Monthly Archives: September 2014

Personal Legend: Life Lessons from Dancing

Posted on September 30, 2014 by ivonprefontaine

Personal Legend: Life Lessons from Dancing.

The link begins with a quote from Paulo Coehlo about finding meaning in life. It becomes our personal legend when we find those things that add to our lives. We are remembered for dancing, teaching, singing, etc; whatever brings us and others joy.

The linked article ends with a poem from Joseph Campbell. He began the poem with “follow your bliss.” When we do, we find our voice and speak through our lives.

Parker Palmer and Thomas Merton pointed out voice and vocation are linked in etymology. They come from a place deep within us. We don’t even have to chase it. We only have to sit, be still, be quiet and our voice finds us. When it finds us, we dance as our voice accompanies us finding what brings meaning and joy in our lives and the lives of those we dance with.

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Posted in Mindful Life, Poetry, Reflective Moments and tagged creativity, eloquent questions, Joseph Campbell, Mindful Practice, mindfulness, Parker Palmer, Paulo Coehlo, poetry, spirituality, teacher as transformer, Thomas Merton. Bookmark the permalink.

Clever or Wise?

Posted on September 29, 2014 by ivonprefontaine

Clever or Wise?.

I spent two days on a break of sorts. I intended to post something late Saturday afternoon, but spent the day and good portion of the evening being a minion to our 5 month old grandson.

He is getting to the age where he can play games i.e. peek-a-boo and he recalls that he has played the game with you. When I walked into the house on Sunday, he smiled and wanted to play.

Small things and children help us grow and become wise. We want to change our self because it is the best way to change the world we come in contact with. We blend the passion for life with compassion, because without the integration we are incomplete.

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Posted in Community, Mindful Life, Poetry, Reflective Moments, Sabbath and tagged community, creativity, Mindful Practice, mindfulness, poetry, Rumi, sabbath, spirituality, teacher as transformer. Bookmark the permalink.

Travel Theme: Inviting

Posted on September 27, 2014 by ivonprefontaine

Travel Theme: Inviting.

Some of the reading I have done for my dissertation has focused on the idea that teaching is an invitation into learning. I recall cold Alberta days when I would take out books and read. I never left the warm confines of the house, yet I traveled the world.

Teaching and learning are invitational. The John Muir quote in Ese’s post is easily reworded. It is not just the mountains calling. It is the world and the universe. Subjects come alive and speak to us when they hold meaning.

Teaching cannot guarantee learning. What it can do is provide spaces where learning happens as students find the subjects speaking to them. We, in turn, respond and a life-long conversations are struck up. Living and learning entangle and are inseparable.

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Posted in Mindful Life, Poetry, Reflective Moments and tagged conversational journey, creativity, Educational Leadership, John Muir, Mindful Practice, mindfulness, poetry, teacher as transformer. Bookmark the permalink.

But Listen to Me.

Posted on September 27, 2014 by ivonprefontaine

This is another Rumi quote. When we pause for a moment and are mindful, we hear the blessings drop their blossoms around us like flowers opening petals for us.

TINY LESSONS BLOG

But listen to me.

For one moment quit being sad.

Hear blessings dropping their blossoms around you.

– Rumi

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A Shining Lamp

Posted on September 26, 2014 by ivonprefontaine

A Shining Lamp.

When we live in right ways, we are shining lamps for the world and others in the world. Being compassionate allows us to reach past our ignorance and support those in need, sentient and non-sentient, in the moment.

This theme of being a shining lamp crosses cultural and religious boundaries. Jesus referred to lighting a lamp and not hiding it. When we live a life revealing who we are touching the world in compassionate ways, we bring others into the light. Being aware and present in the world allows us to feel world’s needs. We become one in those needs sharing with all phenomena in new ways. Our ignorance falls away pushing past human imposed boundaries between each other.

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Posted in Community, Mindful Life, Reflective Moments and tagged Bible, community, creativity, Jesus, Mindful Practice, mindfulness, poetry, teacher as transformer, The Bhagavad Gita. Bookmark the permalink.

Wordless Wednesday: And You?

Posted on September 25, 2014 by ivonprefontaine

Wordless Wednesday: And You?.

Rumi‘s poetry becomes meaningful quotes very easily. It seems in the quotes nothing is lost and much is gained. Perhaps, it is because the quotes often become questions opening up spaces in living that we had not anticipated.

Poetry is an internal journey. It asks questions in ways that even when speaking of the external world we turn inwards and seek the answers. It is in the pauses, much like when we pause in living, that something reveals itself.

Amidst the busyness of life we chase missing what is seeking us. When we pause, what is seeking us finds us and speaks to us. We open ourselves and let go in those pauses. It is in the pauses that we can be fully present to the world and our self.

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Posted in Mindful Life, Poetry, Reflective Moments and tagged conversational journey, creativity, eloquent questions, Mindful Practice, mindfulness, poetry, Rumi, teacher as transformer. Bookmark the permalink.

Live in Wonder

Posted on September 24, 2014 by ivonprefontaine

Live in Wonder.

The world is a place of wonder. It is poetry in its most indefinable ways and that is why we need pauses between the words. It is in those pauses that the wonder soaks in and we can live in wonder. If the world had no spaces and only noise, we would be overwhelmed. The spaces are an inviting into the most precious relationships we can possibly have with the world, those we share the world, and all matter that matters.

When we pause and listen in the stillness and quiet, we are present to all that is holy and real. The world is made whole in those moments.

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Posted in Community, Mindful Life, Poetry, Reflective Moments and tagged community, conversational journey, Educational Leadership, eloquent questions, Mindful Practice, mindfulness, poetry, spirituality, teacher as transformer. Bookmark the permalink.

¡Nunca más!

Posted on September 23, 2014 by ivonprefontaine

¡Nunca más!.

The link is to a short poem in English and Spanish. If our children do not learn, we may not teach them. The role of parents is teaching their children.

It is not that what we teach will be accepted. Children, as they become more independent, become more able to set their path.

Teaching is inviting others into learning. It is not about guaranteeing learning. The world changes and the result is what is needed to live in the world and be in relationships is changing. Perhaps the best thing we can teach our children is to be thankful for what they have and live in the moment recognizing what they have in each moment.

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Posted in 21st Century Education, Community, Education, Leadership, Mindful Life, Poetry, Reflective Moments and tagged community, creativity, education, Educational Leadership, Mindful Practice, mindfulness, poetry, teacher as transformer. Bookmark the permalink.

I Dreamt

Posted on September 22, 2014 by ivonprefontaine

Antonio Machado is a wonderful poet. The image provided and the short quote from a Machado poem are beautiful and inspiring.

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The Wine and the Cup -Rumi

Posted on September 22, 2014 by ivonprefontaine

The Wine and the Cup -Rumi.

Rumi‘s poetry resonates through the centuries. This short verse reminded me that life is the way we are open up to it. What we receive depends on the number and quality of windows allowing light to enter life.

Gadamer referred to the questions we ask, which open up life, as eloquent . We enter questions as though they are living without presupposed answers ready for exploring.

The moonlight shines into our questions and the size of the cup is of our making. The quality of life is the quality of the windows in our life. Do we age like good wine as we mature? Are we mindful to the character of our living?