Jac Hielema

"All people are part of one whole reality and, since the late 19th century, one global economy. So we are in it together and we will have to get out of it together."

Opposition between rich and poor

When I was 16, I became aware of the glaring contrast between wealth and poverty in the world. That was during a trip through India with my parents, my father's business partners and their entourage. Based on that experience, I decided to study Tropical Cultural Engineering in Wageningen. I wanted to know how this growing gap between rich and poor had come about and what I could do about it. It took me a while to understand that I would not find answers at university. I got stuck during my studies, whole story. Finished my studies though. By also studying Philosophy and Psychology, I hoped to gain insight into the knowledge-theoretic foundations of Western scientific thought and action. In the process, I discovered that I did not agree with mainstream thinking. For in it there is little or no room for man as a free personality grounded in himself.

The cause of issues is in man, so is the solution

I even see the cause of all kinds of social problems in Western materialistic thinking. While Eastern spiritual thinking does not offer immediate solutions either. Then which thinking does?

My current teachings therefore consist largely of thoroughly examining one's own thinking, perceiving, feeling, wanting, desiring and acting, so that one learns to trust one's own thinking and perceiving and thus no longer has to blindly believe what others say. Even if they claim that their statements are scientifically grounded or spiritually sound.

In my classes, you learn to self-assess beliefs, assertions and images for sense and nonsense. That gives confidence. That also gives inner grounding and thus peace. Something I wish for everyone.

Thinking and acting lovingly

From an open and lively way of thinking and observing, I have been immersing myself in money, the money system, social forms and man as the creator of society ever since.

I was a math teacher at a Free School, Green teacher at an MBO, corporate film-maker in my own corporate film company, coach of young people who were in danger of dropping out of school, author of many articles in various magazines, teacher Philosophy In people's homes. And I am a father of three, life partner of Damaris and gift father to her children.

Nowadays, I call myself a free traveling and creative teacher and conduct weekend seminars at home and abroad as myself and together with Damaris Matthijsen as Economy Transformers the Basic Training in the Art of Living Together. At the same time, we are in the process of making Economy Transformers a ‘business school,’ training people to be entrepreneurs in the new economy.