| Sharing the Joy of the Challenge of an Authentic Life |
03-07-13 |
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I was reading the American Montessori Society blog this morning, the Montessori institution where I did my training and practicum, under the name of St Nicholas Training Center for the Montessori Method of Education, 35 years ago. A friend told me about Dr. Montessori after my first baby was born and I began to search for and study her books, her philosophy, who she was as a person. I remember receiving my certificate after becoming a new Montessori teacher, sharing everything I learned with my children, friends and family and their children. At the same time I was studying Maria Montessori, I was also studying the works of Anis Nin and Atto Rank, Carl Jung, Adel Davis and others, trying to uncover the core of my existence, in a search for the purpose for my life. And, I was a young mother of two daughters wanting to build a good life for them. They are mothers now, with healthy lives of their own. I go back to the books I have collected over the years often. I remember that whenever I traveled or moved, I always packed my books first, in a white canvas duffel bag I made myself. If I had room for other things, they were packed second or came later or were recycled.
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Today as a mental health clinician and college educator, I share Montessori's life story and philosophy with my clients and students frequently. After 35 years, her writings have become a deep part of my life's story. Weaving my dreams, I feel blessed that I am still awake to life's struggles, complicated as they are today, continuing to ask unsettling questions of myself and wanting to be a part of the daily convolutions of life, while always desiring to be with and voice my feelings and needs.
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My rich life includes the sacred blessing of my beloved husband. Among other things, our work together in building Skagit Family Study Center over the past 14 years continues to advance. As we witness our life's experiences for each other and share in our ever growing love together, the process becomes a testimony of authenticity for us.
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As I reflect on my life, pondering where I started facing my fears to begin an authentic process for myself, which by the way led me to my beloved, I am aware that it started somewhere around the time I began reading the works of Dr. Montessori, along with the others mentioned, and enrolling in the St Nicholas Training Center for the Montessori Method of Education, as a young mother.
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I am of course still reading many books all the time, however just for today I want to share my reflection of this authentic portion of my life, along with a Message for Our Grandchildren:
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Come prepared when visiting your Grandparents, we await you, and challenge you.
Only Joy Abounds!
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COMMENT:
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January 26, 2013
On this Day I am Grateful |
01-26-13 |
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This year begins with quiet gratitude for my life and those who honor me with their love. Today is a full moon and a time to reflect on gratitude for Mother Earth and the gifts she offers. The patterns and structure of the earth, sun, moon, and stars are gifts that have taught me more than I can put into words. It is reassuring to know of their constant and ever present existence. Through the miracle of life's breath the patterns and structures I have chosen in my life are revealed. I don’t have choice about the rising of the sun, the glowing eternal stars, or the bright light of the moon’s cycles that rise and fall each 28 or so days. I do have choice over my life however, and the structure and patterns of my decisions each and every day. I have choice how I effect the healing of our Mother Earth.
The moon is full thirteen times over a period of 365 days. When I first learned that on the back of the turtle, any and all turtles that live on this earth, is a pattern of thirteen shapes, it was hard for me to believe. For about 35 years now I have been reading the backs of turtles and their designs and I have yet to find a turtle that does not have thirteen little pattern shapes on its back.
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My first Women’s Healing Group was hosted by a beautiful Native American woman. Her tools were the writings of Jamie Sams. In her book, The 13 Original Clan Mothers, Jamie wrote about the importance of Mother Earth, the symbolism of Turtle Island, and the principle truths of the thirteen moons medicine wheel as it relates to women. The process changed my life, because for the first time I was learning about how to take personal responsibility for my spiritual growth, and this added understanding to my life as a Baha'i, in which I had accepted responsibility for my spiritual development through the practical application of prayer and meditation. The many Women's Healing Groups I continued to attend over a period of years was valuable guidance that led me to a deeper understanding of myself and my purpose and responsibility as a woman.
Suffering and pain are part of life, what to do with them in order to harness spiritual growth of seeing mistakes before, rather than after, is a most recent goal of mine. For me, I realize learning from mistakes is a life long process of challenges met through living a life of daily healing practices. I have been learning how to gang (you know flock, gaggle, herd) together with others to learn how to talk together and share with each other, nurturing, life giving experiences.
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One way I hope to further grow the process is through this creative blog, which has been designed for my full use by my beloved husband. I hope to share daily healing practices as a path toward responsibility for the growth of my spiritual, physical, and emotional well-being. I will continue to share my photographs, such as this butterfly that I took while walking to my grandson’s soccer game. On this day, I honor and commit myself to the healing of Turtle Island, Mother Earth, through my personal transformation. On this day, this full moon, I take back the gifts given to my sweet, dear child spirit that I was born to hold, and carry with me always. On this day, I accept the woman I am and the gifts I have to share. On this day, I honor those whose love I am graced to receive and those beloved souls I am blessed to love. On this day, I am grateful.
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COMMENT: Thank you Connie and Chuck. Very nice website and Journal. Also thank you for "being done with my Facebook page." (This commentor is frustrated like me with privacy issues on Facebook. Ed.) If things don't get better there soon I am also thinking of leaving.
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Research on the Effects of Violent Video Games
and the Development of Empathy |
01-11-13 |
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I just watched a commentator on CNN state that there is “0″ research on the effects of violent video games and kids acting out with guns, interviewing a professor in video games, whatever that means, suggesting this as well. Where in the world have they been??? Are they numb from the effects themselves??? “In 1976 the House of Delegates of the American Medical Association (AMA) passed a resolution after deliberating on the evidence supporting the hypothesis that violence shown on television produces additional actual violence: Resolved, that the AMA: (1) Declare its recognition of the fact that TV violence is a risk factor threatening the health and welfare of young Americans, indeed our future society. (2) Commit itself to remedial action in concert with industry, government, and other interested parties. (3) Encourage all physicians, their families, and their patients to actively oppose TV programs containing violence, as well as products and or services sponsoring such programs.” Source: Journal of American Medical Association May 9, 1976-Vol 255, No.18
37 years later, kids are actually physically, interactively, playing violent games. Love and empathy are learned skills. Modeled and practiced, it becomes a brain chemical induced, emotional and physical response to how we care for ourselves and others (through our choices and actions). Violence towards others is a a learned skill as well, and unchecked, results in horrific consequences. How Playing Violent Video Games May Change the Brain
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| The True Story of a Girl and the Boy who Loves her |
01-02-13 |
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Once there was a young girl who awoke each morning filled with joy. As she voiced her questions and concerns about her life’s experiences, she often felt alone and misunderstood. She felt left out, smothered in responsibility of family strife. Her self-expression turned into half-truths of who she really was, and unattended feelings of grief and loss clouded the feelings of joyful waking to the morning of life. Over time she learned to keep her feelings silent, it was safer to pick up after everyone else, assured that truth and difficult feelings were unimportant. As her heart filled with discontent, and her voice shrunk into hurtful places of introversion, the inability to feel the joy and creativity of self-expression lingered on in silence.
As this young girl grew into a young woman, she married, and raised two beautiful daughters. She learned to be successful in fighting off the silent, voiceless, discontent. She prayerfully educated herself, found strength in her voice and learned to speak and live her passions. Through life’s love, joys and tragedies, she found herself evermore questioning life, and seeking deeper truths. Her path led to trials, insight, and shadows and sparks of wisdom. The value of knowing how not to avoid grief and loss and difficult feelings of guilt and shame, led her to realize that self-expression purifies and washes spirit anew. She honored this gift, and accepted it.
This woman, having lived nearly half a century now, continued on her walk of life and found joy and satisfaction through her faith. She advanced her educational goals and work, now as a teacher and counselor. She soon met a man, who as a young boy, shared similarities of life, love, and loss. The same timid, since of self-denial and neglect had once filled him too. Look, said this man, I see who you are, and I have been to many of the places you have as a young boy and grown man. He shared with her his faith, courage, and understanding of the importance of creative self-expression. He told her he had been looking for her all of his life. He shared his heart aches and wisdoms learned. She honored this most prescious gift, and accepted it.
Through their passion to share their work with humanity,and the desire to continue on their journey of creative self-expression together, they fell in love and married, January 2, 1999.Fourteen years now, they have held each other on the rock of strength and respect; for each trusted the other, and vowed to witness for each other, their lives. They stand together on this trusting rock, holding each other. Each year on their Wedding Anniversary they visit the island inlet and twining tree under which they were married. This year an eagle flew into the trees and sat with them as they gave thanks together, and witnessed for each other, God’s healing power of love. They both honored this most prescious gift, and accepted it.
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