Siddarth Dubey
Defining his vision of Modern Indian Youth, Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore said,”A modern Indian youth of a new century must adhere to his Indian culture and adopt the positive aspects of the western world”.
What is the spiritual legacy that we are passing on to our adolescents as global citizens that will shape our tommorow?
As the complexities of todays world is increasing, youth are facing altogether new competitions in all spheres,from professional arena of Multinational companies to the cut throat competition in the world of Competitive studies where the expectations are higher like never before not only from family and society but from the person himself. In such an environment it is natural to feel the nerves and get stressed. They feel they need to adapt themselves in this competition or else they will perish as long stated by Charles Darwin’s theory of “Survival of the Fittest”. In this competitive and an increasingly violent world it is important that we foster Spirituality in youngsters. It should be included in school curriculum so that our children become aware of the importance of living with bonhomie with the rest of the world. A spiritual and enlightened youth would surely build a better future not only for himself but for his nation and in turn brighten future for this world. Youth with a religious and spiritual identity also have an enhanced chance of being aware of their civil obligations. Spiritual growth is the basis of self empowerment. Encouraging the development of spiritual principles and moral values helps strengthen the capacity of young people to participate with integrity and self worth, as key players within society now and as potential leaders in the future. Additionally an essential part of spiritual growth is dialogue across generations. Through reflection, personal sharing and discussion, safe and collaborative spaces can be created in which adults and young people can learn and grow together as equals.
I believe not only young ones are going to be benefitted from the power of spirituality but in fact spirituality is finding its new meaning and dimensions as youngsters look for a scientific logic behind being spiritual.
A research suggested that children who were aware of spiritual practices are also more confident and self-assured, and generally have a better sense of who they were. In this regard, increased maturity was evident. Overall, there had been little change in the students’ primary values. Relationships with friends and family remained a central part of their lives, although some students suggested that they had developed a greater appreciation for these relationships. Friends and family were often the first people students would turn to for guidance, and were generally the most significant influence in their lives. These relationships contributed to the young people’s framework of beliefs and values. More evident were changes that had to do with the stage of life of the young people. This had a significant influence on some of their priorities. It was noted that interests in social justice were also relegated in the list of priorities.
Generally spiritually oriented students have a more defined understanding of their goals – from deciding on a specific profession to learning about the process required to reach their goal. In general, their goals have become more realistic.
Many spiritual experiences involve family and friends. Meaning about spirituality came not only from personal spiritual revelation, but from the hard and trying times in life. Such experiences included relationship breakdowns or the death or sickness of a significant person in their life. The children speak about their acceptance of and respect for people from other denominations and religions and, in some cases, their interest in exploring these. Children now generally are also open-minded towards religious faith. They are now well aware of the issues of religion and science and potential conflicts between them. Significant life experiences such as a serious accident or illness within the family or an overseas holiday has various kinds of impact on their beliefs and practices. Sometimes these significant experiences has led to children becoming much more aware of what is happening to themselves and those around them. The challenge of experience draw some children into new levels of maturity. As far as goals are concerned youngsters are more realistic in their thinking, less captivated by glamorous careers or unattainable goals.
The young people show great interest in making decisions for themselves and in being independent in relation to their beliefs, their values and their practices. To have a constructive role in the growth of young people, schools and even parents have to respect that desire for autonomy and engagement in dialogue, respecting that process of reflexive construction.
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