About the Institute of Sathya Sai Education NZ Inc

Background to Institute Activities

The Institute has a number of projects in hand, which have the potential to address many of the problems at present facing our society.

Increasing crime, youth suicides, child abuse, dysfunctional families, lack of self-confidence and self-reliance have a common cause. The common cause is the lack of understanding Human Values and the Spiritual Essence of our being.

In the past some understanding of this Spiritual Essence was realised through the teachings of the major religions. With the drop in the attendance of churches and other places of religious instruction, many of the values that support a caring society have been lost. Added to this there has been a blending of the world’s population through immigration and emigration, for the first time bringing peoples of vastly different cultures together. This often leads to misunderstanding and problems arising from racial prejudice.

The heart of the Institute’s programmes is contained in the words of the founder: “There is only one race the human race, there is only one religion the religion of love, there is only one language, the language of the heart.”

In essence, this means that there is in each person that which is inherently good. The essence of each person is not different one from another, or from the universal consciousness that sustains this universe.

This essence can become covered leading to inappropriate and anti social behaviour, which arises in the mind and is actioned by the body. It can also be uncovered, by directing the mind to more holistic ideas, leading it back to the essence.

Programmes by the Institute are not religious, but are focussed on promoting the understanding of  “Body, Mind and Spirit.”

Programmes the Institute are currently working on:

The Institute runs a licensed Pre-school in South Auckland, Sathya Sai Pre-school Rongomai, where values education and positive assurance is given to the children and permeates the lessons of the standard pre-school curriculum.

It is intended to use this as an example that can be emulated by other pre-schools throughout the country.

Parents pay a nominal $5.00 per week

Whangai Programme

The Institute runs a Whangai (nurture and support) programme for schools, assisting with values based material and teacher workshops that focus on understanding how values teaching can be implemented within normal curriculum. There are seven schools currently using the programme with excellent results. It is the intention of the Institute to evaluate the effects of the programmes in these schools, modify the process in the light of that evaluation, and then offer the programme to more schools.

As the Sathya Sai Education and Human Values Programme is an international one, resources are available from many countries.

Parenting Programme

The Institute is in the process of piloting a parenting programme based on material produced in Australia by Doctors Pal and Tehseen Dhall, this will be evaluated and modified as necessary to meet New Zealand conditions. The two arms that primarily support the child are those of the parents and the teacher. We see the need for strengthening both through the understanding of the role and importance of Values.

School

It is the intention of the Institute to establish a school in New Zealand as soon as practical. The primary purpose of the school will be to provide holistic, values based education to the students. It will also act as a pilot school to demonstrate the effectiveness of values based education in producing students who perform to a high academic level and are of good character. The experience where such schools have been established overseas is that the results have been so extraordinary, that they have had a pronounced effect nationally.

Resources

Utilising the international resources available, and developing New Zealand based material to meet the need of schools in this country, is a major commitment of the Institute.

Community Based Education

It is intended to establish “Values Clubs” throughout the country to promote the understanding of values within the community.

Values Workshops for Teachers

The Institute facilitates Values Workshops for teachers throughout the country. At present two teachers have completed a Values Education Diploma at the International Institute of Sathya Sai Education in Thailand, where diploma and advanced training courses are available to teachers from throughout the world.

The New Zealand Institute also intends to run courses and issue both certificates and diplomas in values education to NZQA standard.

Life Skills Programmes

There have also been requests for life skills programmes for penal institutions and others.

Meditation

Meditation has been scientifically proved to: reduce stress, decrease reaction times, and improve efficiency and memory. The Institute has run a successful meditation and introduction to understanding the three dimensions of body, mind and spirit course for a number of years and will continue to facilitate this.

For further information contact the Director of the New Zealand Institute of Sathya Sai Education Inc, PO Box 28-172 Remuera, Auckland, or

Emails: info@issenz.org.nz    or richard.wallis@xtra.co.nz

Prepared by Richard J Wallis
Director

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