I have just come back from a short trip to a Danish Kindergarten. I was there with work to find out about their practice. I visited 1 kindergarten, similar to most in Denmark it uses forest school practice, however the place we visited is said by some over there to be the best in Denmark!.
This setting is situated in the middle of no where!. It has a picturesque thatched house and is surrounded by woods. The outdoor play area was huge! with the sort of play equipment you would see at center parcs!, zip wires, rope swings etc. For part of the day ( few hrs) we all went into the woods.
I spend a lot of time with nursery’s / children! It’s my job!. I have never had such a sense of peace, calm, and awe and wonder. For me spending time with this group was a “thin place”, a place where I had such a sense of God’s delight. What really stood out for me was the childrens joy, delight at the natural world. The educators and the leader particularly have really nurtured this. Almost every few steps a child would stop kneel down, gently pick up a beetle or a slug, show their friends. This has really challenged me, when was the last time I took delight at the world around me, when was the last time I stopped and stared at a beetle, with a blue belly. It wasn’t just that the children took delight about what was around them, it was that the staff actively encouraged it. The children knew what was ok to eat in the woods and what was poisonous, they happily ate green shoots growing on an old tree bark but knew to not eat the poisonous orange fungi. The staff had so much respect for the children and the world around them, they wanted to share their love of the world with the children.
My challenge to myself and my question for you is do we stop and see the wonder of the world? when was the last time you were in awe and wonder of creation?. On that note I am going to make the most of my day off at home and go for a walk in the meadow near my house to enjoy the creation here!.
thanks Sonia, thats just beautiful, I’m becoming more and more aware of how a good set up influences our sense of wellbeing, and remembering good things make our children, and us, happy
at Camus, who run adventure holidays for young people, I’ve heard they talk about the ‘Big Book & the Little Book’, both speak of God, the Big Book is Creation and the Little Book is the Bible
http://www.iona.org.uk/camas_home.php
I sometimes want to say to people, when they’re going through a really bad time, it’s not your fault, its our society that’s set things up like this, we’ve built noisy, busy, dirty, crowded city’s. (even the stars look different when you are away from the ‘light pollution’ of our built up world.) Margaret Legum, author of ‘It Doesn’t Have to Be Like This’ talks about a similar demoralising effect global economics has on us, we who have little have learnt to hold our heads in shame because we have a lack of available cash! When we are, in fact, glorious creatures of the universe
here’s to re-connecting and experiencing the splendour in our world
By: subo on September 10, 2009
at 5:30 pm
Sonia, sounds like you had a lovely experience. It’s good to be reminded of what it is like to see things through fresh eyes. I try to take the time to smell the flowers, hear the birds sing and marvel at the glorious sights of nature. I haven’t been doing it often enough of late and your posting comes as a timely reminder. Thank you! x
By the way, just shows that ICT and interactive whiteboards are not the be all and end all, eh?
By: Carole on September 10, 2009
at 7:14 pm
Sounds wonderful Sonia!! In 2 weeks time I am off for my annual hermitage experience on the edge of Loch Shiel and will re-connect with the sense of wonder I am sure – find I need this ‘disciplined time’ to re-connect with a sense of perspective! If anyone likes books on the theme I commend ‘Dangerous Wonder’ by Mike Yaconneli – dave
By: Dave on September 10, 2009
at 8:55 pm
your visit sounds amazing and inspiring. its interesting to me that you talk about the sense of awe and wonder in the children as actively being fostered by the environment, the ethos and the educators working there. makes me think that we should spend more time creating spaces for fostering awe and wonder in our work and our play – it doesn’t often just happen, does it?
By: sanctuarybath on September 10, 2009
at 10:26 pm
I’ve always liked the sound of Satish Kumar’s ‘Small School’ at Hartland in Devon, which has an emphasis on exploring the environment and the arts.
They seem to do a lot of social things well in Scandinavia. Why isn’t there more learning from good models in other European countries?
By: Tiggy on September 11, 2009
at 11:48 pm
I just have to say again, it’s been so useful to me to stop and tune in to the world around me, to let my senses open up to hear a faint rustling in the trees, of watch a squirrel cadging peanuts
or the outrageous playfulness of dolphins, dancing round a small boat in response to a meal of fish
it’s good to realise I belong in God’s bountiful world, and my createrliness is loveable
By: subo on September 13, 2009
at 9:45 am
some great comments everyone, thanks. Tiggy there is some learning happening from Scandinavia and other places, that’s why I was sent by my work place, to learn and share that with others- be great to see more of it though!.
I have been reflecting on this a lot this week, it seems to me that there was a real connectedness with the creation around them. I am interested Dave that you feel the importance of you having an annual retreat to Loch Shiel, I am guessing that is a time for you reconnect with the creation?. Like you Su I have been trying this week to “tune into the world”. After sanctuary lunch yesterday some of us went on a walk around here. There was something very beautiful about a group of us ambling along the lanes, playing in the stream and on muddy slopes and enjoying picking and eating blackberries. Maybe it is the slowing down and looking and noticing, maybe it is the enjoying and the pleasure of the small things we often we miss or maybe it is something about reconnecting with the creation?.
By: soniamain on September 14, 2009
at 7:43 am
On Friday evening we went out for a drive- not particularly good for the old carbon footprint – our destination is about a 5 minute drive from our house, but we wanted the last of the daylight. We took ourselves for a walk along the cliffs (not as dramatic as it sounds!) at Thurstaston. We took our moody 16 year-old with us to wind down after the first week of A levels. The grass had been cut so we had a grass fight which released a lot of the stress of the week. We marvelled at the clarity of the view over the Dee Estuary and the North Wales hills. We found ourselves reading the little memorial plates on the numerous benches and thanking the people for allowing us to enjoy the views in comfort and imagining them sitting alongside us. Back to the van and Phil insisted on making a cup of coffee (still a new conversion and the novelty hasn’t worn off!) It was getting quiet, most people had gone home and Lol spotted a little bunny scampering along, completely oblivious to us. As we drove out of the trees, the most magnificent sunset over the estuary revealed itself. So, thanks Sonia, this mini excursion was prompted by your post!
By: Carole on September 14, 2009
at 9:10 am
beautiful description Carole, thanks
By: soniamain on September 14, 2009
at 3:57 pm
That sounds lovely Carole, well done for making the time for it! There is definitely something about slowing down, and also something about being on foot and not always in a car rushing past everything. Today I had to collect my car from the garage, a half hour walk uphill which was challenging for a sloth like me! About a quarter of an hour into it I realised that I was focusing so entirely on getting there as quickly as I could that I was not enjoying the walk or the surroundings at all! Its a bad habit to be in a hurry all the time and not easy to recognise sometimes, let alone correct! Must try harder…
By: Clare on September 15, 2009
at 9:58 pm
A sloth in a hurry? Now there’s a paradox!
By: Tiggy on September 15, 2009
at 10:19 pm
Clare at least you realised half way. Our culture is so much about hurrying, doing lots of things, packing loads in. I know i am hugely guilty of that, I think it takes time to learn to slow down.
I am currently interested in how this all fits with our experience of church. Do we have time to stop, reflect, listen and watch. As part of mission is there a need for the church to offer opportunities to slow down, be silent- all fits with Dave and Clare’s previous thoughts and reading of the contemplative book. Sanctuary is in a place of reimagining our worship, I think this might be an important aspect/ question for us.
By: soniamain on September 17, 2009
at 7:46 am
Jonny Baker has just reviewed a book on a similar theme which sounds quite interesting:
http://jonnybaker.blogs.com/jonnybaker/2009/09/spiritual-intelligence.html
If ever I find the time to read, I might get it! This is a bit like a chicken and egg situation!
By: Carole on September 17, 2009
at 9:00 am
Well if anyone wants lessons in being slow and NOT doing loads of things, they can come to me – lol. I’m the opposite – I need a kick up the backside/kindly motivation and encouragement to do things. I’m just great at sitting around doing nothing much and have always been good at just being. This didn’t go down too well with my busy, busy, doing, doing family. But it seems to me that people rush, rush, rush and then they die. What’s the point?
Is there anyone on here who wants someone to go to the gym with? I need that motivation to go and the person I was going to go with got sent to prison, which was disheartening to say the least.
Can someone let me know when Sanctuary events are on and make sure I’m on the mailing list?
Thanks, Tiggy.
By: Tiggy on September 17, 2009
at 6:57 pm
you are now on the sanctuary mailing list Tiggy. Our next service is on the 1st Sunday of October, 5pm at St Matthews Widcombe.
By: soniamain on September 18, 2009
at 7:23 am
I go to Kung-Fu in Easton, Bristol. if your interested Tiggy, it’s a great work out
By: subo on September 18, 2009
at 10:17 am
oh sonia it sounds like you had an amazing time
One of the things I’m really missing at the moment is outside spaces – I want to take Poppy to the park to sit on the grass, go walking where she can splash in puddles and feed the ducks. Its ramadan so we can’t even go out and eat, and its too hot outside so we’re restricted to the malls which are the same nasty light day or night. we might be moving back to the uk quicker than we thought at this rate!!!!
By: dadube on September 19, 2009
at 3:42 pm
and we would love it if you do, I’ll find you a house!!
By: soniamain on September 19, 2009
at 5:31 pm
hi dadube, hope you find a little oasis soon, that sounds very stressful being in such a hot environment with a tiny one.
By: subo on September 20, 2009
at 11:46 am
yes will be re-connecting with creation Sonia – an aspect of which is re-connecting with myself! I love this John O Donohue quote – it resonates with where I am …
“How do we give birth to community? I don’t think we do, I don’t think we can create or manufacture community, what we have to do is to allow community to emerge. So what kind of conditions must prevail in order for real community to emerge? One of the things we need is to make some clearances for ourselves again, so that we can see the shape of our souls, and so we can see also the shape of our hungers. We are caught on a treadmill of rapidity that doesn’t allow us to pause or to see what’s going on at all.”
pax – dave
By: Dave on September 22, 2009
at 10:39 pm
I like that phrase, ‘treadmill of rapidity’. But what choice do most people have? That’s what the world and the workplaces expects of people now and it’s got worse and worse. I don’t have a job, partly because if I have to be on a treadmill I get sick, or maybe I just realise more than other people that it’s making me sick. I can’t keep up on the treadmill – I fall off.
By: Tiggy on September 22, 2009
at 11:26 pm
here’s to finding our own rhythm of work, and to hearing God’s call in our lives, to do something valuable
here’s to finding his wisdom to build grace into our over stimulated and controlling approach to life
here’s to finding we are called my beloved brother’s and sisters, by Christ, and enjoying our place in his loving community
By: subo on September 23, 2009
at 9:10 am
Suspect part of the answer to exploring what choices we have is to ‘understand the shape of our hungers’ Tiggy – I like Su’s quote re ‘finding our own rhythm’.
I was challenged by this story….
A rich industrialist was horrified to find a fisherman lying lazily beside his boat smoking a pipe. “Why aren’t you fishing?” said the industrialist. “Because I have caught enough fish for the day,” said the fisherman. “Why don’t you catch more than you need?” said the industrialist. “What would I do with them?” asked the fisherman. “You could earn more money,” was the reply. “With that you could have a motor fixed to your boat. Then you could go into deeper waters and catch more fish. Then you would make enough to buy nylon nets. These would bring you more fish and more money. Soon you would have enough money to own two boats, maybe even a fleet of boats. The you would be a rich man like me.” “What would I do then?” asked the fisherman. “Then you could sit down and enjoy life,” said the industrialist. “What do you think I am doing right now?” said the contented fisherman
I think an aspect of the treadmill is my own ‘buying in’ to the western dreams of capitalism, an overdeveloped work ethic, materialism, the need to be liked and accepted and other ’scripts’ that I adopt and comply with… anyway – I have the luxury of space in Scotland soon (that I have chosen to make) and am sure to come back enlightened!! Dave
By: Dave on September 24, 2009
at 10:55 pm
I don’t know if anyone else has read the beautiful ‘Smith’s Gazelle’ by Lionel Davidson
he manages to create a hugely contrasting work/life ethic in this book
By: subo on September 25, 2009
at 6:09 pm
john wayne’s first hollywood role was that of a roman guard at the foot of the cross in the story of jesus. when the director said “action” john wayne duly said, “he truly is the son of god.” the director said to him, “that’s great john, put could you do it with more ‘awe’?” so next time the director cried “action” john wayne said, “awe, he truly is the son of god.”
doesn’t sound true, but it always makes me smile.
By: jonbirch on September 25, 2009
at 6:37 pm
awe
By: subo on September 25, 2009
at 6:50 pm