Nothing huge yesterday, another ideal day. Shoutout to Tripp for helping me pickup my coffee table from Ashley furniture. Did get a haircut - Zack knows exactly what I'm looking for. Probably the best barber at the shop tbh. Faster and better quality and precision than anyone else I had experienced there. Meal prepped for the next few days and then discovered that Sudha plays chess so we ended up playing a game and chilling on the phone for a bit. Not bad for only starting to play last fall / winter.
Part of watching The Creative Brain the other day is that they said giving these options for children to explore their creativity is vital in allowing to learn and be their full selves. They showcased a school in Vermont that focuses on the arts as a way for children to express themselves. Tying this back into my thoughts the other day, the things I did in childhood and adolescence have a lower activation energy when I'm an adult. And not even just limited to 'doing', but just exposure as well. The wider variety of inputs they they receive earlier on, the deeper and longer the brain has to absorb, analyze, and synthesize into outputs that are expressed as creativity, inspirations, ideas, etc. So one of the things that I want to make a focus of SpiritEd Dojo is not only what and how they're learning, but also what they're exposed to. What does it take to get food on their plate? How do they make cars? Why do birds create nests the way they do? How does it feel to close your eyes and focus on your breath for a few minutes? What can they make in 2 hours with a paintbrush, paint, and a canvas? What characters can they imagine themselves as in a short play? What does teamwork look and feel like when playing soccer or basketball? How do we recognize, discuss, and celebrate people who are different from us physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually? The intention is not to make them ready for the next grade or even a couple years ahead. It's to allow them to explore, utilize, and grow their childhood curiosity every day of their life underscored with high character. That's what I've been able to rediscover relatively recently b/c I've had many inputs over the course of my childhood and adolescence. So I will definitely give my parents thanks and gratitude for that.
While I'm on the topic of the school, I want to introduce and normalize a couple of aspects of the meals. I want to follow on some level the principles of eating healthy Ayurvedically. One is to not really talk during the actual consumption of food (or watch any content, etc.). Having no distractions gives the ability to fully focus on the positive energy that the food is providing our bodies. After that silent eating time, then allowing the 2nd half of the time for them to interact with whoever. Which brings me to the 2nd point. Rotating the classes / groups who have lunch at that time so they can have interaction with as many different folks as possible; so they're creating friends with people who embody an entire spectrum intellectually, ethnically, physically. Maybe even allowing the kids to be a part of the food making / serving process so they are exposed to giving and receiving. That diversity of experience.
Side idea I had for the future: to write a Book of Imprints. I've essentially been starting to collect them in my list journal and some in here as well. So after years and decades of more understanding, I can compile them into a book or something.
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