Heart of the Matter

By Eefje Kerremans

I was studying psychology in Belgium and the professor had just spent two hours lecturing on all the aspects of anatomy…our physical body, our being, and who we are as humans. He never mentioned the soul. Now, this was right when I had just started reading “Autobiography of a Yogi” by Paramhansa Yogananda. So, at the end of his lecture I gathered all my courage to raise my hand in an auditorium with 300 other students and asked, “but what about the soul, sir?”  

To this question, he put all his textbooks on his desk, crossed his arms and replied, “well, missy, if we take a knife and cut open our body we won’t find any little piece that’s called the soul, therefore there is no such thing as the soul!”

I looked around, noticed that at least 200 students, future psychologists, were writing down these words. I stood up, left my books on my desk because I knew I wouldn’t need them anymore, and drove to Switzerland to finish reading the “Autobiography of a Yogi” in silence and solitude…because I knew that would be where I could find Truth!

My experience with traditional college education wasn’t what I considered “real” education. Repeating phrases from a textbook is something anyone, with or without much effort, would be able to accomplish. Something big was missing. What about enthusiasm, joy, learning cooperation, how to be a good friend? These and many more important values of life were absent from any education in the schools I attended before coming to Ananda College of Living Wisdom.

Attending Ananda College awakened in me the enthusiasm for “Education for Life” (EFL) a model of education that the college incorporates into its curriculum. Without the college and the guidance I received from the faculty, I don’t think I ever would have considered becoming a teacher. I was able to study both the theoretical principles and guidelines of EFL along with an experiential environment that allowed me to observe and partake in assisting with many of the long-time EFL teachers in the nearby Ananda Village schools.

Being in the classroom with the children brought the principles I had been studying to life. Actually, being with the children made me realize how natural it felt for me to be a teacher.

One of the most important aspects to my education at Ananda College was the opportunity and support the college gave me to go within, to look into my heart, and to see what my dharma was. I started to develop the capacity for introspection and awakening through classes on EFL and the Bhagavad Gita. I was able to develop a daily routine of spiritual practices with support and guidance from all the teachers, residents, and fellow students. Even now, two years later, I am still reflecting on my college education and discovering new things constantly!

I have many fond memories of being at the college…we traveled to India and Egypt and both these journeys left a huge impression on me. The best memories are the friendships I made at the college. I made friendships for life with students, with teachers, with the people from Ananda Village and I feel those friends are still very near.

After graduation, I attended a Living Wisdom Family Camp in Assisi, Italy and was allowed to help organize it. This gave me the opportunity to get to know the children and their parents. We started our first Living Wisdom School in October, 2008, and I am still here, teaching toddlers and pre-school. Our school is located in the beautiful mountains of Nocera Umbra near Assisi.

Right now, we’re organizing parent meetings every other week to help parents understand our Education for Life principles. Some of my favorite books to share with parents are Nayaswami Kriyananda’s “Education for Life,” Usha Dermond’s book “Calm and Compassionate Children” and Nitai Deranja’s book “For Goodness Sake.”

We are starting new classes with older children and this is quite a challenge for me because I have never worked with these ages. What I focus on is how much I enjoy being around all the children. My tools of meditation and introspection continue to help me.

Luckily, I took lots of photographs when I was at college. Every now and then I take out my photo album, look at the pictures and I can feel the joy and love I felt at those moments, no matter how many miles we’re apart!

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