THE CHINMAYA VISION PROGRAM

The Chinmaya Vision Programme (CVP), formally developed in 1996, is based entirely on Swami Chinmayananda’s thoughts and advice. It is a holistic vision to see life and the world as a whole. It is a comprehensive education programme that integrates the best of Indian culture and Vedantic philosophy with academic learning. CVP aims to nurture all Chinmaya students to be successful and humanitarian world citizens, to adopt a holistic vision that allows them to face life and its challenges positively and dynamically, and generously give back to society in myriad ways.

Since its inception, CVP has raised the professional caliber and personal value of the Chinmaya institutions, making them noteworthy academic and spiritual forums of the modern day. While the child is the focal point, CVP also takes into account and methodically addresses the vital roles of school management, teachers, and parents. CVP focuses on four main topics for child development: Integrated Development, Indian Culture, Patriotism and Universal Outlook.

Integrated Development: The integrated development aims at the overall unfoldment and gentle blossoming of the student at all levels of the personality, so that he or she becomes physically fit and well-groomed, emotionally balanced, intellectually alert and creative and spiritually awakened. It comprises:

Physical Development: The goal of physical development is good health and proper growth of children. It involves physical fitness, nutrition, hygiene, personal grooming, health education, health assessment, and prevention and treatment of diseases.

Mental Development: This aims at making the student emotionally balanced. It includes emotional expansion, handling emotions, handling relationships, gender-specific education, mental health assessment, and counseling. Children are taught to experience the joy of selfless actions, sharing and caring. This makes them trusting, sensitive, accommodative and kind.

Intellectual Development: The purpose of intellectual development is to kindle its infinite potential, explore its reach and depth and guide its direction. It includes intellectual kindling, independent and scientific thinking, management skills, aesthetics, intellectual assessment, and guidance.

Spiritual Development: Spiritual development aims at enabling students to evolve in a wholesome and holistic way, manifesting their nobility and divinity. It includes value education, spiritual assessment, and guidance, philosophy, spiritual techniques such as prayer, meditation, chanting and yoga.

The first step in becoming cultured is to become aware — to get exposed to the richness of one’s culture. In this aspect of CVP, children are exposed to festivals, customs, rituals, chanting, and symbolism. Swami Chinmayananda did not miss a single opportunity to make people aware of our culture. He once asked the teachers of Chinmaya Vidyalaya Delhi, whether they knew why they put the red dot on their forehead. “It is the seat of wisdom. If you understand its significance and place it there with the right attitude and intention, your third eye really opens up!” he explained.

Patriotism: Patriotism is love for and pride in one’s motherland. It is a deep-seated emotion that enables one to put one’s motherland before oneself and one’s family. This vital area of focus includes education in citizenship, civic consciousness, national and cultural pride and addressing national issues. The goal is to develop dedicated citizens who honor and take pride in serving their motherland.

In this aspect of CVP, students develop a sense of pride in their country and are also made aware of its weaknesses. This inspires the youth to tackle the injustices and evils of society. Each student is rooted in the conviction that he or she is an Indian first and foremost, irrespective of differences of caste, community, religion, state, or race.

Universal outlook: A universal outlook is an appreciation, sensitivity, and commitment to universal issues. A universal outlook helps students see themselves as responsible citizens of the world, live in harmony with creation and elevate their relationship with God as a universal force. CVP looks at the universal outlook from an economic, technological, philosophical, and cultural angle. Students discover the unity and relationship between the universe, man, and God and begin to wonder at the beauty and vastness of creation.

Feather in the Cap of CVP – The CBSE, which has the highest number of quality schools across India, has recognized CVP as a worthy educational programme and recommended it in its ‘Value-Education Handbook for Teachers.’