The Virtues Project

Assalaamu Alaikum :)

What is The Virtues Project?

The Vision of The Virtues Project is to serve humanity by supporting the moral and spiritual development of people of all cultures, by helping them to remember who they really are and to live by their highest values.

The mission of this project is to empower strategies that inspire the practice of virtues in everyday life. The project offers personal and professional development programs, trainings and materials which are helping people around the world to create a culture of character in homes, schools, prisons and corporations.

"Imagine a world where no child is without mentorship and friendship. Picture a community in which everyone, from parents to police, has the will and the skill to teach respect, foster kindness and model integrity. The Virtues Strategies are being widely applied for prevention, intervention and healing. They inspire hope, even in those who are most hopeless."

At the school, the teachers were given a workshop about this specific Program so that we may be able to incorporate it within our teaching practices with the students. Sometimes, there is the habit of commenting upon the bad habits of another person but the good qualities are rarely mentioned. When acknowledging another's good virtue, it keeps them aware of that virtue and encourages them to act upon it more often. You become more conscious of it. I was so impressed with this project because its goal is to bring out the best in people.

Virtues are the essence of the human spirit and the content of our character. Within this program, there are 52 virtues that are used in a few different books.

Before the workshop began ... we were each told to randomly choose a card from the Virtues Card pile. Surprisingly, the card we chose for ourselves related to us in some manner. I had received Endurance, which reminded me the power of withstanding hardship or stress. It was a beautiful write-up about never giving up hope and to always go on strong. Alhamdulillah. This is the quote it gave at the back of the card:

"Endurance is not just the ability to endure a hard thing, but to turn it into glory"

- William Barelay

In an activity, we were asked to pair up with a partner and to interview them with questions that were provided to us. By using the Virtues from the first list, we were told to practice using them within our language in the conversation. Seriously ... it was like therapy haha If you have time, definitely try this out :)

Choose a partner and take turns interviewing one another. Be present and listen.

1. Name someone you admire. This person may be a figure in history or a person in your life. What is the core virtue this person practices? What attracts you to this virtue?

2. What interests you about this workshop? What do you hope to gain?

3. Name one of your own core virtues, one which is strong and well-developed in you. Say a few words about how it is needed in your life.

4. Name a virtue you need to cultivate, one that is under or over-developed in you. Say a few words about how it is needed in your life.

5. What is one of the biggest challenges in your life right now? What virtues would help you to meet this challenge?

6. What is a source of joy in your life at this time?

7. Virtues Acknowledgement: Interviewer, please give your partner a virtues acknowledgment by telling them a virtue you notice in them and specifically how you see it. "I want to acknowledge you for the virtue of ------ and the way you show it is ----- ."

It was a great activity. You feel so much more better afterwards and don't realize how much you needed something simple like this. The Director of the school was also present during this workshop and she announced that she admired a virtue within one of the teachers. I was surprised to find out that it was me :) She told me that she acknowledges the virtue of Patience within me and has seen it in the way I have handled the students from the beginning of the year. I was able to take a very difficult group of boys and girls and have them behaving the way they do. Awww ... it was so sweet, I was truly touched.

The beauty of this project is many of these virtues are taught in Islam. And if we were to just act upon them, it really would be a better place, especially for our Ummah, insha'Allah. We can all benefit from this and I really do feel that it would make a difference. We all need to know that we're acknowlegded :)