Murat’s Gifts to Us, New Horizons Gift To You

With Murat’s passing we are brought to heightened levels of reflection. Death, as Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, the noted thanatologist stated, is the final stage of growth. It’s imminence calls f0rth an inordinate challenge as we seek to come to terms with the greatest of life’s mysteries; demanding exemplary comportment of those most closely touched by this transition of all transitions. Be we the one who is passing or those left behind.

Murat, in his passing, as in his life, showed all of us who called ourselves his “students” a certain and highly disciplined pathway to Divine connection, relentlessly guiding us as to how we might live abundantly, individually and collectively, with or without material riches. Others, world-wide, have, also, been called to reflect on his meritorious life and praise this great man, Murat Yagan, a “famous” representative of the diaspora of his native Abkhazia. A man who was both noble and great as well as unpretentious and humble.

New Horizons gratefully acknowledges that it has been through Murat, his wisdom and inordinate adeptness as a guide and teacher, as well as his dedication to communal and global peace, that we, at New Horizons, have had the audacity to invite others to follow our lead as guides, targeting the ascension of our metaphorical “Mountain of Awe.”

Murat was our loving and patient mentor as well as our inspiration. He elevated our vision of the possible human that lives within each of us and taught us how to realize this in concert with others. Because of him and the love and dedication of those closest to him in Vernon, B.C., New Horizons was able to undertake its two main initiatives; the Small “Zones of Peace” Project and the Possible Human, Possible Society Study. 

Without Murat we would never even have dreamed of these. Let alone risked the appearance, at least, as some have viewed us, as brash and arrogant in the certainty of our capacity to reach our destination, the “Mountain of Awe.” Certainly, there have been a handful of detractors who have thought us naïve or misled in our dedication to Murat and the teachings he brought us.

Based on Murat’s brilliance and proficiency as a teacher, our “Bus Ride Story Adventure” was designed to amplify the training and support group model New Horizons originally created, the “old” New Horizons. Today, “new” New Horizons exists in the splendor it has come to, out of the riches Murat imparted to us. From this inheritance from Murat and the Vernon community, “old” New Horizons has evolved into an exemplary community development and violence prevention model. However, only by joining with others can we make our dreams for peace and unity an achievable reality.

This aim is New Horizons’ every intention and upon which our every action is predicated.

From Murat’s gifts to us, comes our gift to you.