Education as the Practice of Freedom for Growth through Learning: ‘Holistic Education’

 

Today there is urgent need for positive social change. The creation of a better world depends on mature cooperation and collaboration and this depends on authentic human relationship based on the accurate  perception of oneself, of the ‘other’ and of the world. Accuracy of perception is a function of the extent to which one goes beyond the limitations of the ego-self and its egocentric mode of irrational thought and behaviour. Trans-egoic perception which perceives the reality as a whole, the ‘holistic reality’, is ‘holistic perception’.The human capacity for holistic perception is based on the understanding and respect for, and harmony with, the true nature or ‘essence’ of the human personality or  ‘human nature’. Human nature is a moral or ‘spiritual’ nature and spirituality is a biologically based and therefore instinctive human characteristic which constitutes the basis for the intuitive aspect of creative intelligence. For this reason spiritual development is a necessary constituent of meaningful education; we depend on it for the intelligent resolution of our practical, social, political and philosophical problems.

 

The continued evolution of humanity… even our survival as a social species… depends on complete human development or ‘humanisation’ of the individual and the society…  humane individuals and the humane societies which they create.  The creation of humanised individuals is a function of their complete moral or ‘spiritual’ development… the full development of moral consciousness or ‘conscience’. To be completely humanised or ‘fully human’ one must be inwardly free… free from the social conditioning which creates fear and inner conflict, free from the egocentric wishes and desires which prevent perception of the holistic reality. We must have ‘freedom of conscience’. Without freedom of conscience, human psychological development is arrested at the level of identification with self-image, the ego-self or ‘ego’ (immaturity) It is the unbalanced value systems of egocentric (egotistic) adults which inflict grave harm on our species and our  planet. Consequently we must transform ourselves; move away from identification with the ego, move beyond its power and live from the ‘place’ of our true self,  essential self, greater self,  higher self,  spiritual self or ‘Self’. We must learn to be free and open our minds, trust the moral instincts of our nature, think critically for ourselves and express our true thoughts.  Living in freedom  requires moral knowledge or ‘morality’ as moral reasoning or ‘social intelligence’. Personal liberation as freedom of conscience is fundamental to growth through learning which is meaningful because it engages personal development. Consequently we must offer our children a natural education which aims for the cultivation of their individual potential and their natural creative and productive intelligence which they need to ensure effective adaptation to changing conditions of their social and physical environment. The cultivation of creative intelligence is based on recognition and respect for children’s developmental needs and the principles of human psychological development. Complete development of the human personality involves moral or ‘spiritual’ development. Spiritual development is a function of learning based on motivation by the higher spiritual values or ‘metavalues’ and so-called ‘metamotivation’ is a the driving force behind an education for the person as a whole. So-called ‘holistic education involves connection with children’s essential humanity giving rise to a holistic perception of their world, enabling them to grow to completely human or ‘mature’ adults able to identify the true causes of their human problems so that they can resolve them creatively and effectively. 

Freedom in education means freedom to engage in learning which is meaningful because it involves intrinsic motivation by moral or ‘spiritual’ needs or values … ‘metavalues’ i.e. ‘metamotivation’. Metamotivation facilitates the development of character and cultivates the human potential for excellence which isfoundational to a culture of peace and true democracy.   “Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and human freedoms“. (Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Article 26 Paragraph 2)         

 The egocentric perspective of self, of others and the world interferes with the ability to effectively resolve our human problems. Important insights are degraded by minds which are too immature to understand them and to put them into mature practice. It is this ignorance and irresponsibility of egotism which forms  the basis for the destructiveness of competition and conflict. Physical growth without complete psychological development translates into egocentric perception and creates distorted thought patterns and beliefs which arelimiting because they generate fears and negative emotions which are irrational because they are unfounded and so contradict the process of healthy psychological development...  interfere with the developmentof moral intuition and moral consciousness or ‘conscience’. Undeveloped conscience results in the devaluation of one’s own humanity and this leads to the denigration of the humanity of others. The lack of moral responsibility or ‘morality‘  results in the wickedness of destructive non-adaptive human behaviour or ‘evil’.  Morality is ‘social intelligence’.  Why is that? The human species is a biological species…‘homo sapiens’…a social species which depends for survival on complete development of moral consciousness or conscience required for positive socialization or ‘peace’. The human organism is a biological organism which like other biological organisms is intrinsically motivated to behave naturally in accordance with an intrinsic organismic valuing process making value choices and decisions which allow for its effective adaptation to changes in the social environment. Value-choices are made on the basis of the organism’s inherent tendency towards self-preservation and self-actualization fulfilling biologically-based instinctive needs known as ‘operative values’. The operative values  are intinsic biological needs which make up the inner core of human nature,  the human yearnings, aspirations, capacities and talents , the instinctive preferences of behaviour which are engaged in the unfolding of human powers  leading  to the achievement of human potential or ‘fulfillment’ and the integration of the comlpete personality or ‘wholeness’. Operative values are include basic psychological needs for security, self-esteem and belongingness or ‘ego needs’ and ‘higher’ psychological needs for self-transcendance or ‘spiritual needs’ (also known as ‘metaneeds’). Denial or frustration of any of these needs leads to the evil of psychopathological and wicked human behaviour. It is for this reason that we need to understand our social and political problems in terms of the ill effects of arrested human development.  The ignorance of egocentric perception must be replaced by perception  of the wholeness of reality or ‘holistic perception’. Holistic perception  generates empathy, compassion, open-mindedness and desire for understanding and so goes beyond the supposed dichotomy between individual freedom and social responsibility. True freedom is possible only if the individual is fully developed. To be fully ‘human’ it is essential that we set ourselves free as ‘inwardly free’… free from social conditioning which creates fear and inner conflict, free from egocentric wishes and desires which prevent us from perceiving the holistic reality which extends beyond the limits of the ego-self or ‘ego’.  Only then can we understand the perception of the ‘other’ and allow for the positive, creative and therefore peaceful and adaptive approach to the intelligent resolution of our human conflicts of interest which create our human problems.  For this reason we must provide universal education which fosters the development of intelligence which is creative because it is involves holistic perception and is therefore adaptive. In order to cultivate creative intelligence we must provide children with conditions of freedom as freedom from conditioning or ‘inner  freedom’…. the freedom to become integrated human beings with the human attributes of personal integrity.Their birthright is education for human excellence. The ‘right’ education is education which ensures complete psychological development and so aims to develop the person as a whole. So-called ‘holistic education’ engages the psychological energy of motives for learning which are intrinsic to the organism… ‘intrinsic motivation‘…including metamotivation by the spiritual needs or ‘metaneeds’.  Holistic education is not concerned with what adults would like children to be. It does notcondition them for mediocrity and conformity but respects them for who they really are – spiritual beings who learn from their human experience… who have the potential to become mature, integrated, morally and therefore socially intelligent…  ethical, responsible and civilized adults able to cooperate effectively in their peaceful efforts to resolve their human problems. Holistic education is based on trust in children to trust themselves to trust their own sense of responsibility to themselves… to trust their needs for the development of their own personality and their own potential. Holistic education aims to nurture children’s human aspirations for personal fulfillment or ‘self-actualisation’ and self-transcendance. Holistic reducation provides the conditions of freedom which are appropriate for growth through meaningful learning. It engages the development of  their natural potential for their intuitive, moral or ‘spiritual’ intelligence as ‘creative intelligence‘. Creative inelligence is adaptive because it produces creative solutions to human problems and changing conditions.

“Holistic education is more concerned with drawing forth the latent capacities and sensitivities of the soul than with stuffing passive young minds full of predigested information. It is an education that prepares young people to live purposefully, creatively, and morally in a complex world.” (Ron Miller ed. The Renewal of Meaning in Education: Responses to the Cultural and Ecological Crisis of our Times)

The paradigm of traditional education as ‘schooling’ is essentially ineffective because it is ultimately based on the intrinsic mistrust of the human personality or ‘human nature’.

So what is human nature? Human nature can be characterised in terms of an understanding of the the human species (homo sapiens) as a social species and the human organism as a social organism.  Human nature is a  moral,  spiritual or social nature with  instincts (‘social instincts’) for effective adaptation to changing social conditions. Positive or creative socialisation depends on cultivation of core human values  which result from complete moral or ‘spiritual’ development ….  social values, moral values, spiritual values or  ‘virtues’. Awareness of one’s human nature (‘self-knowledge’) is awareness of the self beyond the persona, ‘ego-self’ or ‘ego’ i.e.  ‘transpersonal self’, ‘true self’, ‘authentic self’,  ‘higher self’, ‘greater self’ or  ‘Self’.  Creative or positive socialisation  depends on the  intuition and critical thinking skills … moral reasoning of moral consciousness or  moralityof ‘rational’ or ‘mature’ ‘conscience’  i.e. moral intelligence , ‘creative intelligence‘ or ‘social intelligence’. Social intelligence  is required for  accurate evaluation of  the social environment,  intelligent decision-making,  creative socialization,  solidarity,  peaceful cooperation,  creative adaptation,  self-preservation and  survival.  Social intelligence is a function of understanding and social responsibility,   compassionate wisdom or ’empathy’,  universal unconditional love or  ‘lovingkindness’ (agape love),  knowledge as ‘truth’, ‘freedom’ as freedom from conditioning, freedom from fear  or ‘inner freedom’,  ‘justice’ as moral justice, beauty as essence… In a complex process of normal moral or ‘spiritual’ growth and development,  instinctive value choices or ‘operative values’  are built into the biological constitution of the organism in the form of inherent tendencies or  motives for  learning behaviour … preferences of behaviour which operate in the complete integration of the personality as a whole and are implicated in the unfolding of human powers in a process of complete psychological development leading  to the achievement of human potential (fulfillment or  ‘self-actualization’). This intrinsic organismic valuing process includes instinctive yearnings,  aspirations, capacities and talents which make up the inner core of  human nature. The individual makes value choices and decisions in accordance with these natural developmmental laws.  If development is hindered, the result is  irrational conscience and socialisation which is negative because it is destructive and causes asocial behaviour.

 

Creative intellligence of rational conscience is developed and cultivated naturally as a result of educating children in conditions which respect their human needs and provide for  freedom for growth through learning.

 

The human needs can be characterised… described…  in terms of their varying degrees of urgency or ‘prepotency’ depending on whether or not they inhibit motivation by other needs… According to Abraham Maslow they range from the most to least prepotent on a ‘scale of sufficiency’ ‘or ‘hierarchy of needs’.  The most prepotent needs are the physiological and physical needs for survival and safety such as food, water, shelter  (‘survival needs’); next are the basic psychological needs for security (‘security needs’); next are the basic psychological needs for care and affection or unconditional love (‘belongingness needs’); next are the basic psychological needs for self-respect and self-esteem … persona or  ‘ego’ (‘ego needs’). Then there are the  so-called ‘higher’ psychological needs for  moral development and personality integration which is essential for responsible socialisation. These are the  subconscious needs for  living being  beyond desires of the ego i.e.  self-transcendance ( ‘Being-needs’,  ‘spiritual needs’ or ‘metaneeds‘).  Metaneeds are subconscious needs for awareness of the human values for living… needs for needs for truth,  moral intelligence or ‘morality‘,  goodness,  beauty,  justice,  perfection,  kindness,  happiness,  serenity,  wisdom,  love as lovingkindness or ‘compassion’,  social harmony or ‘peace’,  simplicity,  lawfulness etc. … ‘social values’ or human values‘ In the process of normal spiritual growth the subconscious metaneeds rise to the conscious level of awareness. At the highest level of consciousness (transcendental realm), the being needs become the ‘being-values’ – higher human values or ‘metavalues’ each of which represents a different facet of the human conscience or human ‘spiritThe function of the human conscience is to maintain personality integration while adapting to changes in the social environment. Effective adaptation depends on perception of the socal reality as a whole…. ‘holistic perception’ which is independent of the distortions resulting from egocentric fears and desires. Spiritual growth is a function of motivation by the metaneeds i.e. growth motivation or ‘metamotivation‘.

 

Denial or frustration  of the metaneeds…  punishing of children is in fact social conditioning which creates fear and hostility thus interfering with their inner psychological and therefore moral or ‘spiritual’ development... leads to unbalanced psychological development which translates into psychopathological thought and behaviour patterns and the wickedness of human behaviour or ‘evil’.

The  innaccurate perception of human nature translates into the  fallacious assumption that the interests of the individual and those of society are mutually exclusive. This dichotomous view of the social reality perpetuates suffering, oppression and destruction because it creates social problems which are in fact unresolvable ‘pseudo-problems’ which  must be approached from the more accurate holistic perception of human nature as a social nature.  Cultivation of human sociability depends on humane education based on the respect for children’s instinctive drive to grow through learning which is creative because it engages the intuition of moral intelligence (‘spiritual intelligence’ or ‘social intelligence’)… moral consciousness or ‘conscience’ i.e. their natural intuitive intelligence… potential for creativity or ‘creative intelligence’. Creative intelligence of rational conscience is prerequisite to human socialisation or ‘peace’. Peace is a function of respect for human motives or  human needs – for human development (complete development of the moral or ‘spiritual’ dimension of human nature) – ‘holistic education’  or ‘peace education’  depends on conditions of freedom  – moral freedom, inner freedom, responsible freedom or ‘true freedom’ – and allows for the discovery of human potential. It  is thus the source of self-control as ‘self-mastery’ or ‘self-empowerment’. Self-empowerment is a function of guidance for living by the so-called ‘higher’ values (‘human values‘)… universal love, truth, justice and so on.  Problem in education is described in  terms of lack of drive for  learning or ‘problem of  motivation’. The highest function of education is to bring about an integrated individual who is capable of dealing with life as a whole.” (Jiddu Krishnamurti Education and the Significance of Life)

For children growing up in the complex world of the global village effective educational practice depends on an appropriate philosophical framework or ‘paradigm’ . Educational theory is logical and reasonable if it is based on natural law and guided by the ‘morality’ of rational conscience.  The formulation of natural principles can be translated into informed and effective moral practice or ‘praxis’. (The practice of theory which is not based on natural principles results in the perception of false dichotomies and unresolvable ‘pseudoproblems’).  Effective educational praxis is based on the understanding of learning (‘experiential learning’ or ‘natural learning’) as a natural function of the human brain, a social brain which is specialised for understanding of the significance… meaning… of experience. Experiential learning is meaningful because it engages the individual’s instinctive responsibility to themselves for their own growth and development.   Children are natural learner s and they all have the right to educational experiences offered in conditions which allow them to enjoy the freedom to exercise their responsibility for active  participation in the planning of  learning environments. The practice of freedom in education…   freedom to work and freedom to learn. Freedom in school is true freedom as ‘inner freedom’ based on natural biological principles is ‘responsible freedom’…. as the practice of theory which is informed and effective because it is based on natural law and guided by rational conscience. Freedom in education is responsible freedom because it aims to provide the right conditions required to free the human spirit in order to develop conscience as rational conscience or ‘free conscience’… freedom to think, freedom to learn, freedom to engage in personal growth and development of one’s human potential for creativity and productiveness or ‘work  allows children to build their self-confidence,  self-respect, creative intelligence and moral courage thus  fostering  their natural growth into mature and responsible adults living by the universal human values. .. depends on education which allows for fulfillment of the needs  for spiritual development … ‘spiritual emergence’.   Spiritual emergence is the natural function of human nature.   “In the most general terms, spiritual emergence can be defined as the movement of an individual to a more expanded way of being that involves enhanced emotional and psychosomatic health, greater freedom of personal choices, and a sense of deeper connection with other people, nature and the cosmos. An important part of this development is an increasing awareness of the spiritual dimension in one’s life and in the universal scheme of things. Spiritual development is an innate evolutionary capacity of all human beings. It is a movement towards wholeness or ‘holotropic state’, the discovery of one’s true potential.“ (Stanislav Grof)

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What are the implications for education? Meaningful education is based on trust of human nature and recognition of the conditions required for development of human potential....the integration of learning with life…. ‘peace education’. In view of the fact that the development of a civilised society depends on rational or  ‘civilised’  human beings, then the needs of the individual and of the society are mutually dependent and interrelated.  Consequently the function of education is to provide optimal conditions for the development of each  person as a rational and integrated whole through  cultivation of their human potentialities –  physical, cognitive,  intellectual, artistic, psychological, emotional and moral or ‘spiritual’ . Spiritual development is a function of engagement of the person’s instinctive sense of responsiblity for their own development of  their human potential…. conscience.Development of conscience depends on education for the development of the whole person as a moral or ‘spiritual’ and therefore rational and peaceful human being i.e. ‘holistic peace education’ or ‘holistic education’. Holistic education is the practice of freedom for creativity and productivity or ‘work’ which is meaningful because it involves motivation for growth through learning or ‘intrinsic motivation’.  (Holistic education is motivating at all ages because the learner is asked to engage in meaningful work.) Holistic education is therefore based on  respect for  human dignity as manifest in meaningful work. It calls for the planning and provision of natural learning environments characterised by conditions which enhance the learner’s freedom to learn. The role of the teacher is described in terms of facilitation for learning. The teacher as ‘facilitator’ understands the nature of  human nature as a function of the cultivation of creative intelligence and development of rational conscience.  Holistic education is meaningful education because it involves the creation of opportunites of which integrate learning with life and allow for personal growth through learning… development of human potential and human empowerment as self-determination … complete human development and the production of compassionate and responsible adults with a rational or ‘peaceful’ approach to the  resolution of their human problems…  i.e.  ‘freedom ‘ as ‘responsible freedom’…  freedom from the tyranny of dogma ‘spiritual freedom’,  freedom of thought’, ‘inner freedom’, freedom from fear and conflict,  freedom to work … freedom for personal  development and growth through learning, freedom for guidance through life by the human values and the moral freedom of ‘self-transcendance‘ i.e. ‘true freedom‘ or ‘real freedom’ foundational to social understanding and social responsibility required for peace, cooperation and real democracy….

“Real freedom is a consequence of development; it is the consequence of latent guides, aided by education. It is the construction of the personality, reached by effort and one’s own experiences; it is the long road which every child must take to reach maturity”. (Maria MontessoriTo Educate for Human Potential)  

  The aim of education,  in the fullest and deepest sense of the word, is to provide the conditions to free the human spirit in order to cultivate naturally meaningful human intelligence i.e. intuitive intelligence for creativity or ‘creative intelligence’. Creative intelligence is a function of the integrated development of the person as a whole… natural education based on principles of human development hence ‘integral education’ or ‘integrative education’ also known as ‘free education’, ‘libertarian education’, ‘libratory education’, ‘progressive education’, ‘new education’, ‘open education’, ‘cosmic education’, ‘child-centered education’, ‘person-centered education’, ‘problem-centered education’, ‘humanistic education’, ‘humane education’, ‘confluent education’, ‘peace education’, ‘transformative education’, ‘soul education’, ‘democratic education’ and ‘holistic education’.  Holistic education is the practice of freedom for the the pursuit of  ‘knowledge’ as ‘truth’  and engages the  instinctive motives for growth through learning…  is a natural truth finding process which is  active because it engages the so-called ‘higher’ soul needs , spiritual needs or ‘metaneeds’ and thereby cultivates intelligence…  not only mechanical intelligence of conditioned learning but also intuitive intelligence (spiritual intelligence) or ‘creative intelligence’ which allows for social cooperation and the creation of humane societies. Holistic education is ‘humanistic’ because it is true to the social nature of the human personality or ‘human nature‘. Holistic education is education for human development and therefore education with conscience… education forresponsible freedom or ‘self-empowerment’ as the pre-condition for creative and effective adaptation to changes in the social environment i. e. ‘adaptability’. Human adaptability depends on ‘true freedom’… the freedom to interact with the environment… to inquire, to discover, to think… to make personal meaning of experience or ‘learn’, the freedom to understand the realities of nature and human nature while attaining the highest levels of awareness or ‘self-knowledge‘, the freedom to engage in meaningful creativity and productiveness or ‘work‘. Meaningful work is a function of curiosity, cognition and the wisdom of ‘compassion’… engages development of ‘moral consciousness‘ or ‘conscience‘ – the human ‘soul‘.  Holistic education is for development of rational conscience which is required for the mastery of life and respect for the lives of others. It is ‘education for life through life’ (Ovide Decroly).The cultivation of creative intelligence depends on the freedom to engage in active experiential learning motivated by the natural curiosity of inquiry  and understanding of the physiological mechanisms underlying the natural learning process (‘biology of learning‘ ) ... engages the intrinsic drive (intrinsic motivation) for creativity and productiveness or ‘work’. Work is meaningful when it engages the person’s development as an integrated whole…  engages development of moral consciousness or ‘morality‘ of rational ‘conscience’.  Conscience is the source of guiding values or ‘human values’ required for accurate evaluation of changing environmental conditions, effective decision-making … and behaviour which is adaptive because it is creative.  

“The object of education is to prepare the young to educate themselves throughout their lives.” (Robert M. Hutchins)

The paradigmof holistic education has larger scope than the traditional paradigm of authoritarian education for control of the individual with its view of the learner as passive receptacle motivated by external factors… ‘extrinsic ‘motivation’… ‘teacher as instructor’. In fact,  the learner is an active participant who is motivated by the intrinsic drive to grow through learning… ‘intrinsic motivation’…  which is understood  and  respected by the teacher as facilitator. Effective learning is a function of the learner’s active engagement in a process of adaptation to the environment. Human adaptability is a function of the capacity to create meaning from experience or ‘learn‘. Natural ‘experiential learning‘ is a function of the brain’s capacity for perception of connections between systems of wholes and the parts which make them up i.e. ‘holistic perception’. Holistic perception actively engages the person as a whole in their instinctive striving for mature growth or ‘self-actualisation‘. Self-actualisation depends on natural education which engages the individual’s sense of responsibility for their own growth i.e. ‘intrinsic motivation’. Intrinsically motivated learning depends on the provision of conditions which integrate learning with life and allow for development of human potential and human empowerment as self-determination or ‘freedom’. . Freedom in education is freedom from dogma, freeedom from ignorance, freedom from from conflict… ‘inner freedom’, ‘spiritual freedom’, ‘moral freedom’ or ‘true freedom’. True freedom is obedience to rational conscience… a function of human development as ‘moral development’. Freedom in education engages children’s integrated development in harmony with their instinctive sense of responsibility for their own spiritual growth and development i.e.  ‘human nature’.  Natural principles of human nature are foundational to  education of the person as a whole or ‘holistic education’.  Methods, techniques, teaching methods of the mechanistic model have become completely obsolete. The holistic paradigm.offers learners the flexibility they need to engage their personal growth and development.

 “For too long the inner world of children has been suppressed or denied, and this is a serious flaw in our educational thinking that holistic educators seek to remedy”. (Kathleen Kesson. Critical Theory and Holistic Education: Carrying on the Conversation  in Ron Miller (Ed.) The Renewal of Meaning in Education: Responses to the Cultural and Ecological Crisis of our Times Brandon, Vermont, USA: Holistic Education Press (1993).

In the paradigm of holistic education the role of the teacher is defined in terms of the ‘facilitation of learning’.  The teacher’s function is to understand the psychological value of creativity and productiveness or ‘work’…  to facilitate the construction of conscience through development of human potential. The teacher is a ‘facilitator of learning‘. The facilitative teacher designs learning environments which are compatible with respect for the instinctive motives for human learning behaviour i.e. ‘human needs’. These include basic  ‘lower’ psychological needs for security and self-esteem (‘ego needs’) and the so-called ‘higher’ psychological needs  for  spiritual growth beyond the ‘ego’ level of consciousness or ‘self-transcendance’.  Human needs for self-transcendance are the spiritual needs, soul needs or ‘metaneeds’. Motivation by the metaneeds or ‘metamotivation’ engages growth through learning and personal development in terms of the interrelated aspects of the complete human personality – physical, emotional, intellectual, psychological, social, political, creative, artistic, philosophical and spiritual i.e. ‘holistic growth’ and therefore the development of the human potential for creativity and self-fulfillment or ‘self-actualisation’.  The cultivation of creative intelligence depends on the freedom to engage in active experiential learning motivated by natural curiosity of inquiry. “It is in fact nothing short of a miracle that the modern methods of instruction have not yet entirely strangled the holy curiostiy of inquiry; for this delicate little plant, aside from stimulation, stands mainly in need of freedom; without this it goes to rack and ruin without fail.” (Albert Einstein) i

Holistic education for children means a future of peace for humanity. “We must learn to trust human nature and educate children in such a way that they can develop their human potential. This is the only way we can bring real peace to the world. There is only one problem, and it is human development in its totality; once this is achieved in any unit – child or nation – everything else follows spontaneously and harmoniously.”   (Maria Montessori. To Educate the Human Potential )    The only means to a world of peace and understanding is through the proper education of children into emotionally and intellectually mature and thinking adults, respectful and tolerant of other cultures” (Norman Goble. The Function of Teaching  UNESCO Paris 1977) “The organization of human communities and the establishment of freedom and peace are not only intellectual achievements but spiritual and moral achievements as well, demanding a cherishing of the wholeness of the human personality.” (Ivan Ilich, Deschooling Society)   

miscellaneous comments on significance of education

We need to promote universal education of children based on natural laws of human development, that is education for the complete development of human potential. All children have the right to an education which offers them the freedom to grow through learning… education for spiritual freedom and social intelligiance require for mutual and peaceful cooperation in the resolution of human problems… so-called ‘holistic education’.

So-called ‘religions’ which engage in social conditioning and mind-control do not serve humanity if in so doing they inhibit personal moral (‘spiritual’) development. The religions must evolve.

Children naturally know how to think not what to think. Human intelligence is the natural function of a brain which has evolved over millions of years. Adults who think they know how to think have already been taught what to think and should not be teaching children how to think. Give children the conditions of freedom which are appropriate for the development of their potential intelligence

No delusions here. The point made in this excellent presentation… the word ‘illuminati’ which means the ‘enlightened ones’ has been corrupted and the power of enlightenment has been hijacked by the corrupted power elites. Their ‘reign of terror is over’ in the sense that it is up to not to fear them but to understand and to pity them because they are internally poor and barren. They are spiritual cripples and we need not be afraid of them any more. Fear is an emotion which involves giving of power over us. We can limit this power through the choices we make. We must realise that it is the unenlightened who are fearful of the power that we have ourselves to act in our own and everyone else’s interest. We must trust ourselves and each other. It is up to all of us to raise our level of consciousness, reclaim love and light and thus become enlightened. With true enlightenment, we can make morally intelligent responsible choices and in this way be happy and prosperous.

The word ‘illuminati’ means the ‘enlightened ones’ and has been corrupted. Don’t give power to the corrupted illuminati who have hijacked the power of enlightenment. It is we who need to reclaim love and light. It is we who must raise our level of consciousness and become enlightened. With true enlightenment, we can make morally intelligent and therefore responsible choices. It is the unenlightened who are fearful of the power we have to act in everyone’s interest. We need not be afraid of them any more. We must trust ourselves and each other.
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• Disturbing emotions not only disturb our own state of mind, they also disturb the minds of others. Self-centredness gives rise to fear and insecurity, which in turn creates distrust. This is why having an altruistic attitude brings a great sense of happiness and peace of mind.(dalai lama facebook)

The imprisoned mind is the conditioned mind. Give children the freedom they need to grow through learning.

Open-mindedness is an aspect of complete human development or ‘maturity’.

True freedom is internal… freedom of thought in the sens e of ‘critiical thinking’. We need the ‘right’ education for the young education which cultivates critical thinking. How create the next generation of critical thinkers? Align educational policies with principles of natural human development, that is teach to the ‘whole child’. This is ‘holistic education’.

A better world depends on the ‘right’ education for the young.How create the next generation of critical thinkers? Align educational policies with principles of natural human development, that is teach to the ‘whole child’. This is ‘holistic education’.

Always observe and learn to keep the positive attitude.

War is a manifestation of ego fixation… human insanity… resulting from arrested human development. Peace is a function of the higher consciousness states… attainable through complete development of the human personality or ‘human nature’. Human nature is a naturally social nature and the human animal is a naturally social and therefore peaceful animal.

Homo sapiens is a naturally social animal species. However intelligent socialization depends on the ‘right’ education of the young . This means education which offers the conditiojns of freedom and respect for their innate intelligence and which cultivates their potential for growth to maturity. The problem is that people dAlways observe and learn to keep the positive attitude.on’t trust human nature and so they think they have to make rules. Institute of Complex Systems, University of Vienna

Tyranny starts with the indoctirnation of children. The real aim of true education is the provision of conditions of freedom to grow through learning and the cultivation of creative intelligence… ‘holistic education’.

Spanking is criminal. Punishment of children and their subsequent humiliation is the basis for dysfunctional psychological development and cultivation of psychopathy. ‘Psychopaths’ are sick souls who become the control freaks of the world who will end up destroying everything if we don’t stop the punishment of children.

Although violence and the use of force may appear powerful and decisive, their benefits are short-lived. Violence can never bring a lasting and long term resolution to any problem, because it is unpredictable and for every problem it seems to solve, others are created. On the other hand, truth remains constant and will ultimately prevail.(facebook daali lama)

Schools teach children not to think for themselves but to cultivate blind allegiance to state authorities. This is fundamental to the establishment of a fascist state.

Congratulations Jada (williams?) You are intelligent and should not be mistreated because you happen to make interesting observations. If people are offended it means they don’t like to see other people’s truth because it might reflect their own which they don’t want to know about. They have a problem. Your job is to try to understand them and not judge them for their ignorance. Keep going. Cultivate your own intelligence even if teachers are not interested. Intelliigence is required for life. and cultivation of intelligence is the real purpose of education. The world needs you. Maybe one day you can be a teacher yourself and encourage other children to cultivate their intelligence in spite of the odds.

“All we have to do is awaken the power in the people…” Start with the children. Offer them an education (from Latin ‘educare’ meaning ‘to lead out’) providing the conditions they need for the complete development of their potential for creative intelligence and integrity i.e education of the person as a whole or ‘holistic education’. Holistic education aims for personal empowerment.

Aim of real education is cultivation of creative intelligence or ’empowerment’ and social intelligence or ‘peace’.

It is time to implement educational policies which aim to cultivate natural human intelligence and integrity i.e. education for the total human personality or ‘holistic education’.

It is what we make out of what we have, not what we are given
that separates one person from another.

The human species is a social species which depends for its survival on development of its potential for social intelligence. Failure to develop the intelligence required for social adaptation or ‘peace’ is guaranteed to lead to extinction of our species.

”The practice of patience protects us from losing our composure. In doing that it enables us to exercise discernment, even in the heat of difficult situations. It gives us inner space. And within that space we gain a degree of self-control, which allows us to respond to situations in an appropriate and compassionate manner rather than being driven by our anger and irritation.” (Dalai Lama Facebook)

The problem of humanity is arrested development…. arrested at the ego level. Transformation of the world depends on personal transformation. We need universal education for complete human development to the level beyond ego… the level of moral or spiritual values. Our species survival depends on education for development of the human personality or ‘human nature’… holistic education.

A sustainable future depends on freedom in education as freedom to explore and freedom to grow through learning i.e. ‘holistic education’.

Our species is in danger of extinction. It is time to redefine the word ‘god’ as the love upon which human survival depends.

Sharing is a natural humanitarian impulse which tends to be forgotten with social conditioning based on the inhibition of complete human development.

Wisdom comes through the observation and understanding of everyday incidents in human relationship.

Human evolution cannot continue in the right direction without personal evolution as the expansion of consciousness and the cultivation of intuitive (creative) intelligence.

The problem is arrested human development…. arrested at the ego level. lTransformation of the world depends on personal transformation. We need uiniversal education for complete human development to the level beyond ego… the level of moral or spiritual values. Our species survival depends on education for development of the human personality or ‘human nature’… holistic education.

Love for truth is a function of the higher states of human consciousness. We must offer our children an education which respects their need to develop fully… education for development of the person as a whole or ‘holistic education’.

Spiritual Enlightenment means to know the Essence of who you really are. The true Self is the silent observer; illusory self iis created by the mind. To discover your real Self ask the question “who is aware that I am thinking?” The mind is a superb instrument if used correctly. Used wrongly it can be very destructive. If you believe that you are your mind you are unconsciously identified with it then you are its slave the mind is using you and the result is delusion. It’s almost as if you were possessed without knowing it, and so you take the possessing entity to be yourself. The beginning of freedom is the realization that you are not the thinker. Knowing this enables you to observe the thinking entity. The moment you start watching the thinker, a higher level of consciousness becomes activated. You then begin to realize that there is a vast realm of intelligence beyond thought, that thought is only a tiny aspect of that intelligence. You also realize that all the things that truly matter – beauty, love, creativity, joy, inner peace – arise from beyond the mind. You begin to awaken.

The problem is arrested human development. Capitalism is destructive because it rewards human motivation by needs for security, self-esteem and belongingness – the ‘ego- needs’. Capitalism is failing because it is without conscience. Reformed capitalism for sustainability requires an education system based on principles of complete human development… development of the human personality as a whole i.e.’holistic education’.

… making sincere efforts to comply with social and cultural forces which bear down heavily on the individual’s freedom to maintain their personal integrity and sense of dignity in the undignified world around them. Instead of going along with other people’s indignities which is what most people do to ‘adapt’ one must consistently have the moral courage and be prepared to endure considerable personal suffering. The ‘price’ to use undignified word one has to pay for the privelege of living on one’s own terms if they happen to conflict with the forces one is up against (capitalism, cathocism etc.) social pressures on the the subconscious mind. Life gets unbearably difficult when we must continue to have faith in our own resources. Unfortunately it is the people with few inner resources who often have the upper hand &and we can be overwhelmed if we continue to have faith in them. But if we are courageous and intelligent enough… continue to be curious and wise, observe and reflect. We learn as we get older and life continues to be interesting. Important to share experiences with the rest of the huma n family which is also struggling to come to terms with the dilemmas of the human condition.

So-called ‘evil’ results from the inhibition of human development. We need education based on natural laws of human development and respect for human needs… as well as physiological and physical needs, education based on respect for lower psychological needs for security, self-esteem and belongingness or ‘ego needs’ and ‘higher’ psychchological needs for moral or ‘spiritual’ development or ‘metaneeds’.

The beginning of love is to let those we love be perfectly themselves, and not to twist them to fit our own image. Otherwise we love only the reflection of ourselves we find in them

For people to be empowered and thus responsible for solving human global issues in the future, they must first (as children) be offered an education which respects their need for freedom to grow through meaningful learning i.e. ‘holistic education’.

World peace depends on education which cultivates peaceful people everywhere. Education for peace is education for complete human development or ‘holistic education’.

We need an education system which allows for development of critical intelligence instead of of an oppressive system which indoctrinates and stifles imagination.

We need a consciousness raising education for children growing up so that they can become intelligent and honest critical thinking mature adults i.e. education for complete human development or ‘holistic education’.

The biological function of spirituality: The human species is a social species which depends for creative adaptation and survival on moral consciousness or ‘morality’ of rational conscience. The realm of moral values or ‘spiritual values’ of developed conscience is a function complete psychological development or ‘spirituality’. Spiritual development depends on connection with others through unconditional love which foregoes judgement and implies self-evaluation. Spiritual essence of the human being is the source of guiding principles for ethical living TO BE CONTINUED….

Wars will stop when people become fully human… completely unselfish so peaceful and compassionate. This is possible with self-transcendance or ‘enlightenment’ through right education ‘(holistic education’)

This Meditation is silencing the incessant chatter of the restless mind ! For that … we … begin … with … the … breath ! The process of meditation is simple – Close your eyes and …be with your natural breath.
Benefits of Meditation…
• Healing of All Diseases is Immediate
• Memory Power becomes Increased
• Wasteful Habits Die a Natural Death
• Mind Always Stays in a Peaceful and Joyful State
• All Work Gets Done with Greater Efficiency
• Sleep-time Requirements get Reduced
• Relationships become More Qualitative and Fulfilling
• Thought Power is Tremendously Increased
• Ability to Discern Rights and Wrongs is Sharpened
• Purpose of Life is Better Understood
•Meditation silences the restless waves of mind, thereby preserving soul energy leading to good health, peace of mind and wisdom of life.
We can do meditation in pyramid.Meditation done inside a pyramid, or underneath a pyramid, is called as Pyramid Meditation. Many people experience feelings ranging from calmness to extreme euphoria during their meditation sessions inside the pyramids.
Most people who have experimented with Pyramid Meditation, describe themselves as experiencing a total relaxation of their body, followed by the shutting out of unnecessary external stimuli and irrelevant thoughts and finally achieving an altered state of consciousness which allows them to concentrate on deeper inner levels.
Pyramids provide most effective high-energy environments for beginners of meditation. Pyramids help to reduce the level of stress and tension in the physical body.Meditation done inside a Pyramid is thrice more powerful!
Please consider the below points:-
1)Prayer is like an out-post. Meditation is like the central headquarters. Go for the central headquarters… not for the out-post.
2)Let’s remember that prayer is not meditation; and meditation is not prayer. They are as distant to each other as the North Pole is to the South Pole.
3)Meditation gives success in life, efficiency in life, fulfillment in life, vibrance in life, peace in life, and harmony in life!
4)The moment we become masters of meditation, life becomes such a continuous joy, such a continuous celebration! All ill-health disappears! We become natural leaders of people around. We become natural friends of everybody and every being !
– Brahmarshi Patriji
Any time is right for doing meditation,but you should be a vegetarian before doing meditation.So please be a vegetarian.
For more information about meditation please follow the link given below…
http://www.pssmovement.org
— with Atul Nautyal, Atul Nautiyal Allahabad andManoj Kumar.

Don’t take anything personally. Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won’t be the victim of needless suffering.

“Ask not who is the enemy. Ask who you are.” As far as ‘aiding the enemy’, the enemy is us. We fight enemies which we create out of ignorance and fear.

Psychopaths were children too… and their psychological needs were not met and that is why they are psychopaths. We need education based on fulfillment of children’s psychological needs required for development of moral consciousness or ‘conscience’… education for complete development of the person as a whole… the person’s humanness (‘holistic education’).

Development of human conscience (compassion, empathy) is a in the name of function of complete psychological development, not ‘moral training’ in the name of religions. Psychopaths can be moralists who think they are superior to ‘the masses’.

People need to ‘look in the mirror’ and face their own ‘demons’ rather than project them onto others. People must raise their level of consciousness from the level of self-interest or ‘ego’ to the higher level beyond ego – the level of empathy, compassion and peace. If each person would transform themselves we could change the world. The elites rely upon the ignorance and apathy of ‘the people’ to maintain the level of control that they have. It is through self-transformation (waking up or ‘enlightenment’) that we have the power to eradicate their control.

We need education which cultivates complete development to personal maturity and critical intelligence… ‘holistic education’.

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