We live in a time of catastrophes and natural cataclysms. This rather than being the title of mere sequential news report has become the reality of our times: tsunami, earthquakes, typhoons, floods, avalanches…

Up to yesterday it would have not been possible to imagine Europe being covered in snow, but today this has become a fairly common sight.

According to the data released by the scientists of the ‘Brussels Research Centre for Epidemiological Catastrophes’ and of the British charitable institution “OXFAM”, the scale of natural calamities in recent years has grown by more than four times, claiming each year the lives of about 254 million humans.

From the end of 2004 the world has been observing with a sinking heart a sequence of catastrophes, terrified by the quantity of people killed or left to suffer.

* In Pakistan and Sumatra a terrible earthquake killed more than 73.000 people,

* In Guatemala the hurricane "Sten" attacked and killed more than 15.000 people,

* In Mississippi, Alabama, Texas and Florida the hurricane ‘Katrina’, one of the most terrible natural catastrophes in the history of the USA, in September 2005 attacked these states and claimed the lives of more than 15.000 people,

* In the Indian ocean a tsunami following an earthquake caused a fatal wave that swept across the Indonesian, Sri Lanka, Maldives Islands, India and Thailand coasts claiming the lives of 230.000 people.

The above list could be endless: indeed, in spite of development and progress, humanity remains helpless in front of natural wilderness! Simultaneously with natural catastrophes the number of technological catastrophes has also been on the rise.

According to the data of the “Centre for the research on the epidemiology of disasters” (CRED), the world’s mortality has sharply increased as a result of technological catastrophes, which greatly surpass the number of ones. This is the inevitable cost of technological progress.

According to the data of the journal “Human Ecology” 40% of people perish from air, water and soil pollution. Poisonous ejections into the atmosphere generate cancer, congenital pathologies as well as the disruptions of the immune system and, every year claim the life of not less than 3.000.000 people. Also on the rapid increase is the number of chronic diseases of the respiratory tract, especially in young people.

Domestic violence is also one of the main reasons for the mortality of women between the age of 16 and 44. Studies carried out in Australia, Canada, Israel, Southern Africa and in USA have shown that one in three women on Earth undergoes some kind of violence, including sexual violence, and that about 70% of women are killed by their husbands or close friends of the opposite sex.

AIDS is another terrible plague of the 20^th century: it has infected over 40.000.000 people and has killed well over 20.000.000. With regards to this disease the scientists have noted that the way of being infected by AIDS has changed in recent years.

According to some UNICEF’s data, one child per minute dies from AIDS related diseases and in Europe and Asia only have already it has killed more than 1.000 children and infected 8.800. Global child mortality in the world is a tragic reality: about 10.000.000 children do not live past their fifth year of age and totally healthy children are less than 10%!

These difficulties make people want to look for a way out: how to preserve their health, to develop, to realize their individuality as well as their creative potential. Not by chance the search for the knowledge of oneself and the surrounding world as well as spirituality is ‘on the grow’.

Nowadays thousands of people practice health-improvement techniques, yoga, meditation, relaxation, mastering of sans (energetic psychology and protection), are involved in eastern martial arts and learn ancient theories with regards to ‘subtle’ energy.

These days no one cringes at the sound of words such as “energy”, “aura” and “chakra”: even the stars of the show industry include in their stressful daily routine asana complexes, ancient concentration techniques, weakening and harmonization. In addition, realizing the healing power of nature, many people go to trips on mountains, forest and lakes.

Psychologists talk about the early physical and mental development of new-born children, whilst a new generation of special, unique children – the indigo children - whose ability is considerably wider and greater than that of ordinary people, is now coming into the world.

All this is not by chance! These facts point in the direction of another step in the history of humanity: the beginning of the new Era of development.

Thus, more frequently in people appears the desire to understand both their inner world and their surroundings, not motivated by the same sheer curiosity of ordinary people, but by the deep purpose of wanting to enter the deeper and subtler inner world of the soul.

Humanity gradually returns to the high culture that survived for centuries and millennia and that had served as the basis for the life of ancient civilizations. This is nothing else, but the ancient “Culture of the Teacher”, the culture of the Wise Man, which assumes the importance of the presence of the Teacher and his council - endowed with the profound knowledge of truth, with vision and understanding the laws of life – in people’s lives. Very old sources recall the history of how ancient civilizations lived.

The most important law, on which their life was based, was that of unity and harmony with the surrounding world. This ensured that people’s lives, feelings, thoughts, desires and behaviour harmoniously intertwined with the variety and beauty of world around them.

The understanding of such laws - and their special vision, interaction and manifestation in ordinary life – constitutes a unique, unusual gift that only individuals who with love and respect call the Wise Man “Teacher” can keep.

Millennia back, rulers, merchants as well as generals would seek the aid of the Wise Men. They would ask from the council how to select correctly the way, time and place for an outstanding event, both for the good of the entire state and for one’s personal life.

Simple people would also go to the Teacher. Undoubtedly, this was an enormous help!

The new epoch - the XXI century - dictates new aspirations, search for a new spiritual beginning and a new source of strength. This is why “the Culture of the Teacher” is once more revived. Chief politicians, respectable businessmen, leaders of masses and of financial resources, as well as stars of the show business come now to ask His advice.

Humanity again, searches for the Teacher and attempts to find the help of the Wise Man. Alexander is a smart, young man with a spark in his eyes and a piercing look He manages many stores for the sale of cars’ spare parts. The business is young, but well developed. Alexander, with his wife and 5 years old son, lives in a prestigious city district.

On the whole he leads the worthy life of a young businessman. All would be good if this was the only picture - or a simple advertisement - leading one to think of a young successful businessman leaving his house on a black Mercedes together with his family, in the brightness and glow of a sunny day.

However, the reality of this person’s life has somewhat other tonalities; indeed in between the lines, it is possible to discern another picture: daily difficulties, not so bright and impressive.

What does this business entail?

Waking up early in the morning, when all other people are still asleep, go through a very long full day that ends at midnight, with a little rest for a short dinner, during which Alexander thoughts continue to work on most important questions and problems, to which, recently other concerns have been added.

Understanding, in facts, the importance of dealing correctly with clients, Alexander has been attempting to exert the appropriate influence over his colleagues, as their work does not always have the attributes needed to handle this business.

Because of the tension and the overloading, in spite of having tried to take care of his body, Alexander has more and more frequently ended up becoming ill. “Your immune system is weak!” declared the doctors. And so it happens that he has ended up being unable to live without medications.

The difficulties in business also led to incomprehension in the family: “We speak different languages” would Alexander’s wife say more and more often Their relationship became cold; their intimate life, which was filled with surprisingly beauty and tenderness, in which both rested and delighted in, became indifferent to both.

“It’s nothing”, would think Alexander, “soon all will get back to normal”. Yet, as time went on, things remained unchanged. He, thus, understood that he needed help to obtain a correct vision of his life situations, which could no longer be ignored. Yet, he did not know where to find this help!

Once Alexander’s attention was attracted by an advert in the morning press. It was an invitation to a meeting with the Teacher in the hall of a theatre. Alexander decided to go.

This meeting awoke very strong impression in him. For a long time afterwards Alexander thought about it, in an attempt to understand his life. After a certain time he began to notice that all small troubles and difficulties, which he frequently encountered in his business, would now pass by more easily; that he would more often make precise and correct choice in business and that he would sign agreements most advantageous for him.

His internal state became more balanced, stronger and calmer. His wife noticed it. Their relationship began to change too: understanding, support, smiles and tenderness started to surface again in between them. Alexander’s son, strange enough, would not be ill as often as he had done before, as the protection and love of his parents had added to his life.

Alexander’s meetings with the Teacher happened several times and gradually his life became more worthy, strong and stable. This is only one story amongst many thousand stories, and one which could be common to businessmen and doctors, policy and simple people. The most successful people, the most materially developed people, who subliminally feel the world and the economic market, nowadays increasingly search for the Teacher.

The Teacher helps them to increase their sphere of influence, proposes different ways of developing their business, and prevents dangers and hidden obstacles.

The Teacher has a special and deep level of understanding reality, and this is why he cannot make mistakes in finding a correct choice of a possible way of development. The Teacher is the way of the heart, sincerity and healing.

Many historical evidence tell of how, before the most significant events and battles, kings would turn to the council, or more precisely, to the Wise Man. How many such meetings are now stored in the bosom of history and shall never be know!

Nowadays, people from the whole world, without giving a thought to money and time, leave in search for a Wise Man: they go to Tibet, the Himalayas, Japan, China, Russia….

The “Culture of the Teacher” will never fall in the oldies basket! This because humanity has accumulated much knowledge on how to preserve a good physical and spiritual condition, how to live worthily and wealthy, and how to fulfil each person’s unique individuality: the Teacher stores all this knowledge and, having a unique energy and power, he can transfer it further.

The time has come when the search for the Wise Man - the Teacher – can be successful for many people, so that they can all find a real chance to become happy.