Lost civilisation – myth or reality?
Author: Florimond KrinsOctober 31, 2015
It is a fact that mankind has lost and rediscovered knowledge in its short known history. Especially after the fall of a great civilisation such as the Egyptian ancient dynasties or the Roman Empire, we notice a decrease in the quality of life which is partly a result of the loss of a previously known technology. Mankind then undergoes a “Middle Ages” until it rediscovers what it has lost [...]
The World of the Aztecs
Author: Elena LöberOctober 10, 2015
The Aztecs - or rather the "people from Aztlan", a translation from the Nahuatl word 'aztecatl' - are largely still a mystery for us. Their strong and determined character, their practical sense and the value they ascribed to the strength of will enabled this people to develop a highly advanced culture and conquer vast parts of Central America. The Aztec Empire began to rise in the 13th [...]
Bringing Back the Happiness
Author: Pierre PoulainOctober 7, 2015
I was in Marseilles, in France, last December. I was presenting a special photographic exhibition about “Paradoxes” at the opening of a congress organized by the International Institute Hermes, for the 2400 year anniversary of the Academy of Plato. At the end of the congress, Fernando Schwarz, the director of the Hermes Institute gave a lecture about the lack of Spiritual good as the real [...]
In Conversation with Geshe Lhakdor
Author: Yaron BarzilayOctober 7, 2015
During their grueling journey across the Himalayas, Tibetan refugees carried hundreds of manuscripts into India, often guarding them with their lives. Many of these precious texts were offered to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who founded the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives in Dharamsala (India), dedicated to preserve and promote the Tibetan heritage. Today it is internationally recognized by [...]
No offence, please, but we need more integrity
Author: Sabine LeitnerSeptember 1, 2015
No offence, please, but we need more integrity I assume that most people don’t want to offend anyone. Most people also prefer to avoid conflict. But is it actually possible never to offend anyone? And would it be a good thing? Here a quote from the American TV series Ladies Man: “Now, political correctness is the idea that assumes that the worst thing we can do is offend somebody. [...]
Into the Matrix – Pt. 1
Author: Gilad SommerAugust 12, 2015
Blue binary code technology tunnel Part I – The Human Being or the Machine? The technological advances of the last decades have drastically changed our lifestyle, so much that it is hard to recall how life used to be in the past. What Did human beings do with their time before Youtube, Facebook, Twitter? How did people live before status updates, selfies, e-mails? There are two common [...]
The Best Changes Start With Ourselves
Author: Delia Steinberg GuzmánJune 13, 2015
There is no point in compiling yet again a list of the situations afflicting everyone all over the world, because the media have already taken it upon themselves to broadcast them, and because, by repeating them, we only make the evils bigger without finding solutions. What is most striking is the general way of approaching the situation, or at least the way that is shown to those of us who can [...]
Culture Creatives and the Wisdom Culture
Author: Agostino DominiciJune 6, 2015
Many recent thinkers have spoken of the troubled times our world is going through and the picture that is emerging resembles more and more the central piece of Hieronymus Bosch’s triptych The Last Judgment. In it we see in vibrant colors the chaotic scenes of anarchy and depravation while society dances and sings to the beat of the drums of limbo (hell). We are in the midst of [...]
Philosophical Activism: For Best Results Start at the Root
Author: Gilad SommerMarch 4, 2015
Many of us feel the need to take concrete action, with the hope that our children may have a better place to live in. However, without contemplating the deeper reasons for our problems, activism can become a Sisyphean task – acting repeatedly, without making any real change. Wangari Maathai, the late Kenyan Nobel prize winner, spoke about certain aid campaigns that completely missed their [...]
Tolerance and Fundamentalism
Author: Julian ScottFebruary 1, 2015
Minerva as a symbol of enlightened wisdom protects the believers of all religions (Daniel Chodowiecki, 1791 It seems strange that fundamentalism and fanaticism should be growing stronger in the 21st century when, according to past predictions, we should be entering an age of enlightened progress and rational understanding. But the rise of fundamentalism is due in part to the failure of [...]
City of Purification – Elephanta
Author: Harianto MehtaJanuary 29, 2015
Just a few kilometers off the Mumbai Harbor, nestled on an island, amidst basalt rock mounds, lay a mysterious complex of exquisite cave temples that whisper a silent homage to the region’s spiritual past. It’s tune inaudible to the nearby metropolis teeming with ambitious commerce, and ceaseless traffic, here the temple walls echo a stark but graceful embrace, and invite the yearning [...]
Do We Need Tradition?
Author: Gilad SommerDecember 3, 2014
The word ‘tradition’ comes from the Latin trans + dare: deliver, give across. It refers to the transmission of experience which lies at the base of every established civilization. Today, however, tradition has become a synonym of something which is old-fashioned and obsolete, nothing more than an interesting relic of the past to be put in a museum. Nevertheless, tradition is a living [...]