WHEN one flips through newspapers and online media, and reads the statements by researchers, politicians, ministers and economists, there is kind of a consensus that our 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 the development of the nation.
Education is merely seen from a social-economic point of view, rather than a holistic perspective that integrates the wholeness of human reality.
In this regard, the pertinent question that the nation needs to contemplate is whether we have an education process that merely focuses on a technicality, whether management and leadership are derived from psychological, emotional and physiological aspects of intelligence or whether we are paying attention to the roots of all intelligence, which is spiritual, that provides the needed energy and wisdom to all aspects of human intelligence.
The lack of spiritual education and wisdom that is 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.
For example, if we meet another person who is culturally different from us, do we judge the person according to his ethnicity, religion and social background or on 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 him and his 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 from our education on economic theories?
Is it not due to the blind ideology of progress that merely focuses on human intelligence the root cause of the climate crisis?
Spiritual education accepts that our human intelligence is finite and there is a sense of mystery that is not seen, but provides spiritual nourishment that is universal and non-ideological, and should be incorporated into our education system.
We could learn from mystical experiences and wisdom of all religious traditions to revamp our education system 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 the human conscience, where moral truths and ethics that are universal reside.
It is from this holistic intelligence that human intelligence and spiritual wisdom is integrated, where human beings are not merely regarded as mere technical conduits or objects for economic progress, but as an inherent human dignity capable of love, reconciliation, peace and justice.
Let’s add the value of contemplative spirituality in education processes to better grasp human and environmental realities.
Toward this end, it is vital to understand there is a broader dimension of spirituality that is not a monopoly of any religion and this is relevant to Malaysia today.
Ronald Benjamin
Secretary
Association for Welfare, Community and Dialogue
