“Sooner or later during the struggle for existence in the physical world, and individual comes to realize that human life consists of more than the sensory experiences of the animal which is constrained by its material requirements.  Human beings can step beyond the bounds of nature and master it.  They are endowed with capacities that establish learning, culture and civilization — capacities that incline them toward perception of a transcendent, a spiritual realm.  It is in perfecting these spiritual qualities and manifesting them in action that the purpose of human life is achieved.

…When ignorant of their true spiritual reality, human beings are inclined toward indulgence of their physical needs.  Man then falls lower than an animal as the powers and capacities of the mind and spirit become grounded in selfish desires.”

Baha’u’llah’s Teachings on Spiritual Reality

“That’s just human nature.”  We hear this often, usually as an excuse for some  sad, selfish, and/or tragic act.  But what if we’re misinformed about our nature?  And why, when we see evidences of the beauty and compassion of the human spirit, do we not justify those as “human nature” as well?  In order to effectively move forward as individuals and as communities, we need to have an increasingly accurate understanding of who we are and what we’re doing here.

There’s a general sense of what we can do to advance ourselves individually – prayer, meditation, bringing our behavior in line with our ideals, being of service to others.  But “collectively”, what does that look like?  I believe education serves a critical role in our collective endeavor to advance civilization materially, as well as spiritually.  How can we create “centers of learning” that facilitate the strengthening of our human capacities and the ability to effectively bring those to bear on the world?  It is my hope that Kamal Academy can serve as one such center of learning.  I invite you to join in its creation and evolution.