The Politics of Inner Peace: Yoga, Mindfulness, and Civic Agency in Educational Policy and Practice

Abstract This paper investigates the transformative role of contemplative practices, particularly yoga and mindfulness, in reimagining civic education within post-conflict and transitional societies. Drawing from qualitative interpretive analysis, the study critically examines how national education frameworks in India and Cambodia incorporate or neglect, inner development as a foundation for civic agency. Framed within Sustainable Development Goal 4.7, which advocates education for global citizenship and sustainable peace, this research explores the pedagogical and policy-level potential of integrating ethical selfawareness, emotional regulation, and mindfulness into civic curricula. Through theoretical engagement with contemplative pedagogy (Hart, Zajonc, Palmer), civic identity theory (Westheimer, Allen, Dewey), and affective learning, the paper argues that sustainable democratic participation must be rooted in inner awareness and ethical responsibility. Case studies from India's National Education Policy and Cambodia’s Peace Education initiatives provide comparative insights into cultural adaptation, policy barriers, and civic outcomes. The findings suggest that yoga and mindfulness practices do not only enhance emotional literacy and trauma resilience but also lay the groundwork for more compassionate, participatory democratic engagement. The study concludes by proposing a contemplative civic learning model and calling for future research into youthled and context-sensitive models of “political education of the heart.” Keywords: Contemplative pedagogy; civic agency; mindfulness in education; yoga; affective learning; emotional literacy; political socialization; democratic participation.