Are we Confusing Knowledge with Wisdom?
How much attention do we pay to make our children successful human beings?
Most parents want their children to have certain basic accomplishments: prosperity, a good job, good social standing. For some, unfortunately, their ambitions stop here.
Systems of education are directed largely by what parents want for their children. Because most parents want material advantages for them, the modern system of education functions with primarily this goal in mind.
Everything that kids learn at home, in school, and from their peers impresses on them that success lies in obtaining wealth/tangible things, they remain ignorant of the benefits of spiritual gains.
Is money, prestige and power the real objects of our desire? In fact what we truly want is the inner fulfilment, the happiness that we expect to gain through them. Without it, they remain mere symbols of happiness, not happiness itself.
What is the basic need of all of us, regardless of race and culture – the need to experience lasting and superlative happiness.
We need to teach our children not only how to be successful materially, but also to be successful as beings, to develop their full potential as radiant human beings.
Teach them skills more clearly focused on human needs and interests, such as how to get along well with others, and, even more importantly, how to get along with ‘oneself’? How to live healthily? How to cultivate calmness? How to develop one’s latent abilities? How to be a good friend or a good leader? How to handle negative emotions? How to have harmonious relationships? How to acquire a balanced mind?
According to Vedic traditions, any kind of spiritual practice must ideally be taught before sexual maturity. If it is done so, it is easy for kids to live with reality and not fall prey to confusions and unreal fantasies. Otherwise, the whole process can be difficult and disheartening. The reason is, once puberty is attained, the fantasies and imagination that are thrust on the individual through the outside world, (media, peer pressure and social conditioning), play havoc with the hormones and the vital energies. It then becomes difficult to channel the energies towards yoga and meditation for spiritual elevation.
In ancient times, as per Hindu education system, each subject, be it arts or Vedic mathematics, was taught and practised in a manner with the purpose of making spiritual progress and to realise God. This is the essence of Spirituality (Hindu Dharma), which means, bringing about positive spiritual vibrations in our every thought and action.
Before entering adulthood kids were given a fundamental understanding about:
- Importance of meditation in daily life
- How to live a harmonious life
- Learning to balance inner needs with outer demands
- Building relationships on a spiritual foundation
- Laws of Karma and right conduct
- Making sense of life’s inequities
- Yoga principles of health and mental wellbeing
- The powerful effects of silence and self-reflection
- How each individual can contribute to spreading peace and compassion in the world
As per Yoga sutras kids were taught- Four Attitudes Towards People:
In relationships, purify the mind by cultivating feelings of friendliness towards those who are happy, compassion for those who are suffering, goodwill towards those who are virtuous, and indifference or neutrality towards those we perceive as wicked or evil.
- Maitri – friendliness, pleasantness, lovingness
- Karuna – compassion, mercy
- Mudita – gladness, goodwill
- Upekshanam – acceptance, equanimity, indifference, neutrality
And, Five Efforts and Commitments
In the Yoga sutras five efforts and commitments are suggested as a foundation to meditation. These five principles and practices were taught to kids to raise their awareness and achieve a peaceful state of mind.
By cultivating a constant remembrance of these five forms of efforts and commitments, the life energy starts moving towards harmonizing and balancing of the mind, its thoughts, and emotions, along with other virtues:
- Shradha (conviction): Having faith and clarity of your direction
- Virya (courage): Maintaining positive energy that supports the faith.
- Smriti (remembrance): Cultivating a constant awareness or mindfulness.
- Samadhi (meditativeness): Striving to attain inner quietness and tranquillity
- Prajna (wisdom): Pursuing the higher wisdom.
It’s time to reignite the flame of ancient spiritual wisdom and create spiritually anchored geniuses who radiate extraordinary inner-power and become high-achievers and thought leaders.
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(Reference: Yoga Sutras by Patanjali, Nithya Yoga-The ultimate Practice for Mind, Body and Being by Nithyananda and Education for Life by J. Donald Walters)
