Provide a Critical-Thinking program for 40 teens

This year has brought us all much great news!

And this is because, after years of dreaming and planning, we secured the funding for six of our brightest and most dedicated Critical-Thinking/Philosophy students to enter into a full time, 3-year teacher-training program.

These six, who range in age from 17-21, Juan Carlos, Jessica, Saul, Shirley, Felipe and Gabi, have been attending our programs for five years, have also been exposed to the topics of the Critical-Thinking program which include classic philosophy, meditation, world religions, politics and activism, sexuality, ego and shadow, self-esteem and self-love, suicide, depression, values, decision making, Integral Theory, and Zen.

They were also exposed to our Wisdom Speakers Series. These are talks given by invited guests who are experts in development, mindfulness, meditation, business, relationships and other walks in life.

And this year, as part of their entry qualification to the 3-year teacher-training program it was the turn of these six to get up in front of the class and give a talk. They had to develop their own theme, plan the timing for their talk, and manage the group. They studied, investigated, and researched in preparation.

The subjects they chose should make us all proud. They included; motivation, potential, respect and self-respect, relationships, conditioned habits, shadow, the many manifestations of love and the theological, philosophical and scientific perspectives on the Big Bang and the origin of the universe.

The students told us afterwards that felt truly felt empowered by this opportunity and they all were happy that did a great job. The audience also gained a great deal of benefit.

But mostly they said that they were comfortable with their topics and they are all eager to continue with their new course of studies so that they can develop themselves sufficiently to face and address the many painful issues facing their homeland today.

We, at the Integral Heart Foundation, couldn’t be more proud of them and of course of all of you who are making change, evolution and a better world possible.

Thank you.

These are the descriptions of photos that appear below:

Pictures 1 and 2: Juan Carlos giving his class on self esteem and respect.

Picture 3 and 4: Gabi speaking about relationships, values and the many manifestations of love.

Picture 5: Shirley with her mom and our social worker Marisol, discussing with us her talk on motivation and how she was going to let it develop.

Picture 6: Saul giving a talk on shadow and conditioned habits.

Picture 7: Felipe giving a talk on the theological, philosophical and scientific perspectives on the Big Bang and the origin of the universe.

Picture 8: Jessica giving a talk on potential and how, in most cases, we are the ones who set the limits.