“In the beautiful swirling galaxies found throughout space, there is an astronomical phenomenon known as a starburst, during which thousands of hundreds of thousands of massive stars are all born at once. The sudden, explosive burst in which the stars are formed makes the galaxy blaze brilliantly. This event is one of the great dramas of the universe. There are also periods in the momentous advance of kosen-rufu when great numbers of capable people suddenly burst on the scene. And this is what we are presently seeing." Daisaku Ikeda. “A Revolution in One Person Inspires Others”, SGI President Ikeda’s address at the 58th Headquarters Leaders, WT, March 31, 2006.
Let's all become starbursts! SEIN can continue to unite us all as humanistic force of Soka Educators. We can start by becoming confident that our single minded determination can turn our schools and environments around from pretty prisons to palaces of humanistic learning!
This 1st Soka Educators International Network General Meeting created many very useful ideas.
This 1st Soka Educators International Network General Meeting created many very useful ideas.
What do you think of the Forums? The Newsletters? The Blog? The Projects?
Newsletters: the newsletters might include an opportunity for a list of resources. For example, a book or podcast that people found helpful and encouraging for them and colleagues. This might require some extra work as the suggestions would have to be collected and assembled on a deadline but is this something that would be useful to people?
Response: We could think about having a kind of bulletin board and people could send in lesson plans, treasured books and other materials.
More global outreach:
One way we can become a more deeply international community is through live meetings in countries. For example, Brazilians could gather during the forum or create an email exchange to help each other clearly understand the deep discussions and to participate in them as well. So critical mass in a particular country could really help.
More global outreach:
One way we can become a more deeply international community is through live meetings in countries. For example, Brazilians could gather during the forum or create an email exchange to help each other clearly understand the deep discussions and to participate in them as well. So critical mass in a particular country could really help.
Response: I agree that, for example, Brazilians could gather during forum or create an email.
As we build upon this Soka system of education we need translation which is accurate and deep. Perhaps like Sensei we need in the beginning to use our best translators. As time passes software will be invented which people can speak into with instant translation capability and posting to our website. What I worry about right now is how to be the most inclusive in every way as we develop the website. How can we make it open to people who have a native language which does not use a Roman based alphabet?
Response: Perhaps we could also form a group to evaluate the possibility of the use the Esperanto. There is much free material, besides being very easy the learning. The learning difficulty would be the same to all. I already did the 12 lessons and really it is very interesting. This language is also encouraged by UNESCO. The site is http://www.kurso.com.br/.
The translation committee members would like to partner or buddy people who want to participate but have other languages. Ideally, the use of translators would be fantastic, people who can translate back into Portuguese or French or Japanese. Next best would be buddies of the same language together interpreting the site and especially in determining the exact sense of Buddhistic terminology and ideas. If people are physically close they can meet, however I believe some of us original members who try to set up this forum have developed strong communication bonds despite the distance. We have to remember that we determined to come back together in this lifetime to work together for kosen rufu, so it's remembering rather than establishing the bonds in many cases. Also important is the fact that if you have a native language other than English (or American er-hum which isn't always so easy to understand for Brits!) it is because you have made a vow long ago to establish kosen rufu among the people of your language group. It mustn't be a disadvantage and this forum must facilitate this important work. Finally in this era it seems to me that we global citizens are always translators and interpreters and this is key to our appearance at this time. Just the language is a minor aspect in a way - the interpretation of these great value-creation ideas and methods is our real work. What do you think? Can we set up a link for people to apply for translation buddy if they are non-native English speakers?
Response: That is an excellent idea and I am going be bold as Sensei says and TAKE ACTION right now and put a link on the blog site and later to be created also on the website!
Website:
Please find a way to organization of all these comments and resources. How will we find back what has been contributed in blogs, newsletters and forums in a few years time? Can we put a navigation system in place?
Website:
Please find a way to organization of all these comments and resources. How will we find back what has been contributed in blogs, newsletters and forums in a few years time? Can we put a navigation system in place?
Response: We do hope with the creation of the website to have more flexibility in our document storage, search and dating systems. We will eventually create a document library which is searchable by subject, and date. We cannot do this yet with the blog software . The technology is evolving so should be able to better organize our resources in the future.
Disarmament Exhibition:
Disarmament has become something of an obsession with me, enabled also by the focus that Sensei has put on Toda's declaration for the past few months. My ideas for the exhibit and website are mushrooming!As with so many things, the more I delve into the issues of disarmament, the more I realize I don't know. Educating myself has become a first priority. I'm hoping that others will begin to send in to Constance articles, editorials, etc., so that these can be posted on our website in the disarmament/nuclear weapons area. It seems there's something in the news daily - for instance, the pilot of the Enola Gay died this week, and the article included background information. Back to educating myself - that's not because I think we need to accumulate endless knowledge, but because (in addition to keeping current on news, so that what we do and say in timely), I want to get to the heart of what is important to share among ourselves, our communities and our students.
Disarmament has become something of an obsession with me, enabled also by the focus that Sensei has put on Toda's declaration for the past few months. My ideas for the exhibit and website are mushrooming!As with so many things, the more I delve into the issues of disarmament, the more I realize I don't know. Educating myself has become a first priority. I'm hoping that others will begin to send in to Constance articles, editorials, etc., so that these can be posted on our website in the disarmament/nuclear weapons area. It seems there's something in the news daily - for instance, the pilot of the Enola Gay died this week, and the article included background information. Back to educating myself - that's not because I think we need to accumulate endless knowledge, but because (in addition to keeping current on news, so that what we do and say in timely), I want to get to the heart of what is important to share among ourselves, our communities and our students.
I went in search of disarmament and actually was inspired to imagine what the SGI could be like, as an international group of scientists of life. (That from a discussion of the ideals of the scientific community)I'm still making my way through questions of how our world is shaped by science and technology, and how these two are woven into the impulses of politics and war. Rhodes demonstrates the amazing linkages between these things - the karmic bonds, from our perspective, between people and the times. It also reminds me of Sensei's example of the starbursts of capable people. I'm still turning over in my mind the questions during our last forum about what is essential to teach/learn as global citizens. Rhodes has a new book on disarmament and is traveling the lecture circuit to promote it. Meeting him and possibly interviewing him is on my "to do" list. Has anyone else read Rhodes?
Response: He has a challenging personal background somewhat similar to President Makiguchi. Mother committed suicide when Rhodes was an infant. Did discover this blurb about his most recent book, Arsenals of Folly, The Making of the Nuclear Arms Race. http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780375414138
Response: can you tell us what "starbursts of capable leaders" refers to? I hadn't heard of this and it sounds wonderful. The next forum deals a lot with these issues so we should be able to forge an even deeper foundation for the disarmament exhibition.
Response: At the same time, 50 years after Toda's speech against the nuclear weapons, we are at the beginning of this real deepening fight in France as this country is one of the most important for the nuclear activity and the industry of armaments. So the fight to win the recognition of Sensei and SGI in France is at the same dimension of this deepening problem of production of war. I try to transmit these aspects to my students as I teach geography at the university and try to develop these reflections in my research. I'm very encouraged that we are trying to experiment it where we are living, each of us.
Response to this: Anne, thank you also for sharing your challenge in France. I have been concerned about this for some time, and after hearing your voice I am determined to chant more seriously to support your work. The destinies of the United States and France are definitely linked in the area of nuclear arms!
Dialogue Primer:
I have to say that I find this site and technology amazing! So glad to see everyone again. As has been said by others, it was a thrill to see many at the Culture Department conference in JuIt was by all accounts a transformational experience that is still in progress! How might I better understand those I encounter and thereby better respond to them, better enable them to understand me, too? These thoughts are at the heart of the dialogue primer we would like to write. Please consider joining this effort.
Dialogue Primer:
I have to say that I find this site and technology amazing! So glad to see everyone again. As has been said by others, it was a thrill to see many at the Culture Department conference in JuIt was by all accounts a transformational experience that is still in progress! How might I better understand those I encounter and thereby better respond to them, better enable them to understand me, too? These thoughts are at the heart of the dialogue primer we would like to write. Please consider joining this effort.
Response: Everywhere I go people are thirsting for learning to be better at dialogue. I think it should include dialogue skills, which I'd be happy to help with, but also that dialogue should be transformative. Today Bob gave a talk at a sustainable development conference here in Abuja. He mentioned the need for hope, will and trust as critical elements towards sustainability. The head of the conference came up to him later and said he was deeply moved by this, but how do you get people to trust and Bob said that of course there are mechanisms that can be used to create trust. Trust is created by dialogue between people who are trust one another. Getting to that trustworthiness is what the primer should be about. I also think we should really study Sensei's dialogues and essays about dialogue and have them on our website, dialogue tips, and some in our primer as well.
Response: I was quite moved to read about Bob's speech on sustainability, especially the aspect of creating trust. Creating trust has never been something I have been very good at doing, but believe it is a critical aspect of deep dialogue. Today as I was leaving a meeting one of the group leaders came up to me and said: "I trust you so much now, I feel as though I can tell you anything, you have changed so much." I discovered an excellent guide which describes the process of creating trust with individuals and within organizations. Maybe some of the concepts could be used when writing the dialogue primer. What does everyone think? It was written by a woman named Eileen O. Brownell. After I read this guide - I understood - yes, this is the human revolution I have been struggling to achieve so I become the person who can establish a heart to heart dialogue with another. Sensei naturally follows the examples in the guide.
Ideas for Creating Trust: by Eileen O. Brownell
1. Keep your commitments and promises.
2. Share yourself honestly with open communications.
3. Listen. People trust others whom they believe understand them.
4. Keep Confidences.
5. Be accessible.
6. Tell the truth.
7. Show respect.
8. Be fair and consistent.
9. Cooperate and look for ways to help.
10. Avoid excuses and blaming.
11. Be accountable.
12. Creating trust requires daily commitment.
Walk the Talk. Or in our words “consistency from beginning to end!”
1. Keep your commitments and promises.
2. Share yourself honestly with open communications.
3. Listen. People trust others whom they believe understand them.
4. Keep Confidences.
5. Be accessible.
6. Tell the truth.
7. Show respect.
8. Be fair and consistent.
9. Cooperate and look for ways to help.
10. Avoid excuses and blaming.
11. Be accountable.
12. Creating trust requires daily commitment.
Walk the Talk. Or in our words “consistency from beginning to end!”
Response to this: This guide articulates the responsibility of a leader for kosen-rufu in a way that's really engaging!
Response: I agree that dialogue is a great start to create trust, rather than debate which often strengthens tensions and rifts. And Eileen, thank you for your wonderful recommendations to build trust. I also agree that studying Sensei's dialogues is helpful. It certainly helped me in my work to promote sustainable development. In particular Sensei dialogues with Hazel Henderson (Global Citizenship)and Majid Tehranian (Islam-Buddhism) are great.
Starbursts: What are starbursts?
Response: Sensei mentions these starbursts in a speech - I think it is that stars go supernova very suddenly and the whole sky lights up. In evolution also, steps of development don't happen gradually as Darwin thought, but very quickly in one or two generations, suddenly giraffes have long necks, they never had mid-length necks! When someone deepens their faith to the point where they perceive their mission and start to 'be serious' as Sensei puts it, they progress in life and light up the world like a star burst. We are all stars chanting to find our true mission for kosen rufu. I have come to believe that this is one of the purposes of the Forum, at least for me. This reminds me that a change in one man can change the destiny of a country. The reason it is so difficult to establish a methodology for Soka Education, or even a definition, is because yui butsu yo butsu the truth can only be known between Buddha’s, it is always one to one, as we start to shine, another person is lit up and starts to burn with faith and hope also. Connected with the determination to have a centre for resources and lesson plans for us, is this idea that we can inspire young people through providing value creating experiences in their education which enables them also to burst forth in their own life like the stars.
Starbursts: What are starbursts?
Response: Sensei mentions these starbursts in a speech - I think it is that stars go supernova very suddenly and the whole sky lights up. In evolution also, steps of development don't happen gradually as Darwin thought, but very quickly in one or two generations, suddenly giraffes have long necks, they never had mid-length necks! When someone deepens their faith to the point where they perceive their mission and start to 'be serious' as Sensei puts it, they progress in life and light up the world like a star burst. We are all stars chanting to find our true mission for kosen rufu. I have come to believe that this is one of the purposes of the Forum, at least for me. This reminds me that a change in one man can change the destiny of a country. The reason it is so difficult to establish a methodology for Soka Education, or even a definition, is because yui butsu yo butsu the truth can only be known between Buddha’s, it is always one to one, as we start to shine, another person is lit up and starts to burn with faith and hope also. Connected with the determination to have a centre for resources and lesson plans for us, is this idea that we can inspire young people through providing value creating experiences in their education which enables them also to burst forth in their own life like the stars.
Response: Starbursts came from a speech Sensei gave at a headquarters leaders meeting in 2006. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to track it down, since it's one of my favorites: A Revolution in One Person Inspires Others, President Ikeda’s address at the 58th Headquarters Leaders, WT, March 31, 2006, Page 1: “In the beautiful swirling galaxies found throughout space, there is an astronomical phenomenon known as a starburst, during which thousands of hundreds of thousands of massive stars are all born at once. The sudden, explosive burst in which the stars are formed makes the galaxy blaze brilliantly. This event is one of the great dramas of the universe. There are also periods in the momentous advance of kosen-rufu when great numbers of capable people suddenly burst on the scene. And this is what we are presently seeing."
Response: I found some other related thoughts when he was referring to his ongoing dialogue with the Brazilian astronomer Dr. Ronaldo Rogerio de Freitas Mourao. (Dec. 1, 2006 WT) "Dr. Mourao has expressed heartfelt agreement with Mr. Makiguchi's conviction that the purpose of education is the happiness of children. Dr. Mourao asserts that happiness is linked to overcoming obstacles and difficulties. He says we must teach children that the bigger the obstacle, the greater the happiness they will experience in surmounting it." In the same speech, Sensei later says: "Dr. Mourao's perspective on the universe is indeed profound. He explained his views in a highly accessible manner, suggesting that the stars that shine in the night sky are a cosmic melting pot in which the raw materials of life are being constantly forged. He points out that when a single star comes to the end of its life and explodes, it sends the elements for producing new stars, planets and life forms into the cosmos. The end of a star's life, he notes, produces new life, and life is the most precious treasure in the universe...He further states that the universe is constantly giving birth to life and is the eternal treasure house of life. He also asserts that in the rhythm of Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo he can feel the fundamental energy that creates the universe."
Response: It's great to be able to learn from all this shared wisdom. It definitely feels like a star burst. After x-mas this year I'm planning to start my PhD in New Media and Sustainable Development at Exeter University (This all follows from the Seeds of Change Exhibition Jill!) and I'm in particular interested in how New Media can contribute in exploring values for Sustainable Development as proposed by Sensei in his proposal for a decade of education for sustainable development. Well, it seems that this forum is one excellent example of how people from all over the world can find each other and explore values together. I've found that Soka Education and the Earth Charter have a lot in common. No wonder Sensei is such a big supporter of the Earth Charter. I often have discussions with prominent thinkers on Education for Sustainable Development and they are all trying to define a new paradigm for teaching to support Sustainable Development. When I mention the Earth Charter and Soka Education they're often surprised and very interested. The new push for Sustainable Development gives us an excellent platform to promote Value Creating Education and the SGI in general! Meanwhile, I think we can better our understanding of Soka Education through studying the Earth Charter and understand the Earth Charter better trough studying Soka Education.
Ideas for the future direction:
Teacher training:
Education can almost be defined as understanding the minds of others. So education enables the beginnings of dialogue. We have perhaps established in SEIN that dialogue is THE way to peace - could this be one of our lasting developments? Is my definition of education accurate? Is it sufficient? Is it complete? Can we define education, and so define Soka Education? I wonder if we could begin to establish some ideas and - I hesitate to use the word techniques - as a practical way for educators to be applying the Soka way. How can we begin to generate a usable practical school of thought which will serve as a kind of teacher training as well as a resource base? Because we are trying to generate a fresh method of educating which goes beyond what has happened in the past, where nations drilled their citizens for their own purposes, to produce good skilled workers and so on. We are trying to develop the highest levels of humanity, which we can call happiness, in every young person.
Ideas for the future direction:
Teacher training:
Education can almost be defined as understanding the minds of others. So education enables the beginnings of dialogue. We have perhaps established in SEIN that dialogue is THE way to peace - could this be one of our lasting developments? Is my definition of education accurate? Is it sufficient? Is it complete? Can we define education, and so define Soka Education? I wonder if we could begin to establish some ideas and - I hesitate to use the word techniques - as a practical way for educators to be applying the Soka way. How can we begin to generate a usable practical school of thought which will serve as a kind of teacher training as well as a resource base? Because we are trying to generate a fresh method of educating which goes beyond what has happened in the past, where nations drilled their citizens for their own purposes, to produce good skilled workers and so on. We are trying to develop the highest levels of humanity, which we can call happiness, in every young person.
Response: One of these would be how to describe and teach itai doshin. And here is where disarmament & dialogue go together:"When viewed over the short-term, Gandhi's advocacy of nonviolent resistance to the Nazis might seem idealistic to the point of being unrealistic. From the longer perspective, looking back over the history of the postwar period, I think that we must acknowledge the truth of this "voice in the wilderness" - the truth that he continued to assert even during war - that nonviolence represents the only means by which true liberty and democracy are realized. The mistrust and pessimism that beset our age make even more urgent the need for Gandhi's brand of optimism, for his kind of proudly declared faith in humanity."February 11, 19923 - Daisaku Ikeda. If we develop trust between ourselves and together with the rest of the SGI community we will have the tools to create great change. This can then lead to creating itai doshin methodology of course. And the SGI wrote the book on this method. If we can deepen our ability to be in itai doshin with others and then describe how to do this we articulate that, help and help students learn to do this for themselves, then THEY can create trust, hope and the will for even the most obstinate, cynical, and greedy to change their life state too. Nam myoho renge kyo. They create great fortune and the world can begin to heal.
Response: The SGI understands itai doshin and we will continue to unite all Soka Educators throughout the world on-line no matter what!
SEIN in Brazil in 2010:
I began to incorporate me to this forum since last June. As member of the educators group of SGI-France, I appreciate this way of exchange at international level. I think it's a manner to motivate ourselves and to exchange experiences. At the same time, it could also be an impulsion to create the possibility of a symposium of educators of SGI, why not for 2010 ? As it exists at the European level, we had until 2006 an educator's course each year at Trets (the Europe SGI center, as FNCC for America for example). And now, the educators' activities are stopped in France because of our fight to be recognized as a value movement and not as a sect (in the negative sense). So thanks to these difficulties, I and the others member educators have the guidance to win with our victory in our school or university etc.
Response: I wholeheartedly support Anne's idea of meeting face-to-face in 2010 for our SEIN General Meeting or for a SEIN Symposium! When a group of the SEIN members happened to get together this past summer while at FNCC Culture Dept. Course we found we were able to exchange ideas and move forward very rapidly. Maybe we could chant to meet in 2010 in Brazil where the Brazilian Soka Educators have created The Makiguchi In Action Project in their local school systems. Wouldn't that be wonderful!? Response: Constance and Anne, what a wonderful idea for 2010!
Response: Hi everyone, wonderful idea of accomplishing this symposium in Brazil in 2010. I am going to take this proposal to the Educational Centre of BSGI. We are going to prepare us!!!!!!!! You are going to know the BSGI Country Cultural Center in Brazil!!! And our new Cultural Center in Sao Paulo!!! If possible the Center of Ecological Researches of Amazônia as well!!!! And if possible could know the square Makiguchi in the city of Curitiba, international city model of sustainable development !!! However here we also have Kansai do Brazil, Rio de Janeiro !!!In Rio de Janeiro you will be able to know my aunt Magdalena Nader Landi, 79 years old, that already has 616 chakubukus!!! It is incredible!!!! Nowadays we are rehearsing for Subcoordenator Centre of Sao Paulo Cultural Festival and everyone of us are determined to accomplish this festival as a present to the birthday 80 year of President Ikeda ...and to offer our itai doshin union to our precious Ikeda Sensei!!!! Brazil is passing by a period where our rulers do not seem to be going in the right direction. Brazil is activating other Nuclear Plant and has been foreseeing the new plants installation (France want that in Latin America). At the same time Brazil is doing high investment in the military sector. I am worried because this hurt directly it 16 principle item C of the Earth Charter. We are announcing the Earth Charter, in the next Saturday I am going to accomplish two lectures for schools teachers that on the project Makiguchi in Action, We are accomplishing a great Peace Symphony and Ikeda Sensei is our Eternal Maestro!!! SEIN IN BRAZIL 2010!!!!
Don't forget! Our next Online Forum will be from Sunday, November 18 through Sunday, December 16, 2007. The theme will be: “The 2007 Peace Proposal and Soka Education, Restoring the Human Connection: The First Step to Global Peace.” We look forward to another deep and wonderful dialogue! See you online!
Stephanie Tansey (US living in Nigeria) and rest of the SEIN Planning Team: Terry Ellis (US), Ann Iseda (US), Michel Nader (Brazil), Jill Rees (UK living in Nigeria), and Kwabena Siaka (US) and Constance Haig (US).
Don't forget! Our next Online Forum will be from Sunday, November 18 through Sunday, December 16, 2007. The theme will be: “The 2007 Peace Proposal and Soka Education, Restoring the Human Connection: The First Step to Global Peace.” We look forward to another deep and wonderful dialogue! See you online!
Stephanie Tansey (US living in Nigeria) and rest of the SEIN Planning Team: Terry Ellis (US), Ann Iseda (US), Michel Nader (Brazil), Jill Rees (UK living in Nigeria), and Kwabena Siaka (US) and Constance Haig (US).
