Diversity and Inclusion in Integral Education: A Teaching Perspective of Integral Psychology

Abstract

This article offers reflections and proposes practices that embody principles of diversity and inclusion while embracing spirituality in higher education. This approach to integral education is informed by the philosophy of Sri Aurobindo and Haridas Chaudhuri, founders of the California Institute of Integral Studies. It blends Eastern philosophy with Western thought, towards holistic education and experiential learning. This integral frame values both spirituality and diversity in experiential learning, emphasizing the role of the teacher in the educational process. In this pedagogy, the professor facilitates learning and transformation through deep personal inquiry of multicultural identity, group dynamics, productive dialogue, inclusion of diverse perspectives in classroom lectures, and practices of yoga and meditation. Relational and embodied, the instructor explores cultural, social, and political positionalities that lead students to further learn from their cultural backgrounds and relational patterns, opening up the possibility for a spiritual experience in an educational setting. These classroom explorations lead to the improvement of interpersonal capacities, multicultural awareness, self-knowledge and authenticity, expansion of consciousness, and ultimately better citizenship. The self-actualized instructor embedded in a transpersonal worldview within a spiritual epistemology of teaching further develops the efficacy of their role by acknowledging the multicultural fabric of students’ lives. This pedagogy may contribute to the evolution of consciousness.

Can Holistic Education Solve the World’s Problems: A Systematic Literature Review

“…Nakagawa [8] argued that an ecological worldview is directly linked to holistic education, as "ecological literacy" addresses climate change, sustainability, and the human relationship with nature. Fernandes-Osterhold [27] stressed that an essential element of holistic education is the understanding that change in the world begins with changing oneself, having a deep understanding of society and culture, fostering authentic relationships, and consciously preserving the Earth and nature. A posthumanist perspective on holistic education could contribute to solving the world's ecological problems by bringing a connection to nature, an awareness of interconnectedness, and a respect for life and the Earth into education.…”

The paradox of exclusion through inclusion

“…As an alternative to these policy orientations, several authors suggest pathways of transformation, individual and collective, enhancing the acceptance of cultural identities, the recognition of diverse social frames of reference, the overcoming of race and gender inequalities, while making use of the individual experiences of the participants in inclusionary adult education processes (e.g., Clegg & McNulty, 2002;Clarke & Lewis, 2016;Alston & Hansman, 2020;Fernandes-Osterhold, 2022). Also the issue of gender and inclusion is of diachronic concern in adult education, whereby authors call for a feminist lens in lifelong education (e.g.…”