Education for Life Philosophy

Education for Life is a philosophy of holistic education that emphasizes experiential learning, spiritual development, and practical skills for living such as concentration, self-discipline, and compassion. The fundamentals of the philosophy are described in the book Education for Life, by J. Donald Walters.

The goal of education is the same as the goal of life: to help children become, on every level—heart, mind, body, and spirit, more balanced, mature, effective, harmonious, and happy. Underlying all of our academic efforts is the understanding that happy children make the best learners.

Parents in search of the right school for their child are usually looking for academic excellence. At the same time they want their child to enjoy the learning experience. Too often one of these goals is achieved at the expense of the other. However, in Education for Life, learning and joy come together.

Education for Life emphasizes learning that will last a lifetime. Children learn to work with emotions and moods, to nurture an inner life, to love the world of ideas, to ask questions, and to be original thinkers.

While eternal spiritual principles lie at the core of our approach to education, we do not provide "religious instruction" in the traditional, parochial sense. The focus here is on developing qualities that are universally valued in all religions—such as inner peace, love, wisdom, and joy. Children of many faiths attend Living Wisdom School, and find that their understanding of their own faith is strengthened by their experiences here.

The roots of the Education for Life system lie in the philosophy of Paramhansa Yogananda, author of Autobiography of a Yogi.  Yogananda emphasized the unity of all religions and their common purpose in helping people experience joy, love and peace.

Students are introduced to different spiritual traditions; however, the emphasis is not on dogma or religious practices, but on applying spiritual principles to one’s own life.