When one flips through newspapers, scans the online media, and reads the statements by researchers, politicians, ministers and economists, there a consensus that the Malaysian education system needs a revamp to ensure that we are able to produce first-class graduates in technical and academic fields that would contribute to development of the nation.
It seems that education is merely seen from a socioeconomic point of view rather than from a holistic perspective that integrates the wholeness of human reality.
The question that the nation needs to contemplate is whether we have an education process that merely focuses on technical areas, management and leadership – which is derived from psychological, emotional, and physiological aspects of intelligence – or are we paying attention to the root of all intelligence, which is spiritual, that provides the energy and wisdom needed for all aspects of human intelligence?
The lack of spiritual education and wisdom derived from the silent contemplative spirituality that embraces wholeness and integrates all intelligence is the prominent cause of greed, religious bigotry, poverty, terrorism and war around the world.
The truth of human living and progress resides in the spiritual ability to observe reality as it is without imposing one’s ideological conditions on reality.
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For example, if we meet another human person who is culturally different from us, do we judge the person according to his ethnicity, religion and social background, or whether he meets our religious beliefs, or do we try to know the person as he is and see the good quality that is inherent in the person and his or her culture?
When we observe nature and the environment, do we observe its functions and contributions to the survival and health of the planet or are we in an ideological frame of mind to exploit it based on our education on economic theories?
Is not the blind ideology of progress that merely focuses on human intelligence that is the root cause of the climate crisis?
Spiritual education – which accepts that our human intelligence is finite and that there is an unseen mystery which provides spiritual nourishment that is universal and non-ideological – should be incorporated in our education system.
We could learn from mystical experiences and wisdom of all religious traditions to revamp our education to be more contemplative in nature.
Human intelligence is not merely about the psychological, emotional and physiological reality. It has a reality that cannot be seen and felt but is ingrained in human conscience, where universal moral truths and ethics reside.
It is from this holistic intelligence that human intelligence and spiritual wisdom is integrated, so that human beings are not regarded as mere technical conduits or objects for economic progress, but as beings with inherent human dignity who are capable of love, reconciliation, peace and justice.
Let us add the value of contemplative spirituality in education processes to have a better grasp of human and environmental reality.
Towards this end, it is vital to understand that there is a broader dimension of spirituality that is not the monopoly of any religion, and this is relevant to Malaysia today. – Malaysiakini
AGENDA RAKYAT - Lima perkara utama
- Tegakkan maruah serta kualiti kehidupan rakyat
- Galakkan pembangunan saksama, lestari serta tangani krisis alam sekitar
- Raikan kerencaman dan keterangkuman
- Selamatkan demokrasi dan angkatkan keluhuran undang-undang
- Lawan rasuah dan kronisme
