A conscious man can master in a few months skills a “normal” person may need 10 years to just learn. If you’re able to do one thing consciously, you can do anything. But we can’t understand what it means to do something consciously since we live through everything mechanically.
Our world has reached pivotal times. Transformative inner and outer changes are crucial, urgent. How much longer can humanity perpetuate itself in the currently established destructive patterns? Perhaps not very long. There is no global “solution”, there is no way out as long as man is viewed as a mass, as long as we remain as we are today, and as long as we continue to live in the same way. Raices del Sol exists to provide a context within which a truly meaningful life can be lived and real values attained. To create a world for ourselves and our children that is rich, harmonious, connected, and most of all, real.
Join our upcoming internship program, live a life you love, and redefine what’s possible in your world.
Vanity of vanities, all is vanity. What profit hath a man from all his labor which he doeth under the sun? One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh; but the earth abideth for ever. The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteneth to his place where he arose. The wind goeth toward the south and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits. All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again. All things are full of labor; man cannot utter it. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done, is that which shall be done; and there is no new thing under the sun. Is there any thing whereof it may be said, “See, this is new”? It hath been already in olden times which were before us. There is no remembrance of former things, neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come by those that shall come after.
Ecclesiastes, Old Testament
A long time ago, I made the inner vow to dedicate my life to others. I had come to the unshakable conviction that there is no happiness for man except in the true dedication and gift towards others. The thing is that in my understanding, in order to “truly” give it is necessary to “be” first. Otherwise you end up with just more of the same masked egoism. By having an aim to constantly refer to, I created a source of strength which helped me make hard efforts over long periods of time in order to create “something” constant inside of me.
At the same time I had fully realized the terror of the situation in which we find ourselves at the present time on our planet. Observing the world around us it is clear that a complete transformation is necessary. The future isn’t so far away that we can waste time. A way out of our current situation is urgent. Individual inner change only can offer a new way. There is no global solution or any new system with the old way.
I then embarked on the long and arduous journey to create a place where the conditions of life could be intentionally setup for inner growth and for experiencing reality, as opposed to the illusory world in which contemporary men spend their lives.
Knowing very well that some of the ideas that make up my view of life take a long time to comprehend, and that time alone can bring a certain quality of understanding to these ideas, I aimed to start out by gradually introducing the simplest concepts in a practical environment. So simple anyone can understand them and ponder upon their various implications. Even contemporary people! These concepts can then ignite a spark and lead to practical work.
Such are some of the intentional aims that brought me, my wife and my children, after many years of labor, to create Raices del Sol, and that drive us and motivate us every day.
To people coming to RDS, even for a short time, some of the absurdities of modern life become obvious. For example, that a man can live his entire life without knowing how to grow his own food, or even have the slightest understanding of the criteria for proper nutrition (not talking here about what we think we know). Or that of not being able to build his own shelter using natural material and resources available around him. Or that of not knowing how to recognize trees, plants, wildlife and in general connect in the most basic ways with life and nature around us. And so on. Most of all, that most people live their entire life, from birth to death, without ever having seriously contemplated the question of what they are. Try asking yourself, or anyone, “what are you?” and you’ll inevitably get the “what do you mean?” reply. This simple experiment never fails and this fact alone is enough to someone ready for change to get a glimpse into the tragicomic human condition in contemporary life.
After some time here, and some intense cleansing, it is possible to experience deeper breakthroughs and realize how mechanical one’s life is. Our constant “inauthenticities” become crystal clear to the more courageous minds. Our relationships with others and our views and assumptions can slowly gain more integrity and broadness. Eventually, with time, efforts, and a merciless attitude towards ourselves, it is possible to transform. The multi-sided flow of life that’s intentionally setup at RDS to involve our physical, emotional, and mental “centers” is a necessity for a harmonious development and growth. At last, perhaps, it may be possible to be on the way for inner change and for experiencing and living reality. The kind of inner change that is absolutely needed in the world of today and tomorrow.
Perhaps by the time our children grow to the age of being able to formulate their own aims, there will be established the space where those who have decided to stop being sheep and strive to transform and awaken can live communally and support each other in their quest, regardless of where they may come from in the world, or whatever religion, culture, social status, race, etc.
Man is so small. And despite the numerous illusions of grandeur and importance we hold about ourselves, our actual place in the universe is practically insignificant. Look up at the sky on a clear starry night. See and feel the innumerable worlds in the endless infinity. Try to reconnect, even for just a moment, with the forgotten child inside of you. Is what we want simply madness?
How did we come to be the way we are? Is there any way out? Everything’s been done. And it’s all been written too. But it’s only our own narrow thoughts we hear when we read, filling in the space in between the words with our mechanicalness. Great teachers of the past have labored and given their strength with tireless dedication to their peers and to us, future generations. They left behind them a trail of truth which runs like a red thread throughout the ages of history. But it seems nothing’s changed. Misery and antagonism prevail in the world. Slavery, war, famine, and disease are ever more widely spread. Egoism and sheepishness continue to dominate our inner emptiness. If They have (apparently) failed in their task how could we pretend otherwise?
Still, we can’t give up! So pack your stuff. Take only what is necessary and let go of the rest. Gather your strength and prepare yourself. The journey is difficult, but real efforts are rewarded extraordinarily along the way.
Yours truly,
Noam.