Real Worlds, the Spice of Life
Guest Post: Shannon Weiler, Eurythmist & Homeschool Pod Mentor
I’m still neck deep here in my hibernation for 2025. In response, my western New York-born husband just does a chuckle-sigh, “Well, you did grow up in Alaska. Where the bears sleep. It must have been a normal thing to hibernate growing up there.”
True, true.
But still there’s something unique about the cusp of this year that’s been particularly heavy. Not in a scary way, for me anyway. In a deeply contemplative way that drives me to a dream-state existence.
And I’m hearing from others that they’re sensing it too. SO I’ve decided to embrace the opportunity for deep rest, trusting that as long as I’m still in this body, the embers will kick back up into flames as the natural world wakes up with me.
Did you realize that today, Sunday, is Candlemas? Otherwise known as Imbolc, Saint Brigid’s Day, or Groundhog Day. Otherwise known as (I was 40+ years old before I knew this…..) the halfway point between Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox.
That’s right folks. We are halfway through this current madness. For this season anyway. I no longer think of these festival variations as the Christianization of previously pagan holidays. I think of each era as a fresh iteration of the same ancient and repeating pattern that guides us in the unfolding of our humanity. In the way the same leaves still unfurl on a tree every spring, the tree itself continues to grow. The tree changes, to be sure, but it is only possible due to the growth it went through in previous seasons. One is always a possible destiny of the other. It is never one at the expense of another, only the benefit.
And each type of tree, though still growing, must do so in the climate best suited to it’s nature.
I trust that the seeds and bulbs sleeping under ground outside under the snows exist in me as much as out there, and that even in me they need time to sleep in the deep freeze.
When they begin to wake up again, as the world seems to be doing around and in me, particularly when I wake up to a share like the following from a Waldorf trained teacher…
I am hearing more frequently about speech delays and speech pathologists needed to assist children. What if our culture is creating many of these problems and we just haven’t recognized the cause and effects yet?
Read on for insight… let me know how you find it in applying to your own observations in going forward. Citizen science, through firsthand experience!
Guest Post: Shannon Weiler, Eurythmist & Homeschool Pod Mentor
Today we learned about spices. We smelled them. We touched them. We ground them up. In other words, we had a perception of them. Then I told them the name of each spice. As they were smelling it...
Cinnamon. Cloves. Nutmeg. Fresh ginger.
This is the way to teach children under the age of 7. And of course older as well, as you get to "bigger" concepts. Whenever possible. You offer them the perception, the experience, the sensation first.
Now , when I tell the story about the "gingerbread man" they have a direct experience, because we just made gingerbread cookies! Many people think they can show children about the world by turning on a video or having them look at it on a screen. What may seem obvious is not obvious to everyone....Did you know it's actually better for the child to just have real perceptions and experiences no matter how simple they may be then to be "shown the world" through the screen?? This is not an actual experience. There is no smell, no touch, no taste, no soul. The so-called "voices" are not actually human they are mechanical and in most cases AI now. This is also the cause of some, Not all, speech impediments or speech delays. We are programming their still developing minds to believe that something is real when in fact it is not.
They are not hearing someone's real voice or seeing someone running. They are seeing pixels on a screen...
I've come to realize that a lot of the stories I tell the children involve things they have not even had a perception of. Farm animals or a blacksmith, a horseshoe, spinning wheel, a well, grain, a Miller, etc. It's amazing, because we all used to grow up outside, on farms and around people working and doing real things in order to live.So we saw these things. Everyday and everywhere.
It's quite different now. I think many of us have forgotten that children have no idea about these things. Giving them the concept before we share with them the direct perception (hands on experience) can be very confusing for a child. (Milk comes from a cow by seeing someone milk a cow versus purchasing milk in a carton from the store.)
It's important to remember that actions speak louder than words for children.I hope this helps in some way...
Get to know your local farmer, ask for a tour?
There are lots of amazing trades people in this area, we can find them, learn from them. Mentor our teens with them!
These are the kind of things I work with parents on when I coach and consult them in home schooling and in general with behavior challenges or improvements... It's a little bit like building a firm foundation or turning our own thinking inside out to be able to speak to the young child in a way that they can comprehend.
It is also important to learn when not to speak and just allow them to see, and hear, and smell and touch, and taste... without too many concepts or explanations. The concepts get jumbled in their simple and innocent minds and can also create anxiety and 'acting out' when they get overwhelmed with all our words…
Want to know more about working with Shannon?
I also consult and coach homeschool pods that want to start a school, as that is what I have done two times now, both in northern California and in northern Idaho. It's a lot of work and I've seen many schools fold. They start with the best of intentions around community ideals, but later find they don't have the social forms to uphold the ideals.
Anyway, I lived in deep community for 20 years with about 100 people. It was an anthroposophical community. I base my coaching off of that experience and offer many tools and processes for effective community and school building.
I have experience training teachers and offer private coaching of course, as well as group coaching. My group coaching is very effective and economical as well. I do that on Zoom.
I have a new Substack blog that I will be adding substance to within the month that you can subscribe to here as well.
In the meantime, to stay in touch, connect with me on Facebook.
Or give me a call (208) 597.4177
- Shannon
