The other Philippines
November 20, 2005 | 12:00am
No matter how I cringe at the sight of Christmas trees in early November, I can’t deny that the end of another year is upon us. It has been a trying time for all and the battle for truth rages on. So, it is with pride that I share the story of Karangalan: the venue for true and positive news at last.
We inaugurated the Karangalan 2005 conference and festival last January, with the theme "Mobilizing excellence to create a visionary Philippines." Our aim was to encourage the Filipino to address the challenges of the country by focusing on the "other Philippines" – the Philippines of moral strength, courage, vision, initiative, compassion, integrity, political will, socially-oriented business, artistic competence, social entrepreneurship, achievement, and excellence. Many left the conference convinced that the visionary Philippines does exist in our midst and enthusiastically returned to their communities to begin initiatives imbued with the "karangalan" spirit.
A few months after the Karangalan 2005 event, political and moral scandals marred the horizon and continue to paralyze the nation’s consciousness. These issues have stalled efforts towards authentic nation-building. Citizens have become indifferent and apathetic. It has become even more urgent to focus on the excellence and moral uprightness found in the "other Philippines." There is real hope.
Karangalan 2006 focuses on hope that comes from lakas ng loob, or inner strength. The four inner qualities that contribute to inner strength are tapang (courage), galang (respect), galing (excellence), and kusa (initiative). Through lucid presentations and vivid performances, speakers and artists will show how courage is restored, respect instilled, excellence harnessed, and initiative promoted. All contribute to dangal (dignity), the root concept of karangalan.
What can a conference and festival do? I’d like to share an editorial Karangalan spokesperson and Alternative Nobel Prize Awardee Nicanor Perlas wrote for www.truthforce.info that beautifully describes just how powerful a gathering of like-minded individuals can be.
Scientific revolutions increasingly characterize the landscape of the post-Newtonian world of the 21st century. Concepts of space, time, causality, evolution, and other foundational categories of the modern materialistic world are collapsing, undermined by the findings of a new and more spiritual science that is emerging in dozens of fields. These new scientific discoveries necessitate a re-orientation on how we envision changing our societies, on how we reshape a new world.
Consider the world of butterflies. Norie Huddle, in her book, describes in poetic language how the worm transforms itself into a butterfly.
"The caterpillar’s new cells [after it has built its cocoon] are called ‘imaginal cells.’ They resonate at a different frequency. They are so totally different from the caterpillar cells that his immune system [that is the immune system of the worm] thinks they [the new imaginal cells] are enemies... and gobbles them up… But these new imaginal cells continue to appear, more and more of them! Pretty soon, the caterpillar’s immune system cannot destroy them fast enough. More and more of the imaginal cells survive.
"And then an amazing thing happens! The little tiny lonely imaginal cells start to clump together, into friendly little groups. They all resonate together at the same frequency, passing information from one to another. Then, after a while, another amazing thing happens! The clumps of imaginal cells start to cluster together… a long string of clumping and clustering imaginal cells, all resonating at the same frequency, all passing information from one to another there inside the chrysalis.
"…Then at some point, the entire long string of imaginal cells suddenly realizes all together that it is something. Different from the caterpillar. Something new! Something wonderful… and in that realization is the shout of the birth of the butterfly!"
"…Each new butterfly cell can take on a different job. There is something for everyone to do, and everyone is important. And each cell begins to do just that very thing it is most drawn to do. And every other cell encourages it to do just that. A great way to organize a butterfly! And a great way to organize a butterfly movement!"
This metamorphosis of the caterpillar or worm to a butterfly is a powerful metaphor for societal transformation. People who awake to new possibilities are like the imaginal cells of their own society. The process of societal transformation starts with the emergence of these individuals who carry with them the seeds of the future. They are "imaginal" in that they carry in their innovation an aspect of the image of the future of their society.
These innovative individuals, these bearers of the future become the "deviants" of their own society. They are not recognized as the bringers of good. Rather, they are attacked as disturbers of the present, destroyers of self-defeating habits of the old society (the caterpillar), which has been superficially framed as the "good life." In extreme cases, they can be killed. Kennedy, King, Gandhi, Rizal, Bonifacio, Javier, Aquino, and others were killed because they were too dangerous to the system. The autoimmune response of the old society tries to get rid of these visionaries.
However, these violent reactions do not stop the emergence of more "imaginal" individuals in society. Soon, they form together to form the various movements striving for a better society – the environmental movement, the sustainable agriculture movement, the youth movement, the women’s movement, the indigenous people’s movement, the urban poor movement, the global democracy movement, the new education movement, the new spirituality movement, and so on.
However, this stage is not enough. The different movements, which now embody the different possibilities of the future, have to learn to come together and reinforce each other’s identities and contributions. Societal transformation will only come when the different identities learn to create synergy among and between each other, for these synergies are often the shape of the future society wanting to come into manifestation.
There is also another aspect to this. You will note that, externally, in the early stages, you will not see the caterpillar transforming into a butterfly. Rather, you will see that the worm has digested itself into a kind of liquid. The stage of biological "chaos" has set in. This chaos, however, is not our modern concept of chaos, which we equate with disorder. This "chaos" is the Greek chaos, where the potentials for a new order lie hidden, waiting to be expressed. Out of this chaos, the butterfly emerges.
So, too, in society at large. We see chaos all around. We can respond in two ways. We can complain and disempower ourselves with a sense of hopelessness. Or we can see this as an external symptom that the old order is collapsing and waiting to be transformed into a level of complexity and order.
One of the most powerful ways to harness the opportunity of chaos is to identify the imaginal individuals in society who carry with them different aspects of the future. Often these are the individuals who are achieving excellent and inspiring work under the most challenging of circumstances. We need to have the eye of the spirit to see the hidden connections, the invisible pattern that links all these different initiatives together and find a way for each imaginal individual to also see the whole.
Here, we note something important. Modern materialistic science can’t seem to explain the orderly, coherent, and artistically inspiring metamorphosis of caterpillars into butterflies. It cannot fathom how a new level of organization and emergence can come out from a bundle of genetic programs, some of which become redundant in the organizational form of the butterfly. A higher form of intelligence, a formative field, is clearly at work in this process.
In nature, the marvelous process of metamorphosis works in a seamless manner, automatically. In the human world, this does not happen. Human intelligence has to actively envision, participate, and will the process of societal transformation from the "worm" stage of society to the "butterfly" stage of society.
There are a number of ways of doing this. One of the easiest and most energizing is to identify the patterns of inspiring ideas and innovations that characterize societies in transitions. This "positive mapping" gives a glimpse, a road map, for those who would transform society, of how the genius and positive life energy of that society is moving and flowing. This perception of the invisible pattern and reality of the future society would allow the imaginal individuals and movements to strategically align their resources and talents for the greater good of that society. They align to what is living and metamorphosing in that society, not what is already in the process of dying away.
There is another aspect of the butterfly that moves us from the realm of metaphor to the realm of science. There is the so-called butterfly effect of the new science of complexity. We often hear how the flap of a butterfly’s wings can influence weather patterns around the world. Small changes, if properly situated, can cascade and have large-scale effects.
In 1969, Margaret Mead said: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has." She never imagined that barely a decade later her historical analysis would receive empirical support from natural studies in the form of the new science of complexity.
Societal transformation in the 21st century will have to be based on the challenges and possibilities of the 21st century. Social movements that seek to achieve societal change based on the outmoded ideas of 19th century materialistic science are doomed to contribute more harm to society than good. Social movements that are innovative, contemporary, and intelligent in the ways of 21st century knowledge will stand a better change of addressing the large-scale and long-term spiritual and social challenges that are facing humanity today and in the decades to come.
Karangalan 2006 is not just a conference. We are the imaginal cells coming together to create the butterfly that is the new Philippines. It is important that we get together and continue the process of true nation-building. There is no time to lose.
If you are interested in giving a workshop, being an exhibitor, or would simply like to participate, contact the Karangalan Secretariat at 687-1312 and 687-1309 or the Karangalan Answering Service at 687-7481 or 687-7482. You can also visit www.truthforce.info for program details.
Let’s create the new Philippines together!
I may be reached at magisip@yahoo.com. Pag-Asa masses continue nightly, 6 p.m., at the People Power Monument. Thank you for your letters.
We inaugurated the Karangalan 2005 conference and festival last January, with the theme "Mobilizing excellence to create a visionary Philippines." Our aim was to encourage the Filipino to address the challenges of the country by focusing on the "other Philippines" – the Philippines of moral strength, courage, vision, initiative, compassion, integrity, political will, socially-oriented business, artistic competence, social entrepreneurship, achievement, and excellence. Many left the conference convinced that the visionary Philippines does exist in our midst and enthusiastically returned to their communities to begin initiatives imbued with the "karangalan" spirit.
A few months after the Karangalan 2005 event, political and moral scandals marred the horizon and continue to paralyze the nation’s consciousness. These issues have stalled efforts towards authentic nation-building. Citizens have become indifferent and apathetic. It has become even more urgent to focus on the excellence and moral uprightness found in the "other Philippines." There is real hope.
Karangalan 2006 focuses on hope that comes from lakas ng loob, or inner strength. The four inner qualities that contribute to inner strength are tapang (courage), galang (respect), galing (excellence), and kusa (initiative). Through lucid presentations and vivid performances, speakers and artists will show how courage is restored, respect instilled, excellence harnessed, and initiative promoted. All contribute to dangal (dignity), the root concept of karangalan.
What can a conference and festival do? I’d like to share an editorial Karangalan spokesperson and Alternative Nobel Prize Awardee Nicanor Perlas wrote for www.truthforce.info that beautifully describes just how powerful a gathering of like-minded individuals can be.
By Nicanor Perlas |
Consider the world of butterflies. Norie Huddle, in her book, describes in poetic language how the worm transforms itself into a butterfly.
"The caterpillar’s new cells [after it has built its cocoon] are called ‘imaginal cells.’ They resonate at a different frequency. They are so totally different from the caterpillar cells that his immune system [that is the immune system of the worm] thinks they [the new imaginal cells] are enemies... and gobbles them up… But these new imaginal cells continue to appear, more and more of them! Pretty soon, the caterpillar’s immune system cannot destroy them fast enough. More and more of the imaginal cells survive.
"And then an amazing thing happens! The little tiny lonely imaginal cells start to clump together, into friendly little groups. They all resonate together at the same frequency, passing information from one to another. Then, after a while, another amazing thing happens! The clumps of imaginal cells start to cluster together… a long string of clumping and clustering imaginal cells, all resonating at the same frequency, all passing information from one to another there inside the chrysalis.
"…Then at some point, the entire long string of imaginal cells suddenly realizes all together that it is something. Different from the caterpillar. Something new! Something wonderful… and in that realization is the shout of the birth of the butterfly!"
"…Each new butterfly cell can take on a different job. There is something for everyone to do, and everyone is important. And each cell begins to do just that very thing it is most drawn to do. And every other cell encourages it to do just that. A great way to organize a butterfly! And a great way to organize a butterfly movement!"
This metamorphosis of the caterpillar or worm to a butterfly is a powerful metaphor for societal transformation. People who awake to new possibilities are like the imaginal cells of their own society. The process of societal transformation starts with the emergence of these individuals who carry with them the seeds of the future. They are "imaginal" in that they carry in their innovation an aspect of the image of the future of their society.
These innovative individuals, these bearers of the future become the "deviants" of their own society. They are not recognized as the bringers of good. Rather, they are attacked as disturbers of the present, destroyers of self-defeating habits of the old society (the caterpillar), which has been superficially framed as the "good life." In extreme cases, they can be killed. Kennedy, King, Gandhi, Rizal, Bonifacio, Javier, Aquino, and others were killed because they were too dangerous to the system. The autoimmune response of the old society tries to get rid of these visionaries.
However, these violent reactions do not stop the emergence of more "imaginal" individuals in society. Soon, they form together to form the various movements striving for a better society – the environmental movement, the sustainable agriculture movement, the youth movement, the women’s movement, the indigenous people’s movement, the urban poor movement, the global democracy movement, the new education movement, the new spirituality movement, and so on.
However, this stage is not enough. The different movements, which now embody the different possibilities of the future, have to learn to come together and reinforce each other’s identities and contributions. Societal transformation will only come when the different identities learn to create synergy among and between each other, for these synergies are often the shape of the future society wanting to come into manifestation.
There is also another aspect to this. You will note that, externally, in the early stages, you will not see the caterpillar transforming into a butterfly. Rather, you will see that the worm has digested itself into a kind of liquid. The stage of biological "chaos" has set in. This chaos, however, is not our modern concept of chaos, which we equate with disorder. This "chaos" is the Greek chaos, where the potentials for a new order lie hidden, waiting to be expressed. Out of this chaos, the butterfly emerges.
So, too, in society at large. We see chaos all around. We can respond in two ways. We can complain and disempower ourselves with a sense of hopelessness. Or we can see this as an external symptom that the old order is collapsing and waiting to be transformed into a level of complexity and order.
One of the most powerful ways to harness the opportunity of chaos is to identify the imaginal individuals in society who carry with them different aspects of the future. Often these are the individuals who are achieving excellent and inspiring work under the most challenging of circumstances. We need to have the eye of the spirit to see the hidden connections, the invisible pattern that links all these different initiatives together and find a way for each imaginal individual to also see the whole.
Here, we note something important. Modern materialistic science can’t seem to explain the orderly, coherent, and artistically inspiring metamorphosis of caterpillars into butterflies. It cannot fathom how a new level of organization and emergence can come out from a bundle of genetic programs, some of which become redundant in the organizational form of the butterfly. A higher form of intelligence, a formative field, is clearly at work in this process.
In nature, the marvelous process of metamorphosis works in a seamless manner, automatically. In the human world, this does not happen. Human intelligence has to actively envision, participate, and will the process of societal transformation from the "worm" stage of society to the "butterfly" stage of society.
There are a number of ways of doing this. One of the easiest and most energizing is to identify the patterns of inspiring ideas and innovations that characterize societies in transitions. This "positive mapping" gives a glimpse, a road map, for those who would transform society, of how the genius and positive life energy of that society is moving and flowing. This perception of the invisible pattern and reality of the future society would allow the imaginal individuals and movements to strategically align their resources and talents for the greater good of that society. They align to what is living and metamorphosing in that society, not what is already in the process of dying away.
There is another aspect of the butterfly that moves us from the realm of metaphor to the realm of science. There is the so-called butterfly effect of the new science of complexity. We often hear how the flap of a butterfly’s wings can influence weather patterns around the world. Small changes, if properly situated, can cascade and have large-scale effects.
In 1969, Margaret Mead said: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has." She never imagined that barely a decade later her historical analysis would receive empirical support from natural studies in the form of the new science of complexity.
Societal transformation in the 21st century will have to be based on the challenges and possibilities of the 21st century. Social movements that seek to achieve societal change based on the outmoded ideas of 19th century materialistic science are doomed to contribute more harm to society than good. Social movements that are innovative, contemporary, and intelligent in the ways of 21st century knowledge will stand a better change of addressing the large-scale and long-term spiritual and social challenges that are facing humanity today and in the decades to come.
If you are interested in giving a workshop, being an exhibitor, or would simply like to participate, contact the Karangalan Secretariat at 687-1312 and 687-1309 or the Karangalan Answering Service at 687-7481 or 687-7482. You can also visit www.truthforce.info for program details.
Let’s create the new Philippines together!
BrandSpace Articles
<
>