Marian de Souza

Contemporary influences on the spirituality of young people: Implications for education

ABSTRACTThis paper discusses the contemporary social and educational context of Australia and the impact on young peoples spirituality. It briefly presents the findings of a pilot study that explored the spirtuality of young people who live in a regional city in Australia and discusses their implications for educational programs that will address the spiritual dimension of learning.ABSTRACT This paper discusses the contemporary social and educational context of Australia and the impact on young peoples spirituality. It briefly presents the findings of a pilot study that explored the spirtuality of young people who live in a regional city in Australia and discusses their implications for educational programs that will address the spiritual dimension of learning.

Spirituality and well‐being

Taylor and Francis CIJC_A_408816.sgm 10.1080/13644360903086430 International Journal of Children’s Spirituality 364-436X (print)/1469-8 55 (online) Edit ri l 2 09 & Francis 4 30 000August 20 Mariande Souza .DeSouza@ cu.edu.au My investigations into notions of contemporary spirituality began in the late nineties when I would hear my students claim to be ‘not religious but spiritual’. I was interested to know just what they meant. My subsequent research was inspired by Nye’s (Hay and Nye 1998) notion of ‘relational consciousness’ and it led me to my current understanding of spirituality, that it is a vital element of the human condition which pertains to human relationality whereby the individual experiences different levels of connectedness to Self and everything other than self.1 The latter includes connectedness to the Social and Communal Other, to the Physical Other in the world and to a Transcendent Other, and it is these relationships that invigorate and animate the individual’s life as s/he moves forward on her/his spiritual journey. The movement comprises an outward motion to embrace others who are familiar, then moving on to connect to others who are different and unknown. As well, it comprises a ‘going within’ as the individual discovers new parts of him/herself that resonates with what they have learnt of the Other. Thus the path leads to empathy and compassion at the outer level and to self knowledge at the inner level. Such connectedness promotes a sense of self and place in one’s community which, in turn, provides a sense of meaning and purpose for the individual. Religious frameworks provide avenues to nurture and give expression to human spirituality and this is where religion and spirituality connect and, for some, they overlap and the differences become indistinct. Given this understanding, it is not surprising that I found that the professionals in Australia who were most interested in the role of spirituality in promoting well-being were social, youth and mental-health workers. In time, I was to realise that this interest was reflected in many countries across the globe. Before proceeding much further, it is pertinent to offer a definition of well-being as it has been applied in many of the articles which appear in this issue. Hence, I draw on Eckersley’s (2005) definition which was contained in a Wellbeing Manifesto that was launched at the Edge Theatre, Federation Square, Melbourne:

Educating for hope, compassion and meaning in a divisive and intolerant world

This article explores the problem of discussing a spiritual dimension in education within the secular context of western society, and Australian society in particular. It explores the idea that spirituality is relational and proposes an approach to learning that nurtures and gives expression to spirituality in terms of the connectedness students may feel and experience. It argues that such an approach can lead to the development of learning programmes and environments which may reduce the number of students who become isolated and alienated in traditional classrooms; which should promote, among students, the traits of resilience, connectedness, compassion and meaning; and increase their chances of becoming more productive and affirmed community members in a global society that is besieged by divisiveness, violence and terrorism.This article explores the problem of discussing a spiritual dimension in education within the secular context of western society, and Australian society in particular. It explores the idea that spirituality is relational and proposes an approach to learning that nurtures and gives expression to spirituality in terms of the connectedness students may feel and experience. It argues that such an approach can lead to the development of learning programmes and environments which may reduce the number of students who become isolated and alienated in traditional classrooms; which should promote, among students, the traits of resilience, connectedness, compassion and meaning; and increase their chances of becoming more productive and affirmed community members in a global society that is besieged by divisiveness, violence and terrorism.

The perceptions of young people who live in a regional city in Australia of their spiritual well‐being: implications for education

This paper is a report on a research study that investigated perceptions of 16‐year‐old to 20‐year‐old young people of their spiritual well‐being. The participants came from a range of backgrounds in a regional city in Victoria, Australia. Indications of spiritual well‐being were seen as expressions of a deep level of connectedness to the human and non‐human world and, also, a sense of purpose in ones life that promoted self‐esteem. The findings have implications for the development of programmes at primary and secondary levels that address the spiritual dimension in education.

Connectedness and connectedness: the dark side of spirituality – implications for education

Over the past few decades in the western world, as the concept and language of spirituality has moved out of theological and religion study disciplines to include studies in secular spheres, much of the literature identifies spirituality as a positive thing. Experiences often linked to it are positive experiences such as awe and wonder, joy and delight, tolerance and kindness, truth and honesty and so on. While this is important, I believe it is equally important to recognise that there is a dark side to spirituality. As a rule, this has not often been identified, examined or discussed. Certainly, in some circles, there is an understanding that the ‘dark night of the soul’ has relevance for religious understandings of spirituality which reveals a particular perspective that may accompany the search to unravel some of life’s mysteries and to find some meaning and purpose in the individual’s spiritual journey. However, this is often confined to religious and theological frameworks. This paper moves beyond these disciplines to examine the dark side in human spirituality. The dark side here refers to those aspects of the individual’s relationality or connectedness which do not nurture his/her well-being and which may impede his/her progress towards human flourishing. In my previous research, I have proposed that spirituality is an innate human trait that pertains to the relational dimension of Being. The expressions of spirituality, then, are expressions of connectedness that the individual has with everything other than self. In this paper, I will attempt to explore the dark side of spirituality as it may be experienced and expressed in contemporary secular life and examine the implications for educational programmes that aim to nurture the spirituality of the child and adolescent through a multisensory approach. As this is a new direction in my research, I will be reporting on work in progress.Over the past few decades in the western world, as the concept and language of spirituality has moved out of theological and religion study disciplines to include studies in secular spheres, much of the literature identifies spirituality as a positive thing. Experiences often linked to it are positive experiences such as awe and wonder, joy and delight, tolerance and kindness, truth and honesty and so on. While this is important, I believe it is equally important to recognise that there is a dark side to spirituality. As a rule, this has not often been identified, examined or discussed. Certainly, in some circles, there is an understanding that the ‘dark night of the soul’ has relevance for religious understandings of spirituality which reveals a particular perspective that may accompany the search to unravel some of life’s mysteries and to find some meaning and purpose in the individual’s spiritual journey. However, this is often confined to religious and theological frameworks. This paper moves beyond t...

Promoting Wholeness and Wellbeing in Education: Exploring Aspects of the Spiritual Dimension

The notion of wellbeing and education has become a topical issue in Australia. This could be, potentially, a response to the research in recent years in the fields of health and youth studies that highlight the disillusionment that afflicts many of our young people. Also notable is the distancing of many young people from traditional institutions such as religious traditions which provided some meaning and purpose to the lives of past generations. Instead, the contemporary search for something that may give meaning to their lives often leads young people into spaces without boundaries. This “dabbling” does not always lead to satisfaction, happiness, or wellbeing, and new ways to address this issue are required.

The empathetic mind: the essence of human spirituality

The discovery of mirror neurons has led to some exciting research into the role of the brain and human empathy. Empathy is a significant element in human relationality and, therefore, human spirituality. This article will focus on the links between mirror neurons and human empathy and education. It will then examine how technology may be a factor in causing the erosion of empathy in today’s world, leading to school violence and bullying. It will conclude by offering some guidelines for educational programmes which may lead to the nurturing of children’s empathy.The discovery of mirror neurons has led to some exciting research into the role of the brain and human empathy. Empathy is a significant element in human relationality and, therefore, human spirituality. This article will focus on the links between mirror neurons and human empathy and education. It will then examine how technology may be a factor in causing the erosion of empathy in today’s world, leading to school violence and bullying. It will conclude by offering some guidelines for educational programmes which may lead to the nurturing of children’s empathy.

Education for transformation: meeting students' needs in changing contemporary contexts

The latter part of the twentieth century saw huge movements of people across many areas of the globe through government‐organized migration programs, through extended career pathways, and through the growing numbers of refugees and displaced persons as a result of war, famine, drought and other devastating scenarios. This has led to the rise of societies with multicultural, multi‐faith and multi‐linguistic features, where once they were mono‐cultural and mono‐religious and, for the most part, mono‐linguistic. The emergence of these pluralist societies has, in some ways, ‘grown’ more inclusive and interactive communities with increased tolerance levels. Nonetheless, recent global events in the political, cultural and religious spheres have caused division, discrimination and distrust to surface, thereby unsettling the tenuous mantle of peace and harmony within these communities. This article examines some of these influences on contemporary Australian society and argues that what is needed is education for transformation which reflects a change in consciousness and which is more appropriate to the context of the contemporary world, one that is grounded in the totality of human experience which lies beyond the positivistic, reductionistic, scientific worldview of twentieth‐century education.

Overcoming Barriers that Impede Participation in Lifelong Learning

One approach to conceptualising lifelong learning suggests that lifelong learning is primarily concerned with the promotion of skills and competencies necessary for the development of general capabilities and specific performance on given tasks. Skills and competencies developed through programs of lifelong learning will, on this approach, have a bearing on questions of how workers perform in their tackling of specific job responsibilities and tasks and how well they can adapt their general and specific knowledge and competencies to new tasks (OECD, 1994). This approach presents us with a relatively narrow and limited understanding of the nature, aims and purpose of lifelong education. Nevertheless, this instrumental view tended to dominate earlier approaches to lifelong learning, especially in the Australian policy arena. It is evident from the work of OECD, UNESCO, the European Parliament and The Nordic Council of Ministers, however, that there are much broader and more multi-faceted ways of approaching the conceptualisation of lifelong learning. Instead of seeing education as instrumental to the achievement of an extrinsic goal, such as the acquisition of job skills, education may also be perceived as an intrinsically valuable activity, something that is good in and of itself. On this view, lifelong learning offers the opportunity for people to bring their knowledge up to date. It enables them to enjoy activities which they may have either long since laid aside or always wanted to do but were previously unable to. It allows them to try their hands at activities and pursuits that they had previously imagined were

The role of cultural and spiritual expressions in affirming a sense of self, place, and purpose among young urban, Indigenous Australians

This article sets out to discuss the impact that urban living has had on the lives of young Indigenous people. It will seek to discover some of the problems that occur when there is a meeting of two cultures, in this case the Indigenous culture of Australian Aboriginal people and the mainstream culture that has been derived largely from west European traditions which, in turn, was born out of Western Christian perspectives. As well, it will explore the challenges faced by minority groups who live in pluralist contexts when they attempt to hand on their ways to their young people, in particular, the difficulties faced by urban Indigenous Australians who try to ensure that their young people will develop knowledge about their cultural and spiritual heritage. Finally it will examine how the rights of young Indigenous people need to be protected so that they can continue to develop their particular identity and at the same time take their place with pride and integrity in the pluralist social context that defines Australia today. Many Australians understand that Aboriginal people have a special respect for nature. The identity we have with the land is sacred and unique. Many people are beginning to understand this more. Also there are many Australians who appreciate that Aboriginal people have a very strong sense of community. All persons matter. All of us belong and there are many more Australians who understand that we are people who celebrate together. What I want you to know about is another special quality of my people. I believe it is most important. It is our most unique gift. It is perhaps the greatest gift we can give to our fellow Australians. In our language it is the quality called dadirri. It is inner, deep listening and quiet, still awareness. Dadirri recognizes the deep spring inside us. We call on it and it calls to us. This is the gift that Australia is thirsting for. It is something like what you call ‘contemplation’. (Ungunmerr, 2003)