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Peace
must first be developed
within the individual.
World peace
through the internal transformation
of individuals is difficult,
but, it is the only way.
H.H. Dali Lama
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Philosophical
inquiry throughout the ages has pondered the answers to key questions:
"why are we here, what are we to do, and how are we do it."
The Way Of The Mangrove Seed proposes these answers
1. Authentic individual expression, unfettered by guilt and shame, is the primary purpose of physical human existence.
2. The pathway to creative individual expression requires a balanced S(s)elf realization that simultaneously respects
both the person and all other persons.
3. Inner peace flows from a balanced S(s)elf expression of both the rational and intuitive minds and is maintained by outer peaceful living.
4. Social groupings function to proactively support this expressive S(s)elf realization of their members.
5. Ethical interpersonal relationships among all humans encourage the manifestation of individual expressive potential.
6. The growth of universal harmony, human and otherwise,
is essential for planetary survival; and, to achieve this,
all human behavior is guided by
the ethical imperative “to do no harm.”
The Educational Philosophy
Of The Mangrove Seed
advocates that each person follow a three phase path
of S(s)elf development and authentic expression
1. DISCOVERING YOUR PERSONAL TRUTH
Many human behavioral lifestyles exist
other than the one into which
a person is born and raised
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Each lifestyle has its own socially prescribed structure of beliefs,
attitudes, and behaviors that describe its core values.
- No single lifestyle is inherently better or worse than another; therefore,
no lifestyle should be exclusively preferred nor dominate over any other
- Personal tolerance of lifestyles other than one’s own is essential to harmonious living.
Holistic education involves learning about
the variety of lifestyle possibilities
and selecting one’s personal preference from among them
-
The discovery of a personally empowered S(s)elf is the focus of true educational programs.
- A framework of responsibility and accountability for consequences of
personal choice/expression within a social context must also be
articulated and complement S(s)elf inquiry.
- Pragmatic questioning and experiential testing of differing lifestyles is the primary
process for childhood and adult education.
2. CHOOSING TO LIVE AUTHENTICALLY
Authentic daily living is making conscious choices,
based on personally chosen
lifestyle "truths and core values
about all personal thoughts and actions.
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Everything changes constantly in life. Birth and death form the universal cycle of
change. Eventual physical death is the common
reality for all living organisms . . . death is our common bond
- When we embrace this reality of our mortality, we can give ourselves
permission to live without constant fear and anxiety. Then, life can then become a unique opportunity to have a special and sacred personal
experience. We can also better manage our multiple fears of death . . . physical, emotional, spiritual, social, mental, and financial
- Personal choices become more authentic when we do not hide behind our
fears of loss and death. The “false masks” of thought and behavior that we often present to others in our daily lives are
reflections of these conscious and unconscious fears. Hiding behind
them, we become vulnerable to potential manipulation by external
purveyors of anxiety, guilt, and fear.
- There is a critical need to balance rational and intuitive “knowing,”
as well as emotional fear and trust, in all personal decision making
3. ENGAGING LIFE RESPONSIBLY
Personal authentic S(s)elf expression is tolerant and supportive
of the attempt at authentic expression
by all people,
even if it may be different from your own.
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Personal choices are encouraged to be flexible and adaptive to the changing
situational contexts of daily life, and to possible modifications, over time,of personal "truths and core values."
- No personal choice may cause the “diminishment of the existence” . . .
(fully defined as physical, emotional, spiritual, mental, social, financial exisence). . . of any
other person or social group. The sine qua non of personal caring and compassion is to "do no harm!"
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A cooperative ethic of interpersonal relationships, based on honest
“win-win” communication, is essential for an essential bond of
trust to exist in social settings.
- Interpersonal dialogue is a critical ingredient for the empowerment of personal awareness. This reflective, "mirroring back" process fosters personal awakening and freedom from unconscious social and cultural conditioning.
- Discovery and healing of the inner S(s)elf is vitally dependent upon
the formation of trustful relationships within a group context
- Commitment to a specific mutual support group is critical to personal
development of honest S(s)elf expression.