Why is meditation not taught in schools ?

[joea]

I'm just wondering why is mediation not a some small part ( at least ) of school learning in most western countries...yet in places like India it is very prevalent..

 

[bobhikes]

I was taught meditation in 9 grade in a US school.

 

[KatNotKathy]

My high school had an after school club where people would set out some mats in one of the classrooms and just sort of do their thing meditating.

Of course, they shared a room with the gaming club (which I was in), so I can't really see how they got anything done with all the loud dice rolling and loudmouth grognards.

 

[joea]

Hmmmm...okay. In my country ( New Zealand ) meditation has never been a part of the school curriculum...

 

[KatNotKathy]

Hmmmm...okay. In my country ( New Zealand ) meditation has never been a part of the school curriculum...

Well it was never part of the curriculum while I was in school either. It was an unofficial after school activity, so just a couple students chilling in a classroom after school with a teacher popping in every now and then to make sure nothing is destroyed.

 

[joea]

Well it was never part of the curriculum while I was in school either. It was an unofficial after school activity, so just a couple students chilling in a classroom after school with a teacher popping in every now and then to make sure nothing is destroyed.

Yes well..that's what my question meant I suppose....why mediation not taught at school as part of a school subject...

 

[KatNotKathy]

Yes well..that's what my question meant I suppose....why mediation not taught at school as part of a school subject...

Don't know about you kiwis, but the American public school system is terrible enough as it is. We're so underfunded we can't even get the basics right, much less non-academic activities.

 

[dust1n]

I'm just wondering why is mediation not a some small part ( at least ) of school learning in most western countries...yet in places like India it is very prevalent..

Well, speaking for America, we no longer have any decent class in the curriculum. Instead of having classes where a kid is left to think and critically analyze a situation, the classes engage the children in text book reciting, endless multiple choice worksheets, and intense training of standardized tests to ensure higher scores/thus higher budgets (that's a big thing here in Florida.)

 

[enchanted_one1975]

I am thinking it would be hard to get a room full of kids to stay quiet and take it seriously if it were part of the curriculum. Also we have a lot of dumb kids that need to use that time to study things like math and grammar. It would be great if they offered an after school club for such a thing though.

 

[Madhuri]

We had Yoga as a sports choice and at the end there was some little meditation. But meditation taught like this is not really meditation. It is just a relaxation method where most people just fall asleep.

 

[dust1n]

I am thinking it would be hard to get a room full of kids to stay quiet and take it seriously if it were part of the curriculum. Also we have a lot of dumb kids that need to use that time to study things like math and grammar. It would be great if they offered an after school club for such a thing though.

I didn't say it should be mandatory. Ever heard of electives?

 

[joea]

We had Yoga as a sports choice and at the end there was some little meditation. But meditation taught like this is not really meditation. It is just a relaxation method where most people just fall asleep.

You're quite correct....I mean even today a lot of people still have trouble meditating or even stay silent for a wee while...

 

[zenzero]

Friend joea,

Why is meditation not taught in schools ?

Whatever may be the reasons; discussing may not be of much help BUT surely if you practice it yourself it will help you and others around you and maybe someday you could bring about a change in school curriculum to add *meditation* as a period or daily schedule like prayer.

Love & rgds

 

[ChrisP]

Hmmmm...okay. In my country ( New Zealand ) meditation has never been a part of the school curriculum...

Meditation is in no way shape or form mainstream enough to be accepted into the education system here. I agree that it is beneficial though. There are many beneficial things out there, if we included them all we'd be in school til we were 300... Meditation does not always get called meditation either. I find sports a meditative practise. Given our national predisposition to athletic endeavours (read rugby), I'd say we get our meditation in different more culturally and socially traditional ways like exercise.

Friend joea,



Whatever may be the reasons; discussing may not be of much help BUT surely if you practice it yourself it will help you and others around you and maybe someday you could bring about a change in school curriculum to add *meditation* as a period or daily schedule like prayer.

Love & rgds

I think this is a great post. A rare Chrisp frubal for you zenzero. It's so easy to TALK about doing things, instead of just doing them.

 

[joea]

Friend joea,



Whatever may be the reasons; discussing may not be of much help BUT surely if you practice it yourself it will help you and others around you and maybe someday you could bring about a change in school curriculum to add *meditation* as a period or daily schedule like prayer.

Love & rgds

Thanks ZenZero....actually my thoughts goes deeper than the question itself...but that would otherwise becomes another question...so thanks to all..

 

[methylatedghosts]

Hmmmm...okay. In my country ( New Zealand ) meditation has never been a part of the school curriculum...

I went to John Paul in Rotorua - there it was required that you do a religious education class, and one term of it did involve other religions and did include meditation.

 

[Vasilisa Jade]

Sadly, I think meditation is not in schools, even as a brief activity or elective, due to the controversy it would cause. One of my dance instructors that owns a studio here couldn't even go through with teaching Yoga because parents pulled their kids out thinking she was buddhist or atheist. The masses can be spectacularly dumb.

 

[joea]

I went to John Paul in Rotorua - there it was required that you do a religious education class, and one term of it did involve other religions and did include meditation.

John Paul...is that a church college or state school ?....I live in Tokoroa, just down the road

 

[joea]

Sadly, I think meditation is not in schools, even as a brief activity or elective, due to the controversy it would cause. One of my dance instructors that owns a studio here couldn't even go through with teaching Yoga because parents pulled their kids out thinking she was buddhist or atheist. The masses can be spectacularly dumb.

Exactly...that's the second point of my question. The west regards the inner self of your being as not important. Places like India and the Arab countries, meditation and prayers are a part of everyday school life.....in the west if you started meditating or praying in the classroom, everyone will think you're nuts..

 

[zenzero]

Friend Joea,

John Paul...is that a church college or state school ?.

What the net offers:
General Information

John Paul College is the leading Catholic co-educational school based in the heart of the tourist capital of Rotorua. It educates and shapes the lives of young people from Year 7 (11 years) to Year 13 (17 years). The school was founded in 1987 under the Principalship of Mr Jack Griffith with the amalgamation of Edmund Rice College and McKillop College.

The College has a track record of academic excellence, sporting achievement and producing young men and women who are academically well qualified, confident and effective citizens. John Paul College is proud of the large number of alumni who occupy leadership positions in politics, business, medicine, law, the Arts, engineering and the Church.

Best Wishes.

Love & rgds