Individualism vs Collaboration

Context is everything

The continual process of learning is not represented as a mere series of building blocks of information piled together. It is not always a gradual, upward, curve from birth until death. We have spurts of understanding as we grow in awareness of world conditions and the forces driving us forward into ever closer relationships with people everywhere. Sometimes, we realize there is an even larger picture within which we can make more sense of life on Earth and all its complexity. Those higher points of understanding offer a chance to find common ground amidst our varied ideologies.

A perfect example is with Aeon’s recent essay, "A cure for individualism", which thoughtfully draws attention to the debate over individualism: is it undermining community and social responsibility, or should this quality alone be credited with advancements in personal freedom and continually new heights of innovation? What can we say about the fragmentation prevalent across the political and social landscape in the United States and elsewhere?

The article’s author, a professor of philosophy and religion, suggests the need to “develop more balanced and humane forms of individualism.” Fair enough, right? He concludes, “the study of non-Western traditions [such as Confucianism] can be helpful in providing an alternative vision of the good life.” Without doubt, Confucius pronounced universal truths that remain relevant to this day, but ethical frameworks can sound a bit too academic for many people. Is there a fresh way to deal with this apparent bifurcation of humanity into two camps, individualism vs communalism?

The Ageless Wisdom Teaching

In the Ageless Wisdom Teaching – a large, living, body of knowledge about our universe that has been greatly expanded over recent generations – Benjamin Creme (1922 – 2016) pointed to the fact that civilizations are cyclical. The rising and falling of empires over the millennia is largely the outer result of an energetic shift from one cosmic cycle to another. The 2,000 year-long age of Pisces is now closed, and so too is the intensely individualistic energy that built our institutions being withdrawn. The age of Aquarius is on the rise, bringing with it new patterns and qualities that are group oriented: synthesis, brotherhood, and justice.

According to the Teacher for this new age, Maitreya, the role of individuality will remain important, even in this age of the group. It is simpler, and perhaps much more beautiful, to read how Maitreya envisions our future when it comes to resolving this raging battle of individual rights vs social responsibility. “The soul will be respected in temple, church and mosque. Nations will enact laws that will preserve individuality and will promote conditions to enshrine this sacredness.” He suggests that legality will play less of a role in shaping our society. Service to the community becomes automatic as we begin to recognize the higher self, our inner observer, which sees no separation from life around us. “The individual will be important. He will act not out of compulsion, but out of a sense of duty and responsibility towards others, as if he were acting for his own Self.” [Source: Maitreya’s Teachings: The Laws of Life]

Spiritual evolution of consciousness

What a marvelous picture that emerges from this tiny fragment of his teachings! It is not the end of the age of individual contribution. Far from it. What matters is our evolution on the inner planes, far outpaced at the moment by external progress in scientific and technological realms. It begins with an understanding of our true nature.

Maitreya is here to show us that the Self is sacred. We have little awareness of our true potential. The greatest teacher imaginable is ready to speak, if we will but listen. I choose to end with the last sentence from the Aeon essay: “In developing a better version of ourselves, we need all the help we can get.”