The Need and Relevance of Spiritual Education Today

Charles Dickens wrote his immortal novel A Tale of Two Cities starting with, "These are the best of times and the worst of times, a time of wisdom and a time of foolishness.” We could aptly apply the dictum to contemporary times when life has become pendulously beset between the advances of science, knowledge, material and the deeper value systems of education, morality, consciousness and a life of purpose and living.

The onset of the Corona pandemic has brought this ‘to be or not to be’ state into greater focus with emphasis on introspective queries like where we came from, why we are here, where will we go after death, what is the purpose of life, how to differentiate the right from wrong, how to live a meaningful life. The balance between life and living is in disarray and needs to be redefined. The youth especially, who form half of us Indians under 26 years, are at crossroads with a raging pandemic, an uncertain future and a non-return to good times of yore, if there was one.

However, everything is not lost and ominous as it sounds. We just need to realign, tweak and readjust our future visions and translate it to a balanced system more in tune to our fundamentals of culture, value systems, societal needs, nationalistic expectations and elevate the individual to an inclusive process of being wanted, heard and cared for in a symbiosis of happiness and contentment. This is where the need and relevance of spiritual education comes into the fore.

In education, the term relevance typically refers to learning experiences that are either directly applicable to the personal aspirations, interests, or cultural experiences of students (personal relevance) or that are connected in some way to real-world issues, problems, and contexts (life relevance).

Research informs us that the focus of our educational system has been more on the acquisition of knowledge and skill orientated towards jobs and material gains rather than on the holistic growth of the body, mind and soul. The moral growth of man has failed to keep in step with his vast strides in other fields. This has been the bone of contention amongst our youth when it comes to meeting the unexpected ethical and virtuous challenges they confront, sooner than later, in both their professional and filial growth. Many crumble under the weight of illusionary expectations and the stark reality. Mental health today is a spectre that confronts the youth largely.

Spirituality is linked to many important aspects of human functioning: spiritual people have positive relationships, high self-esteem, are optimistic, and have meaning and purpose in life. Spirituality in education refers a deep connection between student, teacher, and subject; a connection so honest, vital, and vibrant that it cannot help but be intensely relevant. The purpose of spiritual education is to fulfill the divine potential of children, and to prepare them for life by giving them the tools they need to keep on learning throughout the many experiences that will come to them. Another purpose of spiritual education is to build the person on all levels.

India has been blessed with some of the greatest spiritual and moral minds of the world and their lessons in the making of man and his conditioning to be a better citizen of India and of the world is worth emulating. Among the great Indian teachers, both ancient and modern, who are exemplars are: Mahavira, Buddha, Patanjali and Kapila, Nagarjuna and Shankaracharya, Abhinavagupta, Kabir and Mirabai, Vivekananda, Yogananda, Krishnamacharya, Shivananda, Ramana Maharsi, Aurobindo, Krishnamurti, Chidananda, Rabindranath Tagore, Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, Mother Theresa Abdul Kalam, to name a few, as well as other famous gurus who have left their indelible marks in the annals of our history. Perhaps, India is the only country to honour and recognise the moral and spiritual contributions of our great teachers, both ancient and modern, in the celebrations of Guru Purnima and Teachers Day respectively.

If we have to bring about a paradigm shift in our education system built on the foundational pillars of “Access, Equity, Quality, Affordability and Accountability”(Draft NEP, 2019); we must not just stop at right competencies and capabilities, but also create the right conducive and vibrant atmosphere for both the teacher and the taught; wherein they complement each other beyond the books to the realms of moralistic and spiritual mentoring, like it prevailed in the corridors of Nalanda and Takshashila of yore. 

Let us help our students to supplement their core curricular studies with spiritual and moral consciousness that helps them to built and nurture an honourable stature to explore deeper human values, resources and functional capabilities that is more fulfilling, rewarding and invigorating in their future lives; help them dream and build a proud India to reclaim its just position in the comity of nations.

Suggestively, some of the aspects that could form the beliefs of an inclusive, spiritually and morally upright education could be:

• Education should align the true nature of an individual with the spiritual being of man.
   
• Help the student to identity his self with the higher consciousness of life and living.

• Define the purpose and meaning of life and streamline it with one’s profession and calling.
   
• Emphasise the divine ordainment as a truth and reality in the cosmic scheme of time and place, and help the youth to seek a balance in their lives.
   
• Teach the students to remain objective to the reality of their strengths and weaknesses and find equanimity in building their perspectives.
   
• Help students to remain in the present, open their minds to question, enquire and seek mentorship in finding their answers to vexing questions beyond their books.    
   
• Integrate the students’ minds with the modern tenets of science, gender equality, inclusivity, freedom of thought and expression, democratic values and human rights.

• Be a friend to the student and be approachable as a teacher-mentor.
   
  Swami Shivananda has said, "The real spiritual progress of the aspirant is measured by the extent to which he achieves inner tranquility. It is divinity that shapes not only your ends, but also your acts, your words and thoughts." If spirituality is embraced into our educational system, our students will surely emerge as beings holistically ingrained not just to make a difference to them successfully but also to build an India inwardly and outwardly strong and capable to meet the challenging times ahead.

(The Article appeared in a shorter format in the New Indian Express earlier.)

Debi Padhi was born in the city of Cuttack, India. A retired naval aviator, with a Masters in English Literature and a Masters in Journalism and Mass Communications; has a passion for the creative arts and is a freelance writer on varied subjects that have been published widely. He, along with his wife are running an organization that counsels and empowers the youth to exploit their full potential.