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Walking a Spiritual Path with Practical Feet

This presentation explores the path of individual and social transformation on a global scale, and its implications for global education. It discusses the need for a new global spiritual civilization and the role of education in conveying spiritual principles for personal and social development.

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Walking a Spiritual Path with Practical Feet

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  1. Walking a Spiritual Path with Practical Feet Presented at the Second Annual Conference/Workshop on Education to Globalize the Human Mind, Waterloo, Ontario 17 July 2011 Sherif Rushdy

  2. Outline • The path • Individual Transformation • Social Transformation • Implications for Global Education

  3. We live in a time of global crisis…

  4. Disintegration and Integration

  5. We have a vision… …of the kind of world we would like A new global spiritual civilization

  6. Transforming Individuals Transforming Social Structures It requires dual transformation Better Image of God Spiritual Civilization

  7. The path • Individual Transformation • Social Transformation • Implications for Global Education

  8. Individual Transformation… • Cannot happen in isolation: • It requires social action • Cannot withdraw from the world, must engage in it • Requires a process of: • Knowledge, Volition and Action

  9. Process of Growth Understand my nature, my purpose, my choices, and spiritual principles Learn from my experience and deepen my understanding Knowledge Action Volition Get guidance, connect to Divine Power, make a decision to act, set goals Engage in service, face tests, persevere, sacrifice and grow

  10. Spiritual Nature Material Nature 1. Understand My Dual Nature

  11. 2. Understand My Dual Purpose To detach myself from this world, I have to engage in transforming it To rise above the material world To transform this material world

  12. Individual Transformation

  13. JOY PLEASURE 3. Understand My Choices "Two paths lie in front of man. Pondering on them, the wise man chooses the path of joy; the fool takes the path of pleasure." Katha Upanishad

  14. Choosing My Response

  15. SCIENCE is an investigation of the MATERIAL principles that govern this world. TECHNOLOGY is the practical application of scientific principles in daily life RELIGION is an investigation of the SPIRITUAL principles that underlie this world. MORALITY is the practical application of spiritual principles in daily life 4. Understand Spiritual Principles

  16. What is a Spiritual Principle? • A Fundamental Truth • Mankind is one • Truthfulness is the foundation of all virtues • Backbiting is divisive • A Code of Right Conduct • Be just in all your dealings • Prefer your neighbour to yourself • Consult in all things

  17. Spiritual Principles Principles help us choose our problems Problem Posing Principles help us solve our problems Problem Solving Role of Spiritual Principles

  18. welcome strangers Be friendly to all remove prejudices remove barriers Friendship learn from each other solve problems Help My Friends Choose my friends avoid trouble help me grow grow together work together Applying a Principle To do that what would I do? If I were to apply this principle to my life, what would I do? If I did that, what would happen?

  19. 5. Increase my Capacity Moral Education is Increasing the capacity to apply spiritual principles in making moral choices in daily life

  20. 6. Connect to a Source of Power “The Word of God, alone, can claim the distinction of being endowed with the capacity required for so great and far-reaching a change.” Baha'u'llah

  21. Spiritual Nature Attachments Material Nature 7. Engage in Action Decision ACTION

  22. Service Sacrifice Attachment

  23. 8. Learn Systematically “Bring thyself to account each day...” Baha'u'llah Experience Applying Analyzing Generalizing Inferring True understanding comes in action Spiritual Principles Spiritual Principles

  24. The path • Individual Transformation • Social Transformation • Implications for Global Education

  25. 6000 years of history! Individual Consciousness Collective Consciousness We Live In a Special Time The realization of the Oneness of Mankind is now Possible

  26. Creating a Spiritual World Social Change starts with the transformation of a large number of individuals in a given area..

  27. HIGH GOALS COLLECTIVE ACTION SOCIAL CHANGE CAPACITY COOPERATION Collective Action COMMONVISION SKILLS QUALITIES

  28. Power and Authority People have power Institutions have authority Need to release power and exercise authority Need to redefine leadership and governance

  29. LEADERSHIP “Leadership is that expression of service by which the Spiritual Assembly invites and encourages the use of the manifold talents and abilities with which the community is endowed, and stimulates and guides the diverse elements of the community towards goals and strategies by which the effects of a coherent force for progress can be realized”. Universal House of Justice

  30. Creating Coherent Action EMPOWER GUIDE

  31. VISION TESTS SACRIFICE VOLITION SERVICE LOVE SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION PERSONAL TRANSFORMATION PURPOSE OF LIFE Service and Transformation

  32. Principles Development is learning to apply spiritual principles to our daily lives to bring about a new world CONSULTATION REFLECTION ACTION Redefining Development

  33. The path • Individual Transformation • Social Transformation • Implications for Global Education

  34. The Role of Education • Education plays a fundamental role in conveying vision,shaping attitudes and behaviors and imparting skills • Education must contribute to the process of personal and social transformation

  35. The Product of Education The product of Education is an individual with a new vision, a new heart and a new set of skills: an agent of social change New Vision New Skills New Heart

  36. Core Capacities • The capacity to apply spiritual and scientific principles to daily life • The capacity to derive inferences from experiences to improve individual and collective life • The capacity to work harmoniously in a group in service to the community • The capacity to manifest rectitude of conduct in private and public life • Etc….

  37. Some Capabilities • take initiative in a creative and disciplined manner; • think systematically in understanding problems and searching for solutions; • use methods of decision-making that are non-adversarial and inclusive; • deal efficiently and accurately with information rather than respond unwittingly to political and commercial propaganda; • promote solidarity and unity of purpose, thought, and action among all members of a community; • replace relationships based on dominance and competition with relationships based on reciprocity, collaboration, and service to others; • encourage recognition of the essential nobility of human beings; • imbue social interaction with an acute sense of justice; and • manifest rectitude in private and public administration.

  38. 4 Core Capacities for a new world: UNESCO • TO BE: integrity, selflessness, purity of motive, spirit of service • TO DO: take initiative, leadership, planning implementation • TO LEARN: analyze, evaluate, find, use, apply, generate knowledge • TO LIVE TOGETHER: promote unity, tolerance, consultation, cooperation, conflict resolution

  39. Implications for Curriculum We must modify the: • Content • Method • Process of education

  40. Elements Teaching Methods Personal & Collective Growth Indirect Value Education in Subjects Value Education Core Curriculum Role-modeling by Staff Value-Based Evaluation School Environment Parents & Community School Management

  41. Methodologies • Experiential Learning • Cooperative Learning • Participatory Learning • Integrated Learning

  42. Integrated Training ACADEMIC SPIRITUAL COMMUNITY SERVICE CULTURAL

  43. Creating an Environment for Collective Service and Growth Learning Communities

  44. Steps to be Taken • Change how we teach • Change how we learn science • Introduce value education classes • Introduce personal growth processes • Introduce collective growth processes • Integrate subject matter and spiritual learning

  45. Implications for Teachers • Every teacher must become a value education teacher • Every teacher must be skilled at facilitating experiential learning • Every teacher must engage in a path of personal and collective growth • Every teacher must become a role model

  46. School Environment • Clear and Shared Mission, Vision and Values • Consistent Disciplinary Structure • Integrity in all administrative dealings • Behaviour of School Management • Use of consultation • Respect of Staff and Students • Beauty, order, cleanliness and concern for the environment

  47. Then, we can achieve our vision… …of the kind of world we would like A new global spiritual civilization

  48. srushdy@priact.org

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