Introduction to Integral Education



A TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR:

INTRODUCTION TO INTEGRAL EDUCATION

AN INSPIRATIONAL GUIDE

Sraddhalu Ranade, SAIIER, Third edition, 2009

TABLE OF CONTENTS vi

INTRODUCTION vii

Integral Education represents a new approach to education, a new attitude and mindset vii

- Every child is met uniquely according to his unique needs vii

The discussions in this book are broadly organised in four sections viii

- First – The foundations of this new approach and the resultant recasting viii

- Second – Strategies that can act as natural bridges taking us across viii

- Third – Specialised subjects and themes and ways of applying them viii

- Finally – The various kinds of inner and outer changes that we need to bring about viii

CHAPTER I 1

THE WORLD IN CRISIS 1

The world all over is in a crisis 1

Education is the Key 1

Education is, in fact, the key to overcoming the world crisis 1

- In our hands, as teachers and parents, lies the fate and the future of the world 1

Back to Basics 2

The three basic questions – Why are we teaching? What? How shall we teach? 2

What is the highest goal that I can set for ourselves and our children? 2

- Once we are clear about why we are teaching – The next two questions 3

The answer rests on a deeper understanding of what the student is really made of 3

- The various parts of the human personality and how they learn and grow 3

CHAPTER II 5

THE PARTS 5

We can broadly describe the human being as consisting of five distinct parts 5

The Body 5

The body is the foundation, the base on which all else rests 5

- The body’s ability to express a spontaneous beauty and harmony 5

The foundation is the full awakening of the body’s conscious awareness 6

The Vitality and the Emotions 6

This life-force – Its character (coarse or refined) 6

- We want our children to develop an emotional control and refinement 7

The Mind 7

Its effective working rests on the support of the body and the vitality and emotions 7

The great quest of the mind is knowledge and the seeking for perfection 7

- Measurement, planning, strategy and analysis are necessary faculties 7

- Its faculties of synthesis, insight, comprehension, creativity, intuition and inspiration 7

The Fourth Dimension 8

This dimension is the truth of our being which lives deep within us 8

- What we call the psychic being, the soul within, the essence of our humanness 8

- All our aspiration for truth, beauty, true love and peace emerge from the psychic core 9

The Fifth Dimension 10

The fifth dimension is that realm beyond the mind, which we call the spiritual 11

- To transform the human life into a divine life – The adventure for which we came 11

Fivefold Education 11

Each of these parts has to be brought to its highest potential of perfection 11

- The task is not easy, because each one of these parts is so different from the others 11

- We have to found our efforts on some common and universal insights 11

- The key is a change in the mindset with which we view education 11

We will discover that the new approach to education will flow from us spontaneously 11

CHAPTER III 13

THE INDUSTRIAL MINDSET 13

The modern system of education is the creation of the Industrial Age in Europe 13

- Education is viewed with the school as a factory and the child as its raw material 13

The mass production assembly line ends in a massive exam 14

Through all this machine processing, the humanness is squeezed out of existence 15

The examination system compels uniformity in all aspects of education 15

The emphasis on objective criteria pushes out subjective knowledge 15

The school’s reputation is now set by the pass percentage of its students 16

- Dyslexia is the result of the brain skipping certain intermediate stages 16

- Often the result of our education forcing the brain to handle abstractions prematurely 16

Our industrial system ends up wasting so much time, energy and money 17

A close correspondence between literacy rates and suicide rates throughout Europe 17

- Let us rather seek a deeper truth, a new mindset which is innate 18

A Deeper Knowing 18

Deep within us we spontaneously know exactly what is right for our children 18

What is the source of this secret inner knowledge? 18

- The Indian civilisation offers us a profound insight 18

A Soul in Evolution 19

For us, every child is a soul in evolution, a spark of God, a psychic being 19

- Our task then, as teachers, is to relate to this spark of God with love and to serve it 19

- Our new mindset – Every child is a soul in evolution 19

CHAPTER IV 21

FIVE ELEMENTS OF EDUCATION 21

Five elements, symbolically represented by earth, water, fire, air, and ether 21

- The first element, Earth, represents the student 22

- The second element is water, representing we, the teachers 22

- The third element is fire, the fire of knowledge 22

- The fourth element is air, which is the means by which we communicate 22

- The fifth element is ether, the environment in which education takes place 22

Let us now dwell upon these five elements of education with our new mindset 22

Ether, the Environment 23

The environment consists of three layers – Physical, psychological and spiritual 23

The Physical Environment 24

- The physical environment moulds our personality 24

Get the children to participate in beautifying their classroom and school 24

The Psychological Environment 25

- Are you encouraged to ask questions, to think for yourself, to be creative? 25

The right psychological and academic atmosphere can make an enormous difference 26

The Spiritual Atmosphere 26

- An ambience where there is serenity, joy and beauty 26

Sometimes it can be given a formal symbol in the activities or in the physical space 26

There are also the messages through our behaviour and example 26

The Air, the Means of Communication 27

In every child is all knowledge as a potential 27

Three Principles of Education 27

- An awakening of the knowledge that already exists within as a potential 27

First – Nothing can be taught 27

Second – The mind must be consulted in its growth 27

Third – We must grow from the near to the far 27

The Fire of Knowledge 27

The burning flame of knowledge dispels darkness, purifies and reveals 28

It also gives us the intensity of concentration – And it points upwards 28

Receiving Knowledge 29

- Knowledge is received or perceived or held as a living experience 29

In order to be able to receive knowledge, the first requirement is humility 30

The attitude of humility should be in the student as well as in the teacher 30

- By giving knowledge you do not lose it, you also gain 30

- Why do we enjoy teaching? Because we are growing while we teach 30

Water, the Teacher 30

Teaching is a sacred task – The seed impulse of why it is that you chose to be a teacher 30

Relating to the Child 32

- What is the relationship that I should have with the child which will help – Three kinds 32

The most obvious and common is the relationship of authority 32

The ideal relationship – A friend, a helper, someone the child loves and trusts 32

- Sometimes when you are too nice, too helpful, children take advantage of you 32

- True love is a love backed by strength. A weak love is not love, it is dependence 32

A third relationship which you can apply very rarely – You become the child 33

- The personal connection – The child shares with you something deep within him 33

- These are the three kinds of relationships in which the knowledge flows 35

The binding element of all three relationships is love 35

Earth, the Student 35

We must consider what is the priority of the content that we will teach the child 35

- The training of the studies has moulded your character and developed your faculties 35

Faculty development 36

- What remains with us are the faculties of personality that we have developed 36

It is not the subjects you learn that matter, but the faculties that you develop 36

Let us look at some of basic faculties that have to be developed in a child in sequence 37

Observation 37

- The faculty of observation is developed very early – Through all five senses 37

The training of observation includes inter-sensory connections and fine motor skills 38

Comparison 38

- Noticing similarities and differences – The effective use of your logical faculties 38

Association 39

- Otherwise the knowledge and experiences from the past cannot be made valuable 39

Observation, comparison and association are essential to come to the right conclusions 39

Layers of the Mind 40

Distinct layers of the mind – Specific terms to better understand the mental training 40

Chitta: the Mental Substance 40

- The substance is extremely plastic. It can take impressions of all the events that happen 40

An automatic subconscious memory records everything that happens 40

Manas: the Sense Mind 40

- The mind turned to sensory experience, living by it and in it 40

The sensory logic of manas acts as a first filter taking information to the next layer 40

Buddhi: the Intellect 42

- Buddhi, the intellect proper. is the part of the mind which is self-aware 42

This self-awareness makes us capable of changing ourselves – Conscious progress 42

The Two Brains 43

- The buddhi has two branches of faculties – The left and right brains 43

The left brain is primarily analytic, while the right brain is primarily synthetic 43

- Modern education emphasises the left brain faculties almost exclusively 43

- We want to develop both sides and harmonise their complementary working 43

- The connecting bridge in between also has to be trained 43

- So train the left brain, train the right brain, and harmonise the working of both 45

This operation of the left and right brains harmonised together is the buddhi 45

- In modern studies we tend to categorise the intelligence into seven different types 45

The so-called “types” of intelligence only represents facets of the buddhi 45

The Fourth Layer 46

A fourth layer above the buddhi opens spontaneously to intuition and higher operations 46

- All creative people begin with an insight, a reception of some intuition from above 46

CHAPTER V 47

NOTHING CAN BE TAUGHT 47

All knowledge already exists deep within us – Three principles of true teaching 47

- Let us take a common example of real learning – “Aha! It is obvious! I know it” 48

As teachers, we have to strive to create the “Aha” experience in all that we teach 49

All that we seek to learn is already there somewhere inside us 49

This leads us to the first principle of true teaching – Nothing can be taught 49

- You must be able to recognise where the screen is in the child and help him to remove it 49

It means some part of you identifies with the child 49

- How then shall we teach? Nature has already made the task so spontaneous and easy 50

The Two Gifts of Nature 51

Two powerful instruments gifted by Nature to ensure spontaneous learning in the child 51

a. Insatiable curiosity 52

- The first gift is that every child is born with an insatiable curiosity 52

As a teacher, always encourage questions! 52

At no stage must you ever rebuff a child for questioning, whatever the age 54

b. Hero worship 54

- The second gift of Nature that we draw upon is the deep-seated instinct of hero worship 54

They respect us, worship us, emulate and imitate us instinctively 54

We must practise what we want the child to be 54

Example and Story-Telling 55

But we can and should go further and offer examples of people greater than ourselves 55

Value Education 56

Values cannot be taught by explanations 56

This kind of classroom preaching of values to the mind only cultivates hypocrisy 56

Values have to be taught by experience first, and then by explanation 57

- Narration of stories, when skilfully done, can be one of the most powerful means 57

- Another powerful method is the use of team games which we will discuss later 57

- But our personal example will still remain the first foundation 57

Deeper Powers 57

Behind these two gifts is their deeper truth: the principle of will-power and faith 57

- In a later discussion we will utilise these two deeper powers in training ourselves 57

CHAPTER VI 59

THE MIND MUST BE CONSULTED 59

IN ITS GROWTH 59

Every child is a soul in evolution – Each child is therefore unique 59

- So you must take into account the child’s temperament and encourage his strengths 59

- Our first task is to observe the child – We will select the best approach 59

Three Types of Temperament 60

There are three broad types of temperament 60

- There are the types who understand by explanation 60

- There is another type whose temperament is more emotionally oriented 60

- A third kind of temperament is living in the sensory experience 60

It is important to communicate in terms of the child’s understanding and temperament 61

Three Types of Learners 63

There are three types of learners 63

- First, those who learn visually, watching, observing, reading, looking at pictures 63

Visual learners do well in abstract thinking, but tend to do poorly in sensory activities 63

- The second type is the auditory learner 63

They get more easily engrossed in listening to a story and have an aversion to reading 63

- The third type is the kinesthetic learners, children who need to touch, feel, hold 64

You have to give him a tangible connection to the subject and the ideas 64

A primary reliance on one of the three sensory channels of sight, sound or touch 64

- But it is possible to develop each of the senses to its maximum potential 64

Three Modes of Nature 65

The three modes of Nature’s working operate in all phenomena of Nature 65

- Tamas, rajas, and sattwa – Respectively the mode of inertia, activity, and balance 65

All human beings can be said to be predominantly tamasic, rajasic, or sattwic 66

- The sattwic temperament seeks harmony, balance, understanding 66

- The rajasic temperament is dynamic, pro-active, self-motivated, desire-driven 66

- The tamasic temperament tends towards comfort, rest, inactivity, passivity 66

In normal evolution, we emerge from tamas, grow through rajas towards sattwa 66

- Our goal in education is to accelerate this process – The ancient Indian system 66

- I will limit the discussion to the temperament of the child 66

Every child – Having at least two of these strands, one dominant and one secondary 67

- The sattwic-rajasic is generally not a problem 67

- The rajasic-sattwic will be excitable – You will need to help him step back 67

- The tamasic-sattwic is the most difficult one – He is interested but not motivated 67

- The tamasic-rajasic – Swinging between two extremes 68

Four Aspirations of the Soul 68

The inhabiting soul has four distinct lines of aspiration and expression 68

- All four aspirations are within each one of us, but one of them stands out 68

The first aspiration is towards knowledge 68

The second aspiration is towards force and power 68

The third aspiration is towards organisation and wealth 69

The fourth aspiration is towards service and perfection in detail 69

The four aspirations of the soul rise in response to the four Powers of the Divine 70

- Maheshwari, Mahakali, Mahalakshmi and Mahasaraswati 70

- The four divine powers of Knowledge, Force, Wealth and Perfection 70

By following the natural line of development – The child’s highest potential 70

- Many children have been pushed into grooves of specialisation – They lose interest 70

When you bring them back into their natural line of expression, they do very well 70

- Whatever may be the predominant aspiration, our goal is to develop all four facets 71

Use the child’s dominant aspiration as a starting point 71

CHAPTER VII 73

FROM THE NEAR TO THE FAR 73

There is a natural sequence in which the child is learning and developing 73

Nature’s Way 73

There is a natural unfolding sequence in the child’s brain and nervous system 73

- First, the nervous system aims at pure sensory stimulation 73

- He awakens to emotional responses and then only to the intellectual development 73

Within this larger sequence there are still smaller steps 73

- Within the first eight to ten years, there is dominant phase of the sensory development 73

There are three sub-steps: pure physical senses, emotional responses, thought-responses 73

- Then begins the dominant phase of emotions, drives, passions 73

There are sub-steps – Sensory drive, pure emotional, attempts to rationalise the emotions 73

- The intellectual development proper, generally from the age of seventeen onwards 73

Sub-steps – Material comforts and sensory pleasures, the pure intellect 73

This is a natural programmed sequence 74

- At every step – The most interesting activity for the child 75

- From the near to the far is the sequence of unfoldment of personality and its faculties 75

Observe the child, notice the specific level and give him activities which will help 75

Factual Content 75

This principle also includes factual content – Let us take history class as an exampl 75

- The child wants to know about himself, so we should start with his family 76

The child is fascinated, acquires a sense of self-respect 76

Once he knows where he stands, we can introduce ancient or foreign cultures 76

Self-respect 76

Let me dwell a little longer on the importance of this sense of self-respect 76

- People want to fight corruption by moral preaching. That does not work 76

- I will not fall below my standard – The standard is set by my sense of identity 76

- So you can see that corruption is in some sense an index of self-respect 77

Corruption can therefore be overcome only by recovering one’s self-respect 77

We can help change things by narrating stories that awaken our self-respect 77

Sequencing Your Presentation 78

A third dimension – The sequence in which we present things in the classroom 78

- We will rearrange the entire content of what we teach 79

Using Subjects As Windows 79

We can easily grow to like and enjoy any subject by beginning with what we like most 79

- In other words, any preferred subject can become a window to any other 79

Start from the near, grow to the far through the window of any subject 80

Three Sutras 81

In conclusion, three principles of education preside over all true learning 81

- Assisting us in this process are the two gifts of Nature – Curiosity and hero worship 81

- The three principles of education are three sutras, condensed formulations 81

- The entire philosophy of education can be discovered with the help of these three sutras 81

CHAPTER VIII 83

THE LEARNING PROCESS 83

Our teaching should be based on the natural psychology of learning and growth 83

How the Brain Learns 83

Modern studies of the brain have watched it working live through MRI scans 83

- The first thing we realise is that the brain is not comfortable with studying in bits 83

The brain takes in all the information and at first puts it in the temporary memory 83

The real learning or permanent absorption takes place after the formal learning 83

The brain needs to gather the entirety of information in order to assimilate it properly 83

- The new learning goes and replaces the old learning in the temporary memory 84

Never giving it a chance to be transferred to the permanent memory 84

Now consider the pattern of learning that we normally follow in schools 84

Three Steps 84

What does the brain need? It needs a gap in between two periods – Assimilation 84

- First there is a learning or absorbing phase, and then second is the assimilative 84

- The third phase which the brain instinctively follows is a re-expression 84

How shall we put these insights in practice in the classroom? 85

Immersion Combined with the Three Steps 85

Our ancient sages had understood the mind’s working – The three-step process 85

- Also, they would take up a single subject, with many three-step cycles within the day 85

Immersion is one of the most powerful means of awakening knowledge 85

Teaching in Snippets 86

Today’s changing subjects every period has led to the fickleness of the modern mind 86

- To learn in snippets is contrary to the natural rhythm of learning of our brain and mind 87

In the Classroom 87

So how can we apply this knowledge in the classroom? 87

- We can still go through the three steps of learning within the period 87

- I would strongly recommend to organise the classes in two continuous periods at a time 88

- Some coordination between teachers to set a single theme across several subjects 89

We may still follow the three-step process in each separate class 89

Immediate Benefit 89

The advantage of teaching with immersion combined with the three step process 89

- In principle this applies to all situations in any kind of learning at any age 90

Distracted Children? 90

It is the brain’s natural requirement of assimilation that causes to take a break 90

There are two recent studies that are worth mentioning here 91

Chanting Aum 91

The first study – Two minutes of chanting of Aum between class breaks 91

- Retention improved dramatically – Time for a relaxed assimilation 91

- Relaxing, day-dreaming, playing a game, or even going into light sleep will help 91

Second Study: Asanas 92

The second study relates to the practice of asanas – A difference in performance 92

- Asanas help to bring calm and stability m the nervous system and the body 92

When you are quiet and concentrated, you certainly remember much better 92

There are other exercises which can help to make the mind quiet – One is chitta-suddhi 92

- All such exercises are related to the central idea of absorption and assimilation 92

Deeper Still 93

We must proceed further still to the nature of intelligence and its multi-faceted working 93

CHAPTER IX 95

FACETS OF INTELLIGENCE 95

Each child is a richly diverse potential expressing itself as a unique personality 95

- The inmost source of our individuality is the psychic being deep within us 95

But the external focal point of our personality is the intellect 95

Intelligence – Innumerable lines of expression according to our temperament and nature 95

In recent times there have been various attempts to categorise these various facets 95

Perhaps the most comprehensive so far is the sevenfold scheme 95

The development of any one of these facets helps the development of all others 95

Logical Intelligence 96

Some children have a natural comfort in handling logical chains – Abstract mathematics 96

- Much of modern education gives this facet an overwhelming importance 96

Musical Intelligence 97

Some students have a natural aptitude in handling musical notes and their relationships 97

- To support its development – Some kind of musical and rhythmic interaction 97

Linguistic Intelligence 97

Some are naturally sensitive to the precise use of words and precision of expression 97

- We must cultivate precision in the power of expression 98

Spatial Intelligence 99

Spatial intelligence gives a sense of the three-dimensional relationships between things 99

- An unfortunate difficulty faced by many women, which has a biological basis 99

Both for mathematical intelligence and spatial intelligence 99

- This is a difference that impacts the mathematics classes the most 99

- The ability to effortlessly visualise in three dimensions and perform spatial rotations 101

- I want every girl in my class to develop this ability of spatial rotation 101

- Men – Many aspects relating to interpersonal intelligence are suppressed or stunted 101

By conscious effort, men can overcome these limitations 101

- We want girls to develop spatial intelligence skills as much as boys 102

So, plan your class content and think of how you can bring in spatial content 102

Kinesthetic Intelligence 102

Kinesthetic intelligence includes awareness of physical space around us and within 102

- This intelligence is seen in our body language, the expressions on our face 104

Activities can be introduced to manipulate objects with skill, coordinate movements 105

Interpersonal Intelligence 105

The interpersonal intelligence relates to the awareness of relationships 105

- Opportunities exist for group activity, coordinated efforts and peer learning 105

Intrapersonal Intelligence 105

Intrapersonal intelligence represents the ability to be aware of what is happening within 105

- We can help awaken it by stimulating introspection 106

Multiple Intelligence 107

As teachers and parents, we must provoke all seven facets of intelligence 107

- In principle, any activity can potentially be used to develop all seven facets 107

- But some types of activity are naturally more conducive to a particular intelligence facet 107

Affinity to Learning Types 108

The various facets of intelligence have a close affinity with certain sensory types 108

- Auditory children – An aptitude with the musical and kinesthetic intelligence 108

- Visual children tend naturally to have a better logical and spatial intelligence 108

The intelligence and the emotions must be placed in their right relations 108

CHAPTER X 109

THE EMOTIONS AND THE BODY 109

It is imperative for us to develop, refine and master our emotional nature 109

- To awaken in the child the detached status of being a witness to the play of his emotions 109

1. Narration of Stories 109

- When communicating deeper values, this is one of the most powerful means 109

2. Enacting Situations 110

- A method, effective especially with older students, is to get them to enact situations 110

With the younger ones, one can enact scenes and roles from Nature around us 110

3. Introspection 111

- With older children, you can encourage them to introspect on different situations 111

4. Collective Games 111

- Using collective games, we are building character, building the leadership potential 112

This is the best way of learning to control and guide and turn your emotions upwards 112

The emotional awareness, control and mastery – First aspect of emotional training 112

Refinement of Emotions 113

Second aspect of emotional training – The cultivating and refinement of the emotions. 113

- Only then will you be able to express yourself in the most harmonious forms 113

- Not just love, but peace, purity, love, beauty, harmony, perfection – Deep within us 113

Cultivating is the bringing out of that possibility and organising it in every detail of life 113

Poetry, Music and Painting 114

- How shall we go about cultivating our emotions? 114

Poetry, music and painting must be made an integral part of the education 114

Without the core of artistic creativity one tends to become dull and hard, losing interest 114

Modern Society 114

- So much of modern society has degenerated because of this lack of culture 114

Children are going to face symbols of degeneration all the time 115

- The only protection they have is a deeper sensitivity and refinement 115

Signs of degeneration today – Lack of power of concentration and lack of sensitivity 115

Arts vs Sciences 115

- Arts are a necessary part of any complete education, even for students of the sciences 115

Every student must be even compelled to take up both artistic and scientific activities 116

Vitality, Life-Force, Enthusiasm 116

Our energy levels and our emotions are closely allied 116

- We must train the energies of our vital and emotional nature 116

So train your vitality so as to tame it, teach it to be organised and disciplined 117

We can consciously orient ourselves to be more positive and remain always optimistic 117

Infinite Energy 118

- The capacity to receive and hold more and more energy 118

The capacity to open ourselves to this infinite energy is part of the training of the vital 118

Training the Body 118

The body is a creature of habits. Its training also must be set to a regular routine 118

- Aspects include: regularity, discipline, strength, endurance, flexibility and suppleness 118

- Gymnastic, dance and outdoor games must be made a part of the curriculum 119

Training the body can actually help train the emotions and the intellect 119

- Any new learning of the body’s skills or awareness creates new nerve connection 119

CHAPTER XI 121

THAT BY WHICH ALL IS KNOWN 121

The mind, the emotions and body have to be developed and organised around the psychic 121

- The entire effort of this triple training relies on concentration and will-power 121

Concentration 122

Swami Vivekananda – You can judge the value of a man by his power of concentration 122

- Saying that the very essence of education is concentration, not collection of facts 122

If you develop your faculties you can gain all factual information at will 122

How To Weaken the Power of Concentration 123

- What a pity it is that this most powerful faculty is untrained in us 123

There are two reasons for that: teaching in snippets and watching television 123

- The cutting of subjects into snippets weakens the power of concentration by neglect 124

- Television – Stunning the mind into passivity and diffusing its focus 124

- Instead encourage children to read books – Not comics 124

Developing Concentration 125

- The power of concentration can be consciously trained 125

Practise every day for a few minutes 125

- Whatever is held as the focus, concentrate on it, gather and hold all of your attention 125

Dyslexic attention deficit disorder and other diseases represent untrained faculties 126

Developing Willpower 127

The same principle of training has to be applied even for developing the will-power 127

- Start with a very small and easy resolution to be repeated every morning 127

- Gradually I can increase the level of difficulty as my willpower develops 127

With power of concentration combined with will-power – You can achieve anything 128

Developing Memory 128

I have chosen to dwell separately on a basic faculty supporting all others: the memory 128

- The key words here are: interest, attention and observation 128

The problem is not one of memory, but of the faculty of observation 129

- The solution is also simple: train you power of observation 129

- There are three facets of the memory’s working: visual, auditory and kinesthetic 129

Consciously train to overcome the weaker sense of memory 129

The Psychic 130

The powers of concentration and will – Essential to the integration around the psychic 130

- It is from the psychic that all our higher aspirations emerge 130

The psychic being is the soul within us, the essence and the source of our identity 130

- As teachers we ourselves must awaken to the psychic presence within us 130

- We can plan our class content to evoke elements that are in harmony with the psychic 130

- Creating an ambience conducive to the psychic contact 131

We must complete the training of the parts of personality by linking them to the psychic 132

Integral Education in Summary 132

We have so far covered a broad sweep of the different dimensions of education 132

- An “Integral Education” – Relating all to the idea that every child is a soul in evolution 132

We can now observe how different this mind-set is from the industrial mindset 132

- How much more beautiful our class interactions can become 132

CHAPTER XII 133

CROSSING THE BRIDGE 133

You have to make a bridge between the old and the new mindset 133

- How shall we make the transition from the old to the new, without sliding back? 133

Three Kinds of Bridges 133

One kind is the bridge we build individually in the classroom 133

The second kind of bridges is the kind that requires the support of several teachers 133

The third bridge that has to be made needs the help of the management 134

I will now list several suggestions which you can then take up 134

1. Involvement of Children 134

Encourage the involvement of the children in maintaining their environment 134

- The cleanliness of the classroom can be taken up by the children 134

- Secondly, switching on and off fans and lights 134

Ideally the teacher should be the first in and the last out 134

2. Morning Assembly 136

The use of music at the time of the assembly, as well as in the classroom 136

- There are two ways in which the assembly can be handled 136

The common way – The children troupe together in one big hall and something is done 136

You may consider a second approach that the children go directly to their classrooms 136

- Use of music in the assembly and in the classrooms can happen where needed 136

3. The Arrangement of the Classroom 137

Next is the management, the arrangement of the classroom itself 137

- At least for the younger ones, let’s start by changing the arrangement. Sit in circles 137

- You can also take them out into Nature, into the gardens 137

Take them out for short occasions, just find an excuse and then come back 138

4. The Curriculum 139

Consciously liberate the curriculum 139

- By using techniques to accelerate learning you can actually free up half of the time 139

- You should also consciously try to remove what is unnecessary from the curriculum 139

Look at the curriculum – What is essential, what is recommended, what is optional 139

The questions you have to ask – Is it necessary, is it appropriate for that age? 139

Next, consciously introduce an awareness of the five-fold aspects of education 139

- The physical, the emotional, the mental training, the psychic, the spiritual dimension 139

- Consciously bring in examples throughout the curriculum, including narrations 140

Examples from Indian Traditions 140

- A child grows up with his roots growing in that location where he grows up 140

Free the Indian mind. Teach the children to think for themselves 142

- I put a tremendous emphasis on creativity and independent thought 142

Let’s bring back our children to become rooted in our culture and be proud 143

- And grow from the near to the far deliberately 143

Development of Faculties 144

- Then, consciously shift priorities to faculty development 144

You may deal with several – Observation, comparison, association 144

At any given time, we’re developing all the faculties consciously 144

Then, consciously encourage “creativity, independent thought and multiple intelligence.” 144

Purification of the Nerve Channels 145

- Specific exercises to consciously still the mind 145

- One is listening to quiet music, another is observing your breath 145

- There is yet another exercise called nadi-shuddhi 145

It is purification of the “nadis”, the subtle nervous channels 145

- Through food and through air pollution many impurities enter our nervous system 145

- Not just air pollution, also food, especially junk food, including soft drinks 146

You breathe in through one nostril, and then breathe out through the other 146

- It has the effect of quieting the mind and actually making your head clearer 146

Then, asanas, pranayama, physical exercises, marching, games, Surya-namaskar 147

- All of theses have an effect on the brain and the intelligence 147

Bring these somehow into your curriculum 147

Thereafter, music, painting, dance, instrumental music 147

- Encourage children to take them up – If possible, as part of the school curriculum 147

Sequence the content of the whole year from the near to the far – Each class 147

Train consciously “concentration, willpower, memory, and observation.” 147

Leading with Questions 148

- Use the power of questioning, visualisation and knowledge by identity 148

- Use narrations of stories in action, and for older students, discussion 148

- Though the principles remain the same, there are variations with the older student 148

Especially after fourteen, they begin to question 148

- Nature is creating an ego-identity because she wants focal points of consciousness 148

- What does nature do with us as soon as the ego-identity is complete? You fall in love 148

The older student – It is necessary for them to question, encourage their questioning 148

The Inner Touch 150

- The central change we have to bring – The psychic influence 150

You have to spread it by contagion which means you have to have it 150

Duration of the Class 151

- The duration of the class – Extend the duration, if possible 151

You can also do in the class the three-step process of learning 151

We will try also to bring a theme across several subjects for the day, for project work 151

The Ideal Ratio of Students 151

- The ideal ratio is twenty students to a teacher 151

Where it is difficult to make this change, you can bring an assistant teacher 151

- Sometimes, naturally, the class may be split into two parts 151

- If the ratio is not small enough, the personal contact cannot work out 151

The biggest problem in taking a large class is who to address 151

Instead of trying to teach the average, we will get those who know to teach 152

- Our goal should be that children would never have to go for outside tuition 152

- Splitting the class into small batches will be tremendously effective 152

Resource Centre 153

- Create a resource centre in the school. This will be a separate special room 153

All kinds of resources will be available including games, books, cassettes, CDs 153

- One research centre in the school and a small resources cupboard in each class 153

Field Trips 154

- Everybody agrees that field trips are useful. Why don’t we do them more often? 154

Involve parents; many parents out there will be very loving teachers 154

Parents exceptionally good can gradually be drawn into the school 154

Evaluation 156

- Evaluation must be continuous, non-formal, sometimes non-obvious 156

Possible in a teacher-student ratio of one to ten, or even one to twenty 156

- Let’s see what are the different facets and dimensions of change in evaluation 156

You have to evaluate everything which you consider important for that age 156

This change in the report card is a very important transition which can be a great help 156

Self-Evaluation 157

- You will also want to introduce self-evaluation, both by the students and the teachers 157

Student self-evaluation will ideally involve introspection of some kind 157

Encourage the teachers to self-assess 157

Teachers’ Meeting 158

- We will invite all the teachers of each class to meet together once every fifteen days 158

The advantage of these meetings will be that now there is a collective energy 158

All-School Meeting 159

- Then, at the school level, we have to have meetings twice a year 159

New developments, experiments, policies are shared between management and teachers 159

- In addition to this, there should be regular contact between teachers and the principal 159

Meeting with Parents 160

- Yet, the most important would be for teachers to meet parents 160

Two or three parents maximum are called immediately after school 160

Once a year, all the parents are called together and spoken to of the new directions 160

- If they understand the rational behind this change, they will he fully supportive 160

Regular Workshops 161

- Finally, regular refresher workshops for teachers 161

We need to be constantly exposed to new ideas otherwise we tend to lapse 161

- There is no idea that is as powerful as a new idea 161

Refresher courses make a great difference in recasting our mindset 161

CHAPTER XIII 163

PROJECT METHOD 163

Today, the concept of project got diluted and even abused – Not really project method 163

Six Facets of Project Work 163

A complete project must involve six different facets 163

- Reading, writing, oral presentation, craft, research, personal opinion 163

- The advantage of the project method – Improvement in the child’s self-respect 163

When you take up project work in your class, consider the four different aspects to it 165

1. Goal of the project 165

- The choice of the goal or the aim of the project has to be clearly defined 165

Sometimes there is also a collective goal, other than the individual goal 166

2. Resources 166

- What will we need to accomplish this goal? – Get the children to write it down 166

3. Planning 166

- The children learn to plan details, the duration of each of the things and the manner 166

4. Self-assessment 167

- There has to be a continuous self-assessment and evaluation 167

Then at the end of the whole project there is a final re-evaluation 167

After it is all over – An oral presentation in which the entire class comes together 167

- As teachers, you get the fundamental material for the future project 168

Over time, you will build a library of such resources for project 168

Ideally, one would want that much of the learning is done through projects 168

- You can give personal attention and yet he available to all 168

Themes for Project Work 169

For the early years, make each theme as wide as possible to cover different facets 169

- You can take up projects on verbs, actions, movements; it needs not to be an object 169

- There is a lot of scope especially keeping in mind the near to far approach 169

CHAPTER XIV 171

CREATING AND HOLDING INTEREST 171

Creating interest is an art and a science – Even in the most “dry” and “dull” subjects 171

Remove Agitation 171

Bring quietness and calmness into their consciousness 171

- Make the children chant OM, listen to quiet music or just sit quietly 171

Channel the Energy 171

If there is energy which you cannot quieten down, channel it into activities 171

Avoid interruptions 172

Get children to indicate when they need to interrupt and they need to ask 172

- You choose the point where you want to pause 172

The next thing is that an element of novelty can draw interest for a while 172

- Plan the elements of novelty to build interest step by step 172

Promise of Reward 172

You may use the promise of a reward – A postponement of a reward that you want 172

Saturate the Senses 173

To hold attention, the trick is to be able to saturate the senses 173

Narration of Stories 173

One of the best ways of creating a condition of saturation is through narration of stories 173

- In story telling, be conscious of bringing in all possible senses 174

Sense of Growth 174

The one thing which every human being finds most interesting is the sense of growth 174

- Some growth has to be brought in; some new learning of discovery 175

Awakening Creativity 176

In helping a child to awaken to knowledge, you can teach by provoking creativity 176

- You can teach through questioning and get them to find answers 176

Today India, culturally and in most other areas, is still at a very high standard 177

- We have lost out two things: discipline and thought-power, independent thinking 177

- If you have to provoke thinking – How can I get them to think for themselves? 177

Central Ideas 178

- Ways by which we can reawaken the latent creativity 178

Sound 178

- Sound is one of the most powerful means of changing consciousness 178

TV 179

- We use music to refine, to raise the emotions, to sensitise our children 179

- You cannot prevent children today from being exposed to television 179

Television today is the primary cause of the insensitiveness of children 179

To undo that damage refinement through music is one of the most powerful means 179

Sensitise with Music 180

- Get the children to become conscious of how the music affects them, through painting 180

Arrange for every class to have a session of creative expression, with music and colour 180

Against the filth that comes through the media – Discrimination is the only protection 180

Power of Expression 181

The power of expression is as important as the power of comprehension 181

- While communicating, you assimilate better within yourself what you have understood 181

- Re-expression, the third step of learning can be done in several forms 181

The importance of the words we use, the language and the intonation 181

The Inner and the Outer 182

The connection between what is happening outside and what is happening within 182

- Even our handwriting is a direct reflection of our character 182

- You find in our experience as teachers that our class constantly reflects our inner state 182

Make a conscious effort before you enter the class to put yourself in the right state 182

Having created interest, the ability to channel that interest depends on discipline 183

CHAPTER XV 185

INCULCATING DISCIPLINE 185

Without discipline no effective action is possible 185

- But discipline cannot be imposed artificially 185

- Nor does it emerge spontaneously except in a few rare children 185

The Problem of Discipline 185

The new mindset does not allow punishment, not even psychological punishment 185

- If you can evoke the sensitivity, you will have very little problem with discipline 185

Awakening Sensitivity 186

Instead of giving a lecture, get the child to introspect, connect him to his core 186

I will show you very interesting ways in dealing with discipline 186

Ways to Handle Behaviour Problems 187

Several ways of influencing behaviour and modifying it to suit our convenience 187

1. Negative reinforcement 187

- You reinforce the negative reaction each time the bad behaviour comes 187

2. Put behaviour on cue. 187

- Children making a lot of noise – I say continue until they are tired of making noise 187

3. Positive reinforcement 187

- That is you reward good behaviour. I don’t wait for someone to start a bad behaviour 187

4. Change the motivation of the bad behaviour 187

- This child is very restless! Why is he restless? I can address the cause of the problem 187

Those four broad approaches for changing behaviour can be done with love 188

Inner Key to Discipline 188

We will catch the central force through which to build discipline 188

- Everywhere we are seeking oneness and completion which is essentially love 189

Love is the one force which can overcome all opposition 189

You will find all bad behaviour stands from lack of love somewhere 189

- Recognise that here there is a need and make up for it in a positive way 189

Person vs Behaviour 190

- When you scold a child for wrong behaviour, never condemn the child 190

Offer a Solution 191

- Whenever you offer criticism, offer a solution with it 191

Look for an answer and suggest an answer; otherwise you have no right to condemn 191

Shaping Behaviour 192

Now, this being the basic starting-point, how are we going to change a wrong habit? 192

- You cannot change a habit in another unless that habit has been changed in yourself 192

Making Rules 193

- What are going to be the standards of what we call good behaviour? 193

I will tell the children that there are certain things that we will have to be careful of 193

Define a sanction well thought out that someone who breaks that rule will have to face 193

- Sanctions will be mild, as mild as possible but they should be a warning 194

Warnings and Sanctions 194

- Make a direct eye contact, firm, clear tone, finger pointing, “First warning; be careful!” 194

So, the child got no occasion to feel that he has got special importance 194

- Second time, second warning, “Be careful. Next you will have to find another table.” 194

- If ever he reaches the third stage, then I say, “Now shift immediately, find any table.” 194

- What we are actually going to do is ensure that this stage never arises 195

The point is to change by bringing awareness 195

- Speak firmly but never raise your voice 195

Children are always playing games with you, testing the limit of your patience 196

Increasing Awareness 196

- It’s not punishment, it’s making them aware of a habit which they are trying to change 196

By putting ourselves in a position of mastery internally – Discipline in class 196

School Culture 197

A culture in the school where children will spontaneously behave in certain ways 197

- A school where there is discipline and the joy of learning –You fall into that groove 197

Proceed exactly the same way but at the school level 198

- In two years you can have a school culture 198

Remember, the child is a soul in evolution 199

- All of education boils down to this uncovering and awakening of that which is latent 199

WORKING WITH OLDER STUDENTS 201

When dealing with older children, the personalities often resist external influence 201

Who Am I? 201

Late teenage is when the ego-identity is forming – They want to assert themselves 201

- You have to somehow find a way to communicate the limits without placing it as a rule 201

With older students, talk to them as friends, treat them as you would treat another adult 201

Trust 203

If the older students know you trust them, they will live up to the trust 203

- The most difficult students can be turned around if they know you trust them 203

Energy 203

With these older students – We get exhausted at the end of the class 203

- You have to somehow increase your energy – We will be discussing how 203

- When you find that you can’t do it just for that day, you can appeal to them 203

Engage the Mind 204

First address the mind – The mind will not let the heart accept until it has satisfied itself 204

Life as an Adventure 205

The age of fourteen and beyond – The instinct within is of achievement 205

- So, create opportunities in class where they can demonstrate capacity 205

- From the age of sixteen onwards, the vocational training must be considered important 205

Stress and Detachment 206

Detachment is important – True knowledge is embracing, not dividing 206

- It is by receiving it in a detached way that you can receive it fully 206

Let go of anxiety, let go of preferences, let go of attachments 206

Detachment means whatever comes to you, you enjoy without sticking to it 206

- Live in the now, the result is not in our hands and we have to teach this to our children 206

We must teach them how to deal with exams 206

They have to learn to deal with the ups and downs of life with detachment 206

It is self-competition that is most important 206

The Competitive Instinct 209

This brings us to the whole issue of competitions and tests 209

- Competitions and tests – To make children aware of how much they have learnt 209

- The older students – Use the competitive instinct to make them exceed one more step 209

At the end, the marks are set aside; we don’t worry about them 209

CHAPTER XVII 211

EXAMPLES OF SOME SUBJECTS 211

Even when teaching different subjects, the principles of education still apply to all 211

- I will take up a few common subjects and themes in order to present a deeper insight 211

LANGUAGES 211

Language is one of the subjects we put so much energy to get very little results 211

Living the Language 212

- When you live the language, it becomes a part of you – The importance of immersion 212

Immersion 212

- Whatever you do, do it in this language 212

Communication 213

- In this – Three dimensions to language: writing, speaking and creative expressions 213

Speaking 213

- Tell the child to speak about something which he is passionate about 213

Writing 214

- We don’t do writing until the age of six or seven - This is very important 214

You begin with writing gradually – In between there is a transition 214

- We are doing oral work but referring to the form of the letter 214

Spelling 214

- The spelling will come gradually, when we start writing we give them dictation 214

The only way to learn spelling is to read a lot 214

- Immerse yourself in something interesting 215

Precision of expression 216

- In writing we dwell on precision, in speaking we will dwell on spontaneity 216

Thinking on your feet 217

- At a later age, one can further train the ability to think while speaking 217

Power of Emotional Expression 218

- There is a third dimension, which is the emotional power of expression 218

With intonation, the emphasis, the stress given to words 218

- One develops it most easily when one takes up a text which is already powerful 218

Nursery rhymes 218

- We teach nursery rhymes to very young children – So let’s teach something beautiful 218

Traditionally, we teach prayers to little children instead of nursery rhymes 218

We can create nursery rhymes as teachers – The school’s own nursery rhymes 218

- For older groups get the children to create their own poems and songs 219

We will start every class by singing the song together, with little children it’s great fun 219

Mother Tongue 220

- His mother tongue is a language most natural for the child 220

The language has a certain grammar – The grammar moulds the brain’s thought process 220

French among European languages, and most Indian languages derive from Sanskrit 220

Language can actually influence your brain’s capacities to understand things 220

- Keep children equally rooted in their mother tongue when you teach other languages 220

Languages are not Equivalent 221

- Mother tongue is the language that we absorbed the most easily 221

- Certain languages are more conducive to a certain kind of communication 221

The best language is one which can express a variety of emotions, a variety of thoughts 221

Indian languages are fundamentally superior to English – They originate from Sanskrit 221

I hope the day will come when all of us will be able to communicate also in Sanskrit 221

Mathematics 223

- Also the language in which you learn mathematics is the language in which it remains 223

Be conscious of which language you introduce early on – The moulding language 223

Creative Writing 223

- Creative writing in language classes – We ask to write about the most fanciful things 223

Start by asking about himself, that’s the one thing he knows the most about 223

- It is only when you know about something that you can write anything worthwhile 223

MATHEMATICS 225

Mathematics is one of those subjects which a large number of children find boring 225

Involve all Three Channels 225

- The basic concept of maths – To be introduced through contact with material objects 225

The result is that you feed all three channels: tactile, auditory and visual 225

Girls and Boys 225

- In the earlier years of maths, girls do very well; later girls almost drop out 225

Mathematics initially involves mostly observation and simple practical logic 225

When it becomes more and more abstract – A specialised centre in the brain 225

- This centre is naturally present in men, while in women, it is not naturally present 225

We will try to connect the specific visual operation with a physical object 225

A Mystery Story 227

- A puzzle to solve – Showing the process on the blackboard 227

- Any abstraction in mathematics can be started from something sensory 228

Multiplication Tables 228

- We will start with a ruler or a long tape with numbers written on it 229

We are going to go forward and backward 229

- It’s a great freedom for them learning while they play a game with that 229

Relationship with Numbers 231

- Some intrinsic quality in the numbers – The relationship takes form with usage 232

Ramamujan 232

- Ramamujan, a genius in mathematics – Familiarity coming from relating with numbers 232

For children it is really developing a relationship with numbers 232

Physics 233

- Two balls roll down a slope simultaneously, which one will reach first? 233

You become the wooden ball and the iron ball, and you tell me what you feel 233

Movement of inertia is dependent on radius multiplied by weight (p = r X m) 234

- All physics concepts can be communicated thus through an experience 234

Electricity 235

- Another idea of how to communicate an abstract idea such as electricity 235

Two words: voltage and current (amperage). What’s the difference between the two? 235

Think of electricity as water in a pipe – There is this jet coming out 235

- The force with which it shoots out is the voltage 235

- The quantity that’s coming out is the amperage per second 235

GEOGRAPHY 236

The technical aspects – Longitudes, latitudes, globe, locations, names, places 236

- We have a friend who lives on Mars, and he wants to come and visit us here 236

How will you tell him how to come here? 236

A description by which you can get him here from anywhere on earth 238

- Now he has got the earth, he understands North Pole, South Pole, east and west 238

- From the North Pole to the South Pole – The horizontal lines we will call latitudes 238

- We can create lines from north to south – You should start counting from somewhere 239

- The middle of the Pacific Ocean – Greenwich happens to be exactly opposite to that 239

- So you have coordinates – longitudes, latitudes, whatever names you have given 239

- All concepts must be brought in as an experience 239

- Let’s move on to another step, raining – Where is the water coming from? 240

I want to awaken an experience and then give it a label 240

- The cloud can remain a cloud as long as it is warm enough 241

- We can show the creation of vapour and its condensation on a cool plate 241

- You are leading them to discover all these possibilities on their own 241

I am not giving any answer anywhere. When they get stuck I suggest a direction 241

We could ask a similar question about the eclipse 241

- Those are things they can discover step by step on their own 241

BIOLOGY 242

All concepts must be brought in as an experience – Then you label, or help them to label 242

- Let’s study ourselves first. Let’s discuss our body from a design perspective 242

We put food in our mouth – Why should the mouth be up here? 242

- All the questions I am asking are open-ended. There are not set answers 242

Next questions: why is your stomach down here? 244

- They have many right answers 245

- There is some logic, however profound, and the logic is multifaceted 245

Bit by bit we can thus explore different parts of the body 246

- Why do we have a thumb which is so different from the other fingers? 247

- Why is it that the right hand is not heavier, longer, stronger then the left? 247

- Why do our fingers have three bones? Why not four, five, two? 248

- Why not to have one eye in front and one eye behind? 248

- Why do we have eyes pointing only to front and not slightly on the side? 249

So these are just some sampling of the body design 249

- You can think of many other areas such as the digestive process 249

- The healing process, how does the body know how to heal itself? 249

- Or you can ask a question relating to the cellular working 249

TRAINING THE SENSES 250

Senses are trained by two different means – Exposure to variety and comparison 250

- There will be a third, that will automatically evolve – Cross correlation 250

1. Variety of exposure 250

- A child is asked to close his eyes and taste a selection of samples of food items 250

If the children are slightly older, you can ask: “What does it remind you of?” 250

- Sense development is trained only by dwelling on the sensation 250

- You can practise this exercise on all the senses and on a variety of sensations 250

2. Comparison 251

- With sound – What’s the difference in the sound, in the tonality? 251

So you will try many different things – What about internal experiences? 251

- It can even he used for vocabulary training 251

- My point here – To make them aware of the fine nuances for each of the senses 251

3. Cross correlation 251

- Next we do cross correlation 251

You are looking at a cloud, what taste does it evoke? 251

Two colours, yellow and light brown. What do you associate with each? 251

- Children play with this and they should try every possible sense cross correlated 251

CHAPTER XVIII 253

PREPARING OURSELVES 253

AS TEACHERS 253

All that the children do is a reflection of our effort, our state of mind 253

- To be a good teacher, requires a special knack, or shall I say a special latent quality 253

Knowing Ourselves 253

How can you be an effective teacher? First, you must know yourself 253

- Then work upon yourself consciously, use your strength to overcome your limitations 253

- And if you wish to master your classroom you have to learn to master yourself first 253

How will we learn to master ourselves? There are several facets to this self-mastery 254

Training of the Mind 255

- The first facet is the training and the mastery of our own mind 255

There are two “I’s” 255

- The heart – An “I” of emotions, courage, and identity even 255

- An “I” when I am thinking, which is in between the eyebrows 255

The mind uses the brain as an organ, but the mind itself is extended all over the body 255

The mind is like a monkey 256

- This is the character of the human mind, always moving around 256

Our mind is a public place where thoughts are going in and out at random 256

To master your mind, you need first to be able to make the mind quiet and still 256

- Having stilled it, you are now capable of thinking what you want to think 256

You need a base of stillness and on that stillness you place the power of dynamism 257

How to still the mind 258

- It’s a big problem – The more you try to still it, the more active it becomes 258

1. Will 258

- There are four techniques to still the mind – The most difficult is to force your thoughts 258

Watch your thought process and as you watch you apply your will on it to still it 258

2. Witness 259

- There is a second approach which is to watch the thoughts, as a witness 259

If you keep watching, eventually they run down, slow down and stop 259

3. Breath 260

- If you make your breath slow and deep your mind becomes quiet 260

Begin with a count of eight to breathe in, and a count of eight to breathe out 260

Having done this exercise, try to remain in this state of quietness – Just enjoying 260

- Practise this for about five minutes every day 260

In a week or two you will have acquired the capacities to make your mind quiet at will 260

4. Peace 261

- This is the fourth method which is the most effective 261

You can chant OM for this, it’s a natural sound that resonates and brings peace into you 261

What we will do is a variation – We will focus on the sensation of peace itself 261

- Whether for knowledge or power, you will find this exercise to be profoundly helpful 261

There is a natural focus point for peace which is just above the head 261

- That’s the point we will concentrate on and then try to become aware of the peace 261

Bringing Down Peace (guided meditation) 262

- Sit with your back straight, draw the awareness to the point to the top of your head 262

Just above that point listen to the sound of vast silence – Extending all around you 262

And now you gradually draw it onto that point on top of your head – Let it enter 262

The peace from above the head extends filling your brain and flows down further 262

- The awareness of this peace should always remain with you, supporting all your actions 262

Notice the state and now very slowly, very gently, you will open your eyes 264

- This is important to hold the awareness as you open your eyes 264

If you do this a few times, the awareness becomes more and more concrete 264

- When you find the students in your class going out of control, just step back 264

Your eyes may remain open but try to re-link yourself to that peace supporting you 264

- This base of peace is the foundation of all higher attainment and training for the mind 264

Ashtaavadhaanam 264

- Ashtavadhaanam – The ability to do eight things simultaneous]y 264

Absolutely still in your consciousness, you can handle any number of situations 264

- One of our greatest strengths and support in order to be effective in life 264

Swimming in an Ocean of Energy 265

- Making your emotions positive, optimistic, you will find your energy increases 265

- There is a deep insight here that we are swimming in an ocean of energy 265

Just as the peace is all around us, the energy is also extending all around us 265

- A simple exercise by which you can refresh yourself, draw energy consciously 265

It’s not the specific visualisation that is important but the change of consciousness 265

Drawing in Life-Energy (guided meditation) 266

- Close your eyes and visualise, all around you, as if you are seated in an ocean of energy 266

We will begin to draw this energy by breathing it in 266

- Breathe out the grey smoke of tiredness 266

Next, become aware of the surface of your skin – Breathe in through the pores 266

- Breathe out the grey smoke through all the pores of your body 266

Do this until you feel that the energy within you is growing brighter 266

- With this clear perception and sensation within, you slowly, now, open your eyes 266

- After you have done it, you will be able to do it again within two or three minutes 267

Within a few days you will be able to do it with the eyes open 267

In a week or two you can recharge yourself within three minutes 267

- The energy is infinite but the body needs rest. So, respect also the body’s need to rest 267

- It will even help if you do this exercise briefly before you sleep 267

- This is the second aspect of our self-development as teachers – There are other aspects 268

More Aspects of Self-development 268

Love 268

- Love for the children is the first. requirement to be an effective teacher 268

True love is an utter self-giving where, all that you are, pours itself and gives itself 268

- This love, pouring itself into the child, is his nourishment 268

- Love carries what you are with it and moulds the child to become what you are 268

Identification 270

- The second requirement comes spontaneously, which is: the capacity to identify 270

We need the capacity to identify, first with the emotions and then with the mind 270

- Almost every case of so-called bad behaviour is a positive compulsion within the child 270

- The positive compulsion has got twisted because something is missing 270

Love of knowledge 272

- The third requirement to be a good teacher – Love of knowledge 272

Two aspects – Love of seeking knowledge, and love of sharing knowledge 272

- Try consciously to develop both – So, actively, read more 272

Purpose and self-confidence 272

- The next requirement is the sense of purpose, the self-confidence 272

The conviction that what you are doing as a teacher is a responsibility given by God 272

Humility 273

- We cannot be effective as teachers if we think that we are supposed to know everything 273

The need to pretend is part of the hypocrisy of the industrial mindset of education 273

The vastness of the knowledge, the infinity of viewpoints, one’s own limitations 273

- Be conscious of this and be with the children; we are learning together 273

Reassessing Oneself 274

- Every day it helps to consciously reassess oneself. Keeping a diary will help 274

But after all that, there are knots within me I can’t overcome. How will I change? 274

- The first thing to try is to overcome the weakness by the opposite strength 274

- The other way, or the next, is to consciously open that knot to a higher power 274

Bringing Forward the Real “I” 275

The third effort we have to make as teachers is to bring forward the real “I” 275

- So set aside a special period of five or ten minutes in the day. Set a place 275

You sit quietly and think about yourself, feel yourself – You’ll find, like a tiny point 275

- Doing it at a fixed time and fixed place has an advantage 275

- It’s not enough to feel things inside you; you must consciously link it to the life outside 275

Progress 276

How do you know you’ve progressed? There are two tests 276

- One, you feel time moving fast 276

- A second test is that you will feel, at the end of the day, quietly happy 276

This forward movement of conscious change is what we refer to as yoga 276

Yoga 276

Yoga means conscious accelerated evolution 276

- Every activity of life can be made a means for conscious accelerated evolution 276

Choose to be what you want to be at every moment 276

- Everything depends on the intensity and the purpose with which you move forward 276

CHAPTER XIX 279

INDIA’S MISSION 279

Modern education – To be recast on the basis that every child is a soul in evolution 279

- India developed itself around this single ideal of realising this inmost soul 279

India will increasingly play a crucial role in the unfolding future of humanity 279

- The need to recast India’s national educational systems 279

First we ourselves need to awake to the ideal that India has stood for across millennia 279

The Rishis 280

The object of Indian spirituality has been the conquest and transformation of life 280

- The Rishis were not ascetics who abandoned life to retire into the caves and forests 280

The time has come for India to regain this master source of spiritual knowledge 280

India’s Ideal 281

Every great civilisation was driven by one great ideal 281

- India’s civilisational ideal has always been spirituality 282

The most ancient spiritual tradition of India – The world as a manifestation of God 282

Evolution is nothing but the progressive revelation of that hidden divinity within matter 282

And what is the culmination of this evolution? – The complete revelation 282

- Human evolution is preparing for its next great leap 282

Yoga is a psycho-spiritual technology of how to awaken and perfect the human potential 283

This knowledge that India carries is the key to resolving all the problems 283

That is why everywhere around the world people are turning towards India 283

Material Wealth 283

- Throughout the ages India has sought to bridge spirit and matter 283

It is this effort which raised material life in India to its highest peak 283

India became poor only with the advent of and because of colonial rule 284

India declined into weakness as result of abandoning her life-embracing spirituality 284

- This led to the withdrawal of her creative energies from life – Eventual enslavement 284

- The recovery of her original spiritual ideal is the urgent necessity today 285

Actualising the Ideal 285

- Our educational programme must found itself on this wider understanding of history 285

The problem of India today is lack of self-awareness, lack of self-respect 285

By making our children conscious of this deeper civilisational aspiration we can help 286

India’s Special Role 287

Everywhere, in different fields, the world is turning towards India 287

- The social and religious trends in Western society are compelling a turn to Asia 287

- The world is done with the industrial mindset – The focal point of change is here 288

Mother India is destined to be great, because she exists for a higher Truth and Ideal 288

- India is destined to be greatness, to lead the world and to serve humanity 288

- The question is: will it be because of us or in spite of us 288

NOTES 289

REFERENCES 290

SUGGESTED READING 291

OTHER WORKS OF SRADDHALU RANADE 292

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