Imagination and Source Workshop
Last weekend, I had the privilege of hosting a creative play space for a small group of pre-teens. We talked about the role of imagination in our lives and our world. Then we did a lot of fun exercises to get our imaginations fired up. As a warm up, I asked them to make an invention that would clean their rooms and not worry for the moment about the realities of physics or computer science, just let go and dream up something that you wish could exist. Here is a sampling of the ideas:
Then they had to imagine a happy day for themselves. After all, if you can't imagine what that would look like, how you can you really create it in your life? Got everyone thinking about what actually makes them feel good versus what images they have in their minds of things that are “supposed” to make them happy. Interestingly, this group came to a conclusion that many things that are supposed to be fun and make you happy - like “stuff”, big parties, roller coasters, winning something, don't always feel that great. The things they talked about in their imagined happy day? Play time with friends and family, expressing themselves creatively - building, writing, art and being in nature. Great wake up call for us parents right? And we can all afford those things!
The next exercise was inventing something that could benefit all people. They noticed how often the thought of “that's impossible, I shouldn't even say that!” came up. We remembered how people told the Wright Brothers that they would never fly but eventually, through their experiments, the science and methods caught up with their imaginations. So we learned to ignore the naysaying voice for the time being. Here are a couple very cool examples of what they dreamed up: “The replicator”: a machine that materializes pure healthy food and drink so that hungry people will never go without.
“The instant transporter’: a device that lets you travel anywhere quickly with no discomfort and cleans the atmosphere while it takes you there!
Perhaps someday the science will catch up with their imaginations too! I hope so.
Winter Workshops
Inner Discovery at Rivertown Revival
Share Fair Fun
Congrats to Kelly and Debbie of the Share Exchange on their first Share Fair! From what I could tell, it looked like people were having a really nice time and for me it was a great opportunity to get out and meet families in our community. Thanks Debbie for finding space for me and Jeanna for the referral!!!
Share Fair Sunday July 10 11-4
Inner Discovery Summer Schedule
Japanese teacher brings feelings into the classroom
Checking in
Watching the Mind
The River kids have taken on a big challenge recently - they have begun learning how to watch the “monkey mind". We did a fun exercise where everybody tracked all the thoughts that were going on in their heads for about 15 minutes. As everyone knows who's ever tried tracking the mind, it's not an easy thing! They began to see how many thoughts, feelings, ideas and sensations occur and how many, if not all of them, can take us out of the present moment. They were pretty amazed at how rare it is to be in the now, in present time and not lost in a thought about the past or the future.
