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Human Management

Those who would be leaders and managers of others must first learn to manage themselves, Dr. Ani Casimir Kingston Chukwunonyelum told a rapt group of 18 students and teachers at The Children's Project this September. In a series of daily classes spread over six days, Dr. Ani Casimir began to unfold the secrets of what he called, "Human Management", putting a gender-neutral spin on Sri Sathya Sai Baba's system of "Man Management".

At The Children's Project, we raise our children to aspire to be more than just wage earners. We offer education, love and encouragement to help them make life happy and meaningful. They then become leaders in their own lives, with their families, their work and their communities. Dr. Ani Casimir's classes were the perfect supplement to our daily program.

From "Self-Management" to "Societal Management"

Human Management, Dr. Ani Casimir informed the children in his introduction, is a new system of management wherein a student moves beyond the concept of "learning just for earning". Instead, knowledge is viewed as a source for transformation of character where learners grow into agents of change, making a positive impact in any society of which they are a part. This change always begins with transformation of the individual through "Self-Management" which is "the efficient direction and use of the individual's inner and outer resources for the service of Self and Society".

The next step is "Societal Management", Dr. Ani Casimir says, which is the efficient direction, use and application of our collective resources, whether they be corporate, governmental, communal or familial. But how can any resources be used for the common good if the people responsible for their management are not caring, self-aware, altruistic human beings? And how does one become such a stellar person? Through the practice of the five human values of Love, Peace, Truth, Right Action and Non-violence.

It is the power of the five values that makes Human Management principles so effective. An individual who has learned how to live the values acquires self-mastery through self-enquiry and self-discipline. Such a one will naturally make a positive change in their environment. The five Human Values connect us with our inner Divine Self and allow us to think like God - for the good of all.

Values In Practice

As the days sped by, Dr. Ani Casimir unfolded a number of practical tools for the children (and all of us!) to apply. The students remarked that although many of these were known to them, because of our school's emphasis on character development through the application of human values, the classes helped them to look at their weak points and renew their resolve to practice the values with more awareness.

One of the teachings that made a big impression on many children was the reminder to maintain unity between the "3-Hs": head, heart and hands. An idea in the mind (head) must first be checked with the conscience (heart) before it is put into action (hands.)

A tool the children had not encountered before was the "Values Thermometer". Dr. Ani Casimir suggested that we choose a value to follow either for a day, or a week. Each night a child might take his or her spiritual temperature about the value. How well has it been practiced that day? Where could they improve? This exercise can be taken to the next step by setting goals in a Daily Values Journal.

Dr. Ani Casimir also reviewed a number of the tools for self-enquiry and self-discipline with us, which we already follow daily at CPT, like silent sitting, meditation, bhajans, veda chanting and seva. Our director, Michael Galligan, was on hand for most of the classes and reiterated the importance of practice to all the children, something they took to heart.

The most important thing that I learned was how to manage our selves and more about the five human values and what they mean. The new thing that I have learned was 3HV and how and when to use it. I think that the world will be in peace if the people follow the five human values and 3HV. I had fun learning this and I enjoyed his class so much.

~ Lakshmi, Age 12

I learned energy and time management. I learned that if I get angry just for even a moment that 3 months of energy gets wasted. I think the important things to practice are the five human values because then others follow. The world would be a better place if all the people practiced the five human values.

~ Kalpana, Age 12

The new thing I learned was the Value Thermometer and how to use Self-discipline to control our desires and our wants. I would like to practice in every way to reach Swami and know my inner self. The world could benefit by practicing the five human values, spreading them to everybody's HEART and changing this world onto the spiritual way.

~ Anjinamma, Age 16

The new things I learned in the class were about spiritual rights and human rights, about Energy Management, Time Management and that we should always use money only on the useful things and not on desires. We should keep some money and give some money to the poor. The most important thing for me to practice is to learn and use the five values like truth, love, peace, right actions and non-violence. I want to practice them and teach other people how to follow them. The world will be a better place when people start to love, share, to live in peace, to be truthful, to live in non-violence and do dharma to others.

~ Reddykala, Age 12

Desire Management

The last two days were spent reviewing "Desire Management" and Sathya Sai Baba's very important teachings on "Ceiling On Desires". Uncontrolled desires lead to unhealthy attachment, Dr. Ani Casimir told the children. When our desires are fulfilled it is all well and good, but when they are not, we may covet the resources of others or become miserly about our own out of fear of loss. Selfishness, extravagance ora lack of faith in the abundance of life, God and the selfare some of the inevitable results. Not a recipe for a happy life!

Human resources are more valuable than all the wealth in the world, for it is they who determine the effective utilization of all other resources.

~ SATHYA SAI BABA

Managing our desires around four fundamental resources greatly enhances quality of life, not just for ourselves but for everyone on this small planet. These are money, food, time and energy. Sai Baba has recently added a fifth to this list: water. The children were particularly interested in the idea of using energy wisely and joined Dr. Ani Casimir in making of a list of various "energy leakers" which included: gossip and idle talk, anger, worry, sadness, speaking ill of others, wandering about and resistance to "what is". By using money, food, time, energy and water with respect and reverence - as manifestations of the Divine - we stop unconscious waste. We are then able to share our abundance with everyone. As Sai Baba says, "There is more than enough for everyone's need, but not enough for everyone's greed."

The most important things I got from this class were the fundamentals of self-management, the five values, management of desires, time and energy. I don't really know what was new for me but everything that Casimir Uncle talked about was beautiful and he reminded me to follow everything. The world would be full of love, unity, faces would be glowing, and Swami would be very happy with everyone.

~Saritha, Age 16

Divine Grace

This was the first in a series of talks Dr. Ani Casimir plans to give at The Children's Project on his regular visits to India. These classes just touched the beginning of Human Management practices. Future topics will include "Human Management Skills", "Group Management", "Strategic Thinking" and "Human Rights Management". In addition to guiding the children, he sees the classes as a forum to explore these teachings for a new book on the subject. We are extremely grateful to Dr. Ani Casimir for his love and time and look forward to his next visit. Truly, the quality of teachers who make their way to our doors must only be a result of divine grace!

If we practice human values the world will be united and happy. God will always be blessing us for doing good deeds. There will be no more problems and the animals will also have a home in the forest. Everything will be PEACEFUL.

~ Chini, Age 12

DR ANI CASIMIR KINGSTON CHUKWUNONYELUM is Deputy Director of The African Institute For Sathya Sai Education (Taisse), Africa-Region 93 and Executive Secretary of Centre For Peacebuilding & Poverty Reduction Among African Indigenous Peoples (CEPPER), University Of Nigeria, Nsukka.

If human values take root in the educational system, the emerging individuals will have the following attributes: they will want peace and justice in a world that acknowledges the rule of law and in which no nation or individual need live in fear; freedom and self reliance to be available to all; the dignity and work of every person to be recognized and safeguarded; all people to be given an opportunity to achieve their best in life; and they will seek equality before the law and the equality of opportunity for all.

~ SATHYA SAI BABA