Conference promotes spiritual awareness to boost well-being

Teachers have to boost the spiritual education of students to strengthen their emotional well-being, a conference attended by overseas leading philosophers and experts on spiritual education was told this week.

Running until next Sunday, the Asia Consciousness Festival features lectures, discussions and workshops aimed at exploring how having a sound mind helps create a harmonious living and learning environment.

One of the key speakers invited to shed light on the role played by consciousness in youth education was American researcher Marilyn Schlitz, president of the Institute of Noetic Sciences, which is dedicated to promoting consciousness education. Citing a pilot study she is conducting in six secondary schools in Canada and the United States, Dr Schlitz said her research was intended to nurture tolerance and non-violent communication among students. 'Our research targets involve high-functioning students and those who have attention or lifestyle issues,' she said.

Featuring self-reflection sessions and class projects, the research was launched two months ago. 'They are taught to slow down and look inside themselves and think about whether they have any stereotypes against others. One of the objectives is to make them appreciate the differences among people,' she said.

Jon Symes, outreach director of Pachamama Alliance, which is dedicated to promoting human co-existence with the world, said the wide array of distractions and world threats like pollution could disturb students' peace of mind. 'They might lose their sense of place in the world,' he said. 'They have to be encouraged to rediscover who they really are and seek outside help.'