Spirituality through holistic education

Por: dailypioneer.com/ Raunak Jain

Giving our children the gift of an education system that focuses on holistic development and is spiritually rich could be our best contribution to the world, writes RAUNAK JAIN

Holistic is a word that originates from ancient Greek and which means to encompass “an entire thing”. Ancient Greeks had created a civilization that is the bedrock of all western thought; they indeed had a holistic view of human beings. While today we know ancient Greeks mostly because of the many profound philosophical works of thinkers such as Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle; the ancient Greeks gave us much more than just inspiring philosophy. They were at the forefront of human thought more than 2,000 years ago. They also constructed beautiful buildings and theorised about how men should ideally live and be governed. So powerful was the impact of ancient Greece that works by the ancient thinkers, mathematicians, and philosophers were unequalled in the west for over two millennia.

Ancient Greeks were driven by holistic beliefs and thoughts, and viewed an individual who excelled in multiple activities to be far superior to one who excelled in only one task. For instance, it was not uncommon for a top mathematician from ancient Greece to also be a top bodybuilder and a top athlete. They believed that being especially skilled in only one narrow activity and in no other was actually a symptom of vulgarity. It should, therefore, be said that ancient Greeks believed in and practised holistic education.

Modern Education

Unfortunately, education today has grown rigid, narrow, and inflexible. Children studying in even the best schools in the country are forced to give up their passion after the 10th standard and to instead concentrate solely on a narrow stream of subjects that will allow them to earn a livelihood in the future. The ancient Greeks and some others today would call this vulgar. Holistic education emphasises that “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts”. In the context of learning, this means that a student is comprised of more than just a mind that should memorise. Rather, a student is believed to have a unique function in society and is known to be driven by unique feelings and emotions. The holistic form of education takes such additional considerations into account and allows students to reach their fullest potential by improving additional qualities that children possess.

Spirituality and Holistic Education

While the term spirituality usually seems connected to morality or religion and often excludes many who are outside a certain belief system, when it is applied to education it stands for “teaching authentically”. This can also mean teaching with the intention to teach rather than mechanically going through the motions of teaching.

A student is more than the sum of his parts; hence while a child may be a good sportsperson and excel at history or physics, he or she also has a self that is connected to a community. This connection is what gives a child an identity, meaning, and purpose. The same connections also give rise to genuine feelings of compassion and a desire for peace in the world. Hence, holistic education is meant to help an individual fulfil his or her true purpose as part of a community. Today, education in India stresses academic excellence, often at the expense of the development of other aspects of a student’s personality. Holistic education prepares an individual for life.

Helping Children Spiritually

Today, good formal education in India strives to make children learn, while holistic education also helps children “learn, how to learn”. Simply learning a subject may not be sufficient to navigate life; children must learn how they can learn. By “learning how to learn”, they acquire skills that make them not only more successful in life, but that also lead them to be happier and well-adapted members of society.

Teachers and Spirituality

While holistic education allows children to learn how to become lifelong learners, it also instils in them a curiosity for learning and wanting to know more. So, unlike the traditional model of education in India today, holistic education continues outside the classroom and well into adulthood, if not into old age. Becoming lifelong learners is more important today than ever before.

Learning spiritually means that students and their teachers share a deep connection with the subject they are learning. Such teachers do nothing less than inspiring their students by creating a lifelong bond with learning. Such students develop spiritually and carry forward a spark into any profession they choose to work in.

 Practical Outcomes of Holistic Education

By following the practice of holistic education, a student grows more confident and certain of his or her place in his society or community. Thus, a child develops social and communication skills. Such skills are essential for success in any leadership role today and will remain important for success well into the future.

Gifted Children

Every child is born gifted, it is the role of educators to bring out the child’s strengths. Once the child discovers his or her passion, he or she will learn and take part in related activities with enthusiasm and enjoy overcoming the challenges.

Wanting to Learn

One of the most important principles in teaching is linked to “positive association” which in education translates into “the more children enjoy learning, the more they will want to continue learning”. Positive association with learning creates adults who remain curious and open throughout their lives and who go on to be more innovative in the workplace.

Our Contribution  

The ideas that shape our modern world were formed by the ancient Greeks well over 2,000 years ago. We pride ourselves for living in a democracy, but the idea was first formed by ancient Greeks. By adopting  holistic education for our children, one can aspire to contribute as much to the future as the Greeks have to contributed to our world.

The writer is MD, Tula’s International School

*Fuente: https://www.dailypioneer.com/sunday-edition/agenda/spirituality/spirituality-through-holistic-education.html