Neo-Humanist Education

What is Neo-Humanism?

Neo-humanism is an ever increasing circle of love, and love in action. The understanding that we are all interconnected goes beyond humanity, and includes the animals, plants, and the inanimate.

Neo-Humanism is derived from an understanding of the fundamental nature (Dharma) of human beings. Human life has three aspects: physical, mental and spiritual. The higher possibilities of human nature demand that all these three aspects shall be developed and the mind be made free to expand and to flow towards the Supreme Consciousness (God). When this happens, a human being develops love (devotion) for the Supreme Consciousness and love for all other beings. This love for the Supreme Consciousness should be considered to be the most valuable treasure of humanity. The lack of which makes life dry and meaningless.

 

The problems facing conventional education
The material reality is very finite, but the unit mind has the thirst for limitlessness. Conventional education is generally grounded on the culture of consumerism and competition where the unit mind is diverted to crude things. The crude can never satisfy the subtle longings of the mind. Such approach to education then perpetuates a never-ending cycle of brief gratifications and long spanning frustrations which affect especially the young.

Conventional education is also driven by the external expression of linear one-dimensional knowledge. Its focus is merely on assimilation of previously existing knowledge since a child has to be educated with the traditionally asserted modes imposed by the society in order to satisfy the competitive and crude demands of the materialist culture. This is exemplified with how conventional institutions impose IQ to be the mere gauge of a child’s intelligence, thus they exhaust on only developing such intelligence region since this is what the job market demands. In such scenario, one loses the opportunity to make sense of his/her reality; the link between the physical, mental, and spiritual essences of life is lost. The inner longing for subtle awareness is restrained contributing to further fragmentation of our society and our lives.

 

Neo-Humanist education: Educating the whole child

Neo-Humanist education is driven by nurturing the inner longings of the human heart – the inner search for deeper meaning of existence and authentic identity that has a connection with and oneness with every creation. It endeavors to awaken the limitless thirst for subtle self-knowledge of the child where the mind can concentrate towards the deeply intuitive, creative, and liberating search for higher and subtler layers of consciousness. It strives to abandon the narrow sentiments of the unit mind that shut itself from one another promoting injustice, personal isolation and despair. It strives to discern that the barriers of social differences, race, gender, age, dogma, etc., are merely imposed by the crudeness of the mind and the society, and the fact is that everything is the same expression of the Supreme Consciousness – we are all one under Him. As the unit mind ultimately develops such awareness, it can do nothing but engender love and respect to all beings.