I read three articles this weekend and Father Richard Rohr’s daily meditation this morning. I found a clear message in each source and this message has slowly been revealed. Sabbath is a necessary part of my life and I slowly discover its purpose in a mindful attitude. It is in life lived mindfully I obtain a radical unity with my self, creation, neighbor, enemy, and always with God, step by step.
A mindful attitude–
Seek to choose well
Blend fiery passion
With compassion’s loving kindness.
Let life’s fruit mature;
Ripen deeply
Nurture life’s fully.
A spiritual banquet nourishes
Deepest meanings revealed
I Respond to life’s bounty.
Assume responsibility
For one’s self
For each other.
Welcome the world
Understand–
With childlike wonder
Become one;
Become whole
Transform the self.
About ivonprefontaine
In keeping with bell hooks and Noam Chomsky, I consider myself a public and dissident intellectual. Part of my work is to move beyond (transcend) institutional dogmas that bind me to defend freedom, raising my voice to be heard on behalf of those who seek equity and justice in all their forms.
I completed my PhD in Philosophy of Leadership Studies at Gonzaga University, Spokane, WA. My dissertation and research was how teachers experience becoming teachers and their role as leaders.
I focus on leading, communicating, and innovating in organizations. This includes mindfuful servant-leadership, World Cafe events, Appreciative Inquiry, and expressing one's self through creativity. I offer retreats, workshops, and presentations that can be tailored to your organzations specific needs.
I published peer reviewed articles about schools as learning organizations, currere as an ethical pursuit, and hope as an essential element of adult eductaion. I published three poems and am currently preparing my poetry to publish as an anthology of poetry.
I present on mindful leadership, servant leadership, schools as learning organizations, how teachers experience becoming teachers, assessement, and critical thinking. I facilitate mindfulness, hospitality retreats. and World Cafe Events using Appreciative Inquiry.
I am writing and researching about various forms of leadership, how teachers inform and form their identity as a particular teacher, schools as learning organizations, hope, nonviolence and its anticipatory relationship with the future, as essential elements to teaching and learning.
Academic publications can be found at Ivon Gile Prefontaine on ResearchGate
ivonprefontaine
Teacher as Transformer 
This is beautifully written. What do you mean about transform the self?
I see transform as being a one moment at a time process. This is a recent understanding after reading the writings of Thich Nhat Hanh, Thomas Merton, and others. I was caught up in the idea I could change the world without changing me. The me change is far slower, but more worthwhile because it shines outwards and I hope casts a new light on the world I create.
To transform, I must be present in each moment.
Thank you for a great question. It allowed me to pause and give more consideration to my words and the choices I made with them.
beautiful post
Thank you Shimon.
Lovely thoughts, Ivon. May we have the wisdom to blend our characteristics and qualities in the ways you describe in your poem!
I agree. It is hard work, but, when I stop and am patient, it seems to happen more easily.