Day: August 2, 2014

Music to float by.

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Much of the ambient, ethereal music that I listen to these days for meditative purposes is minimalist and spare.  When I listen to these sounds, it can be as if I am floating gently in a clear, still stream.  In this meditative space, there can be an expansiveness that makes way for my awareness and insight to sharpen.  I don’t always get there, but when I do, it is certainly pleasant.  I want to explore further the use of ambient music in a therapeutic setting.

I have created some enjoyable playlists from artists such as Philip Wilkerson, Deuter, Anugama, Rudy Adrian and Stars of the Lid.

The Way of Mindful Education Training, July 20 -25, 2014

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Another beneficial training at the Omega Institute that I recently experienced.  The training was led by Daniel Rechtschaffen, and was based upon his new book, The Way of Mindful Education – Cultivating Well-Being in Teachers and Students.  Daniel is a gifted teacher and has the contagious spirit of a sprite. I love the peaceful spirit of Omega and I am always invigorated by the collegiality of being present with others who want to explore some of the same interests that I have.

Fortunately we spent a good bit of  IMG_1716 time enhancing and deepening our own mindfulness practices, with the strong belief that the embodiment and holding of the practice by the teacher is the best way to cultivate a mindful classroom.  I loved practicing Qigong together as a means of connecting with my own breath and body, but also as a communal exercise with others. I hope to explore Qigong further and bring the benefits of this lovely movement exercise into my teaching and counseling.

Horizons Second Summer

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I have now finished my second summer of “playing” mindfulness with the children involved in the Horizons program at Ole Miss.  Again, it was so rewarding and further enhanced my awareness of the great need to introduce mindfulness and contemplative practices into the classroom for our children at this age.  I am grateful for the training that I received from the Mindful Schools Program (www.mindfulschools.org) and from Daniel Rechtschaffen and his remarkable program at The Mindful Education Institute. (danielrechtschaffen.com).  Daniel’s new book, The Way of Mindful Education – Cultivating Well-Being in Teachers and Students, is an excellent resource.

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