An Ideal called New Acropolis
Article By Carlos Adelantado
On this 15th of July, New Acropolis sets out on the journey of its 70th year of life. As has often been said, 70 years can mean the entire life of a human being, but it is an insignificant number if we are talking about the existence of an Ideal on Earth.
New Acropolis has been an Ideal that incarnated in the 20th century and aims to remain faithful to its principles until the last breath of its life.
It is an Ideal in movement which presents itself to the world under the form of a School of Esoteric Philosophy. And the great objective of this Ideal can be summed up in a single phrase: to work for the spiritual regeneration of humanity.
Why spiritual? Because matter cannot regenerate itself. Matter appears, undergoes changes caused by movement, grows old and disappears. But spirit remains, and can reoccupy the place that rightfully belongs to it in the evolution of human beings.
That spiritual regeneration passes through the stages of “rectifying names” as Confucius taught, and deepening and elevating what we all bring with us when we are born. It consists of reaping the well-deserved fruit of our conscious efforts to be better, of being able to repair the elements that have been degenerated by time or misuse. Its great strength comes from within, because regeneration has a lot to do with educational formation, which is based on the values of learning and experience.
An Ideal speaks to us of Ideas and, in the case of our Ideal, of Ideas which are in contact with something higher and which can be placed at the service of others: ACRO – POLIS.
Contained in the three founding principles, expressed in all the subjects of our curriculum, demonstrated through our actions of volunteering and pervading all the artistic and cultural activities we offer, the great Ideas that nourish the Acropolitan Ideal are the good, the beautiful, the just and the true.
To advance towards them has to do with the spiritual regeneration of humanity.
Therefore, the New Acropolis Ideal is of an evolutionary nature, because it aims to move in accordance with the direction of life.
Unfortunately, many idealistic people have been deceived or disappointed by some of the so-called ideals that have appeared throughout time. For us, from the philosophical point of view, what does not bring humanity closer to its evolutionary goal has the opposite effect, that is, it leads it away from its goal or, in the best of cases, delays its progress towards it. These words are not an open condemnation, but a reflection in the sense that perhaps we have used the term “ideals” to refer to forms of thought and action which, deep down, are not really ideals.
We should be aware, moreover, that every Idea, if it is to become reality, needs the free contribution of human beings. But, unfortunately, because of their nature, it is human beings who have failed individuals and peoples.
Despite this fact, there always have been, are and always will be idealists, for the same reason that, even if human beings know that disappointment in love − and the inevitable pain it leads to − exist, they continue to fall in love and to go in search of a true love.
The truth is that we cannot overlook the nature of Ideals and idealists.
When IDEALS are genuine, they exercise an enormous force of attraction towards the higher aspects of life. They are capable of generating an energy that pushes from below and attracts from above, that motivates and inspires.
IDEALISTS innately possess within themselves a great vocation to serve the Ideal that they have freely accepted in their hearts. They perceive the force of an Ideal as an uncontainable desire to work in support of its postulates. That desire to help extends to those people who are capable of benefiting from the existence an action of the Ideal they represent.
We all know that vocation is a profound inner inclination towards an activity, profession or specific way of life. A call (from the Latin vocare) which gives meaning, purpose and fulfilment, and provides a motivation for action that transcends mere obligation.
But in addition to having vocations, we must be capable of discovering them, and brave enough to make the effort to live them.
The Ideal called New Acropolis is an Ideal which offers the possibility of spiritual regeneration, which also offers the possibility of discovering and living our own vocation, which allows us to approach the summits of knowledge and wisdom, and to walk in harmony with the direction of life.
What do you think?