Abstract
At a time of unprecedented multiple crises threatening life on earth, the wholesale transformation of cultures and societies has never been more imperative. This article draws on insights and experiences of a group of women leaders who met in Oxford in October 2013, for five days of intensive thinking and discussion on the emerging future. They concurred that more than any other single factor, transformed educational institutions, curricula and methodologies could help meet the challenges of the 21st century and shape a positive future for the earth. They use the term Whole Mind education for the central feature of transformed educational models and posit three components of it as providing the greatest benefit: integration, creativity and peace. This article draws especially on the research and insights of a subset of the Emerging Future group, who have pioneering experience in innovative education, at all levels, across much of the world.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Baer, R. (2003). Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 10(2), 125–148.
Bohm, D. (1980). Wholeness and the implicate order. London: Routledge.
Bush, M. (2011). Mindfulness in higher education. Contemporary Buddhism: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 12(1), 183–197. http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rcbh20.
Civic Enterprises, & Peter D. Hart Research Associates (2013). The missing piece: A national teacher survey on how social and emotional learning can empower children and transform schools. Chicago: Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL). http://civicenterprises.net/MediaLibrary/docs/CASEL-report-low-res-FINAL.pdf.
Durisch, A. (2014). Education and suicide. Global Education Magazine. http://www.globaleducationmagazine.com/education-suicide/.
Elgin, D. (2009). The living universe. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler.
Ettlinger, M., Margulis, E. H., & Wong, P. C. M. (2011). Implicit memory in music and language. Frontiers in Psychology, 2, 211. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2011.00211.
Fadiman, D. (1990). Why do these kids love school?. Santa Monica, CA: Pyramid Film and Video.
Fain, P. (2014). Nowhere to go. Inside Higher Education, May 27. http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2014/05/27/gainful-employment-will-hit-profits-and-their-students-hard-industry-study-finds#sthash.anIVsCgH.dpbs.
Freire, P. (1970). Pedagogy of the oppressed. New York: Continuum Press.
Gandhi, M. K. (1960). All men are brothers. Ahmedabad: Navajivan.
Gandhi, M. K. (2007). Hind Swaraj and other writings. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
GradSchools.com (1996–2014). Conflict and peace studies graduate programs in the United States. http://programs.gradschools.com/usa/peace_studies,html.
Harijan Journal, 31 July 1937. Poona, India.
Holt, J. (1964). How children fail. New York: Pitman.
Houston, J. (2004). Jump time: Shaping your future in a world of radical change. Boulder, CO: Sentient.
IB [International Baccalaureate] (2005–2014). World school statistics. Geneva: IB. http://www.ibo.org/facts/schoolstats/.
Kabat-Zinn, J. (2013). Mindfulness in education. Talk at the Askwith Forum, Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, MA. https://storify.com/HarvardEd/jon-kabat-zinn-mindfulness-in-education.
Langer, E. (1997). The power of mindful learning. Cambridge: Capo Press.
Lillard, P. P. (1996). Montessori today: A comprehensive approach to education from birth to adulthood. New York: Schocken Books.
Lutz, A., Slagter, H. A., Rawlings, N. B., Francis, A. D., Greischar, L. L., & Davidson, R. J. (2009). Mental training enhances attentional stability: Neural and behavioral evidence. Journal of Neuroscience, 29(42), 13418–13427.
Mani, R. (2011). Creation amidst destruction. In R. Mani & T. Weiss (Eds.), Responsibility to protect: Cultural perspectives from the Global South (pp. 96–130). Abingdon: Routledge.
McCown, D., Reibel, D., & Micozzi, M. S. (2010). Jon Kabat-Zinn’s teaching mindfulness: A practical guide for clinicians and educators. New York: Springer.
Miller, R. (2011). Higher education and the journey of transformation. Journal of Pedagogy, Pluralism, and Practice, 4(3). http://www.lesley.edu/journal-pedagogy-pluralism-practice/ron-miller/higher-education-transformation/.
Montessori, M. (1932/1989). Education for peace. Reprinted as The Clio Montessori series. Oxford: ABC-CLIO.
O’Brien, L., & Murray, R. (2008). Forest School research summary. Farnham, Surrey: Social and Economic Research Group. http://www.forestry.gov.uk/website/pdf.nsf/pdf/SERG_Forest_School_research_summary.pdf/$FILE/SERG_Forest_School_research_summary.pdf.
Omer, A., Schwartz, M., Lubell, C., & Gall, R. (2012). Domains, levels, and approaches: Exploring the diversity within transformative learning praxis. Paper presented at the Tenth International Conference on Transformative Learning, San Francisco.
Oppenheimer, T. (1999, September). Schooling the imagination. The Atlantic Monthly, 284(3). http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1999/09/schooling-imagination/309180/.
Palmer, P. (1993). To know as we are known: Education as a spiritual journey. New York: Harper Collins.
Peat, D. (2005). Blackfoot physics. York Beach, ME: Red Wheel/Weiser.
Roeser, R. W., Skinner, E., Beers, J., & Jennings, P. A. (2012). Mindfulness training and teachers’ professional development: An emerging area of research and practice. Child Development Perspectives, 6(2), 167–173.
Roeser, R., & Zelazo, P. (2012). Contemplative science, education and child development: Introduction to the special section. Child Development Perspectives, 6(2), 143–145.
Schonert-Reichl, K. A., & Hymel, S. (2007). Educating the heart as well as the mind: Why social and emotional learning is critical for students’ school and life success. Education Canada, 47, 20–25.
Schonert-Reichl, K. A., & Hymel, S. (2010). The effects of a mindfulness-based education program on pre- and early adolescents’ well-being and social and emotional competence. New York: Springer Science and Business Media. doi:10.1007/s12671-010-0011-8.
Scofield, B. (2012). Why the Dalai Lama is wrong to think meditation will eliminate violence. Blog entry, Tikkun Daily, 15 Nov. http://www.tikkun.org/tikkundaily/2012/11/15/why-the-dalai-lama-is-wrong-to-think-meditation-will-eliminate-violence/.
Seldin, T. (2000). Montessori 101: Some basic information that every Montessori parent ought to know. Tomorrow’s Child, 7(2), 7–8.
Shor, I., & Freire, P. (2002). What are the fears and risks of transformation? In A. Darder, M. Baltodano, & R. D. Torres (Eds.), The critical pedagogy reader (pp. 53–74). New York: Routledge.
Siegel, D. (2007). The mindful brain. New York: Norton.
Siegel, D. (2010). Mindsight. New York: Bantam.
Siegel, D. (2012). The developing mind (2d ed.). New York: Guilford.
Singhvi, L. M., Rai, M. R., & Ramakrishnan, (Eds.) (1937). Nani Palkiwala: Selected works. New Delhi: Bhawan’s Book University.
Suid, M. (1991). Why do these kids love school? A film by Dorothy Fadiman. Study guide. http://www.concentric.org/whydothesekidsloveschool/WDTKLS-Study%20Guide.pdf.
Taylor, E., & Cranton, P. (Eds.) (2012). The handbook of transformative learning. New York: Wiley.
Thakkar, U. (2004). Mohalla committees of Mumbai: Candles in the ominous darkness. Economic and Political Weekly, February 7.
Winfrey, O. (2012). Interview with Jean Houston, broadcast on Super Soul Sunday. Video. http://www.oprah.com/own-super-soul-sunday/The-Lessons-Jean-Houston-Wants-Everyone-to-Learn-Video.
Zelazo, P. D., & Lyons, K. E. (2012). The potential benefits of mindfulness training in early childhood: A developmental social cognitive neuroscience perspective. Child Development Perspectives, 6(2), 154–160.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
About this article
Cite this article
Mani, R., Elworthy, S., Gopinath, M. et al. Whole Mind education for the emerging future. Prospects 44, 591–606 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11125-014-9325-y
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11125-014-9325-y