“Will you be at the harvest, Among the gatherers of new fruits?Then you must begin today to remakeYour mental and spiritual world,And join the warriors and celebrantsOf freedom, realizers of great dreams. You can’t remake the worldWithout remaking yourself.Each new era begins within.It is an inward event,With unsuspected possibilitiesFor inner liberation.We could use it to turn onOur inward lights.We could use it to use even the darkAnd negative things positively.We could use the new eraTo clean our eyes,To see the world differently,To see ourselves more clearly.Only free people can make a free world.Infect the world with your light.Help fulfill the golden prophecies.Press forward the human genius.Our future is greater than our past.”
In this quote by Ben Okri, the importance of personal transformation in creating a better world is highlighted. Okri emphasizes the need for individuals to actively participate in shaping a brighter future by first remaking themselves. He suggests that real change starts from within, and that only by liberating ourselves internally can we contribute to the collective liberation of society. The imagery of light and darkness is used to convey the idea that even negative experiences can be reframed into opportunities for growth and enlightenment. Okri's words inspire readers to embrace their own potential for greatness and to actively work towards a more free and enlightened world.
In today's fast-paced and ever-changing world, the words of Ben Okri hold significant relevance. As we navigate through societal and global challenges, it is essential to remember that true change begins within ourselves. By remaking our mental and spiritual worlds and embracing freedom, we can contribute to a brighter future for all. Let's explore how Okri's message can inspire us to make a positive impact in the modern world.
“Will you be at the harvest, Among the gatherers of new fruits?Then you must begin today to remakeYour mental and spiritual world,And join the warriors and celebrantsOf freedom, realizers of great dreams. You can’t remake the worldWithout remaking yourself.Each new era begins within.It is an inward event,With unsuspected possibilitiesFor inner liberation.We could use it to turn onOur inward lights.We could use it to use even the darkAnd negative things positively.We could use the new eraTo clean our eyes,To see the world differently,To see ourselves more clearly.Only free people can make a free world.Infect the world with your light.Help fulfill the golden prophecies.Press forward the human genius.Our future is greater than our past.” - Ben Okri"
This quote from Ben Okri encourages self-reflection, self-improvement, and active participation in creating a better future. It emphasizes the importance of inner transformation in order to contribute positively to the world.
"Will you be at the harvest, Among the gatherers of new fruits?
Then you must begin today to remake
Your mental and spiritual world,
And join the warriors and celebrants
Of freedom, realizers of great dreams.
You can’t remake the world
Without remaking yourself."
As we reflect on Ben Okri's powerful words, we are encouraged to consider the ways in which we can contribute to a brighter future for ourselves and the world around us. Here are some questions to guide your reflection:
“Only those who truly love and who are truly strong can sustain their lives as a dream. You dwell in your own enchantment. Life throws stones at you, but your love and your dream change those stones into the flowers of discovery. Even if you lose, or are defeated by things, your triumph will always be exemplary. And if no one knows it, then there are places that do. People like you enrich the dreams of the worlds, and it is dreams that create history. People like you are unknowing transformers of things, protected by your own fairy-tale, by love.”
“We plan our lives according to a dream that came to us in our childhood, and we find that life alters our plans. And yet, at the end, from a rare height, we also see that our dream was our fate. It's just that providence had other ideas as to how we would get there. Destiny plans a different route, or turns the dream around, as if it were a riddle, and fulfills the dream in ways we couldn't have expected.”
“We can redream this world and make the dream come real. Human beings are gods hidden from themselves. ”
“What you see is what you make. What you see in a people is what you eventually create in them.”
“It may be that what you could be haunts you. It is real. It is a weight you have to carry around. Each failure to become, to be, is a weight. Each state you could inhabit is a burden as heavy as any physical weight, but more so, because it weighs on your soul. It is the ghost of your possibilities hanging around your neck, an invisible albatros, potentials unknowingly murdered.”
“The most authentic thing about us is our capacity to create, to overcome, to endure, to transform, to love and to be greater than our suffering.”