mindfulness and homeschooling

Mindfulness is a term that is growing widespread recognition. Its not just a term for our family but a philosophy and way to be in this precious life. I started mindfulness training a little over two years ago when I was looking for self healing practices related to my Celiac Disease. Mindfulness seemed like a new age concept that was used in alternative life practices and seemed way to good to be true. Could "simple" breathing  really help my diseased body and over all well being? I started the mindfulness journey with an open mind and heart in the hopes that anything was worth a try to help my situation. As I began my study of "simple" breath it became apparent that this process of becoming mindful was not so simple after all. To sit in current moment awareness with out judgement of self and others was actually not easy at all. To act in compassion and loving kindness also sounded pretty easy but turned out to be a challenge that was a journey onto it's self.

About a year into practice my body had healed and my mind was strong. I had done the work and was living the benefit. I had noticeable difference before that point but it had altered my whole way of being by the end of that first year. Because it had worked so well for me I started looking at helping others heal. I had read many books and articles about Jon Kabot-Zinn and his impact on the western mind and medicine. He is a pioneer of introducing these philosophies that are actually centuries old to our western mind. The book for anyone to start on square one of mindfulness is titled "Full Catastrophe Living by Jon Kabot-Zinn. After reading many amazing and inspiring books I decided that I found enough purpose in mindful living that I wanted to become a advocate for mindfulness and teach its philosophy and methods. I formally studied under the Thich Hhat Hanh method of mindfulness training in an online program through Omega Institute. I attended an inspiring mindfulness conference in Berkeley California where I realized that the medical field was not my direction but working with children was the fire in my belly. The more my heart opened I found paths to fulfill this dream. I had decided to start a private practice to teach mindfulness and create the first generation M (mindful).

Life took us away from our northern California bubble and my Soulful Sprout Studio dream has been put on hold. I have found the universe has given me the opportunity to start from my own seed. I have decided to home school with mindfulness as core philosophy. I have found a whole community of others that are using mindfulness in classroom settings and now home school curriculum's are being formulated like Om School Learning. I am so inspired to share this new journey that I will use this blog as platform of sharing and resources. I will continue to add our adventures and a healthful recipe from time to time, but my focus will be our journey of mindful homeschooling my first grader.

Comments

Andrew said…
Hi. Great blog post, and path to discovery. I thought you might like to know about our documentary film on mindfulness in the classroom, called Room to Breathe: www.roomtobreathefilm.com

Thank you!

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