Journey
Subjects for the New Age
We need to overhaul our education system to keep abreast of the changing energies on Planet Earth, says Shivi Verma
When I had read Conversations with God by Neale Donald Walsch, I was amused to discover that the Divine found the human race quite primitive in nature.
I did not find it surprising because when I look at society, I find that our priorities are so lopsided that it’s almost laughable. We put a premium on things that are inconsequential and evade those that are of utmost importance. And even though we spend almost a quarter of our lives in schools and colleges, we graduate with little knowledge of what is essential for successful living.
From all the subjects that I studied in school including history, geography, civics, physics, chemistry, biology, and math, I hardly remember anything of significance nor do I have to apply any of them in my daily life. Although these subjects help students identify the stream they would like to dedicate themselves to in the future, in the end, we mostly get assembly-lined, customised humans meant for corporate consumption.They can earn money, but true joy, meaning, and happiness eludes them. If only there were classes on meaningful subjects during our formative years, so many of us would not get lost in this labyrinth of life. A few subjects that can be included in the syllabus to engender a paradigm shift in the lives of the younger generation are:
Emotional intelligence: Research has proved time and again that a high IQ alone does not guarantee success. Being able to manage our emotions ensures that we take the right decisions, stay out of trouble, and apply emotions to solve the problems of life. The key to enjoying good relationships lies in emotional intelligence.
Health and nutrition: Importance of what constitutes a right diet should be made part of the curriculum. We can have healthy individuals who eat foods that nourish health and fight diseases, without resorting to unnecessary violence to fill their stomachs.
Spiritual science: Children must be made familiar with the law of karma, the law of attraction, the power of thought and intention, the law of universal oneness, the law of manifestation and so on. Moral science can be made a part of the curriculum to instill good values in children.
Gender education: The world is reeling under the ill-effects of gender-based discrimination and violence. Young children must be taught to view the opposite sex as equals and fellow human beings. They should be educated about the inherent divinity and uniqueness of each gender and be made to practice it in their daily lives.
Marriage education: It’s sad that there is no institute that teaches young men and women how to traverse the treacherous terrains of marriage. Plenty of divorces, disappointments, and unhappiness can be prevented if the youth could be schooled in how to be a good partner after marriage and manage the intricacies of relationships as well as parenthood.
Similarly, topics like yoga and meditation, environmental studies, goal-setting and planning, and many others too can be added to this list.