Holistic Centers Network

  • About
  • Connect
  • Directory
  • Blog
  • Job Openings
  • Donate
  • Contact
  • Login
  • Account
  • Gatherings
  • Directory

Happiness and Holistic Education

December 16, 2011 by Centers' Gathering Leave a Comment

Pottering in the garden the other day, I suddenly realised why I’d never really enjoyed school and how the whole subject of holistic education has now become so fascinating. To incorporate the emotional and spiritual self, as well as the mental and physical, feels so fundamental. No wonder I felt something was missing in those early years; a conscious foundation of peace and happiness.

I was born the year before the term “gross national happiness” was coined in 1972 by the King of Bhutan, the tiny, remote Himalayan kingdom. The phrase symbolised his commitment to building an economy that would serve Bhutan’s unique culture based on Buddhist spiritual values. The unique approach, in many circles, of placing spiritual values first.

The assessment of gross national happiness (GNH) was designed in an attempt to define an indicator that measures quality of life or social progress in more holistic and psychological terms than only the economic indicator of gross domestic product (GDP). Results of the 2010 survey to measure the peace and happiness of the nation can be viewed online.

I embarked on my spiritual journey with the yearning for a sense of inner peace. The words of the Dalai Lama, spiritual leader of Tibet, later resonated with me deeply, “that peace means happiness.” He expresses his “hope and wish that one day, formal education will pay attention to what I call “education of the heart.” Just as we take for granted the need to acquire proficiency in the basic academic subjects, I am hopeful that a time will come when we can take it for granted that children will learn, as part of the curriculum, the indispensability of inner values: love, compassion, justice, and forgiveness.”

The Findhorn Foundation in Northern Scotland shares the timeless and essential values common to all the world’s major traditions. It aims to put spiritual values first, to practice ‘love in action’, and to demonstrate new and sustainable ways to live as a learning community for personal and social change, creating a culture of peace throughout the world.

Visitors, both young and old, often comment on the sense of peace they feel within the community and by deepening their connection with inner stillness through “living education” a ripple effect is created. Learning within the Findhorn community is experiential and transformative, a journey of self-discovery, and is integral to the community’s purpose. Similar to the ancient practice of mindfulness, living education takes place moment by moment.

Holistic Centres and Communities continue to emerge globally and in this time of change, the exploration of Holistic Education, this learning “of the heart”, is more potent than ever.

In preparation for the Holistic Centre’s Gathering hosted by the Findhorn Foundation in May 2012, we will be posting a series of articles to explore the various aspects of Holistic Education. The aim is to stimulate discussion and to share the wisdom and experience of diverse communities, cultures and traditions, all working towards a more peaceful world.

For more details of this project please click here. To view the working document or share information please email christine.lines@findhorn.org

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest

Filed Under: Holistic Education Tagged With: Findhorn Foundation, Holistic Centers, Holistic Centres, Holistic Education, International Holistic Centers Gathering, Spiritual Leaders

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

View map of centers

Featured Center

Omega Institute for Holistic Studies

Subscribe

Enter your email address and receive notifications of new posts via email.

  • We will use your information according to our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy. We will not sell your information to third-parties and you can unsubscribe at any time.
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Holistic Publications

The only book as far as we know that describes the Global Network of Holistic Centers.

Written by Ralph White, co-founder of the New York Open Center, this is the only book as far as we know that describes the Global Network of Holistic Centers.

Partnerships

Categories

  • 2012 Findhorn (26)
  • 2013 Esalen (9)
  • 2014 Haven (17)
  • 2015 Beijing (4)
  • 2015 Greece (5)
  • 2016 Quebec (5)
  • 2017 Hawaii (4)
  • 2018 Omega (6)
  • 2019 Hollyhock (3)
  • 2022 Kripalu (1)
  • Africa (2)
  • China (23)
  • Community News (44)
  • Corporate Retreats (1)
  • Diversity and Inclusion (10)
  • Employment Opportunities (3)
  • Featured Posts (212)
  • Fundraising (2)
  • Holistic Centers (3)
  • Holistic Education (24)
  • Integral (6)
  • Learning Residencies (7)
  • Livestream (2)
  • Marketing (2)
  • Network of Light (12)
  • Previous Gatherings (21)
  • Sustainability (9)
  • Testimonials (5)
  • Webinars (23)

This gathering has been INCREDIBLE. As a small center based way out in Yosemite National Park, I really feel folded into the greater network. This feels so vital. Thank you for creating this!

Heather Sullivan, Executive Director & Co-Founder, Balanced Rock Foundation
  • About
  • Donate
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Credits
  • Contact
© 2010–2023 Holistic Centers Network
Creative Commons LicenceUnless otherwise noted, content on this site is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.