Dear readers,
in unit 3 of our textbook, Strands of Language (B1, part 1) -available for free in the virtual course-, and for anyone who contacts me, we deal with another topic which is current trend these days: psychology, self awareness, personal growth...
Some decades ago, specially in Spain, it was difficult to confess you were going to the therapy, because of being afraid of being judged as crazy or freak, or whatever.
Nowadays, it is almost the other way around: if you tell your friends you are not going to personal growth workshops, you don't talk about your therapist and his/her valuable pieces of advice, or you don't at least do yoga or follow a coaching program, they may take you as an outdated person who is sticking to the old system, or as a person with a very low degree of awareness.
What has happened? Is this just a matter of fashions and tendencies? Or is it because there is, indeed, an increase in people's awareness, in the global consciousness?
Personally, I believe that the need of the human being to know him/herself is a part of his/her nature. It has always been there. Socrates said it already thousands of years ago: "To know thyself is the beginning of wisdom". Humanity has gone through different periods and phases, not necessarily at the same time. We are a bunch of different cultures, and while Europe was being absolutely repressed by the Catholic Church and the Inquisition there were probably other parts of the planet (India, China, Latin America) where other religions were helping people to gain inner power and consciousness. Nowadays the spiritual aspirations of the Western world are not so controlled by the church. Therefore, there is a whole to be filled. A basic and essential need, our need for spirituality. And then, all kinds of New Age philosophies, religions, coaches, spiritual leaders, etc., emerge. Besides, we have turned our attention to other ancient wisdoms, to the East, to the Native Americans...And we have probably found many more answers there.
How many yoga centres did we find in a city 10 years ago? How many do we find now?
This is very positive in my opinion. However, something new is emerging too: Freedom. And not everyone is ready to be free, to not be told how to think, how to lead his/her life. Freedom entails great deal of responsibility. Are we ready to take it to the fullest? Freedom is scary, but so rewarding!
Some of my favourite inspiring sages are: Thich Nhat Hanh, author of The Miracle of Mindfulness, Osho, Deepak Chopra, author of The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success, Jorge Bucay, Eckhart Tolle, Borja Vilaseca, Alex Rovira, and so many more.
The books that changed my life are the ones by the polemic Osho, and from then on, many other authors have guided my way. Here you have a example of inspiring talk:
in unit 3 of our textbook, Strands of Language (B1, part 1) -available for free in the virtual course-, and for anyone who contacts me, we deal with another topic which is current trend these days: psychology, self awareness, personal growth...
Some decades ago, specially in Spain, it was difficult to confess you were going to the therapy, because of being afraid of being judged as crazy or freak, or whatever.
Nowadays, it is almost the other way around: if you tell your friends you are not going to personal growth workshops, you don't talk about your therapist and his/her valuable pieces of advice, or you don't at least do yoga or follow a coaching program, they may take you as an outdated person who is sticking to the old system, or as a person with a very low degree of awareness.
What has happened? Is this just a matter of fashions and tendencies? Or is it because there is, indeed, an increase in people's awareness, in the global consciousness?
Personally, I believe that the need of the human being to know him/herself is a part of his/her nature. It has always been there. Socrates said it already thousands of years ago: "To know thyself is the beginning of wisdom". Humanity has gone through different periods and phases, not necessarily at the same time. We are a bunch of different cultures, and while Europe was being absolutely repressed by the Catholic Church and the Inquisition there were probably other parts of the planet (India, China, Latin America) where other religions were helping people to gain inner power and consciousness. Nowadays the spiritual aspirations of the Western world are not so controlled by the church. Therefore, there is a whole to be filled. A basic and essential need, our need for spirituality. And then, all kinds of New Age philosophies, religions, coaches, spiritual leaders, etc., emerge. Besides, we have turned our attention to other ancient wisdoms, to the East, to the Native Americans...And we have probably found many more answers there.
How many yoga centres did we find in a city 10 years ago? How many do we find now?
This is very positive in my opinion. However, something new is emerging too: Freedom. And not everyone is ready to be free, to not be told how to think, how to lead his/her life. Freedom entails great deal of responsibility. Are we ready to take it to the fullest? Freedom is scary, but so rewarding!
Some of my favourite inspiring sages are: Thich Nhat Hanh, author of The Miracle of Mindfulness, Osho, Deepak Chopra, author of The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success, Jorge Bucay, Eckhart Tolle, Borja Vilaseca, Alex Rovira, and so many more.
The books that changed my life are the ones by the polemic Osho, and from then on, many other authors have guided my way. Here you have a example of inspiring talk:
And what do you think? Leave your comments below!
