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Introduction Values Value Based Spiritual Education (VBSE) Strategies to Implement VBSE Meditation for Regulation of Mind Challenges Conclusions
INTRODUCTION
Why?
Education Today
Non-existence of gurukulasampradaya as well as joint family system has adversely affected the present education scenario. Absence of a holistic approach and an imbalanced growth of knowledge dealing only with external world around us and not related to the inner-self of an individual. Misdirected educational system --- instead of developing a person as a humane human being it is only directed towards superficial, surface level achievements. Designed purely for money-making and not for manmaking and only promotes negative qualities like jealousy, hatred and rivalry instead of virtues like kindness, compassion and honesty .
Education
Does Education Make one wiser? Happier? Contented? Make one a better human being?
Education
Is not mere stuffing of facts.
Education is for the actualization of the potential already in children. Education is really the process of removing the ignorance that is covering our inner knowledge, which is absolute, which is perfect, which is eternal, which is supreme. (Chariji)
Education is for a Holistic LIFE and not for a mere living. Education needs to be enriched with VALUES.
within
Practiced
2.Kindness
3.Compassion 4.Mercy
5.Sympathy
6.Empathy
2.Discipline
3.Obedience 4.Behaviour
5.Conduct
6.Character
Why Values?
Values bring quality and meaning to life Values give a person his identity and character Values act as guidelinesthey tell him what he should and should not do.
They make us realize that
WHAT WE ARE
Is more important than
What We Have
and many other positive qualities in the students. And above all
Role of Government
National Education Policy of our government insist on establishing a Centre for Value Education in all universities and institutes of higher education with the sole purpose of imbibing human values in their campuses
Education in Values
Now that the holistic vision of life-oriented education was found to be insufficient for the upliftment of mankind, Values in education peeped its existence in the educational scenario. But this has proved to be a futile attempt and a shift has been made to "Education in Values". This, in other words means, the imparting of Value Based Spiritual Education, abbreviated as VBSE
Basics of
Present Situation
Only Materiality
M M M M
The Saints
Only Spirituality
M
S S S S
Equilibrium
M M
S S
Progress
M M
S S
Union (Yoga)
MS
M- materiality
S- spirituality
Think about the incredible change that occurs during metamorphosis ... From crawling to Flying .. From dull to Spectacular ... From fat & sluggish to Light and Airy. What metamorphosis can YOU go through?
Nothing is too great a change for you ... light & airy .... spectacular beauty ... shedding one "persona" and BECOMING totally new!
You can change into ANYTHING!
But what does the caterpillar do before it becomes a butterfly? It takes some time to "cocoon". Time to isolate itself. Perhaps if each of us would take some "cocooning" time, we would begin our own metamorphosis !
Living life as an adventure is FUN living life in boredom is NO FUN. Finding a way or making a way when others do not see one is FUN. Accepting that there is just no way is NO FUN
Turning your dreams into reality is FUN ... Living in a dream world is NO FUN. Grabbing an opportunity when it presents itself is FUN ... Letting an opportunity go by is NO FUN. Which choice are you going to make?
A person starts to live when he can live outside himself." -- Albert Einstein
To solve a problem get out of the problem - Chariji Be a guest at your home - Chariji
"It is not enough to be busy, so are the ants. The question is: what are we busy about?"
A goal, a love and a dream give you total control over your life.
2. Management of Self
3. Decision Making
a) What is good for me ? b) How to make decisions ? c) Co-operation and Coordination
4. Personality Development
a) What is Personality ? b) How should one develop personality ? c) How should I mould myself ? d) Facing situations
Approach to VBSE
Independent Approach
- Prayer - Meditation - Positive Resolutions - Bhajans / Songs - Value Education classes - Stories - Self Introspection - Yogasana
Independent Approach
Teacher directed activities Individual activities by students Group activities like games, exhibitions, discussions, role-play, debates, dramatization, making collages etc. And more effectively through specific, special time slots allotted in the time table
The Independent approach uses this special time to inculcate values in a deliberate manner.
Integrated Approach
This is a recent development, where the common spiritual and behavioural values are taught, while a course is being taught. This means that each and every teacher who teaches a course must incorporate values in each of the topic
Integration is possible in both curricular and co-curricular courses. In this integrated approach, the student will neither forget the course nor the value. For example, while teaching about pendulum and motion, it can be correlated to mind, desires and contentment. In chemistry, cause and effect value can be taught while teaching balancing of reactions. Teaching of science should get humanized, eg; In the lessons of human physiology/biology, heart and brain should be studied not simply as pumping stations and memory control towers but as seats of love, feelings, emotions, conscience the qualities that mankind is characterised by.
Subtle Approach
The most effective, though difficult to comprehend or integrate. Based on the fact that Values are caught and not taught. Parents, teachers, peers, family and society influence the student and his behaviour. Parents and teachers must regulate their minds. Parents have to be wise enough to know that My child is mine; nevertheless it has its own existence. It has a tendency of growth and let me allow it grow.
An excellent teacher inspires A good teacher explains An average teacher teaches & A bad teacher complains!
Which category do I belong?
Meditation may be defined as the continuous thinking of something, or about something. In a sense, therefore, anybody who is thinking continuously of something may be said to be involved in meditation.
Meditation is a process. It is a process which we undertake to reach a destined goal, a predetermined goal. Meditation is a training to apply the mind for the purpose of regulating the mind by our efforts.
The whole purpose of meditation is to make a reversal in this fact of life that the mind is our Master. We have to become the Master of our mind. It is only this much, just reverse it.
As one meditates so one becomes. It therefore follows that what we meditate upon we get or become and inversing this formula, if we want to become something we must meditate upon that and nothing else.
Therefore if our aim is Realisation or the attainment of one-ness with the Ultimate, the object of meditation must be that Ultimate and nothing else.
We can learn to meditate only by meditating. Meditate every day. Because by doing it again and again, we progressively increase our ability to take command of the situation.
Challenges-1
Religion vs. Spirituality
First and foremost challenge in imparting spiritual education is that even educated, intelligent people often confuse religion with spirituality. Spirituality is no way related to religion and in fact spirituality begins where religion ends. Spirituality aims at integrating the entire humanity under the umbrella of universal brotherhood irrespective of ones religious background, beliefs, caste, creed, sex, language, race, country etc., Religions have caused several wars and resulted in division of mankind. Whereas religions survive on the weapons of fear and temptation, spirituality thrives on love alone. Thus there cannot be any resistance from any corners to implement a spiritual education programme.
Challenges-2
The five levels of education
Information should not be confused with knowledge, knowledge should not be confused with wisdom, wisdom should not be confused with intuition, and intuition should not be confused with revelation. There are so many levels in this world today. Information, knowledge, wisdom, intuition, and revelation are the five levels of education. Unfortunately in todays schools only the lowest of these five levels is taught. The higher levels seem to have no meaning, and they are not even referred to.
Challenges-3
The myth about Yoga
Many mistake yoga for yogasanas, which is only Hatha Yoga for nourishment of body and to some extent mind. The purpose of any yogic practice should be nourishment of the soul and the sole aim of such practice being complete oneness with the Ultimate and nothing short of it. Perhaps yoga is the most misused/misinterpreted term today, not only in the west, but in our country too. Today we have yoga for dance, yoga for sex, yoga for sports, yoga for diabetes cure, yoga for ladies etc. The crux of the problem lies in our poor understanding of the real goal of human life. Many are happy with temporary goals of peace, curing of diseases, mukthi or just concentration. In todays fast life, people expect miracles to happen in their life without any self-effort.
Challenges-4
The notion that spirituality is for the old and weak Many have the wrong notion that spirituality is meant for the old and for the mentally, physically and financially disadvantaged lot. Ancient wisdom says any spiritual practice must start from the conception stage and we have the stories of Abhimanyu and Prahlada from the puranas. Success in any spiritual practice requires strong will power coupled with unalloyed devotion and obedience to the Spiritual guide and it is truly meant for the strong only.
Challenges-5
Is Spirituality commercialised?
It is unfortunate that in a country like India with her glorious past, there have been umpteen number of yogic systems/organisations who have made a good amount of money by cheating and exploiting the public in the disguise of so called spirituality. The huge gathering of people around such notorious gurus also fascinates most of us and we often think majority opinion is always correct. The need of the hour is non-religious, non-profit making spiritual organisations whose only aim is spiritual welfare of its people and not money-making. Wherever and whenever wealth, power and fame accumulates, there can be only inflated ego, fear, insecurity, distrust and not to talk of spirituality.
Challenges-6
Where can I find a role model
Since the most effective approach to VBSE is the subtle approach, both parents and teachers have to be role models. Therefore both parents and teachers must regulate their mind by practicing meditation and evolve spiritually. A real teacher continues to learn all his life. Common understanding is the most important because, unless we lay a ground for common understanding, neither can the teacher understand the student nor can the student understand the teacher. Understand in the real sense, not with the head but with the heart. A good teacher must recognize and attack the unwillingness, subdue it, entice the owner of that unwillingness out of his or her shell into which they have wrapped themselves. And the battle is won. It is same with parents too. Between the teacher and the student, there must be flow of love from the teacher to the student, reciprocated by obedience from the student to the teacher. The teacher must become an example, which the students can follow, not someone the students are afraid of.
Challenges.
Once again we come back to the need for spirituality for all, none can escape it. It is a matter of utter shame for a country like India to see her educated people debating on whether one need spirituality in their life or not. Spirituality is essential as log as we are here and there is no question of any choice about it.
Conclusions
Conclusions-1
Right education should cater to an individual's intellectual, physical, emotional, social and spiritual development. Education should help him/her evolve into a person with holistic vision and growth, culminating in preparing a happy future for an integrated mankind. The means to achieve these objectives are presented in this paper, the most effective being the subtle approach.
Conclusions-2
Some of the challenges in the implementation of VBSE are presented. Most of these problems can be overcome, once we educate the student community on the need for spirituality in their life and for that, the educators themselves must be role models. It is earnestly hoped that academic institutions interested in imparting value based spiritual education work in collaboration with a non-profit, purely spiritual organisation for training their teachers who in turn will train their students.
Conclusions-3
With these humble beginnings, we can help in the fulfilment of the aim of regenerated, revitalised, spiritualised youth which alone can lead India in the consortium of nations in this world. To talk of material leadership is a farce and a travesty of the truth. India can lead the world only in spiritual matters and this is possible only through a value based spiritual education.
Thank you for having given some of your precious time to view my presentation.