Education in the New Age - Daily: Thursday, 22nd of January As time has progressed, these three developing aspects in the realm of consciousness [see prior] have brought humanity to the recognition, not only of mans own inner personal relationships (incidentally leading to an understanding of his own physical, psychological and mental equipment), but they have brought mankind also to a realization of the various human group relationships of which the first and the most important hitherto has been the family group-unit. It is here that one of the major distinctions between the human state of consciousness and that of the animal has developed, through the divine imposition of the Law of Necessity. This law has provided opportunity for the development of the sense of responsibility for the care of the family. Once an animal or a bird can fend for itself physically, it is cast off by the parent or parents and left to its own resources. In the case of the human family, the physical care of the child, as well as its psychological unfoldment, has gradually been extended until either the parent or the church, the community or the state, is responsible for him for many years - the time element varying according to the country of birth and social status. This has entirely altered the aspect of affairs and the first group, therefore, of which any individual child becomes normally aware is the family group as a unit in the community. In that particular group relationship, throughout the ages (both symbolically and indeed in fact), the following factors - underlying the very structure of existence itself - [129] are preserved and developed and are held before the race as that which is ultimately ideal: 1. The recognition of hierarchical status, which is, in the last analysis, the relation of the lesser to the greater, of the weaker to the stronger and of the more experienced to the less experienced. Thereby the sense of protection is developed, which is the working out of one form of the love aspect in the universe. 2. The recognition of responsibility, inherited, applied or shouldered. This is the relation of the older to the younger, of the wise to the ignorant. Thereby the need of providing opportunity for the unfoldment of knowledge is developed. 3. The recognition of the faculty of forgiveness, which is, or rather should be, the expression of the relationship between unit and unit within the larger group, or of group and group within a still larger whole. Forgiveness is essentially the process whereby each gives to each along psychical lines, and it is one of the rudimentary expressions of the quality of self-sacrifice which is, in its turn, an aspect of the will nature of Deity. Being therefore related to the monadic or will life, it is as yet completely misunderstood and misinterpreted. It is in reality the sense of synthesis or of identification and of each for all and all for each. This sense is being developed today as never before, but it is still so embryonic that words do not help in explaining it. This faculty of forgiveness is not a form of magnanimous forgetting or overlooking, neither is it a gesture of superiority whereby the slate is wiped clean. It is the very breath of life itself - the giving of all to all and for all. 4. The recognition of group interplay within the larger world relationship - justly, harmoniously and [130] rhythmically. It is the sense of right relations, carried forward consciously and harmoniously developed. In the period which is coming, and under the influence of the new education, these four basic recognitions will be inculcated and taught to every child in school and college. They will thus govern and develop the new form of family unit which must inevitably come into existence.
Posted on: Fri, 23 Jan 2015 02:00:20 +0000