COVER STORY
For the Prout movement to play an active role in the future, it is important that Prout should redefine itself to meet the challenges of the future. It is only then that it will meet the changing needs of the society and become a viable movement. Understanding the futures of any movement is by definition problematic. The future, for one, does not yet exist (except from perhaps an absolute spiritual perspective wherein past, present and future exist simultaneously). Yet, it is possible to identify certain patterns within all movements. Charles Paprocki has analysed the rise and fall of social movements based on Sarkar’s Wave Theory. He argues that new movements appear once old movements (cosmologies, ideologies and the institutions that support them) cannot sustain legitimacy. The old movement dies because of its own internal contradictions; that is, its inability to maintain agreement or belief. By providing a more coherent analysis and explanation of reality, the new movement challenges the past and, if it is successful, becomes the new thesis.
FOCUS ON...
As Communism and Capitalism fail to meet the expectations of the people, the masses are in search of an alternative economic system which can meet their requirements.
for Renaissance Universal (RU)
Johan Galtung, fluent in nine languages and author of hundreds of articles and numerous books including Theories and Methods of Social Research, The True Worlds, Essays in Peace Research, v.1-5, founded the International Peace Research Center in Oslo and the Journal of Peace Research. He has taught at numerous universities throughout the world and was Director of the United Nations University's "Goals, Processes and Indicators of Development" Project. He was recently awarded the Right Livelihood award--"The Alternative Nobel"--for his humanitarian work. He is presently teaching Peace Studies at the University of Hawaii. He has been aware of PROUT and specifically Sarkar’s theory of social cycles for many years now. Recently, he was asked to referee an article titled "Sarkar's Spiritual Dialectics," for the international journal Futures and commented "Sarkar will probably stand out as one of the truly great in this century, so much deeper and more imaginative than most of Western narrow efforts to look into the future." For these reasons, Renaissance Universal decided to interview Galtung to gain insight into his vision of the future as well his perspectives on PROUT.
Sohail Inayatullah is a political scientist/futurist in Hawaii. He works for the Judicial system and various think tanks. He has been involved with Renaissance Universal for 12 years and has written extensively on futuristics as well as PROUT.
The main focus of this interview is human rights and ecological balance Both the issues are quite relevant of our times and are a great concern worldwide.
Expectations from new regime
Now, with the new government in power, it is high time that it works in a way that tangible changes are visible in the decaying Indian administrative system. If the GOI fails to realise this or work towards it, it might also be uprooted the way earlier non-functional governments were.
DEFEATING THE TALIBAN: ONE JOKE AT A TIME
To win every battle, one needs a strategy. So, if the world community wants to defeat Taliban, it needs to use the same tools through which Taliban has gained legitimacy. Muslims all over the world need to be told how Taliban is against the spirit of Islam and only then can we expect public support in the battle against Taliban.
FEATURES
New ideas for new era
The future of India as well as its democratic system depends on the quality of governance provided to its people. For the fulfillment of all the needs of the people—physical, intellectual and spiritual—it is important that the government sets meaningful goals. And, only then can these goals bring about all-round satisfaction.
LETTERS & COMMENTS
AMURT SERVING CYCLONE AFFECTED PEOPLE
Ananda Marga Universal Relief Team did a commendable job while serving the people devastated by the killer cyclone ‘AILA’ that affected millions of people at Sunderbans of North & South 24 Parganas in South Bengal. Hundreds and thousands of people became homeless.
MORALE BUSTERS VS. MORALE BOOSTERS
There is no word that a word of appreciation can work wonders and can also be more fruitful than criticism. Especially at workplace, boosting the morale of the employees in all possible ways will always benefit the organisation because human resource is the greatest resource of a company.
ECOLOGY & ANIMAL RIGHTS
I want to let you know about an event that changed my life many years ago. It is a memory that periodically comes and goes, but it is one of the most precious memories that me and my wife share. I am thankful that we can remember it together. It's a reminder that things are not what they seem and that angels come in many packages.
New horizons
Energy: Satellites that beam solar power to earth have often appeared in science fiction. Will they ever become reality?
FUTURE STUDIES
Changing paradigm of leadership
The current world economic scenario is to a large extent a handiwork of some selfish leaders. The time now is to create a new value system where leaders serve those whom they lead, rather than serving their own interests.
HEALTH&FOOD
A few years before my first journey to India and Nepal, I received my initiation in Tantric meditation at a retreat in a pine forest in Sweden by an Ananda Marga monk in saffron robes. He had recently arrived from India. In accordance with ancient tradition, the charismatic monk whispered a mantra into my right ear and told me it was never to be uttered aloud, except back to him or another teacher. Later on that auspicious day, I heard several stories about Shiva, not the well-known Hindu deity, but the historical Shiva, a living person who, like the Buddha, was an enlightened yogi.