Spiritual Wellbeing
Many of the aspects of spiritual wellbeing are focussed on how we think of ourselves within our world. Your beliefs, values, morals, and ethics are constantly challenged and critiqued as you engage in everyday interactions with others at work, home, and play. Your sense of meaning and purpose is of great importance because it is what drives you to engage and achieve. A sense of connectedness to something larger than yourself is present in most humans’ lives and, for some, may be demonstrated by religious faith.
The material for this dimension starts with a TED talk by Dada Gunamuktananda which asks you to explore your consciousness as well as consider another perspectives of connectedness. This dimension will ask you to be self-reflective to better understand your sense of reality.
Prompt
View the following 2014 TED talk by Dada Gunamuktananda before going to the Community Forum to engage in discussion. Dada is a Yogi and meditation teacher who has trained in meditation, yoga, and natural health sciences in Australia, the Philippines and India. He has been a meditation teacher of Ananda Marga since 1995. He talks about consciousness and how it lies within ourselves.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lo0X2ZdElQ4
Reading
The activity for this module is not a reading – but a poetry recital. View “And Still I Rise” an epic, inspirational, and classic poem by Maya Angelou. This poetry was performed on April 5, 2007.
Visit: https://bettermindbodysoul.com/readings-inspirational-short-stories/
We’ve added a reading that may be of interest. It’s a short article by Amy Beegle who explores ways of turning Maya Angelou’s poetry into music. This might be something to try with your students.
Activity
Write your own inspirational poem. You may not feel that you are particularly poetic, but each of us has words that we find inspirational. Try one of the following.
- 1. List some of the words that inspire you followed by a simile or metaphor (for example: Freedom – birds soaring)
- 2. Use the acrostic approach. Write a word that inspires you and then create a phrase or word from each of the letters.
For example:
- Let me see you smile.
- Or cry.
- Vast is my love.
- Every time you're near.
Share your poem with colleagues on the Community Forum.
Community Forum
After viewing the video, go to the Community Forum and join the discussion. Respond to the following prompts:
- Question #1. What global issues and crises (e.g., global warming, mass migration) can challenge an individual’s values and ethics? What forums can an individual use to help better understand how to think, feel, and act?
- Question #2. What gives you a sense of meaning and purpose in your life? Share what you can about what keeps you focussed on achieving.
- Question #3. What can challenge your sense of connectedness to others or purposes? How do you protect yourself from doubt?
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