Ancient Wisdom & Its Cultural Relevance: Reimagining Deeper Learning in Science Classrooms Through the Lens of Yoga and Vedānta

Abstract

Contemporary calls to reconceptualize how science is taught and understood have brought deeper learning to the forefront of education at-large for its emphasis on critical perspectives, creativity, and student-centered inquiry. Yet this paper argues that its prevailing framework remains constrained by Cartesian dualism, a materialist foundation that disassociates the individual from self, other, and nature, and falls short of addressing the mental health, environmental, and cultural challenges facing youth today. To address this limitation, this paper proposes a complementary convergence between deeper learning and the contemplative traditions of Yoga and Vedānta, whose ancient paradigms of self-inquiry, interconnectedness, and well-being offer a pedagogically generative and culturally relevant foundation for education. Drawing on neuroscience, contemplative psychology, and the philosophical underpinnings of said traditions, the paper examines the ontological differences between these perspectives and the Cartesian assumptions embedded in current STEM pedagogy, arguing that wisdom must serve as the foundation for deeper learning rather than remaining external to it. The paper traces how 20th-century educationalists, such as Tagore and Athavale, translated these traditions into contemporary contexts and outlines a collection of classroom practices emerging from this curricular reorientation. Ultimately, this paper contends that the lens of Yoga and Vedānta cultivates the awareness, empathy, and existential inquiry that deeper learning promises but has yet to fully deliver–-thus offering a pathway toward science classrooms that are not only intellectually rigorous but humanistically whole.