Myanmar: To Catch Up With the Industrials 4.0, or to Focus on Healing From Traumas Centering on Its Spiritual Wisdom?

• In Event: A Holistic, Multidimensional Perception of Time: Connecting Our Inner and Outer World, and Connecting Education to the Earth and the Universe

Abstract

Author MK will discuss that time happens in political, cultural and historical context. He is from Myanmar. He remembers listening to webinars during covid-period in 2020 where experts from global organizations said that developing countries such as Myanmar are far left behind to catch up with the industrials 4.0, and Myanmar must rush in terms of education to catch up with the rest of the world. The experts worried that Myanmar children are left behind in terms of STEM education while in daily life and schools, teaching peace and spiritual healing are more important than STEM or equally important for the society with so much trauma having been experienced by a huge part of the population. Min will talk about the need in education to center on the spiritual dimensions of learning for healing collective and individual traumas.
Further, MK will muse: What will happen when education revolves around children learning by looking into the deep universe, seeing the stars blinking to us, or starting the day with looking at sunrise, going outdoor to smell flowers, saying hello to birds and ants, and allowing ample amount of time for reflection and contemplation? We can expect that children will become grateful and mindful citizens who will deeply reflect and focus on their positive contribution towards our planet. When we slow down time, can we not warp time by learning from the solid, strong mountains, from the calm and wise elders and our inner self? In all, we are calling for redefining concepts of student success, providing a new form of education that centers on well-being, wisdom, wholeness, eco- and cosmic intelligence, and a heart for all.

Author

• Min Khant, University of Maryland