A Critical Engagement with Education for the Benefit of the Soul
A Critical Engagement With Education For The Benefit Of The Soul.
In this essay I will examine education as a conduit for the nourishment of the soul. I will provide an explanation of a “soul” and explore its place within us and in education, and the importance of the soul education within a larger, global context. I will show what is meant by “education” in both a formal and informal sense, and how it is imperative that formal education provides a holistic journey for the child through their schooling. There will be an examination of why it seems education is not fulfilling the soul in our society at present, and how the hierarchy of school subjects given by government prevent a wholesome education. I shall explore how a soul education requires liberation from oppressive forces and barriers in order to work effectively. I will explore what educators can do to provide a holistic education within the current curriculum and how schooling could promote the nourishment of the soul through combining a spiritual and academic education.
Before looking at education for the soul in a practical sense I will aim to first explain my understanding of what both “education” and “soul” mean. The “soul” is believed to be the spiritual depth of a person, what makes us “feel existence” (Miller, 2000, p21). It can also be called the spirit and the inner, or internal, self. The soul is seen as the part of someone that defines them as an individual, and is constantly growing through engagement with other people, nature and experiences. Historically, through Greek philosophy in particular, the soul has been believed to be what animates the body, gives consciousness, and has been separate from the physical world (Crivellato & Ribatti, 2007). The reflective nature of the internal self is so distinct from the physical self that humans have come to the conclusion that we are both mind and body: a dual-being (Descartes in Cottingham, 1996). This is still the generally held belief
In this essay I will examine education as a conduit for the nourishment of the soul. I will provide an explanation of a “soul” and explore its place within us and in education, and the importance of the soul education within a larger, global context. I will show what is meant by “education” in both a formal and informal sense, and how it is imperative that formal education provides a holistic journey for the child through their schooling. There will be an examination of why it seems education is not fulfilling the soul in our society at present, and how the hierarchy of school subjects given by government prevent a wholesome education. I shall explore how a soul education requires liberation from oppressive forces and barriers in order to work effectively. I will explore what educators can do to provide a holistic education within the current curriculum and how schooling could promote the nourishment of the soul through combining a spiritual and academic education.
Before looking at education for the soul in a practical sense I will aim to first explain my understanding of what both “education” and “soul” mean. The “soul” is believed to be the spiritual depth of a person, what makes us “feel existence” (Miller, 2000, p21). It can also be called the spirit and the inner, or internal, self. The soul is seen as the part of someone that defines them as an individual, and is constantly growing through engagement with other people, nature and experiences. Historically, through Greek philosophy in particular, the soul has been believed to be what animates the body, gives consciousness, and has been separate from the physical world (Crivellato & Ribatti, 2007). The reflective nature of the internal self is so distinct from the physical self that humans have come to the conclusion that we are both mind and body: a dual-being (Descartes in Cottingham, 1996). This is still the generally held belief