and there is nowhere to go: It is the system of nature, which is closing on us more and more, pressing us with the environment and other factors. It turns out that we have no other choice—we ourselves need to become similar to these systems.

The idea is very simple. It didn’t come from the head, from some intellectual conclusions, but from researching nature. Do you want to verify this? Please do! Thousands of scholars from different fields of science, technology, psychology, and political sciences will confirm this for you

Question: And what is this correct connection?

Answer: A correct connection is an understanding of the mutual participation in our shared earthly life. We are gradually becoming closed in. Let’s start to change in this direction. Then we can arrange our life correctly.

In general, people understand this because after all, it drips through the media, it hangs in the air, and there’s no getting around it. We see how interconnected the European countries are, and what a huge problem it is that they cannot communicate and cooperate correctly despite the fact that they’re seemingly tied to each other. Only one factor, a human being, is the source of imbalance and distortions there. All the systems have already become integral.
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From a Talk About Integral Education, 5/20/2012

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In the News (from Aalto University): “Research team at Aalto University and Turku PET Centre has revealed how experiencing strong emotions synchronizes brain activity across individuals.

“Human emotions are highly contagious. Seeing others’ emotional expressions such as smiles triggers often the corresponding emotional response in the observer. Such synchronization of emotional states across individuals may support social interaction: When all group members share a common emotional state, their brains and bodies process the environment in a similar fashion.

“Researchers at Aalto University and Turku PET Centre have now found that feeling strong emotions makes different individuals’ brain activity literally synchronous.

“The results revealed that especially feeling strong unpleasant emotions synchronized brain’s emotion processing networks in the frontal and midline regions. On the contrary, experiencing highly arousing events synchronized activity in the networks supporting vision, attention and sense of touch.

“Sharing others’ emotional states provides the observers a somatosensory and neural framework that facilitates understanding others’ intentions and actions and allows to ‘tune in’ or ‘sync’ with them. Such automatic tuning facilitates social interaction and group processes, says Adjunct Professor Lauri Nummenmaa from the Aalto University.”

My Comment: Recent studies illustrate the view of Kabbalists that we are all parts of a unified system. Currently, this system is manifested more clearly as a general integral relationship between all humans and all parts of nature. But our egoism is not integral, and that is why we cannot behave correctly in the integral relationship that is revealed between us. The cause of the crisis is in this contradiction between the integral system of connection and all parts of nature and society. The only solution is to correct egoism—to make it integral as well. This is the subject of integral education.
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Question: When speaking about integral education and upbringing, you do not have a single doubt that this path is better than the one we are now following?

Answer: In general, the fact that it is better is even clear to anyone when you explain it to him or her. A person might say: “This is complicated. It might not work, but it is good.” No one will call it bad because this is a good path from beginning to end. Moreover, we realize it on ourselves. So, there is no doubt that it works.

Question: The current social system is outdated, it does not work, but people are used to it. And there is a new, good system with fantastic prospects, but to transition toward it, a person must overcome fear and inertia. How can this be done?

Answer: We have found a way to approach school principals. Our system of mutual guarantee is close to them.

We host regional “round tables” in small towns, in the central squares, and we invite the local government. Teachers, school principals, and the general public attend these round tables. Every table has 10-15 people who discuss municipal and other problems.

All this is directed towards solving these problems through unity: This is the objective. After all, they usually decide things at their meetings by arguing with one another.

But there is a completely different atmosphere here. We want to get together in order to come to an agreement around a round table, to understand how we will be able to solve a certain problem together, by helping one another, instead of pulling the blanket over to their own side. And they reach amazing conclusions.

After this kind of success, a completely different atmosphere arises in and around the local government. When we can, we invite radio stations, television, and the press. So all this resonates in a certain way. We come there with equipment and broadcast it over our TV channel. Naturally, the information also ends up on the Internet. The local press covers the “round tables,” after all the mayor and other important people take part in them and express their opinions. This really appeals to them.

After this, we already can propose the integral methodology for realization.
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From a “Talk on Integral Upbringing” 5/20/12

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Question: There is a pyramid of human needs: food, sex, family, wealth, honor, knowledge, and spiritual revelation. If we consider the method of integral education from the perspective of the pyramid, when we talk about family, honor, and knowledge everyone understands. But when it comes to money and we say that there will be no money, and we will have to give up many things, it scares people off.

Answer: By no means do we talk about that. On the contrary, we approach everything from a selfish point of view and tell a person what he will get and not what he will loose, how much will be gained and not how much of it will go away.

On the contrary, if he is properly connected to the society in an integral manner, then there is no need for huge systems, which consume enormous resources today. These are police authorities, various safety and security systems. When we come to a comfortable state, vast resources will be freed up.

In addition, when a person starts feeling integrally connected to the society, the environment changes inevitably as well. He feels it as his own, and therefore saves, protects, and defends. The environment is no longer indifferent to him; he is no longer ready to burn everything to win it, which is, in general, just pennies.

If you calculate everything, it turns out that through the good and right attitude towards society, huge resources will be freed up that we can redirect to any other tasks.

It is not about taking away everything from the rich and giving to the poor, but about the fact that in the process of education, the society will become more equal and there will be no huge differences between the rich and the poor as it is in a magnitude of millions today. A normal difference within the society would be, say, no more than 10-15 times.

It’s enough for rich people to feel rich because they actually have money, power, and strength to realize their potential.

It’s not just that they are rich, it’s because of their inner qualities, that the average person doesn’t have, that they became rich and the others have not. So all of that should be left intact.

The imbalance in society remains, we do not destroy anything, we do not enter into a dictatorship of equality, absolute liberalism, and so on, on the one hand, and do not lead it to anarchy on the other. We slowly start smoothing out all the contradictions in society not through violence but through educating people! It will occur only in response to the changes of the people themselves, and it will be voluntary and desireable.
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From a “Talk on Integral Upbringing” 5/20/12

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Question: In Israel, the integral method is already being implemented, but in other places it’s only starting to take its first steps. But in order to take that step, certain courage and support are needed.

Answer: There is a particular environment here in Israel. It’s an entirely different atmosphere, different inclinations for all initial conditions. In other countries this process is much harder. I think that it should follow the type of path as in North America, for example. Right now they are starting to approach the second phase.

The first phase began with the Occupy Wall Street protest movement. Moreover, such movements took place in many cities in America and Canada. Our people didn’t participate in the protests themselves because it’s useless to exchange one thing for another, never have revolutions brought anything other than suffering. This is why we only come to such events in order to distribute our materials.

Initially we encountered some resistance, police treated us with suspicion, and so on. But after they learned what kind of materials we’re disseminating, they stopped objecting. In some way in various countries, this material passed through the authorities, the police, and received internal approval, and so they don’t touch us anymore, they allow us to hand out our information and treat us with respect.

This is our first completed stage.

Almost a year has passed from the start of protest marches. And now an interesting phenomenon is occurring. Since we’re constantly handing out newer and newer flyers, people see that we have very logical materials. In these flyers, we’re gradually starting to explain the integral method: why nothing other than unification works. And here the authorities are starting to play along with us internally. And the protesters themselves, as well, since they understand that we have an inner strength, an idea—something that they lack. All they have is “we’ll break windows, beat each other, take away from some and give to others.” Naturally, neither the government, nor the police, nor those from whom things are to be taken away agree with this. While we, on the contrary, by juxtaposing ourselves to others find ourselves in demand. They want to use us to legitimize their movements and so they invite us. This results in a very interesting symbiosis: Both the protest movements and we are interested in directing this toward a correct course.

“You are right, there’s nothing good in this world and everything should be changed. The only thing is that we need to change it like this. See for yourselves. Are you really going to destroy everything that exists today? And what will you build instead? Do you have plans, opportunities, and ideas? Have you prepared any resources? No! But we are offering a solution, and moreover, one that doesn’t require great resources. Everything depends only on our desires, and we’ll be able to achieve this.”

Today we’re are invited to all kinds of forums where different opinions are expressed. We really are in demand now. For a long time we didn’t seek out contact because everyone tried to draw us in and conform us to them as they sensed that there is some additional force. But it’s no longer the case now, now they understand, at the very least, that they need to be on par with us. We’re gradually entering this process, yet we still remain ourselves.

And now, a new phase is starting, and unfortunately, in this regard, North America is falling behind: There is a shortage of teachers of integral education. We need to prepare teachers and educators very quickly, in rapid tempo, and instead of giving people flyers, offer them lectures and explanations. This is the next phase.
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From a “Talk About Integral Education” 5/20/12

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Question: You say that the profession of instructor of integral studies will be in great demand. What does it mean “in great demand”? How can we make the new way of thinking prestigious?

Answer: I think that public opinion should be formed, the general consensus that a person who is engaged in transformation of himself and who studies the new integral world in which we live is respected by everyone; he is special, so that it becomes a fashion, becomes something special. Naturally, in this regard, the media should help people.

But here a question arises: If we approach this through the authorities, trying to implement the integral methodology through the government structures, then this would be distributed through the radio, television, universities, and schools as a new course of study, as a new discipline. If in the past, for example, it was social studies, now it would be new integral social studies, the new world.

I think that, in principle, this can be achieved because a huge army of scientists, researchers, and rational intelligent people, people respected in society, agree with, support, and understand the need for integral education. This means that it is possible to develop and “push” through the government and its bureaucratic obstacles.

On the other hand, this can be done from “below,” when various universities offer alternative courses and programs. It’s possible to broadcast the program of integral education via television because it’s not directed against anyone or anything, it doesn’t threaten anyone or anything; on the contrary, it’s a new interesting system of psychological knowledge.

It can be taught as a new psychology, the psychology of modern times, since traditional psychology, as such, has exhausted itself with the development of linear egoism. Now, when egoism has become global, the old psychology no longer works; that is why, there is a need to create a new psychology, a new approach, but it doesn’t exist.

I think that TV and radio talks on these topics and newspaper articles, wherever possible, will be much in demand because people want to know what changes occur in humans, and who in fact a human being is. Thus, we can find an approach to everyone and interest him.

Therefore, we need instructors. If we don’t prepare dozens of instructors who will be able to give lectures and talks in various organizations, we will have nothing to begin with.
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From a “Talk on Integral Upbringing” 5/20/12

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