An Invitation to Reflect
I attended our Spiral of Light last night. Ms. Soma held a beautiful and silent walk and the children followed in reverence and spirit. I watched the procession and had, for the first time in a long time, a bit of space to reflect and release an outbreath into the cool winter night. I emerged with clarity and peace, just for a minute, that instantly redirected my energies and will serve thus to carry me through to the New Year.
But I will tell you, I didn’t want to go. I’ve been to just about 7 Spirals, and always looked forward to the evening. But this time, I wanted to stay home, as I looked at the weather, and the time, my missing wiper blade, my broken phone screen - are we missing a dance rehearsal? Yes we are, we are missing it. Then I thought, I’ll go in the car, so Poppy can walk it, and I can just sit in a moderately warm Prius in a parking lot. But sentiment and spirit got the best of me, and I made my way out to the silent spiral, which turned out to be much more pleasant and warm than the interior of my car. I needed to be there, despite my “busyness” and my reticence--to reconnect to myself, and find light in the light of these small humans and their present parents. The presence needed me, I needed to be present.
The Spiral of Light comes at the time of the year, when we’ve made it through the manic energy of the spring green up, the flourish of a ripening summer, and the harvest of autumn. Now we are entering the slumber, the gestation of winter, that all but requires us to travel inward to reflect upon our inner world, and recalibrate for our next season, and our next incarnation.
And what do we find there? Around this time we gather with friends, families, community, in our own ways. It’s a time when we talk of “peace” and “harmony” and “light,” as the northern hemisphere is at its daily darkest on the Solstice. If we make the space, we find the light, as light is so much easier to find in the dark!
Upon reflection last evening, I was deep in thoughts about what agreement I made with myself to dedicate my precious time on this planet to our little organization here in Truckee. The answer I know well, but I need to revive each year at this time. After 8 years i'm here because It brings me great peace. Yes - for the turmoil, triumph, and heartache of building a program year in and out, it brings me great peace and solace to know the harder my role here is, the more I lean in—the more peaceful my child’s daily life experience will be. The more I give of myself, the better chance that my child will have a daily classroom full of curiosity, joy and shared experience that serves to build her and her peers into the humans they are destined to be, the humans that this world deserves and needs.
When we imagine what is being cultivated in a program like ours, it’s easy to look at how it serves each of us individually - our specific perceived needs, our deeply entrenched desires, our expectations from a tuition-based program or an alternative way of learning. Now what if I told you, the path to finding these needs met and realized, is to ask not if we are getting what we need out of the program - but instead to ask, what does our program need from us? What if I told you that the great value of what we are working on is extant and immanent, it is there to capture, for us and our children. All its needs in order for it to be realized, is energy- energy and investment, care, joy and dedication! Not unlike the Spiral of Light, it’s just waiting for us to show up to shine its very bright light.
Over the next few weeks, while much of the world collectively gathers, contemplates and celebrates, I ask all of us as parents, caregivers, and teachers to take some time to reflect and understand our individual roles in cultivating and enervating value we know is latent our beautiful school and community, how we show up for and support this beautiful educational experience, one centered around the life and spirit of our children.
Enjoy walking your Spirals.
With Light and Inspiration,
Lauren B.