Reading

SPIRITUALITY IN EDUCATION

 What is missing in education? Are individuals being taught to love one another and to express beauty in their life and work? There will always be the need to train people to accept their duty and responsibility in society, to earn a living, to care for the material needs of the family, and to be an active member of the community. But for those seeking to bring soul qualities into their daily life, there are aspects of education that should be brought to light. This paper will focus on the practices, which are of value for a student wishing to awaken to the inner teacher. The following pages will explore education as a tool for personal transformation and the role of spirituality in awakening humanity to the life of the spirit.

                  “One of the major goals of education should be purify the emotions so that eventually they become the transmitters of love energy--total love and compassion.”[1] It is important to understand the nature of the emotional body in order to express beauty in all that one does. As the astral emotional body is purified one is able to perceive higher levels of the soul and the universe, and to express compassion to others.

                  “True education for the mental nature is the process of refining it in such a degree that the Inner Light shines through it as clear insight, understanding, and the abilities to synthesize, to be telepathic, and to be sensitive to finer impression coming from Space.”[2] Educators must teach students to develop their mental vehicles, inspire them to use their minds to express the virtues of beauty, joy, and righteousness. “To give the correct direction of thought” means to inspire people to try to be perfect. How to be perfect is each individual’s business.[3]

                  “The Divine Plan needs recognition, then assimilation, and then expression through living. To do this, a highly developed mental vehicle is needed.”[4] “The Plan represents a divine design for humanity, for the planet, and for all life. Knowledge of the Plan will guide humanity back to the Source of live and enable us to become conscious coworkers.”[5]

The Role of the Teacher

                   “The greatest power of the educator is the power of right evaluation of the students, and the power of seeing them as they are with their inherent or artificial virtues.”[6] Each student incarnates with inherited and egoic tendencies. This is why it is important to teach purity. The teacher must assist the student to purify the vehicles in order to overcome anything that obscures the light.

      “The Teacher is a person who sincerely lives in the light of the Teaching. His life is an expression of the Teaching. A true Teacher tries to instill virtues in his students. If he does not challenge and test you ceaselessly, he is not a true teacher.”[7]

                  A true teacher is concerned only with the spirit, and is not concerned about pleasing the student’s personality. Torkum Saraydarian sees the teacher as a gardener;  the

teacher helps the student weed out the undesirable traits and to help cultivate that, which is beautiful. The teacher’s role is help the student see their flaws, and to transform their vices in to virtues.

The essence of M.M.’s Teaching is condensed in the twelve virtues. By making these virtues apart of our character, we will clean our field of the six ugly weeds that destroy our beauty. These weeds are jealousy, greed, anger hatred, fear and revenge. The twelve virtues are the names of the twelve petals of the Inner Lotus. They are:

1.      striving

2.      courage

3.      daring

4.      discrimination

5.      solemnity

6.      harmlessness

7.      service

8.      compassion

9.      patience

10.  fearlessness

11.  gratitude

12.  responsibility[8]

                  It is of value to cultivate virtues in life. This can be can be done by selecting one virtue and working to manifest the qualities of that virtue. “Like a bulldozer, the psychic energy from the virtue will open your Path toward greater achievements, and your virtue will act like a fire to burn all hindrances on our Path.”[9]

What is Needed for the Education of the Future

                  Torkum Saraydarian writes about four aspects needed in education to cultivate the world citizen of the future. Humanity must take on a global perspective and learn to cultivate peace if humanity is ever to turn from greed, self-interest, and manipulation that are destroying our planet. Education needs to foster a sense of responsibility beyond personal gain and give a sense of global responsibility. Saraydarian delineates some fundamentals of right education, as discussed below.

Create World Citizens

                  Teach a vision of one world and one humanity. If the earth is to be protected for future generations, the planet cannot continue to suffer under pollution. It is our home and we must care for it. “In thinking of humanity as one world . . . You eliminate the suffering and pain that is widespread in the world at this time because people do not respect each other and treat each other as part of one humanity.”[10]

Eventually man is going to learn that nothing belongs to him. All that he needs to do is use things as if they belonged to the Universe. This concept must be practical for emotional and mental objects also. If we succeed in learning and teaching this concept to the new generation, most of the problems of humanity will vanish and the path of progress will expand into the Cosmos.[11]

Teach the Science of Peace

                  “From kindergarten, educators must teach this science: how to handle your emotions, actions, thoughts, and relationships in such a say that you always create peace. Your problems must be solved through peace; you goals must be achieved through peace; your victories must be achieved through peace.”[12] In reading Torkum Saraydarian’s work, the theme of clearing the emotions is repeated in different ways. The outcome of purified emotional  body  would  be  to  create  harmonious  human  relations  engendering  peace.

 Understanding the importance of creating peace is the basis of bringing family, community and the world into right relationship and peace.

Teach the Science of Beauty

                  Students must learn to think beautiful thoughts, to move beautifully.  “The highest achievement of the human soul is the moment of identification with the principle of beauty. When a certain number of teachers, leaders, and public officials are graduated with the qualifications of beauty, then we will see the dawn of a new life.”[13] Students must learn to appreciate beauty in nature. Teach students how to see beauty in the human emotions of love, joy, kindness and peacefulness.

When we focus on the darkness of others, we become like clouds full of acid rain. But when we see the light in others, we become stars which guide them through the night. It is so simple: look for the light, and you become the light. Observe the joy of Creation, and you will become one with that joy.[14]

                  In the world today, it is easy to become so entrenched in our daily lives, worries and fears. These irritations, ugly thoughts, and negative emotions poison the body. Teach beauty in thoughts, actions, and relationships, and look for the beauty in others. Beauty can be found in simplicity. Spend time in nature. “The closer our contact with Nature, the more beautiful, healthy, joyful, and creative we are.” [15]

Teach the Laws of Reincarnation and Karma

                  “From childhood we must teach people that they are immortal, that they body will die and come again but the soul is immortal. We must teach the laws of reincarnation and karma, that whatever you sow you will reap, either here or there.”[16]  It is important to understand the law of reincarnation and karma, as this helps the student understand their responsibility for their thoughts, words and actions. When one glimpses the immortality of the soul, it gives a new perspective to challenges and lessons in life.

Teach Awareness of the Divine Plan

Great forces of destruction are afoot and seem to be dominant at the moment, but constructive and creative forces that will redeem humanity are also being released through several channels. Although the working of these forces of light is chiefly silent, they are eventually bound to bring about those transformations that will make the further spiritual advance of humanity safe and steady. It is all part of the divine plan, which is to give the hungry and weary world a fresh dispensation of the eternal and only Truth.[17]

                  Humanity must awaken to the reality of the Divine Plan. By observing nature the order and intelligence of a Supreme Being can be seen. The seasons, the planets, the life of plants and animals all reflect the cycles of a Divine Plan. There is plan and a purpose for everything. If the teacher can present the vision of a divine plan, and an understanding that the forces of light are silent amidst the apparent confusion and destruction on the planet, it gives hope and vision amidst the chaos. “Students of all ages must learn that God created everything with a Purpose.”[18]

The Dynamics of Spiritual Advancement

                  The teacher and the student must understand that “in most cases, spiritual advancement has to be very gradual and often takes several lives. . .  The distance between

the limited life of the ego and the limitlessness of the egoless life has to be covered by gradual stages of ego-transformation—so that egoism is replace by humility, surging desires are replaced by steadily growing contentment, and selfishness is replaced by selfless love.”[19] In the Discourses, Meher Baba explains the importance of the ego becoming subservient to the Master, in this paper called the inner teacher. It is the constant contact with the inner teacher that assists one in living a life of self-surrender.

                  Active intervention from the teacher prevents spiritual disorders. The student in the world can often get entangled in new problems, and it is through repeated surrender to Divine Will that the new forms of personal ego be eventually curtailed.

The Inner and Outer Teachers

            “Worldly education is the shadow of the higher education found in the higher mental plane.”[20] Inner education has two stages. The first stage, an outer teacher leads one to the inner teacher. The outer teacher prepares the student to work with the inner teacher. The second stage, “your education is given in the groups formed in the mental plane by your inner teacher, in collaboration with your outer teacher.”[21]

            The inner teacher teaches and contacts the student in several ways. The outer teacher is the one who prepares the student to contact the inner teacher. A regular practice of daily meditation helps to raise one’s consciousness to that of the inner teacher. The inner teacher contacts the student through dreams and visions. When the student is prepared, the inner teacher will communicate face-to-face. The inner teacher teaches the science of discernment and discrimination; one must be able to discern between the real and the unreal.

                  “The Inner Teacher trains you to be a fearless warrior in the Subtle Worlds

 Because as on earth, so in the subtle Worlds are these those who are devoted and dedicated enemies of light, love, and beauty. Unless you know how to fight with these enemies, they will knock you down and throw you to the shore of the physical plane.”[22]

                  One learns to transmit wisdom through art, conversations, writings, and lectures; the inner teacher teaches the student to awaken love in the hearts of others. One also learns to use willpower. “Your willpower is the mirror in which you can see how the will of God operates in everything, everywhere. The Inner Teacher teaches you how to fuse your will with its will.”[23]

Awakening to the Inner Teacher

One role of a teacher is to guide the student to become aware of their inner teacher. The outer teacher must present these ideas to the student.

The Inner Teacher teaches you how to enter into your Inner Treasury and bring out rare jewels, which you accumulated there throughout ages in the moments when you made higher contacts. You can hasten to enter the inner school for inner education by

1.      having an open mind, tolerance and inclusiveness

2.      daily, regular meditation

3.      obeying your heart

4.      true, selfless, sacrificial service

5.      studying esoteric literature

6.      daily evening review

7.      living a life based on spiritual discrimination

8.      striving toward the “most essential”

9.      following the instructions of your chosen Teacher[24]

Daily and Regular Meditation

            As part of a spiritual discipline to prepare the individual on the spiritual path, daily meditation helps to put the mental mechanism in order to draw from the higher realms. There are many forms of meditation, passive, active, associative, disassociate, personal or impersonal. To explore meditation is not the intent of this paper, but it is important to understand that for the spiritual student, a daily meditation or prayer practice is important to set the intent for the day, and clearing an preparing the physical, mental and emotional vehicles.

A meditation could be as simple as choosing a “beautiful subject and think about it for a few minutes. Take a verse from the New Testament or an idea from any wisdom teaching.”[25]  Meditation puts one in contact with higher consciousness and brings one into contact with the inner teacher.

Daily Evening Review

            The importance of a nightly review cannot be overemphasized as a clearing process for the serious student. “In this exercise practiced before sleep, we review the day backward to capture situations needing repair or resolution. . . this practice copes with mishandled situations daily rather than permitting an accumulation to be confronted after death.”[26] When reviewing the day backwards, situations that were handled in a less than appropriate manner can be replayed in the mind, until a more harmonious enactment of the situation has been imagined.

This nightly review is designed to expand our consciousness and help us to correct areas of our own behavior, reactions, or habits, which obscure the light and our spiritual growth. One is actually reviewing the astral pictures etched upon the ethers, by going into one’s recollection and rewriting it.

Spiritual Discrimination: Identifying Glamours and Illusions

            Spiritual discrimination must be taught to in order identify and eliminate the student’s glamours and illusions. A glamour is a “false picture that, when held in the mind and charged with emotional energy, becomes a forceful, dominating factor, binding and misleading us in order to secure satisfaction and survival.”[27]

Illusions are “distortions within the mental nature that masquerade as truth, claming our allegiance. . . Before we can function on higher levels of the mental plane or enjoy the freedom of the intuitional plane, we must clear our illusions through meditation and will. This cleansing process often causes pain in the personal life.”[28]

The Role of Pain and Suffering in Learning

Pain and suffering develop heart quality and purity. They develop thinking and shorten the path. Joy radiates the heart quality in selfless and sacrificial service. Pain and suffering purify the vehicle; joy purifies the motives. Pain and suffering make us think, find causes and eliminate them; joy put into action those causes which eliminate pain and suffering. . . Suffering and pain are the teachers of average people. Joy and bliss are the teachers of Initiates and Masters.[29]

            When man begins to live in accord with the laws of Nature, man will lessen his suffering. Students must learn to respond to their mental insights, rather than reason. To lessen suffering, students must learn to withdraw from the physical plane and no longer identify with the lower vehicles. This is because “suffering is limited to the personality vehicles—the physical body, emotional body, and mental body.”[30]

            “The mental realization is one thing, but to do the right thing is a totally different matter. Doing the right thing requires the transformation of the vehicles and willpower.”[31] Students must understand that pain is perpetuated by ignorance, hatred and greed. When willpower is cultivated the lower vehicles no longer bind one and one can follow one’s higher insights. Then, the old patterns, which were the cause of suffering, will not be repeated.

Develop Right Human Relationships

            “There are two main principles upon which the science of right human relationships is built:

1.      Every human being has a Divine Origin.

2.      The highest potentials of the human being can be released and cultivated in

      right human relationships.”[32]

            It is important to teach the foundation of a harmonious global life is right human relationships. We must first come into alignment with our Divine Origin. When we have harmony within ourselves, we can begin to have harmonious relationships. Torkum Saraydarian explains there are five steps in the science of right human relationships. These five steps include communication, understanding, service, freedom, and a sense of oneness.

            Higher communication occurs when people work together in service to a common cause. When individuals are dedicated to a great cause for humanity, right human relationships are created because it polarizes their actions, hearts and minds to a higher cause.

            Understanding is the second step to right human relationships. To understand someone, means to see that cause of a behavior or situation, and remain subjective. “A person of understanding does not criticize, gossip or waste time judging people. When we see the causes of many events, we develop compassion, and compassion leads to right action.”[33] Try to see and respect the other’s viewpoint. It is also helpful to understand why others may reject your viewpoint.

            The third step to develop right human relationships is to render selfless service to others. “Service is a radiation of Beauty, Goodness, Righteousness, Joy, and Freedom of your soul.”[34]  Right human relationships must have freedom; it is not right to impose on another. It is not possible to have right relationship and restrict another, because imposition creates a reaction that will eventually lead to rejection. Allow others to find their own way in freedom.

                  By developing a sense of oneness, one knows that what one is doing for another is being done to oneself. “Right human relationships is the key to the future progress of humanity.”[35]

Accepting the World as It Is

            The spiritual student can experience the currents of the world as running counter to the spiritual life. Despite this experience the student must understand that it is important to live in the world, and to not shirk one’s worldly responsibilities.

If he runs away from the world, that does not help him. He will again have to come back to the world to develop that quality which would enable him to face and accept the world as it is. Very often his path lies through the world that he has to serve despite of not liking its ways. If the aspirant is to love and serve the world that does not understand him or even is intolerant towards him, he must develop infinite forbearance.[36]

            The student has experienced and been given a vision of the deeper spiritual realities and love of God. A tendency may to be to run from the world, when in fact the path is through the experiences in the world. One must develop an understanding and compassion, and to live a normal life, in the world, as it is.

The best way to cleanse the heart and to prepare for the stilling of the mind is to lead a normal life in the world. Living in the midst of your day-to-day duties, responsibilities, likes and dislikes become the very means for the purification of your heart. For the purification of your heart, leave your thoughts alone but maintain constant vigil over your actions. Let thoughts come and go without putting them into action.[37]

Conclusion

            What is being taught? Who is the teacher? Who is the student? One thing I know is that I am the perpetual student. Life has a way of ensuring that I am always humbled, and do not fall into a trap of thinking I know better.   I am constantly silenced;  I

am being taught more and more to observe, listen, and be quiet. I have reflected upon Meher Baba’s statement,

When it is clearly understood that spiritual wisdom is latent in all, you will no longer be anxious to provide others with read-made answers and solutions. In many cases you will be content to set up for others a new problem or clarify for others that nature of the problems you face. You may have done your duty if you ask them a question that they would not asked of themselves.[38]

            Am I to be a teacher? Is the desire to be a spiritual teacher, just another illusion along the path? Perhaps, just bringing to light an idea or question to someone may be all that is necessary.

Do I need to teach others what I learn? My lesson in all of this is to be in the moment. Perhaps, just being kind to whomever I meet is a valid form of teaching. What is all this I have written about, and how does it apply to my life? First, I must do my best to live and express whatever it is I believe, or whatever I am attempting to tell someone else about. Education today is lacking the spiritual component. However, I do feel more and more people are awakening to the need for spiritual truths to be expressed in daily life. All these ideas presented, in time, perhaps will be the norm for education. With the dawn of a new age, there is hope that the spiritual truths will emerge in education.

We must ask, what matters? For me, it is love, compassion, patience, understanding. Many of the topics discussed in this paper, may at best, be reminders to myself. Being regular in my meditation practice, reading inspirational books, doing my best to align with the soul and follow my inner teacher, cultivating virtues, and seeking right relationships.  Understanding that what I do is not for my own benefit, but affects all humanity. If I can do this for myself, at some point this can be used as service for others.

We are not alone on the path; we have inner teachers and guides. We are all teachers, and we are all students. Expressing truth and beauty in the world of forms is why we are here. We need to be reminded of our immortality, and to learn to express soul qualities in our daily life. We can remind each other to walk and live in beauty, and to love and server others. We are here to be our brother’s keeper.

Spiritual life is not a matter of quantity but of inherent quality of living. Spiritual infinity includes in its scope all phases of life. It comprises acts that are great as well as acts that are small. Being greater than the greatest, spiritual infinity is also smaller than the smallest; and it can equally express itself through happens irrespective of whether they are outwardly small or great.  Thus a smile or look stands on the same level as offering one’s life for a cause, when the smile or the look springs from Truth-consciousness.[39]

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Baba, Meher. Discourses. 7^th ed. Revised by Eruch B. Jessawala, J. Flagg Kriss, and Bal Natu. Myrtle Beach, S.C.: Sheriar Foundation, 1995.

Parrish-Harra, Ph.D., Carol E. The New Dictionary of Spiritual Thought, Expanded 2^nd Edition. Tahlequah, Okla.: Sparrow Hawk Press, 2002.

Purdom, C.B. The God-Man, The life, journeys and work of Meher Baba with an interpretation of his silence and spiritual teaching. Crescent Beach, S.C. Sheriar Press, Inc. 1971.

Saraydarian, Torkum.  Education as Transformation, vol i, Individual and Cosmos. Cave Creek, Ariz.: T.S.G. Publishing Foundation, Inc. 1999.

_____________________. Education as Transformation, vol ii, Basics of Education. Cave Creek, Ariz.: T.S.G. Publishing Foundation, Inc. 1999.

_____________________. The Flame of Beauty Culture Love Joy. Cave Creek, Ariz.: T.S.G. Publishing Foundation, Inc. 1980.

__________________. Talks on Agni. Sedona, Ariz.: Aquarian Educational Group, 1987.