Responses from Future School students to the question how they define spirituality
Survey
Keywords: Future School, Interviewing and Questionnaire
Besides the interviews, 54 students of Future School aged 14 to 18 filled in a questionnaire, asking them how they would define spirituality, whether they think schools should be the channel that teaches the work of The Mother and Sri Aurobindo, whether they would like to learn about the history of Auroville and The Mother and Sri Aurobindo at school, and how they would like to be introduced to the work of The Mother and Sri Aurobindo. Additional questions asked whether they considered themselves spiritual, what inspires them about Auroville, and whether they feel that their generation is somewhat lacking a spiritual component.
The results showed that 33% would like to learn more about the history of Auroville and The Mother and Sri Aurobindo at school while 29% answered that they would not. 33% answered that the school should be the channel for such an introduction, while 37% said that the school should not be the channel. 42% of students think that the work of The Mother and Sri Aurobindo should not be forced on them, that the introduction to this work is personal and should therefore not be mandatory.
How would you define spirituality?
“Spirituality is enjoying the search for the Divine. Spirituality does not involve blindly taking on a belief system, it is finding your own answer and trying to live by it.”
“Spirituality is the awareness of more than just our physical body, that there is more to life than what we know. Spirituality is the study within ourself, it cannot be taught, it has to be learned from within. Being spiritual is not the way you act but the way you think, which will of course affect the way we act.”
Do you think that schools should be the channel that teaches the work of The Mother and Sri Aurobindo? If yes why, if not why not?
“I do not think that these books should be forced on people. In our individual searches for spirituality we may find these books enlightening but it should be our own choice to read them. Insisting students study Sri Aurobindo would be no different from Bible classes in Christian academies, or forcing people to read Karl Marx in an attempt to promote communism. These books are available across Auroville and when we reach a point, we can always decide to read them.”
“Auroville puts too much effort into trying to spread the words of The Mother and Sri Aurobindo and should rather focus on trying to individually live by them.”
“I don’t think we should be forced into it but I do think it is the best channel because we can discuss it with people of our generation and not by someone who wants us to agree with him/her.”
Would you like to learn more about the history of Auroville, and The Mother and Sri Aurobindo at school?
“I want to learn it but I don’t feel like chasing their work, the parts I need come when needed.”
“Yes! I want to know more in a fun and interactive way. I want to know what The Mother and Sri Aurobindo said about historical, future events and Auroville; all the fun stuff. The deep spiritual writing may be a bit too much for youth to digest just yet, and Savitri Bhavan is not for us.”