thinking thursday.

January 3, 2013 in General

mind

Because Tess will be “unschooled” now rather than return to her fourth grade classroom, I’m reading this and this and this. At the moment, I am reconciling the fact that as a child with Asperger’s, she needs structure–in what is essentially an unstructured approach to learning. Good ideas are swirling, and welcomed.

body

I love this house. And turquoise. And oh, those stairs.
Santa, with a lot of help from an awesome friend, brought Tess a trip to Disney World sometime in 2013, something she has wanted for a long time. She has been wearing the Mickey Mouse ears he left under the tree for her every day since Christmas. Me? I’m busy reading this.
Can’t wait to try this vegan black bean and sweet potato stew from my friend Lydia.
And holy moly, make this lentil dal immediately. Beyond yumtastic.

soul

All the more reason I am beginning again with yoga in 2013: “Researchers have found that three sessions of yoga a week can help fight off depression as it boosts levels of a chemical in the brain which is essential for a sound and relaxed mind. Scientists found that the levels of the amino acid GABA are much higher in those that carry out yoga than those do the equivalent of a similarly strenuous exercise such as walking.”
I am going to use this as inspiration for my 2013 journal/calendar.

word

“Your life, with its immensity and fear,
…now bounded, now immeasurable,
it is alternately stone in you and star.”
(from ‘Evening,’ Rainer Maria Rilke)

What about you? What have you read that’s been of interest to you? Leave a note in the comments below so we can all learn from each other!

[Image of Mayan calendar from here]

Patti Digh is an author, speaker, and educator who builds learning communities and gets to the heart of difficult topics. Her work over the last three decades has focused on diversity, inclusion, social justice, and living and working mindfully. She has developed diversity strategies and educational programming for major nonprofit and corporate organizations and has been a featured speaker at many national and international conferences.

5 comments to " thinking thursday. "


Kate Bowie McGonigle

January 3, 2013 AT 12:46PM

been reading a totally whacked out kids book (pre-reading before reading with the kids, hallelujah)… Box of Delights…Masefield? picked it up because C.S.Lewis was mentioned/quoted on the back. its magical but deeply whacked, now i can’t stop reading it, no matter has the whacky is flying. shoot.

Dina M. Stuart

January 4, 2013 AT 12:06AM

I just spent the afternoon at my local library (between registering for classes and seeing my therapist). I had read through 37 Days a few years ago when I was in the throes of a failing marriage. I liked what I read, but never had a chance to practice any of the suggestions. Today I read the first(?) chapter. I don’t have a car, so I took the river walk to my therapy session, and danced all the way! What an amazing catharsis! It’s a great prelude to a serious therapy session.

Esther Louie

January 4, 2013 AT 6:15PM

I look forward to your Thoughtful Thursdays and am enjoying all your links.

I’ve renewed my commtment to self-care and renewal when I signed up for Becoming Bendy – wonderful. And to re-committing to developing a sustainable yoga lifelong practice. In my 60s now, i am happy to find that in my two favorite yoga studios, I’m not always the oldest practitioner! A few other pilgrims journeying along and staying bendy.

I liked reading this article and it gave me ideas to think and plan for my yoga practice:
http://www.gaiam.com/Evolve-Your-Yoga-Practice%3A-Q-A-with-Rodney-Yee/6122,default,pg.html?q=3010200

Something Good « A Thousand Shades of Gray

January 7, 2013 AT 5:19PM

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Tricia Scott

January 8, 2013 AT 5:58PM

Oh, I want to curl up with a cup of tea and read all of your posts and click on every single link! Thank you for the unschooling posts. We homeschool with leanings toward unschooling and I am always looking for others. Sometimes, for me, it is easy to fall into a place of worry that I am not doing enough or doing it right. And our local homeschool geography club has chosen India for this month’s country. I was going to search online for a recipe tonight and now I don’t have to. :)