SPIRITUAL WELLNESS Within all of us is a deep yearning for spirituality in our lives — lives that have been conditioned and battered by materialistic and individualistic values that have caused great pain, loneliness and economic, ecological and political damage to our world and our lives. We are indeed it seems in the middle of a transition and a great awakening of a collective consciousness that is focussed on love, intuitive knowledge, communitarianism and compassion and is directed towards shaping a more optimistic and better world. If we neglect the spiritua1 aspect of self we shut down the core of our being, the life-force within that enables other aspects of self to be energised and so to be able to function in a seemingly inhospitable, mad world with some joy and purpose. Schools unfortunately are full of workaholics, stressed and robotic adults who in their attempts to meet seemingly overwhelming expectations have lost their soul and spirit. For the workaholic, work has become the substitute religion for many — it is a socially accepted addiction enabling the person involved to experience adrenalin-charged forms of 'ecstasy' and an overly inflated view of responsibility. Ultimately it moves that person away from their true self and away from intimacy with loved ones. For the over-burdened and stressed, work so consumes and disturbs their sense of worth that they are no longer psychologically and spiritually healthy.
What does this do to our health and well-being? What does this model to our young people and parents? What does this do to our sense of professional collegiality? How does this advance societal improvement?
We cannot afford to neglect our inner lives if we are to become who we really are; if we are to be compassionate and authentic educators for our young people and if we are to make deep and 'soulful' connections to others as a member of a professional learning community.
It is the soul, the heart of self that speaks to our young people in the classroom. What does that mean for you? What activates your spirit and connects with your life source within? How can that force be fostered and kept alive in the schoolplace? These are the questions that need to be confronted in the search for meaning, purpose and connection in our work and in our lives if we wish to be integrated loving spirits.
Perhaps the first thing we need to do is to create the space and give legitimacy to a language for speaking and dialoguing about our spiritual well being in the workplace. If we as staff can take responsibility for our own authentic voices, then we may together be able to create an environment for
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(C) Creating Resilient Educators
