Ubuntu is a word with a profound spiritual and social meaning in the Southern African culture and everyday life. Originally a Zulu and Xhosa term it means “I am because you are” and also “I am because we are.”
The Westerners in their effort to intellectualize “Ubuntu” associate it with social conscience, empathy and compassion, kindness and a sense of community bonding. For the Africans is not a philosophical concept or an ethical doctrine that can be perceived with the mind. It is a way of “being” a state of cosmic consciousness that interconnects the individual with her/his inner-self and all the existing beings in the universe.
“Ubuntu” as a way of life illustrates not a Pollyannalike happy-go-lucky, flower-power approach but the collective responsibility of the entire society and each individual for every deed that takes place in the world. It also reminds us that others are simply mirrors of who we really are.
Finally "Ubuntu’s" essence is the invisible kinship (among us), either we are aware of it or not.“Ubuntu” still unknown to the “out of Africa” world has a direct analogy with most esoteric approaches, religious faiths and pagan traditions. So the same way we use greetings as Namaste, Peace, Shalom, Shalamalekum, Grüss Gott, Servus or Aloha (in its original meaning), we can now greet people by just saying “Ubuntu.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YswUI-yqXo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODQ4WiDsEBQ
* the above videos are not my property. They are taken from the Youtube and they are related to the subject of Ubuntu
The Westerners in their effort to intellectualize “Ubuntu” associate it with social conscience, empathy and compassion, kindness and a sense of community bonding. For the Africans is not a philosophical concept or an ethical doctrine that can be perceived with the mind. It is a way of “being” a state of cosmic consciousness that interconnects the individual with her/his inner-self and all the existing beings in the universe.
“Ubuntu” as a way of life illustrates not a Pollyannalike happy-go-lucky, flower-power approach but the collective responsibility of the entire society and each individual for every deed that takes place in the world. It also reminds us that others are simply mirrors of who we really are.
Finally "Ubuntu’s" essence is the invisible kinship (among us), either we are aware of it or not.“Ubuntu” still unknown to the “out of Africa” world has a direct analogy with most esoteric approaches, religious faiths and pagan traditions. So the same way we use greetings as Namaste, Peace, Shalom, Shalamalekum, Grüss Gott, Servus or Aloha (in its original meaning), we can now greet people by just saying “Ubuntu.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YswUI-yqXo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODQ4WiDsEBQ
* the above videos are not my property. They are taken from the Youtube and they are related to the subject of Ubuntu
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