This document discusses strategies for implementing value-based spiritual education. It begins by contrasting past education, which imparted values through joint families and storytelling, with the present system focused on examinations and employment. True education aims for emancipation, ennoblement and evolution, not just external achievements. Value-based spiritual education seeks to develop students holistically by nurturing inner values like love, kindness and compassion, through activities, meditation and role modeling positive behaviors. Challenges include bringing about internal change and establishing values as a lifelong guide rather than just teaching facts.

1. Education in Values-
Strategies and Challenges
for Value Education
Prof. Prasad Krishna
Department of Mechanical Engineering
National Institute of Technology Calicut

2. OUTLINE
• Introduction
• Values
• Value Based Spiritual Education (VBSE)
• Strategies to Implement VBSE
• Meditation for Regulation of Mind
• Challenges
• Conclusions

3. INTRODUCTION

4. Past Education Scenario
• Education imparted by Rishis/Maharishis
• Gurukulavasam
• Rishis were trikalajnanis-knowing everything from the
past, present and future as well as knowing everything that is to be known
from the past, present and future. In a sense, therefore, they imparted
knowledge coming from the past, they imparted knowledge from the
present based on their own spiritual experiences and in a sense, imparted
knowledge of the future from their own vision of the distant future in which
they alone had access.
• Joint Family System-great deal of care, love and well
being. The old received as much care and attention as the very young and
the children were shared by all as a sort of common wealth, and a source
of joy and happiness . Story Telling have always been an effective way of
presenting values, concepts and ideas to children and adults alike.

5. Present Education Scenario
• There is supposedly more ‘Education’ now,
but there is also more Corruption
– more Greed
– more Selfishness
– more Poverty
– Lack of sincerity and integrity.
• Why?

6. Because, now Education is
- synonymous with
a) Examination
b)Employment&
c)Empowerment
Unfortunately it no more stands for
a) Emancipation
b) Ennoblement and
c) Evolution

7. Education Today
• Non-existence of gurukulasampradaya as well as joint
family system has adversely affected the present education
scenario.
• Absence of a holistic approach and an imbalanced growth
of knowledge –dealing only with external world around us
and not related to the inner-self of an individual.
• Misdirected educational system --- instead of developing a
person as a humane human being it is only directed
towards superficial, surface level achievements.
• Designed purely for money-making and not for man-
making and only promotes negative qualities like jealousy,
hatred and rivalry instead of virtues like kindness,
compassion and honesty .

8. Then, what exactly is the true
meaning of
“Education”
Does Education
Makeonewiser?Happier?Contented?
Makeoneabetterhumanbeing?

9. Oris theresomethingmoretoEducation?
Yes, of course, educationis notjustthis.
Then whatThen what isis Real education?Real education?
What should be its role?What should be its role?

10. EducationEducation
Is not mere stuffing of facts.
Education is for the actualization of the
potential already in children.
Education is really the process of
removing the ignorance that is covering
our inner knowledge, which is absolute,
which is perfect, which is eternal, which
is supreme. (Chariji)
Education is for a Holistic LIFE and not
for a mere living.
‘Education’ needs to be enriched with
VALUES.

11. Now, tounderstandtheconceptof
Value basedValue based
Spiritual EducationSpiritual Education,
We must first see what “Values” really
mean.

12. What are Values ?What are Values ?
Values are Standards
or Principles Considered important in life
Values
coming from Being
within Practiced
? ?

13. Values From withinValues From within
1.1.LoveLove
2.2.KindnessKindness
3.3.CompassionCompassion
4.4.MercyMercy
5.5.SympathySympathy
6.6.EmpathyEmpathy

14. Values to be PractisedValues to be Practised
1.1.PunctualityPunctuality
2.2.DisciplineDiscipline
3.3.ObedienceObedience
4.4.BehaviourBehaviour
5.5.ConductConduct
6.6.CharacterCharacter

15. Why Values?
• Values bring quality and meaning to life
• Values give a person his identity and character
• Values act as guidelines—they tell him what he
should and should not do.
They make us realize that
WHAT WE AREWHAT WE ARE
Is more important than
What We HaveWhat We Have

16. • Character
• Good conduct
• Moral Integrity
• Self Discipline
Education in Values or
Value education helps in developing
• Compassion
• Love for all living beings
• Responsibility
and many other positive qualities in the students.
And above all…
It makes them feel betterabout themselves!It makes them feel betterabout themselves!

17. It becomes a second nature to them to
be disciplined, punctual etc.
Their academic performance goes up.
And they are able to spend
more time on learning.
And … as time goes on,

18. Role of Value Education
• In spite of all this, Value education is not
given enough prominence in the curriculum.
• Is it because it is not a course which can be
tested and graded?
• Is it because the result of the teaching
cannot be seen immediately?
• Or is it because we think students will learn
the values somehow or the other and it is not
our responsibility?

19. Whose responsibility is it anyway?
Isn’t imparting values the responsibility of parents?
Yes, it is. But teachers and schools play a BIG
role too.
• Students spend more time in the campus .
• Campus forms the bridge between home and
the society.
• It is in schools and later in the colleges that
students learn how to behave in the society.
• It is in schools & colleges that a good value
system can be nurtured.

20. Role of Government
National Education Policy of our
government insist on establishing a
Centre for Value Education in all
universities and institutes of higher
education with the sole purpose of
imbibing human values in their
campuses

21. But, Activities of CVE ?
Limited to mere conduct of expert
lectures/discourses on values, ethics,
morality education etc. and/or indulging in
community/social service.
There is no conscious effort made anywhere to
bring about internal change in an individual.
Anything good must sprout from inside so
that the external body can reflect the beauty
of it in all its glory.
This harmony between inner and external
process is termed as ‘Spiritual Civilisation’

22. So, what is needed?
• There is an urgent need for change – changing from
what we are to what we have to become;
• Change from ambitions to aspirations. The
importance and urgency of change must be brought
forth through our education system.
• We need education to understand the value of
education and the value of further education.
• Since values are caught rather than taught, it is
imperative to devise other meaningful and
pragmatic strategies to help in personal evolution,
embracing all aspects of existence.

23. Education in Values
• Now that the holistic vision of life-oriented
education was found to be insufficient for the
upliftment of mankind, ‘Values in education”
peeped its existence in the educational
scenario.
• But this has proved to be a futile attempt and a
shift has been made to "Education in Values".
• This, in other words means, the imparting of
‘Value Based Spiritual Education’, abbreviated
as VBSE

24. Where does Value education fit
into the curriculum?
EverywhereEverywhere
• Students are not born with a set of values.
• Students unconsciously imbibe all kinds of values from their
parents, teachers and peers, all the time. So, in a sense,
values are more ‘Caught’ than ‘Taught’.
• Still, they do need guidance to help them learn the right values.
• This guidance goes on all through the curriculum, all through
the day, by all those who come in contact with them.
• It is not a one man’s job.

25. Why Value Based
Spiritual Education?
Spiritualityis the“artandscienceof Divineremembrance.”
i.e., doing everything in the remembrance of
God so that anything we do has a thought of
divinity attached to it. This motivates us to
keep the highest goals in all aspects of living
and prevents us at all times from doing
anything wrong.
Therefore it is necessary that our students are educated in
spiritual values.

26. Basics of
Value Based
Spiritual
Education

27. Catch Them YoungCatch Them Young
Parents,
teachers,
family, school,
environment,
friends, society,
religion - all
these wield a
great influence
on the child.

28. Physical deviations –
games, yoga, dance,
gymnastics etc.
Catch Them YoungCatch Them Young
All these help to teach
them the values for life.

29. Academics and Co- curricular
activities, both help in
teaching values.
Catch Them YoungCatch Them Young

30. Meditation, Value Based
Education,Music, Self
analysis, Positive
affirmations and
Resolutions help in
improving our character.
Catch Them YoungCatch Them Young

31. The suggestions and words
spoken by the parents and
others affect the character
and good conduct of a child
and even babies.
- Babuji
Catch Them YoungCatch Them Young

32. Experience, appreciateExperience, appreciate
and understandand understand
The learned have only read
the books.
The practical man has tasted
the spirit of the books.

33. The “learned teachers”The “learned teachers”
are like sign posts byare like sign posts by
the road, to tell youthe road, to tell you
where the road leads to.where the road leads to.
Experience, appreciateExperience, appreciate
and understandand understand

34. One who can express
has not experienced
and one who has
experienced cannot
express.
- Babuji
Experience, appreciate
and understand

35. Watch your -
Thoughts : they become Words.
Words : they become Action.
Actions : they become Habits.
Habits : they become Character.
Character: it becomes your Destiny.
- Frank Outlaw
Thoughts and Destiny

36. M
M
M
M S
Present Situation
Only Materiality

37. S
SSS
M
The Saints
Only Spirituality

38. S
S
Equilibrium
MM

39. SS
Progress
MM

40. MS
Union (Yoga)
M- materiality S- spirituality

41. "There is nothing in a caterpillar that
tells you it's going to be a butterfly."

42. Think about the incredible change that
occurs during metamorphosis ...
From crawling to Flying ..
From dull to Spectacular ...
From fat & sluggish to Light and Airy.
What metamorphosis can YOU go
through?

43. Nothing is too great a change for you ...
light & airy ....
spectacular beauty ...
shedding one "persona" and
BECOMING totally new!
You can change into ANYTHING!

44. But what does the caterpillar do before it
becomes a butterfly?
It takes some time to "cocoon". Time to
isolate itself.
Perhaps if each of us would take some
"cocooning" time, we would begin our
own metamorphosis !

45. Living life as an adventure is FUN
living life in boredom is NO FUN.
Finding a way or making a way when
others do not see one is FUN.
Accepting that there is just no way is
NO FUN

46. Turning your dreams into reality
is FUN ...
Living in a dream world is NO FUN.
Grabbing an opportunity when it
presents itself is FUN ...
Letting an opportunity go by is
NO FUN.
Which choice are you going to
make?

47. “A person starts to live when he can
live outside himself." -- Albert
Einstein
“To solve a problem get out of the
problem” - Chariji
“Be a guest at your home” - Chariji

48. "It is not enough to be busy, so
are the ants. The question is:
what are we busy about?"

49. A goal,
a love and
a dream
give you total control
over your life.

50. Value Education will helpValue Education will help
1. The Need to Understand
Oneself
2. Management of Self
3. Decision Making
4. Personality Development

51. 1. The Need to Understand1. The Need to Understand
OneselfOneself
a) Who Am I ?
b) What is my goal ?
c) How should I proceed
towards my goal ?

52. 2. Management of Self2. Management of Self
a)Time Management
b)Stress
Management
c)Life Management

53. 3. Decision Making3. Decision Making
a) What is good for me ?
b) How to make decisions ?
c) Co-operation and Co-
ordination

54. 4. Personality Development4. Personality Development
a) What is Personality ?
b) How should one develop
personality ?
c) How should I mould
myself ?
d) Facing situations

55. Strategies to Implement VBSE
• Independent approach – teaching core values
• Integrated approach – teaching values with the curricular
subjects
• Subtle approach – Being a good role model and teaching
with love
Value Education could and should take place all the
time at schools and the following approaches can
help to focus on it.

56. Approach to VBSE
Independent Approach
- Prayer
- Meditation
- Positive Resolutions
- Bhajans /Songs
- Value Education classes
- Stories
- Self Introspection
- Yogasana

57. Approach to Value Education
Integrated Approach
• CurricularSubjects Co-curricular
• English Dance
• Language Music
• Maths Drawing
• Sciences Craft
• Humanities Games

58. Approach to Value Education
Subtle Approach
• Role of Teacher
• Role of School
• Role of Parents/Family
• Role of Society

59. Independent Approach
• Teacher directed activities
• Individual activities by students
• Group activities like games, exhibitions, discussions, role-play, debates,
dramatization, making collages etc.
And more effectively through specific, special time slots allotted in the time
table
The ‘Independent approach’The ‘Independent approach’
uses this special time to inculcate values in auses this special time to inculcate values in a
deliberate manner.deliberate manner.

60. How to make VBSE classes interesting?
• Many think Value education classes can only be preachy
and boring--it is so full of Do’s and Don’ts!
• Yet it need not be so.
• How about making the classes fun filled and interesting?
Even more interesting than the regular classes?
Try out some of the ways-
• Story telling.
• Songs and poems—use folk songs and action songs
• Comprehension exercises—using the media, picture
comprehension

61. Let the students use their Head,
Heart and Hands!
• Activities using their Head –
Solving riddles and puzzles, Dramatization,
Role play, Discussions and debates etc.
• Activities using their Heart –
Music, Games, etc.
• Activities using their hands –
Drawing illustrations and colouring, poster making,
making models and collages, craft work etc
• And many more!

62. Integrated Approach
• This is a recent development, where the common spiritual and
behavioural values are taught, while a course is being taught. This
means that each and every teacher who teaches a course must
incorporate values in each of the topic
• Integration is possible in both curricular and co-curricular
courses.
• In this integrated approach, the student will neither forget the
course nor the value. For example, while teaching about
pendulum and motion, it can be correlated to mind, desires
and contentment.
• In chemistry, cause and effect value can be taught while
teaching balancing of reactions.
• Teaching of science should get humanized, eg; In the lessons
of human physiology/biology, heart and brain should be
studied not simply as pumping stations and memory control
towers but as seats of love, feelings, emotions, conscience –
the qualities that mankind is characterised by.

63. Subtle Approach
• The most effective, though difficult to
comprehend or integrate.
• Based on the fact that “ Values are caught
and not taught”.
• Parents, teachers, peers, family and
society influence the student and his
behaviour. Parents and teachers must
regulate their minds.
• Parents have to be wise enough to know
that “ My child is mine; nevertheless it has
its own existence. It has a tendency of
growth and let me allow it grow”.

64. Subtle approach
We teach who we are!
Actions speak louder than words.
Students learn values from What we are than
from What we say.
They also pick up hidden and unintended
values from
what is said and not said
what is done and not done!

65. What is the role of the
Teacher?
As a substitute mother and a role model,
• should have a positive, healthy attitude and
the right values
• a balanced emotional outlook
• a regulated mind which is able to think
clearly and answer without any ambiguity

66. What is the role of the Teacher?
should
• help the students achieve their full potential
and bring out the best in them.
• be able to lead them towards a better
tomorrow.
• Most important of all---MUST BE LOVING
AND SINCERE!
• Yes, it is a tall order but it is BIG
responsibility too!

67. Subtle approach – teaching with
LOVE
• Love is of paramount importance.
• Love is the core value. It leads to
understanding, sympathy, empathy,
consideration, care, sacrifice etc.
• A teacher who approaches any subject with
love, wins over the hearts of his/her wards.
• Love is the catalyst which grooms them into a
complete human being

68. It is said that
• An excellent teacher inspires
• A good teacher explains
• An average teacher teaches &
• A bad teacher complains!
Which category do I belong?
A TEACHER IS AND CAN BE THE
PIVOT OF THE SCHOOL

69. Need of the hour
Based on life oriented value based spiritual
curriculum and love based approach the
process of education in this millennium should
consist of the following four stages—
“Knowledge which is taught
Knowledge gained through intuition
Knowledge gained through revelation
Ultimate knowledge that comes from within
ourselves through meditation- yogic practice”.

70. Meditation for
regulation of mind

71. What is
Meditation and
what is the
purpose of
Meditation?

72. Meditation may be defined as theMeditation may be defined as the
continuous thinking of something, orcontinuous thinking of something, or
about something.about something. In a sense,In a sense,
therefore, anybody who is thinkingtherefore, anybody who is thinking
continuously of something may becontinuously of something may be
said to be involved in meditationsaid to be involved in meditation..

73. Meditation is a process. It is aMeditation is a process. It is a
process which we undertake toprocess which we undertake to
reach a destined goal, areach a destined goal, a
predetermined goal.predetermined goal. Meditation isMeditation is
a training to apply the mind fora training to apply the mind for
the purpose of regulating the mindthe purpose of regulating the mind
by our efforts.by our efforts.

74. The whole purpose ofThe whole purpose of
meditation is to make a reversalmeditation is to make a reversal
in this fact of life that the mind isin this fact of life that the mind is
our Master. We have to becomeour Master. We have to become
the Master of our mind. It is onlythe Master of our mind. It is only
this much, just reverse it.this much, just reverse it.

75. As one meditates so one becomes.As one meditates so one becomes.
It therefore follows that what weIt therefore follows that what we
meditate upon we get or becomemeditate upon we get or become
and inversing this formula, if weand inversing this formula, if we
want to become something wewant to become something we
must meditate upon that andmust meditate upon that and
nothing else.nothing else.

76. Therefore if our aim is
Realisation or the attainment of
one-ness with the Ultimate, the
object of meditation must be
that Ultimate and nothing else.

77. We can learn to meditate onlyWe can learn to meditate only
by meditating.by meditating. Meditate everyMeditate every
day. Because by doing it againday. Because by doing it again
and again, we progressivelyand again, we progressively
increase our ability to takeincrease our ability to take
command of the situationcommand of the situation..

78. Challenges to VBSE
implementation

79. Challenges-1
Religion vs. Spirituality
• First and foremost challenge in imparting spiritual education is that even
educated, intelligent people often confuse religion with spirituality.
• Spirituality is no way related to religion and in fact spirituality begins
where religion ends.
• Spirituality aims at integrating the entire humanity under the umbrella of
universal brotherhood irrespective of one’s religious background, beliefs,
caste, creed, sex, language, race, country etc.,
• Religions have caused several wars and resulted in division of mankind.
• Whereas religions survive on the weapons of fear and temptation,
spirituality thrives on love alone.
• Thus there cannot be any resistance from any corners to implement a
spiritual education programme.

80. Challenges-2
The five levels of education
Information should not be confused with
knowledge, knowledge should not be confused with
wisdom, wisdom should not be confused with
intuition, and intuition should not be confused with
revelation. There are so many levels in this world
today. Information, knowledge, wisdom, intuition, and
revelation are the five levels of education.
Unfortunately in today’s schools only the lowest of
these five levels is taught. The higher levels seem to
have no meaning, and they are not even referred to.

81. Challenges-3
The myth about Yoga
Many mistake yoga for yogasanas, which is only Hatha Yoga for
nourishment of body and to some extent mind.
The purpose of any yogic practice should be nourishment of the soul
and the sole aim of such practice being complete oneness with
the Ultimate and nothing short of it.
Perhaps yoga is the most misused/misinterpreted term today, not
only in the west, but in our country too.
Today we have yoga for dance, yoga for sex, yoga for sports, yoga
for diabetes cure, yoga for ladies etc.
The crux of the problem lies in our poor understanding of the real
goal of human life.
Many are happy with temporary goals of peace, curing of diseases,
mukthi or just concentration. In today’s fast life, people expect
miracles to happen in their life without any self-effort.

82. Challenges-4
The notion that spirituality is for the old and
weak
Many have the wrong notion that spirituality is
meant for the old and for the mentally,
physically and financially disadvantaged lot.
Ancient wisdom says any spiritual practice must
start from the conception stage and we have
the stories of Abhimanyu and Prahlada from
the puranas.
Success in any spiritual practice requires strong
will power coupled with unalloyed devotion
and obedience to the Spiritual guide and it is
truly meant for the strong only.

83. Challenges-5
Is Spirituality commercialised?
• It is unfortunate that in a country like India with her glorious past,
there have been umpteen number of yogic systems/organisations
who have made a good amount of money by cheating and
exploiting the public in the disguise of so called spirituality.
• The huge gathering of people around such notorious gurus also
fascinates most of us and we often think majority opinion is
always correct.
• The need of the hour is non-religious, non-profit making spiritual
organisations whose only aim is spiritual welfare of its people and
not money-making.
• Wherever and whenever wealth, power and fame accumulates,
there can be only inflated ego, fear, insecurity, distrust and not to
talk of spirituality.

84. Challenges-6
Where can I find a role model
• Since the most effective approach to VBSE is the subtle approach, both
parents and teachers have to be role models. Therefore both parents and
teachers must regulate their mind by practicing meditation and evolve
spiritually.
• A real teacher continues to learn all his life. Common understanding is the
most important because, unless we lay a ground for common understanding,
neither can the teacher understand the student nor can the student
understand the teacher. Understand in the real sense, not with the head but
with the heart.
• A good teacher must recognize and attack the unwillingness, subdue it,
entice the owner of that unwillingness out of his or her shell into which they
have wrapped themselves. And the battle is won.
• It is same with parents too. Between the teacher and the student, there must
be flow of love from the teacher to the student, reciprocated by obedience
from the student to the teacher. The teacher must become an example,
which the students can follow, not someone the students are afraid of.

85. Challenges….
Once again we come back to the need for
spirituality for all, none can escape it.
It is a matter of utter shame for a country
like India to see her educated people
debating on whether one need spirituality
in their life or not.
Spirituality is essential as log as we are here
and there is no question of any choice
about it.

86. Conclusions

87. Conclusions-1
• Right education should cater to an individual's
intellectual, physical, emotional, social and
spiritual development.
• Education should help him/her evolve into a
person with holistic vision and growth, culminating
in preparing a happy future for an integrated
mankind.
• The means to achieve these objectives are
presented in this paper, the most effective being
the subtle approach.

88. Conclusions-2
• Some of the challenges in the implementation
of VBSE are presented.
• Most of these problems can be overcome,
once we educate the student community on
the need for spirituality in their life and for
that, the educators themselves must be role
models.
• It is earnestly hoped that academic
institutions interested in imparting value
based spiritual education work in
collaboration with a non-profit, purely spiritual
organisation for training their teachers who in
turn will train their students.

89. Conclusions-3
With these humble beginnings, we can help in
the fulfilment of the aim of regenerated,
revitalised, spiritualised youth which alone
can lead India in the consortium of nations in
this world.
To talk of material leadership is a farce and a
travesty of the truth.
India can lead the world only in spiritual matters
and this is possible only through a value
based spiritual education.

90. Thank you for having
given some of your
precious time to view
my presentation.
Have a nice day!