“On Scholasticism”

Scholasticism

Jorge Ángel Livraga

Article from the Bastion bulletin, September 1981, translated from Spanish by New Acropolis

It is not the first time I have explained that for us Scholasticism and Organization are the two most important components of Ideology which, ultimately, must translate into acropolitan Practice. But to bring this new Practice to life, we must also have a new Ideology, which is inconceivable without raising our scholastic level.

How can this be achieved?

I will try to give you some useful pieces of advice that will help steer the efforts of both those who learn… by learning, and those who learn… by teaching others. We all learn from one another, and together from Nature and God.

May the many years I have devoted to Teaching serve as a guarantee of the effectiveness of my advice.

For teachers:

1. Even if year after year you teach the same subject, take on the task each time with the same energy and enthusiasm as the first time.

2. Do not allow yourself, even subconsciously, to place upon your students the bitterness of defeats accumulated during our years of struggle with the world’s imperfections. Many people are in an acropolitan audience for the first time, at least at your lecture, and they come full of hope. Do not dim the radiance of these hopes with shadows of the past. Let the dead take care of the dead. And if you suffer, if your illusions have led you into a dead end, or doubts overwhelm you… let only your pillow, your boss, or your Teacher know. BUT NEVER YOUR STUDENTS.

3. Even someone who masters the lecture material must constantly improve, seeking ever more facts so as to be able to reveal all the nuances of the subject to interested listeners. The key points of the lecture must be perfectly mastered, even memorized. At the same time, each instructor must contribute personally to the preparation, making an effort to adapt the lecture material for the students of the School so it can be better understood.

4. Never forget that Teaching is a sacred act, and the lecture hall is a sacred space. During instruction all personal matters that affect your attitude toward students must be crossed out, or better yet, uprooted. If you see your students as poor and rich, white and black, men and women, then you cannot be an Instructor; better pursue something else from the rich palette of opportunities offered by New Acropolis.

5. The teacher or instructor of New Acropolis, in any audience and in any situation, must keep the initiative in their hands. This rule does not mean ignoring your students, but rather insists on defending scholastic discipline, as befits an acropolitan, with due energy, while continually inspiring listeners. The true Teacher is always like a life-giving spring.

6. The teacher must be clear and comprehensible in their explanations. It is not enough to know the truth; you must be able to explain it, bring it to consciousness, and, if necessary, prove it. Remember that young people coming to the School are often disappointed in life and seek new ways to realize their ideals. We must not distort the Teaching out of fear of hurting the feelings of the overly touchy, for our students have come to us in search of crushing and irresistible truths, not vague rhetoric that explains nothing to anyone.

7. Do not present our Teaching as though you are constantly apologizing, speaking in an extremely quiet voice with pleading intonations and timid gestures. The acropolitan instructor must always remain dignified in their position and feel themselves a channel of History. We have come to change the world, not to be yet another school that philosophizes about esotericism. Esotericism and similar matters are only a part of the acropolitan struggle, intended to inspire students. In a modern world saturated with politicking, sectarianism, absurd fantasies, irrational fears and deliberately instilled hatred, young people are subjected to brainwashing. If we do not oppose this ideology with something sufficiently effective and pure—something stable to rely upon—our educational work will be fruitless and will not justify the hopes and efforts we have invested.

For students:

1. Do not indulge in fault-finding or propagate your own views, otherwise you will be shown out the same doors you came through. To preserve and perpetuate our Philosophical Brotherhood we need young people who do not want to waste their time on the follies of a world in decline. We are young and strong—and nothing will make us otherwise. Accept us as we are, or choose other paths and go with God. May He not abandon you, and by His mercy you will return to Us in one of the next lives.

2. The scholastic materials presented to you in lectures are deliberately simplified and are the quintessence of many thousands of pages of books written on each subject. This work has been done with love and hope for your good—so be worthy of these efforts. Listen attentively to your instructor; diligently study the carefully selected materials they place at your disposal. First you must understand them… then you will learn the rest. In the learning process you must not leap over steps; you need to move slowly and gradually from one to the next. This is how the Masters of Wisdom teach, this is how We teach our students. This is how all acropolitan instructors must teach.

3. The discipline required of you is the foundation of spiritual growth. It is not an end in itself, but a means for your development.

4. You may ask your instructor any questions, but strive for them to be genuine “questions,” not long, confused expositions of your own not-yet-mature point of view. Manage your time so as to be an example to the younger acropolitans who follow you. They sometimes do not yet know your name, but like children they look at you with faith and hope.

5. Consider yourself a friend and ally of the instructor. He brings many good things into your life, and he needs you in the same way. You are the embodiment of his hopes.

6. Do not play with Us, for by doing so you play with your Destiny and squander the Love offered you here. If in your youth you do not learn to treat the Sacred seriously, in adulthood you will find yourself in spiritual poverty. This is not a threat but a warning about the operation of the Law of Nature, as inexorable as gravitation or Pythagoras’ theorem.

7. You have come to seek the Truth… In that case seek it with all your strength. Seek it with persistence and tirelessness. Do not be quick to criticize those who walk the path with you. Better join forces with them and let your victorious cry disperse the ghosts of ignorance into the corners. We believe in You, and the acropolitans of the world share your intentions. Remember, you are not alone, and if you want to prevail—clench your teeth and rush forward. Immerse yourself fully in the Mysteries; in them the Truth is hidden.

I hope these lines will help both students and teachers better understand their place in New Acropolis, as well as in the History we are creating, filling it with our most precious dreams and scholastic materials.

I dedicate this article to all those who are far from me and whom I rarely see. I firmly believe in you and in your ability to achieve the Ideals of the Acropolis.