Reforms Needed to Teach Positìve Thinking Through Education

 The present education system has created a revolution in technology 

but has not solved problems which affect happiness directly like 

depression, psychological sickness, relationship breakdowns, 

corruption, terrorism etc.; hence, unrest and violence in society have 

increased. An understanding of what the soul needs from improving 

its efforts, is necessary to realize inner happiness as a direct outcome 

of effort and not as a side effect of success. 

All technology innovations which we are so proud of as human 

beings, have been made only in the direction of improving external 

display or comforts without sufficient attention being given to our 

internal emotional and spiritual needs.

Happiness comes from satisfying the needs of emotional satisfaction 

along with acquiring bodily comforts. Becoming successful without 

feeling happy is like painting the walls of the house without the 

people feeling brighter. Happiness and good health are co-related, as 

will be explained. ... Good health can never be maintained by 

focusing on just the needs of material success and using the body as 

a projected image with the inner mind in unrest. 

Since science only focuses on the external, observable world, a 

purely scientific approach which aims at only focusing on improvements in scientific/technological development will never 

lead to evolution of peace and harmony within the soul or in society. 

Due to neglect of soul needs in the education curriculum, 

human development has failed to realize feelings of peace and 

contentment. To be happier or more peaceful, a training in 

systematic understanding of emotional complexities, needs to be 

inculcated with the same zeal as mathematical skills are taught. 

A focus on integration of soul needs along with material needs while 

teaching how to make choices in everyday life is essential to create 

peaceful adults. A training in integrated Emotional and Spiritual 

development is the only way to permanently increase peace and 

happiness in the world.

Though we blame everything else except our thinking patterns for 

the problems in our life , a regular focus on grades/marks/ 

performance ability, success and money has been the core negative 

thinking principle which has led to a lop-sided development of 

humanity wherein inner peace of the mind has been sacrificed for a 

need to perform due to external pressure.

This lop-sided development has led to creation of imbalanced 

individuals who have no training on how to resolve complex 

emotional issues and resort to violence or addictions to vent 

out frustrations in an attempt to find inner peace. 

Human happiness cannot be created as a side-effect of 

success. You cannot get balanced, peaceful and happy adults 

by pursuing mechanical/academic success as the goal of 

education. 

Mind patterns are set in childhood and are affected by mass culture 

which is affected by education, predominantly. Since, the focus of 

all education has been on becoming successful at the cost of 

neglecting training in development of peace and inner happiness.

This chapter is an excerpt from the book - SPIRITUALITY IN EDUCATION ( Redefine success as rising peace ,optimism and happiness)

( www.shivaswati.com)