Somehow we lost our ability to wonder, to discover, to explore. Every day I look around me and I see people unable to feel and share joy, love, respect, and consideration. Everywhere I turn I see monster like possessiveness, jealousy, envy, lust. It is ok to "own somebody" if we are engaged in a relationship, it's ok to ask and pretend that someone to be what we want him/her to be. And we punish that person for being someone else; we punish each single manifestation of the true self.
This is what our teachers have been teaching us for such a long time: Being true to you is not acceptable. Being like the others is a virtue. We, the society, developed a complex system of rewarding the obedience and punishing the true manifestation of the mind, heart and spirit.
Yes, you may argue: But good arises from this societal organization. Look, we have complex industry, better way of living, better food, etc. We don't live in caves anymore, we've evolved. Is this the ultimate answer to our continuous quest for happiness? Do you really feel good living in a big flat by your own, because you don't have time or availability to build a relationship? Do you really feel good in that big car that you use only for going to work and back home? Is this the real you?
I don't judge your way of living. I am only asking. Are you able to be human? Are you capable to relate to that five years old that kisses the ice-cream shop window when he sees all that goods in there? Are you able to love as the pet does? No obligation, no claim, no rule.
I feel that we’ve been listening to the wrong teachers. Society teaches me how can I be successful, but success is measured in big bank accounts, big houses, beautiful wife, good job, better lifestyle. Therefore, we should feel the feeling of happiness, in the modern presumption. Really?!!!!
What happened to that child that constantly was asking questions? He was asking, not judging if his questions were smart, pointless or not. Actually, he didn't care about the adult world, with all its rules. He was just exploring his reality, inside and outside. He was experimenting each corner of his soul.
I feel that freedom is the way of teaching. And this freedom we can only learn from the youngest. The students are the teachers. The teachers are being taught.
Look what happens in a society that values equality, simplicity and freedom. They don't have big houses, more money and so on. But this is not their ultimate purpose. And I have a small hunch that they are happy. And again, the heck do I know? (Like a good friend is saying)
Muria and their Gothul
The tribe is called the Muria, who are the inhabitants of North Bastar. They have a custom called Ghotul. The Ghotul is a kind of dormitory where unmarried men and women freely establish sexual relations. In the Ghotul, the boy members are known as Chelik and the girls as Motiari.
As a result, children learn about love at an early age, by watching others. They imitate what they see. Mothers typically teach their daughters about the extent to which they can go at the Ghotuls. Should any problems occur, the Motiyari tells the elders and they collectively sort out the problem. Nobody feels embarrassed by this, nor is anybody despised.
Equality, simplicity, and freedom form the fundamental fabric of the Ghotul life. Members eat, play, dress, and sleep without any separation of males and females. The Ghotul tradition of the Muria tribals points to the equality and unisexuality of primitive humans. In the tribe, young men and women 'date' from the age of ten onwards. Since the Ghotuls do not have formal teachers, the students never develop the attitude that the teachers are of a different generation.
The institution of Ghotul is based on the concept of unity and brotherhood. The Ghotul is a place where boys and girls are trained to overcome attachments, jealousies and possessiveness. In the Ghotul, friendliness, sympathy and unity are of prime importance. Instead of individualistic love, there is community love and individualism does not have any place within the Ghotul. The Ghotul helps in the emotional growth of the young people. It also binds their society together, and helps the Muria boys and girls to grow up in a kind of group discipline.
The existence of the Ghotul is the reason why there are hardly any crimes committed due to jealousy etc. Strangely enough, though promiscuity amongst the unmarried youth is allowed, it is frowned upon when committed by married people. Adultery hardly ever occurs. In this way the Muria society is highly developed.
Since sex is considered very natural phenomena at the Ghotuls, there arise no perversions. Sex is seen as natural as hunger or sleep. In some civilized societies, sex is considered to be a man's right and woman's duty, whereas at the Ghotul, it's a Motiyari's privilege and the Chilak's duty. Since partners are continuously rotated, every pair gets a chance sooner or later. Although dating is restricted to Ghotuls, it is not uncommon for the couples to meet outside the Ghotul, in the forest or at the river. If someone finds out, both of them are punished. If a Motiyari singles out a boy to treats him specially, she's punished by the other boys. Because of their sexual freedom, at the time of marriage, neither is the bride a virgin, nor is the groom inexperienced.
Although youngsters enjoy free sex at Ghotuls, they practice strict monogamy during married life. Those who succumb to weaknesses are sometimes punished even with death. Married people cannot enter the Ghotuls. The youngsters strongly protest any meddling in the Ghotul's affairs by their elders.
