Living and Leading from Within
  • Home
  • About
  • NEW BOOK: The Rebel's Guide to Leadership
  • Programs & Retreats
  • The Circle of Trust® Approach
  • Event Calendar
  • Testimonials
  • Visual Quotes
  • Blog

Instructions for Living a Life

17/1/2017

1 Comment

 
Picture
Mary Oliver’s poems are imbued with the mystery and wonder of nature.  They stem from her close and deep attention to the marvels she observes on her daily meditative walks in nature.   Mary Oliver’s poetry and this wee snippet above remind me of school field trips to the rocky shore, when I was principal of Matahui School, where learning outside the classroom, and learning from nature, are central.

The very first activity for each child was to choose a comfortable position, somewhere on their own beside a rock pool, and they were to simply sit there – very quietly - very still - and they were to do nothing but observe their pool.

For five full minutes. 

Which is a long time for a child to sit without moving or saying a word.  In fact we would practise this at school beforehand in preparation for the outing.

For this was the key to unlocking the magic and wonder of the rocky shore for the children; for them to gain the most learning from the experience.  As the observers sat there, as still and quiet as the rocks themselves, the sea life within each pool would decide that it was now safe for them to resume their daily business, and the pools would proceed to come to life.   Myriads of sea life, normally unseen when people are clambering about on the rocks, would begin to move about in their own particular way, doing their own particular thing, for their own particular purpose.  All shapes and sizes, some very tiny and easy to miss without paying close attention.  

And there was so much else to notice within the rock pool - the intricate structures of the plant life, the details and colours of the rocks and shells.  It was enthralling to watch, and once the show began, it was suddenly easier to simply sit and observe.  It was a lesson in paying attention and mindfulness, and this was years before mindfulness became the catchphrase it is today.

The children learned so much more from this activity than the adaptive features of plants and animals.  They also learned about the wonder and beauty of nature, the interdependence of the rock pool community with each other and their shared environment, and how important it is that we treat these  rock pool ‘homes’ and their inhabitants with deep care and respect.   

All very important universal understandings that apply on so many levels in the wider world beyond the rocky shore.

And so back to Mary Oliver, and her gift of observing and learning from nature and beautifully capturing and sharing important universal truths, as she does in her poem Invitation:
​
Invitation
 
Oh do you have time
to linger
for just a little while
out of your busy
 
and very important day
for the goldfinches
that have gathered
in a field of thistles
 
for a musical battle,
to see who can sing
the highest note,
or the lowest,
 
or the most expressive of mirth,
or the most tender?
Their strong, blunt beaks
drink the air
 
as they strive
melodiously
not for your sake
and not for mine
 
and not for the sake of winning
but for sheer delight and gratitude--
believe us, they say,
it is a serious thing
 
just to be alive
on this fresh morning
in the broken world.
I beg of you,
 
do not walk by
without pausing
to attend to this
rather ridiculous performance.
 
It could mean something.
It could mean everything.
It could be what Rilke meant, when he wrote:
You must change your life.
  

Mary Oliver
1 Comment

A Sense of Wonder & Awe

19/3/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
In his recent blog On the Brink of Everything, Parker Palmer reminds us how easy it is to lose touch with a sense of wonder in our daily lives.  Our senses become accustomed to – even worse, they become addicted to - the over-stimulation of flashing images and life’s frantic noise and pace.  Boredom becomes the enemy, and we avoid it at all costs.

A lot can be learned from watching young children.  For them, life is so new.  They are able to see ‘the miraculous in the mundane’.  Better still, they’re not afraid of risking ridicule when they express their ‘wow!’ moments about life’s wonders.  Sadly, that fear comes later.

I love this video of 15 month old Kayden experiencing rain for the first time.  It reminds me to take time out, away from the screens and the noise and the pace, to slow down and notice – really notice – the many wonders that life has to offer me.


0 Comments

    Categories

    All
    Attention
    Authenticity
    Authentic Leadership
    Awe
    Center For Courage & Renewal
    Change
    Christmas
    Connection
    Courage To Teach
    Education
    Ego
    Giving And Receiving
    Heart
    Integrity
    Leadership
    Listening
    Nature
    New Year
    Paradox
    Parker J. Palmer
    Poems
    Reflection
    Seasons
    Time
    Trust
    Wonder

    Mennie Scapens

    Mennie designs and leads leadership development programs, teacher renewal retreats, and programs for personal and professional development.  She is passionate about helping people uncover and grow their unique talents and dreams, and discovering personal pathways to living and leading authentic lives.  

    She is a facilitator prepared by the Center for Courage & Renewal. 

    Picture

    Archives

    April 2024
    January 2024
    November 2023
    March 2023
    December 2022
    May 2022
    October 2020
    June 2020
    December 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    October 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    February 2016
    September 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014

    RSS Feed


Mennie Scapens M.Ed
Courage & Renewal Facilitator
Phone +64 27 686 7449
Email  [email protected]


What participants have to say:

"Taking the time out of the busy rush of university life to really reconnect with my inner self was definitely invaluable! I had forgotten to really take a step back to re-evaluate my personal goals and see whether they align with my values."
   - Merit Scholar, Macquarie 
      University, Sydney, Australia.


​"Themes were explored using silence, interactive reflection, the most wonderful poems, videos and a variety of activities. I really appreciated learning about 'open and honest questions' which I now use in my practice as a clinical psychologist."
  -  Veerle Poels, Whakatane,
           NZ.


"A powerful, honest, and meaningful investment of time.  I came away with the understanding that deep self-reflection will yield better long-term results. 
Thank you for such a refreshing approach."

 - Participant, Auckland, NZ.