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apparent that the Buddhist educational approach and the content that I was developing and to ensure that it
curriculum that I was developing addressed this issue, was accurate from the Buddhist perspective. In turn,
so I initiated a dialogue with several Buddhist masters. I was able to offer educational expertise in relation
The great masters had a profound understanding to his other monastic school in Bodhgaya, India. And
of the future directionality of Buddhist children’s so, for several years, Mingyur Rinpoche and I have
education and I was able to discern the subtleties of met; me sharing my knowledge and understanding
the various global pedagogies. of education methodologies, transformative and
experiential teaching and learning, and the need for
One master, Mingyur Rinpoche, listened deeply and asked child development to underpin curriculum delivery; and
many questions about such pedagogies. I described the Mingyur Rinpoche ensuring that the Buddhist content
nesting system of conforming type education, progressive and curriculum I developed is authentic and accurate.
and transformative education, and the placement of both How precious!
Waldorf and Buddhist pedagogy within transformative
learning. Both aim, in their individual ways, towards I have been exceptionally fortunate to also be advised by
inner freedom– enlightenment. This includes but other accomplished Buddhist teachers. Lama Shenpen’s
moves beyond human flourishing. The aim of Buddhist insights over the years have been invaluable, guiding
education is to progress on the path towards liberation me in relation to integrating Buddhism across year
or at the very least sow the seeds to enable this process. groups in primary education. She even wrote a class 5
This includes children’s Buddhist education, starting play for us about Guru Rinpoche’s life story! Khenpo
in kindergarten, through to high school. Everything Sonam Tsewang, a great Buddhist scholar, from the
in Abiding Heart Education becomes part of the path Nyingma tradition, has also been closely working with
towards inner freedom. me for the past 7 years, explaining Buddhist texts and
advising on the Buddhist aspect of our teacher training
The essence, which I explained to Mingyur Rinpoche, courses. Both Lama Shenpen Hookham and Khenpo
is the approach to teaching; the teaching methodology, Sonam Tsewang and other Buddhist scholars have been
and the assumptions from which an array of checking the Buddhist curriculum content for accuracy.
methodologies arise, including an understanding of There are many more experts that have been involved
the human being. As practitioners, it is important to in advising and supporting Abiding Heart education,
identify our positioning and assumptions or paradigm some of which I will mention below. After many years,
from the outset. Without such reflection, tensions and Abiding Heart’s transformative experiential Buddhist
contradictions between the educational content and education has registered training organisations in both
teaching and learning methodologies can arise and Nepal and the USA.
potentially compromise the effectiveness of curriculum
delivery. A transformative Buddhist education can The Pillars of Abiding Heart Education
only arise from an education philosophy and pedagogy Abiding Heart Education comprises four foundational
that supports pupils progressing on the path of inner components:
development towards liberation or Buddhahood. I 1. Experiential Buddhist Foundation Studies;
propose that the Waldorf methodology is the only 2. Buddhist and developmental science-based Child
methodology that is capable of delivering a deeply Development from Birth to Rebirth;
immersive Buddhist education for children while also 3. Learning theories: Buddhist learning methodology,
teaching a comprehensive children’s curriculum. Steiner pedagogy and other contemporary learning
theories and methodologies leading to the Abiding
Intrigued by my work, Mingyur Rinpoche shared that Heart Education learning and teaching approach;
he was planning to set up another school in Kathmandu 4. Abiding Heart’s transformative experiential
and that such a curriculum would be of great benefit curriculum for kindergarten through to class 8.
to his schools. Thereafter, we met reguraly to discuss