Unity in Diversity: The Way Ahead for Humanity
Unity in Diversity: The Way Ahead for Humanity  -  by Benjamin Creme A book review by Carmen Font  The idea of "unity in diversity" permeates every aspect of our modern life: politicians, social workers, educators, artists and scientists acknowledge the variety of expressions of the form aspect as well as the importance of unity in achieving any endeavour that requires a vision greater than one's own. There is a growing realisation that no individual, group, country or discipline alone can provide an absolute answer towards solving the problems in the world. Whereas now society seems to be aware that diversity is not only a fashionable concept, but a fact stemming from our variety of cultures, the true significance of this unity in diversity is more difficult to define, and above all, to live by. Most of our problems, especially in the political and the economic fields, have at their root a lack of unity. The metaphor of "humanity as a family" is an old one, but we have not yet realised it. If we understood humanity as a large organism consisting of different parts that are linked together by an awareness of unity, then most of our deep-seated problems would resolve themselves in a relatively short period of time. The fact that we still act in selfishness, justifying this selfishness by a respect for our individuality, is the cause of much evil.  Both unity and individuality are sacred concepts which, taken together, help us understand the meaning of true unity. We cannot really unite that which is the same  -  you can keep on adding the same uniform items but, since they are the same, they don't render up anything new beyond themselves. It would result in a sort of conglomerate of the same individual expression rather than true unity. Humanity has built the political, social and cultural movements of our recent past based on the false idea that only that which is the same can be united, rejecting anything and anybody that is different. We have learned to tolerate difference, but this is not acknowledging unity. The notion of 'uniting' itself is inextricably linked to combining different items to form a harmonious whole. Unity without diversity cannot exist. And it is this simple, powerful and deep definition of unity to which Benjamin Creme's book is devoted.   Beginning with the compelling statements that "unity to the Masters is the inner reality of our lives, reflecting the unity of every atom in relation with every other atom in cosmos" (p.7) and that "we all seek unity, knowingly or not: it is the destined achievement of our longing and our creating" (p.7) Unity in Diversity sets an engaging tone from the outset. There are many books that tackle the challenges of living together in diversity, but none devoted exclusively to the inner esoteric meaning of unity. By gathering together Benjamin Creme's Master's articles dealing with several aspects of unity, both esoteric and exoteric, Benjamin Creme's own commentaries in his lectures at Transmission Meditation Conferences as well as his questions and answers on this matter, Unity in Diversity is unique in the wealth and quality of insights about the path forward for humanity to live in unity.  If unity is, as Benjamin Creme reminds us, "the central purpose of our human existence", a synonym for our inner longings and the expression of our creative efforts, then this unity, or lack thereof, is reflected in every exoteric department of our lives. The political aspect provides a rich ground for humanity to play out its unity, and Maitreya is stimulating any social endeavour that works in the direction of an active demand of rights and the creation of a more just society. This is the essence of the myriad 'people power' movements that have proliferated in the last few years. According to Benjamin Creme, "the educated, focused will of humanity creates a world public opinion against war, against terrorism, and calls for justice and sharing. Thus Maitreya does not impose, but humanity, stimulated by Maitreya, does the work" (p.101). In every section and page of Unity in Diversity the reader vividly captures the idea that the time is ripe for living in unity. While there are still man-made obstacles, humanity has now reached a point in which working towards this unity is not only an aspiration but is actually taking place  -  albeit through a process of trial and error.  Ready for Unity  The idea that humanity is ready for unity and seeking to work towards it, is perhaps the most powerful message in the book. It provides hope as well as a guide for regaining our inner sense of unity in thought and action. Even though most readers of Share International are familiar with the Master's articles, the gathering together of His wisdom on the topic and related materials on the subject make this book a fundamental guide on the art of uniting for and around a purpose. When we fully apprehend that the main modern political systems  -  communism, capitalism and different forms of fascism  -  are a distorted reflection of the qualities of the Rays 1, 2 and 3 of Aspect, we become more aware of how the dynamics of contemporary politics work out. Benjamin Creme is adept at providing the right exoteric framework for his and His Master's esoteric insights about any topic, which in this particular case is the nuts and bolts of American politics along with the emergence of a new political system  -  a sound mixture of capitalism and socialism. The special focus on politics is tightly linked to the concept of sharing, since "sharing is the only way to achieve justice and the end of war, the creation of peace. Peace and the end of terrorism are dependent on the creation of justice, and only one thing does the trick: sharing the resources of the world. These are the simple things that humanity has to grasp" (p.32). As in many other books by Benjamin Creme, he reminds us of the centrality of sharing in our lives. In Unity in Diversity, sharing gains a slightly new focus when we realise that this is a prerequisite not only for justice and peace, but also the creation of a truly united humanity.  Sharing and Unity   If sharing is the genuine expression of the loving nature of the soul, from simple goodwill to conscious and impersonal acts of love, the practice of sharing will lead humanity to a greater recognition of our esoteric interconnectedness, and our actions, motivated by the creativity of the soul, will tend towards unity. Benjamin Creme reminds us that trust is the stepping-stone towards sharing: "You can solve anything if there is trust. You have to create the trust, and only sharing the resources of the world will do that. Then, all the other problems  - the Middle East, the problems of saving the planet itself, and so on -  all of that can be dealt with when there is trust. Most of the disagreements will just disappear, dissipated in the goodwill that will flow out in tremendous potency when sharing the resources takes place" (p.32). This dissipation of disagreements applies not only to the macro level of humanity being truly united, but also to the micro level of group endeavour.  Unity should reflect itself too in the way we relate to the natural world. Our environmental crises are but a reflection of our disunion with the elementary forces of nature, since "the elemental forces respond to our stress. Humanity has to understand the connection that exists between all forces and all aspects of the planet" (p.122), and therefore, achieve a better awareness about the way our thoughts and actions impinge on the natural patterns of the planet.  Unity in Diversity is insightful in every aspect of the true meaning of being human, as well as our responsibility (and pleasure) in building our true soul expression: living united in our personality and soul-purpose differences. This is not only an uplifting and inspiring idea, but an active call to action: a real choice for humanity, as Benjamin Creme brilliantly and succinctly explains in the chapter "Humanity's Choice and the Speed of Change" (p.141). The choice ahead of us is not only one for trust, sharing, justice and peace; it is to opt for this because we understand our underlying unity. "Unity is not too difficult to attain in the earlier stages of formation of a group; if the purpose of its inception is magnetic enough, that alone can hold the group together" (p.149). Again, this is a powerful statement that awakens readers to their active participation towards the expression of true unity. Before the Day of Declaration takes place soon, humanity needs to be prepared for the beauty and the work ahead: working now in group formation for the final stage of Maitreya's appearance, united by such a magnetic purpose. This is the best insight and piece of advice the reader of Unity in Diversity could ever be given.