Social Change: A Rare Approach

Google is looking for ideas to help make the world a better place, and we would love to see that happen. For the next few days we will be posting our ideas for the Project 10 to the 100th and we'd love to hear your comments on them, and any ideas of your own. Let's start a dialog on the most important thing in the world - helping the world itself

2008 is being billed as "The Year of Global Food Crisis"

Food prices around the world are on the rise. Whether it's corn, soya beans or rice - everything is getting more expensive, and it's only getting worse. Can you explain this, and where it's leading us to?

Suffering brings people to ask about the meaning of life. But if the suffering is based on not having any food to eat, then how can one think about the meaning of life while being hungry?

You say that there's enough food resources, but that because of our egoism, we're not dividing it correctly. So if we were to work out how to divide food resources correctly, would this solve the problem?

Check out this link to find out more.

Cells in organisms unite by reciprocal giving for the sake of sustaining the whole body. Each cell in the body receives what it needs for its sustenance, and spends the rest of its energy tending to the rest of the body. At every level of Nature, the individual works to benefit the whole of which it is part, and in that finds its wholeness. Without altruistic activities, a body cannot persist. In fact, life itself cannot persist.

Humanity, too, is actually one whole body. In truth, we have always been individual parts of a single system. The problem is, we human beings are still unaware of it. Nature reveals it in the way that two forces act in sync: there is a connecting force that connects us all as one, and a rejecting force that pushes us away from one another. Thus, when these two forces begin to manifest their orientations more acutely, we begin to discover how dependent we are, and at the same time, we revolt against this dependency because of our growing egos.

We must wake up and understand that the problems that cloud our present lives are not coincidental; they cannot be resolved by any means that we know from the past. They will not stop, but will worsen until we change direction and begin to function in accord with the comprehensive law of Nature - the law of altruism.

Except for the human ego, all of Nature's elements operate according to the law of altruism. They are in balance with their environments and create harmonious systems. When the balance is breached, the organism begins to disintegrate. Thus, the ability to reconstruct the balance is a necessary condition for the existence of life.

Because Nature does not instill in us sufficient knowledge or instincts to exist in balance with Nature from birth, we are uncertain of how to behave correctly in human society, i.e. how to be in balance with the people around us. The balanced state is also the happiest state-a perfect state where everything runs harmoniously, without the need to create resistance or erect protective walls.

The egoistic goals that have grown in us from generation to generation, often at the expense of others, are in sharp contrast to Nature's fundamental aim: to give each and every element an optimal existence. This is why human egoism is the only detrimental force in the world, the only force that tips the balance in Nature's overall system.

The fact that the ego creates imbalance in Nature does not mean that we need to revoke it. We only need to correct how we use it. Throughout history, humanity has tried numerous ways to annul the ego or artificially reduce it in order to reach equality, love, and social justice.

Eastern teachings are one example of attempting to diminish the ego by developing a wide variety of mental and physical exercises aimed at decreasing its intensity. Since the ego is our Nature, it is simply impossible to counteract it or restrain it indefinitely, because that would be going against Nature.

Revolutions and social changes have come and gone, but all have failed because balance can only be acquired by correctly combining the full power of reception with the full power of bestowal.

What Should We Do?
We need to start thinking about the benefits of reaching equilibrium with Nature's force, recognizing that a positive future depends on that. We must focus our thoughts on being parts of a single, integrated system that contains all people wherever they are, and begin to relate to others accordingly.

A correct, altruistic attitude toward others means directing our intentions, thoughts, and concerns to the well-being of others. When our thoughts are aimed toward others, we wish everyone to receive all that they need for their sustenance. However, beyond physical well-being, we should focus our thoughts on every single person feeling part of the whole, and functioning accordingly.

This is first and foremost an internal work. At first, it may seem abstract, but a positive future depends precisely on that, and only on that.

There is no question about Nature being the ultimate "winner," whose laws we will ultimately obey. But the question is, how will we choose to do it? If we prefer to march toward balance of our own volition, before suffering compels us to do it, we will be happy. Otherwise, hardships will impel us from behind and give us a different kind of motivation.

This lens is founded on principles from the ancient wisdom of Kabbalah, along with contemporary science's latest discoveries. With it, we will be able to take our first real steps toward realizing Nature's law. Only then can we move from the sensation of chaos and discord to perfection and harmony in our lives.