OTRA MIRADA HUMANISTA

MESSAGE FROM FERNANDO GARCIA TO THE ALL-INDIA GET-TOGETHER AT NARHI PARK OF STUDY AND REFLECTION (Madhubani, Bihar) JULY 18, 2013.

Hello dear friends. Greetings from Argentina.

I am very happy to know that you are getting together at the Narhi Park of Study and Reflection.

I wish I were there, among you all, sharing this auspicious event. However, since I’m not, I thought we may feel closer if I contribute to it by sharing a few reflections with you. They are related to the context in which this get-together takes place.

Generally speaking, the process of the world is going just in the direction we foresaw decades ago. That is, towards world-ization[1] while in the throes of overall crisis and de-structuring. We are going through a period of transition between the dying old and the rising new. And the new that is being born manifests in clear ways, though of course still it does not have the influence it will have in the future civilization.

Our Movement was born with this scenario in view, and with a mission to fulfil; to be a positive guide to help humankind choose the best direction at this crucial turning point. We prepared ourselves for many years, and finally the time has come to play the guiding role we chose.

Hope we don’t get confused about this: the formation period of our joint project is over, and from now onwards we are called to do what we were born and trained for. Our formation is complete, to whatever extent it was possible, and we are sufficiently equipped to give the best reference.

To what extent we will be able to achieve it, nobody knows. But we do know that “valid actions” are not driven by the certainty of success, they are driven by the certainty that they are good for others and for us.

In this mission, we may be accompanied by other groups or not. Hopefully, we are; but we will not wait for them to start doing what we must, and we will do it even if we are alone. That is, too, the nature of a valid action.

With minor variations between different places, the above holds true to the world, to Asia, and to India. In today’s word, interconnected and interdependent as it is, no place will be spared from the consequences of this sea change that is taking place.

The psychosocial atmosphere worsens everywhere, affecting whole societies, interpersonal relationships, and personal situations. If there is something positive about it, it is that the environment does not oppose us as before. Quite the contrary; as the early references collapse, the environment is open and thirsty for new and positive references like those we can offer.

Overall, and as usual, our joint mental and emotional atmosphere is always better than the average around us. Even if we had nothing else to offer, at least we can guide, inspire, uplift and help people with that positive attitude. In present times, this is no small thing.

Arguably, a positive inner state is the most important thing to offer in these troubled times. However, we do have much more than that. In broad outlines, we count on the most comprehensive and positive set of proposals for human development in all fields, suitable to present times and future of a new planetary civilization.     

Jointly, the School, the Humanist Movement, and Silo’s Message are the three-fold expression of our proposals and our common endeavour. None is superfluous or dispensable, and each one fulfils a unique function that complements the others in order to provide orientation to societies and individuals. The Parks of Study and Reflection, still growing in number and quality throughout the world, are the tangible meeting points where the unity of this diversity can be experienced.

Three years have gone since Silo has passed away, and, in spite of this great loss, we are going ahead into our new stage. The School, the Humanist Movement, and Silo’s Message are going ahead. Difficulties to face and things to improve are there, as they were in the past too. We will face them and improve things together, as we always did. Thus, we will reach new and higher stages of our development. We are part of the new that is being born, and this is why we have a strong conviction that every future time will always be better.

To help us move into this new stage, beyond our formation stage and into a changing world, Silo gave us a new way of doing things. Now we do things in a way that is multiple, decentralized and autonomous. This will help us bloom in thousand flowers like a real movement, more than just an organization. We are all learning this.

Our multiplicity gathers these days here, at Narhi Park. As I understand things, this get-together does not seek to promote uniformity in doing things. Rather, it offers the opportunity to share and exchange our diversity, to listen to and learn from each other, to reinforce the sense of belonging to a broad family of likeminded people, to get jointly the inspiration and the strength for the task that each one does.

There is an inspiration and a strength that we derive from being with others, interacting with them, when we are part of a group in which all do the same thing together. But there is also an inspiration and a strength that we derive from another source within us. Our convictions, our experiences, our inner guide, our meaning of life, or whatever works for each one of us. This helps us do things when nobody does the same things around us and supports us, or even when others do the opposite or oppose us. This helps us do things even though our actions are not always, or not yet, rewarded with success.

Whether we derive our inspiration and strength from one source or the other, whether external or internal, so to say, we need to tap a source. In troubled times like the present, this is not only required for carrying out our joint activities, but also as a vital need for mental and emotional survival. Unless we have a firm determination in one positive direction, the environment may drag us erratically into provisory meanings leading nowhere. 

May this get-together help all of you to clarify or reinforce the source of your inspiration and strength to carry out our activities. May you clarify or reinforce which contribution you want to make to our common project. May you decide to carry it forward whether alone or accompanied. May you equally agree, for the future, to hold similar gatherings, to share information and experiences, to carry out occasional joint actions, etc.

Rest assured that, wherever you are, we care for you and your contribution matters to all of us, whether we stay in the same city, anywhere in India, Asia, or the rest of the world.

In any case, and finally, may you all have Peace, Force and Joy!

Fernando

Mail: Fernando120750@gmail.com   Blog: http://fernandoagarcia.blogspot.com

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[1] Usually confused with globalization.