October 2022 - The Acropolitan Magazine

NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

In this issue we bring to you something truly special – an interview with the International President of New Acropolis, who addresses questions about various aspects of the organization, the founding ideals and goals of New Acropolis, and reiterates the need for and value of philosophy in today’s times.

The path of philosophy offers the ability to bring a coherent meaning to our existence.

Many ancient civilizations lived in alignment and harmony with nature. While in some parts of the world there is still an attempt to hold on to this way of life, for many of us we can only see some remnants of this as part of our cultural legacy, as some festivals that mark and celebrate specific moments in nature. Could we use these celebrations as an opportunity to renew that connect and alignment with nature which our ancestors seemed to have?

Today, in the cycle of seasons as we move from autumn towards winter, it perhaps offers an invitation for us to go within. Instead of continually looking outwards, in an attempt to seek validation from others, we must define our own parameters to measure success. We must choose the meaning we wish to give our lives. We must dare to Discover, Awaken, Transform.

ARTICLES IN THIS ISSUE

The Measure of Success

September 25, 2022

By Yaron Barzilay

It is natural to wish to live a successful and meaningful life; to feel we managed to contribute, and make some difference, some impact on the world around us; to feel we fulfilled our life. To do so, it can be logical that one would seek to influence others, to be considered successful in their eyes, and someone worth learning from. It is certainly a means to impact others, to get positive attention. It could become a problem however, if we tend to mix means with aims, forgetting that one cannot replace the other. To be considered successful on the outer doesn’t stand for the quality of the inner and the actual.

Oct 2022- Interview- with IONA President

Interview with the International President of New Acropolis

September 20, 2022

By International Organisation New Acropolis

New Acropolis is an international organisation that promotes an ideal of timeless values. Its aim is to contribute to the development of individuals and societies through its work in the fields of philosophy, culture and volunteering. New Acropolis is present in over 50 countries across the five continents and has more than 400 centres worldwide.

Its action in the world is based on three founding ideals:

The ideal of universal fraternity, promoting respect for human dignity, beyond any differences of gender, culture, religion or social background.

The ideal of knowledge, encouraging the love of wisdom through the comparative study of philosophies, religions, sciences and arts.

The ideal of development, enabling each human being to realize their best qualities and values, as a solid basis for a better world.

The president of New Acropolis, Carlos Adelantado, explains how these shared ideals can be achieved.

A Lifetime Of Architecture: In Conversation With B V Doshi

September 16, 2022

By Zarina Screwvala and Nupur Sampat

On 30th October 2021, New Acropolis Culture Circle hosted renowned architect Balkrishna Vithaldas Doshi, sharing his life experiences in a talk titled ‘A Lifetime of Architecture’. Charting out his early years of learning and practice in the field, he spoke passionately about understanding architecture as a living and ever-evolving concept. “It’s about living, and not just living, but living together, about how communities and societies can grow and become one.”, he explained. Mr. Doshi was born in Pune, he studied at JJ School of Architecture Mumbai, and moved to London and Paris to study under the famous architect Le Corbusier. Later in Ahmedabad, he worked with Louis Kahn. He has founded and taught at various institutions of planning and architecture like the School of Architecture & CEPT in Ahmedabad. Some of his renowned works are IIM Bangalore, CEPT University, Aranya housing project in Indore, ‘Amdavad ni Gufa’ which houses the late artist MF Husain’s paintings, along with Mr. Doshi’s own workplace ‘Sangath’, which is also a public space.

Qawwali: Call of the Spirit

September 16, 2022

By Harianto Mehta

This article serves only as an introduction to the legendary origins, metaphysical purpose, and the traditional form used in the practice of Qawwali. It would be impossible to capture the cultural nuances, complex history, and social impact of the genre in this brief work, but I hope to share some principal themes that have emerged from my own amateur investigation, to help the reader embark on their own exploration of this magnificent Sufi practice.

oct2022-The-Ashaninka-Tribe-Cover 1350 x 1100 px

Harmonizing with Nature : The Ashaninka Tribe

September 16, 2022

By Axelle Defrasne

Modern-day living seems to center around finding as much comfort in life as possible and aspiring for some growth, usually material. As a result, we are facing the great challenge of seeing our planet’s resources declining, and a general concern about our survival on earth. The fact that ecological activism is on the rise is encouraging, but also underlines that something very wrong is happening and needs to be rectified. Though, we recognize the need to be more aligned to nature, our lifestyles are not in accord with this idea. Probably, for many of us, what it means to live in harmony with nature has become a foreign concept