Integral Education Course - Summary of Study Unit 4

Concluding Unit Summary:

The development in nature is gradual; and it is possible to learn from it about the laws that manage all of development, and that the direction of development is always moving toward a better state.

We are obligated to uphold and maintain the laws of nature, especially since as we recognize that the laws of nature are better, so it will be better for us. Science, for example, helps us to recognize the laws of nature and in accord with this, can transform our lives for the better. The idea is that our egoistic considerations prevent us from realizing all the latent potential for understanding the laws of nature. It is actually possible for us to provide every person in the world with the conditions for a good life, since if we will only examine our human nature, and know how to correct it, we will also then know how to use the laws of nature in the best way.

The general, global law of nature pushes us all to be more connected. The force that develops us connects all of humanity together, to a level in which every person in the world depends upon every other person. Our egoistic nature prevents us from seeing Nature's beautiful laws in this. If in a good environment, we will actually feel Nature's laws, we will want to relate well to one another.

For the first time in history, all of humanity is together discovering, simultaneously, the law of nature that acts on all of humanity together, as one. If we want a good life, it is up to us to act in accord with the integral law of nature, and not against it. This is because, in contrast to the laws that we have invented, the laws of nature are impossible to change.

It is up to us to develop a new educational system, which will help us to use our desire only for the good of the whole, in accord with nature. An important tool for transforming the use of the desire to receive for my own good, to instead using it for the good of all, is the force of habit. Habit becomes a second nature, which is to say that if I repeat the same action again and again, I begin to become accustomed to it and to enjoy it, and a desire is developed in me to repeat it again and again. To the degree that the environment obligates the person in a particular habit, that habit becomes second nature. Education is a powerful tool for transforming habit into second nature. Through habit, it is even possible to transform an unnatural form, into a natural form.

With repair through correction of the relationship between us and by interconnecting together, the connection between us will become like the form of the general law of nature. We will then be able to balance and harmonize ourselves in relation to the laws of nature at all times, and in all realms of life. We need to change our environments in a way that it will change our relationship to the whole of nature—from a relationship of exploitation for the benefit of myself, to a relationship of concern for the common good of the entirety of Nature.

The environment needs to give a person an example of the right relationship between people, and between people and nature. The two most important systems for changing the environment are the media communications industries and the educational system. Every person needs to rise to a level of consciousness in which he understands the processes in the whole of nature, and in human nature itself.

With the correction of desire from the use of "for my own benefit" to a use "for the good of the whole," we change our perspective from "me" to "we," and we become one body. The connection of all humanity together as one, brings us into harmony with the one law in nature, and by way of understanding the general law of nature, the person becomes aware and understands all the laws of reality, on all planes of existence.

The crisis that is revealed today in all realms of life, is actually a new beginning filled with much hope. If we begin to change the influence of the environment on us, from concern for myself to concern for all, we will feel a positive change in a short time. Today, science proves that the desire for harmony and balance between two opposing forces acts on all levels of nature, and this guides the entire creation to harmony.

In conclusion, the explanation of the method of global education is not based on religion or on a system of ethics, but rather it is only based on scientific investigations. If we "play" nicely with each other, in a simple form, without much "cleverness," we can change our relationship to each other out of the force of habit. As said and exemplified earlier, the influence of the environment on a person even has the power to convince a person that black is white. It is worthwhile to begin with a change in the influence and impact of the environment on a person, as this can be done even without one's conscious choice.

~ Concluding Unit 4 Summary - Questions and Tasks:

In the beginning of this learning unit, we learned that because development in nature is always progressing toward a better state,

a) according to what criteria do we measure the qualitative improvement in transition from one level of development to another?

b) Give an example of a qualitative improvement for humanity, in transition from one level of development to another.

What should be the main emphasis in the new education system that we need to develop?

What is the relationship between the laws of nature and the economic crisis that is sweeping us all around the world?

Various parts of nature are drawn to a state of harmony with the environment around them (homeostasis).  What is the balace that people need to attain, as parts of nature?

Over the course of this learning unit, two main essential measures to correct the relationship between us have been indicated.  What are they, and why are they so important?