1. STRESS; HOLISTIC EDUCATION AND HOLISTIC
RENAISSANCE: DR SHRINIWAS KASHALIKAR
Mismanagement of stress; at individual and social levels; distorts
our cognition, affect and conation (perception, feelings and
actions); and leads to; amongst many other evils; deterioration of
international, national and local education policy and its
implementation. This makes it non-holistic, sectarian, prejudiced,
vindictive, malicious, mercenary, exploitative and malevolent. This
makes the education (formal, curricular, co curricular,
extracurricular and informal) a major stressor as it nurtures petty
pursuits; and creates conflicts of interests and perpetuates division
and discord in the individual and social life.
Let us review; the present perspective, policy and practice of
education; as seen around; in India.
Even though education is defined in various ways; and often
inadequately or incompletely; there has been a general agreement
on the fact that education is basically a process of blossoming of an
individual and the society. Hence this definition included three
domains, which are as follows.
AFFECTIVE DOMAIN:
This means the state of mind. In simple words affective domain
relates to how we feel. Thus when our mind is full of alertness,
2. attention, enthusiasm, buoyancy, affection, concern, joy, tolerance,
self esteem, mutual respect, mutual trust, commitment, dedication,
love, romance, confidence, victorious spirit, we would call it; a
healthy affective domain. In addition; the zeal and concentration;
needed; in the pursuit of excellence in intellectual field, tenacity
and endurance required; in skillful activities and patience and
commitment essential; for internally satisfying and socially
beneficial (conscientious) actions constitute affective domain. The
purpose of education is to nurture this domain by designing
suitable curricula and syllabi.
PSYCHOMOTOR DOMAIN:
This implies ability to appreciate skills and ability to perform
physical and mental skills, with speed, accuracy, elegance, ease of
performance etc. This may involve appreciation and performance;
of skills such as surgery, playing a musical instrument, playing
basket ball or doing carpentry! The purpose of education is to
nurture this domain through not only designing suitable curricula,
syllabi but also by providing sufficient practical and demonstration
classes; with all the necessary equipments.
COGNITIVE DOMAIN:
This incorporates; accurate perspective, perception,
understanding, conceptualization, concentration, evaluation,
analysis, recall, synthesis, correlation; and making appropriate
3. policies, plans and decisions. It also includes expertise in the
management, administration, etc.
It is clear that all these domains have three components each viz.
Cognition [Perception], affect [Feelings] and conation [Response].
Thus cognitive domain would have intellectual perception, clarity
and intellectual expression, affective domain would include feeling,
motivation and response in emotional sphere such as poetry; and
psychomotor domain would include grasp and internalization of a
particular skill, confidence to perform it and actually performing
it.
Let us now see, how in spite of the goals of these domains; how
education deteriorated to the present stage; where all the three
domains are defective; apart from lacking in the spiritual and
productive domains. In short; let us see how it has become a major
stressor.
For this; a brief consideration of the traditional education system
in India would prove useful.
Traditional Education System in India in general; ensured that:
a] Careers were not selected on the basis of monetary gains,
b] Careers were not selected arbitrarily on the basis of
idiosyncrasies and whims,
4. c] Lucrative careers could not be sought after; in preference to the
others,
d] All careers ensured income and production from early age,
e] All careers ensured that the society was benefited,
f] All careers ensured security to all the social groups,
g] All the careers ensured intimacy and closeness between young
and old in the families.
h] All careers ensured ethical education and passage of experience
and wisdom; from generation to generation.
These were merits.
But it is also true that, the traditional system was apparently
marked by; deprivation of scholastic education on mass scale,
availability of education and jobs based on caste basis, relatively
deficient infrastructure for collective scientific and technological
efforts, and an element of arbitrary imposition of hierarchy.
As a result of several stressful factors; including the onslaught of
the tempting and impressive individualistic doctrines; the
traditional education system has got metamorphosed into a major
stressor. It is tearing apart; the cohesive social fabric and
destroying the values; in India. There is a failure to preserve and
nurture the merits and discard and dispose off; the demerits! The
5. education shifted from homes, home industries and farms to;
nurseries, K.G. schools, schools, colleges, universities, where the
cognition, affect and conation; all suffered!
Cognition suffered because of:
a] Huge number of students, in a single class making following
three things almost impossible. These are i] individual attention ii]
dialogue iii] discussions,
b] Lack of adequate salary, accountability, incentive and economic
security to the teachers taking away; the initiative of nurturing
cognitive domain
c] Increase in alienation with respect to student’s background and
aptitude
d] Lack of adequate incentive to the students in the form of
creativity, production and earning, service to the family and
service to the nation, takes away the motivation required for
building up cognitive domain
e] Lack of conviction essential in the growth of cognitive domain in
the teachers and students because of outdated practical and
demonstration classes, lack of interdisciplinary dialogue and in
general the irrelevance of education to the realities of day to day
life in as much as almost predictable consecutive unemployment at
the end! The lack of conviction could be partly due to lack of
6. participation by teachers in decision-making, policy making,
development of curricula, syllabi etc.
f] Emphasis on recall and hence rote learning thereby denying free
inquiry, reading, questioning etc. thereby directly thwarting the
cognitive domain
g]] Too many examinations; with irrelevant parameters or criteria
of evaluation [besides being unfair in many instances] leading to
misguided and in most cases counterproductive efforts thus
adversely affecting the cognitive domain
h] Competitions where the manipulative skills, callousness,
selfishness are given more respect, destroy the enthusiasm of
growing in cognitive domain
i] Information explosion affecting cognitive domain by either
causing enormous and unnecessary burden on memory or
inferiority complex
j] Pressure of interviews causing constant tension and sense of
inadequacy, right from the tender age,
k] Protracted hours of homework in schools denying the students
their legitimate right to enjoy their childhood and make them
physically, mentally and intellectually unfit to grow in cognitive
domain
7. l] Irrelevant and unnecessary information loading in lectures in the
form of monologue, leading to suppression of the spontaneity,
originality, interest and enthusiasm so much required in cognitive
development amongst the students,
Affective domain suffered due to,
A] Isolation of the children from their parents and their domestic
environment at an early age [Making the parents also equally sad]
B] Lack of warm bonds due to huge number,
C] Cut throat individualistic and petty competition,
D] Inadequate facilities of sports, trekking, educational tours,
recreation and physical development etc
E] Alienation from one’s social environment and culture
Psychomotor domain suffered due to
A] Almost total lack of opportunities to actually participate in
skillful activities such as drawing, painting, sewing, sculpturing,
carpentry, knitting, weaving, music, agriculture, horticulture,
other handicrafts, various sports, performing arts etc.
It is important to realize that promotion of psychomotor domain is
evident but in its caricature form. It has no concrete economic
realistic basis. The activities have no economic incentive and no
productive element.
8. Apart from the defects in the three domains; the other two
domains viz. spiritual and productive; have not been included in
the education.
The spiritual domain that imparts universal perspective and
globally beneficial outlook; incorporates inner blossoming of an
individual through introspection, heart to heart communication
(not merely discussion and arguments), mutual understanding and
blossoming of the teachers and students together; through one of
the most universal practices; viz. NAMASMARAN. Thus the
spiritual domain is a key to conquer lust, whims, fancies, pride,
arrogance, callousness, contempt, ungratefulness, prejudices,
jealousy, hatred, meanness and so on; is never made available to
the teachers, students and the others; associated with education.
The present education system in India lacks the other important
domain; viz. productive domain that empowers the people
concerned with education. This prevents a huge section of society
such as teachers, students, clerks, servants, sweepers and many
others; such as education inspectors, from being creative and
productive. In addition; it causes colossal loss of space, electricity,
construction cost and so on. In addition because of the typical
emphasis on rote learning it leads to phenomenal waste of
“educational material” such as paper, bags, pencils, ball pens etc.
It has to be appreciated that billions of rupees are spent on
unproductive or rather counterproductive exercise of construction,
9. decoration and maintenance of schools and colleges, electricity, and
so called educational material, payment of millions of teachers and
other staff members engaged, and exams conducted to test the
“capacity and merit of rote learning”. This way we weaken the
national economy, jeopardize the developmental activities.
It also causes economic loss to everyone involved in education;
while suppressing and starving their all three domains nurtured in
productive activity. This is a single most important cause of
1] Reduction in the dignity of labor amongst those who continue to
learn, as well as reduction in the income of the concerned families
and the nation
2] Lack of education, lack of employment and starvation or
criminalization amongst those who are forced to drop out because
the poor villagers’ children normally contribute to the earning of
the family.
3] Inhuman suffering of those millions of students dropouts, who
somehow manage to get into the hell of cheap child labor for
subsistence; due to economic reasons.
In short, present day education system harnesses arrogance and
diffidence; amongst those who continue to learn. But their
spiritual, cognitive, psychomotor, affective and productive domains
are defective. Their spiritual blossoming, self empowerment,
creative wisdom, intellectual competence, productive skills, self
sufficiency and even physical health are deficient. Thus we have
increasing number of unproductive criminals and mental wrecks
10. or highly competitive efficient maniacs; pursuing petty goals at the
cost of others!
For those who are unable to continue the education; the abyss of
being child labor, stealing, delinquency, criminals, perverts, beggars
is wide open!
The piecemeal approach or facilitation of petty pursuits (under the
guise of development and progress) is not only useless but are in fact
counterproductive! It leads to cancerous spread of industries with
uncontrolled production of unnecessary utilities and their
maddening marketing. These industries consume energy, fuel and
add to undisposable waste and pollution. This sickening and
stressful atmosphere nurtured by the present education; promotes
the growth of terrorism on the one hand; and pretends to act against
it (in a counterproductive way) on the other!
Mainstream Education System and the courses and careers in it;
revolve around and serve the grossly petty and superficial
considerations, motivations and interests and this state of affairs; is
strongly protected and strengthened by the elements with similar
interests! Hence the present laws, rules and regulations also
promote present education and its ill effects.
Some institutions and individuals, for whom we have great respect,
are involved in the holistic approach to education (mainstream,
formal, informal, curricular, co curricular, extracurricular as well
11. as education of physically and mentally challenged children). But
these efforts are too feeble to make a difference to our life.
While piecemeal approaches are failing; there is no adequate
awareness and promotion of holistic education, which leaves the
vicious cycle of stress distorting education and distorted education
creating, aggravating and spreading the stress; to continue
unabashedly and unabated.
Hence; the ill effects of stress on present education and vice versa;
can be eradicated if we understand and propagate the defects in
present education and promote holistic education as an
international solution. It has to be appreciated that no statesman,
no political leader, no policy maker and no administrator can bring
about change in an existing system (in democratic set up); unless,
we evolve a consensus about the changes in the majority of people;
whose cooperation is very vital.
In short; the policy of holistic education; demands that every
school, college, university etc must become the center of production
and service, self sufficient and must aid in self sufficiency and
blossoming of everyone involved in education and also of the
nation.
12. The students, teachers and others associated with education; must
blossom as independent and empowered individuals; spiritually,
intellectually, mentally, instinctually, physically and economically.
In practice; everyday; approximately
20 % of the time must be spent in production, service etc.
20 % of the time must be spent in physical activities
20 % of the time must be spent in holistic personality development
20 % of the time must be spent in entertainment and
20 % of the time must be spent on cognitive domain
Let us consider these separately:
20 % of the time must be spent in production, service etc.
1. The productive domain should be an essential ingredient of
education System, but no particular job should be enforced. The
teachers and others should participate in the productive domain.
Production and service can involve community projects such
plantation of medicinal herbs, rearing of cows, home flower
gardening, production of chalk sticks, carpentry, pottery,
cleanliness, crafts, skills, arts and their sale according to the
situations.. Working physically in different ways and earning is not
a burden. It is an opportunity to grow from within. It is an
opportunity to develop our self esteem. It is an opportunity to
become self sufficient.
13. 2. This leads to self sufficiency in schools. They do not have to
depend on heavy fees or federal grants or donations and this way
they become accessible to all; rendering the reservations redundant!
3. Through productive domain the hypokinetic stress, emotional
stress of being dependent and intellectual stress of excessive
memorizing is averted.
4. Due to productive domain, the dropping out due to lack of
earning (as is common in case of millions of students in many parts
of world) and then turning into helpless, vulnerable and cheap child
labor would come down.
5. Being empowered, the students would not go through the stress
of unemployment and turn into helpless, frustrated mental wrecks
or criminals.
6. The emphasis on productive domain (and hence psychomotor and
practical aspects) would bring down the necessity and also the
capability and possibility to “copy” and associated crimes and
corruption in procedures of examinations, certification, providing
grants and so on!
The caste based reservation for education, jobs and promotions;
responsible for social divide and strife; in many parts of the world;
(especially India) can be rendered redundant and thus; peacefully
and advantageously done away with, by consensus!
14. Most importantly; we have to introduce and incorporate
examinations, which examine the actual skill, capacity or
performance of the student, rather than his/her ability of repeating
or reproducing things and/or copying.
20 % of the time must be spent in physical activities
Physical activities can include pranayama, sports, exercise, trekking,
hiking, a variety of physical fitness training programs and methods
to avoid monotony and improve efficacy. A variety of sports
prevalent in every other parts of the world can make the programs
more interesting, entertaining thereby promoting global unity.
20 % of the time must be spent in personality (conceptual and
spiritual) development and
Personality development includes affective domain, spiritual domain
and embodies broadening of perspective; through various means
such as; NAMASMARAN, by hearting and chanting prayers, poems
and songs, guest lectures, seminars, discussions on holistic health
from guests from other states, countries, languages, cultures and
different religions; thereby promoting global unity. In addition it
also includes; educational tours and visits to places; where the
student gets exposed to the nature and society; such as farms,
gardens, sea shores, laboratories, airports, government offices, share
markets etc.
20 % of the time must be spent in entertainment
15. Entertainment that enriches the soul; not only should include
playing musical instruments, dance, painting, mimicry, singing,
storytelling, drama, movie etc. but everything that nurtures the
affective domain and spiritual domain as well.
20 % of the time must be spent on cognitive domain
Development of cognitive domain can include teaching of languages,
history, geography, mathematics etc with utmost emphasis on
interpretation and relevance in day to day life. Thus typical
irrelevant questions in the examination of history, languages,
mathematics; should be totally done away with. The subject such as;
commerce, economics, psychology, civics, philosophy, logic,
sociology etc must include field work and made relevant to the
present society.
We must encourage maximum and daily person to person
interaction and dialogue amongst the teachers and students; so that
analytical, synthetic, contemplative, decision making, trouble
shooting and problem solving capacities are developed optimally.
Let us realize the fact that the vicious cycle of stress distorting
education and distorted education causing and multiplying stress
and ill effects in individual and social life; cannot be managed
effectively unless and until; a situation where millions are
“imprisoned” in unproductive work and millions are forced into
unemployment and inhuman cheap child labor; is eradicated
16. through holistic education policy and its implementation; at
international, national and local levels; through the laws,
government rules and public awareness, consensus and
participation.
The details of practical steps can be developed by interactions
amongst the people active in the field of education all over the
world. But we all need;
1, Perspective and conviction of Global Unity and global welfare
2. Readiness to accept and introduce physiological insights and
principles in the holistic education
3. Readiness and openness to have dialogue with experts in other
fields
4. Participation from the society and governments and the media
including internet websites, so that holistic education activists all
over the world; can have a meaningful dialogue and share views,
work and experiences and may be, inspire others!
5. Administrative proficiency and due care and concern for the
physical capacities of the children (normal as well as the physically
and mentally challenged) and should not be painful and
troublesome.
7. The opportunities for psychomotor activities and productive
activities; without impositions.
17. 8. Every kind of open mindedness and tolerance amongst teachers
and students; so that better international relations can be realized.
The physical, instinctual, emotional, intellectual, spiritual and
economic empowerment and blossoming; embodies in holistic
education is integral to Total Stress Management i.e. individual and
global blossoming i.e. global unity, harmony and justice i.e. holistic
renaissance.
Can NAMASMARAN (JAP, JAAP, JIKRA, SUMIRAN, and
SIMARAN, i.e. remembering one’s true self) be useful in this? We
have to study, practice and find out the answer, if we don’t believe
and agree with traditional and profoundly democratic advice given
my most of the enlightened individuals; including
Brahmachaitanya Shri Gondavalekar Maharaj.
NAMASMARAN: AN INTRODUCTION
Namasmaran usually embodies; remembering the name of God,
Guru, great souls; such as prophets and whatever is considered as
holy e.g. planets and stars. It is remembered silently, loudly, along
with music, dance, along with breathing, in group or alone.
Further, NAMASMARAN is either counted by some means such as
fingers, rosary (called SMARANI or JAPAMALA), or electronic
counter; or practiced without counting. The traditions vary from
region to region and from religion to religion.
However the universal principle underlying
18. NAMASMARAN is to reorient our physiological and social being;
with our true self and establish and strengthen the bond between;
our physiological and social being; with our true self; and finally
reunification or merger with our true self!
Since individual consciousness is the culmination of every activity
in life; and NAMASMARAN the pinnacle of or culmination of
individual consciousness; NAMASMARAN is actually opening the
final common pathway to objective or cosmic consciousness; so
that individual consciousness in every possible activity gets
funneled into or unified with Him!
Thus NAMASMARAN is in fact the YOGA of YOGA in the sense
that it is the culmination of consciousness associated with every
possible procedure and technique in the yoga that we are familiar
with. It is the
YOGA of YOGA because it is the culmination of consciousness
associated with all the activities in the universe, which it
encompasses as well! It is YOGA of YOGA because everybody in
the world irrespective of his/her tradition and the beliefs; would
eventually, ultimately and naturally reach it; in the process of
liberation. Even so called non believers also would not “miss” the
“benefit of NAMASMARAN as they may remember true self
through one symbol or another”!
19. Just as NAMASMARAN is YOGA of YOGA it is meditation of
meditation also! This is because the natural and ultimate climax of
every form of meditation; is remembering true self or merging with
cosmic consciousness effortlessly!
These facts however have to be realized with persistent practice of
NAMSMARAN and not blindly believed or blindly disbelieved
with casual approach!
In short NAMSMARAN is super-bounty of cosmic consciousness
for every individual to realize it (cosmic consciousness)! This is
truly a super-bounty because a person, who experiences it, rises
above mercenary, commercial and even professional and charity
planes and manifest super- transactions in his or her life!
These are just few observations to give rough idea about what is
NAMASMARAN. NAMASMARAN is an ocean of bliss. Its true
meaning is beyond description in words and has to b experienced,
not by one or few person sporadically; but most preferably, by
billions!
The last point is; NAMASMARAN would certainly enlighten,
empower and enable at least some people; out of those billions
practicing NAMASMARAN; to evolve, guide and consolidate the
global conscience and thereby manifest global unity and harmony
and justice, through globally benevolent policies!
20. Can NAMASMARAN (JAP, JAAP, JIKRA, SUMIRAN, and
SIMARAN, i.e. remembering one’s true self) be useful in this? To
find out that; we have to study and explore the potential of
NAMASMARAN (JAP, JAAP, JIKRA, SUMIRAN, and
SIMARAN, i.e. remembering and/or recollecting one’s true self)!
References:
1. Stress: Understanding and Management; Dr. Shriniwas
Janardan Kashalikar
2. Namasmaran: Dr. Shriniwas Janardan Kashalikar
3. Smiling Sun: Dr. Shriniwas Janardan Kashalikar
4. Conceptual Stress: Dr. Shriniwas Janardan Kashalikar
5. New Study of Bhagavad Geeta: Dr. Shriniwas Janardan
Kashalikar
6. Holistic Medicine: Dr. Shriniwas Janardan Kashalikar
7. Holistic Health: Dr. Shriniwas Janardan Kashalikar
8. Namasmaran (Marathi): Dr. Shriniwas Janardan
Kashalikar
9. Tanavmukti (Marathi): Dr. Shriniwas Janardan
Kashalikar (Assistance Dr. Suhas Mhetre)
10. Bhovara (Marathi): Dr. Shriniwas Janardan Kashalikar
11. Sahasranetra (Comprehension of Vishnusahasranam;
Marathi): Dr. Shriniwas Janardan Kashalikar
12. Thakawa Ghalwa (Marathi): Dr. Shriniwas Janardan
21. Kashalikar
13. Tanavmuktisathi Upayukta Lekh (Marathi): Dr.
Shriniwas Janardan Kashalikar
14. SUPERLIVING: (English) Dr. Shriniwas Kashalikar
15. SUPERLIVING: (Marathi) Dr. Shriniwas Kashalikar
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