Unnatural Development

It is important to begin to see the source of our current problems in terms of development, and how following a Natural Path can help.

Accepting Piaget's model of cognitive development, then in early adolescence the student begins to use logic and reason systematically - the Formal Operation stage. To rephrase this, the student begins to develop his intellect. Understandably at this stage the student asks "Who am I?"

How does our education system prepare the student for the answer to this question? It says it is religion, and it is your choice as to what you believe. Of course it is appropriate not to prescribe a particular religion, but isn't there more that education can offer?

Guidance on the Natural Path can offer more. The Natural Path says that you are part of Nature, and that in this Nature we act together as One. Fairly esoteric, and not too substantive, but it is very significant in helping with the "Who am I?" problem.

Who am I? I am part of Nature acting as One. Doctrinal maybe even catechismic, but it is an answer that the nascent intellect can work with. Hopefully as the student them progresses through the school and then the Natural Path in life, her/his experience and meditation can yield more substantive answers. But s/he is on the way which is not damaging.

Contrast that with what happens at the moment. As the intellect awakens and asks "Who am I?", there is no immediate answer except the external divinity. But Allah/God does not immediately answer that question, it kind of says "I made you, believe in me and do as I say." Unfortunately in today's society the moral discipline is not that strong, so in asking "Who am I?" the student begins to look inside. What does intellect find? Feelings and emotions appropriate to an adolescent, and without any alternative to this the nascent intellect is forced to identify as some kind of self.

However as the student grows older s/he finds that this self-image is not developed. Adults can be seen as functioning through feelings and emotions so the student then accepts this as her/his self-image.

What does the student then do but imitate? Greed and power are acceptable feelings. Moral imperatives are left to the individual choice depending on their personal level of compassion or depending on a degree of faith. Isn't this process haphazard?

Imagine if those same students were answering in terms of Nature. The moral imperative, greed and power are all placed within an ecological context - working with Nature. The intellect sharpens itself on the premises of a Natural Path rather than adolescent feelings and emotions. If feelings and emotions are the only guide, then the intellect can define its success through entrepreneurship and emotional satisfaction in sexual diversity - imitating the patterns of older students and many adults. This is what is happening in the West, and is of course a recipe for disaster which if it hasn't happened surely will.

How can this Natural Path be seen in terms of western religions? Who created Nature? Who created the Natural Path? Both questions can be answered in terms of the religions by God or Allah. There appears to be no conflict there although certain people within the religion might choose to argue. However arguments within religion are rife, and there are some people within those religions who are greedy and powerful. Tony Blair is a professed Christian and yet he has taken the UK to war in Iraq, many Christians disagree with that. Saudi Arabia is an oil dictatorship, and many Muslims disagree with that. Disagreement within the religion does not mean that the Natural Path would be in conflict. The Natural Path sits comfortably with Buddhism and Hinduism.

In many ways Natural Path School want to work with prevailing religions. There is no doubt that the worsening social conditions in the West is based in part on the weakening hold of part of these religions - on the weakening hold of the moral imperative. This lack of moral imperative is a consequence of the liberating thought of the 60s where the intellect expanded its ambit without the control of morality. In I discussed the Hijack of Education but this is just part of the wider exploitation of the earth and human resources for the increased accumulation of wealth by the few. This was enabled when liberating thought threw out Virtue with the repressive values they were targeting. Virtue and moral imperative are essentials within Natural Path Schooling.

Greed for wealth and power are cornerstones for the elite in the West. Many young people try to imitate this, and our world is on a deadly natural spiral. Young people following a Natural Path would not have their development stunted by an intellect whose only formations to work with are feelings and emotions. Developing the use of intellect by working with Nature can only benefit the individual and society in general.

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