The philosopher Jacob Needleman once wrote, “I believe that the group is the art form of the future. In our present culture the main need is for a form that can enable human beings to share their perceptions…and through that sharing, to become a conduit for the appearance of spiritual intelligence.” I love that. When [ Read more … ]
coaching
The teacher is a point of access to something beyond the teacher.
For most teachers who love their work, it’s more than a job. It’s a creative outlet, an opportunity to share what you love, and an opportunity to grow. That’s the way it’s been for me, anyway. Burnout is common in the helping professions, but when I approach teaching as a cauldron for my own growth, [ Read more … ]
Don’t search for a solution. Open space for it.
The educator Maxine Green once said: “I find that, when a space is provided, something rather wonderful can happen.” Empty space allows things to evolve in an organic way. It creates room for what we DON’T know and can’t expect. Empty space allows Something greater to come through us. So next time you’re stuck, don’t [ Read more … ]
Making room for the creative
The creative process is innate to human life. We don’t need to make complicated plans to search for ideas. We simply need to make room for them to visit. The times I’ve been most unhappy with my teaching were the times that I didn’t allow enough of a pause. Instead, I rushed on to the [ Read more … ]
Holding the stance of “the one who knows” with a student or client creates a polarity. The other person now has something to defend against.
In his book, POWER IN THE HELPING PROFESSIONS, Jungian psychiatrist Adolf Guggenbuhl discusses how therapists, teachers, and medical practitioners create polarities with clients and students when they take on the role of “knower.” Jungian analyst John R. Haule calls this polarization a “split archetype.” A split archetype happens whenever we know “what is best” for [ Read more … ]