Breathing Tour Day 15 at Springmont Montessori

Thank you Dara for inviting us to Nicole’s Upper Elementary Class where 4 students choose to lead the breaths each day. Dara and Nicole support them through challenges without micromanaging or adding pressure.

The energy of the room felt calm and grounded and warm.

Each of the leaders embodied a sense of competency, which is a valuable quality that all enthusiastic learners share.

It felt refreshing to be led.

Parakeet Music connected us to a peaceful, harmonic beat. Thank you Rio and Katara for your contribution!

Walls of open windows connected us to the outdoors. The natural light was grounding.

The children’s smiles connected us to ours.

Freedom and responsibility are balanced well in this  multi-age classroom.  There’s a sense of “We GET to do this instead of we HAVE to do this.” AAAAAAHHhhhh

We will not be able to see or experience peace on our planet if we ourselves in our micro consciousness can’t have peace or some glimmer of it when we want to. Sometimes chaos is good news, and we need it to create, but our  mandate is at a moments notice, breathe, I know the coordinate of peace within me and I know how to find it. Easier said than done which is why we practice it for at least 40 days to change our nervous system. Our nervous system has to get stronger to withstand the pressure of this age.

We then sat in circle and passed the talking stone around.  Their 40th day of deep breathes is near.

Children shared:

“My mood is more positive.”

“It helps me wake up.”

“It helps me get creative and ready to start my day.”

“I’m now self-aware of everything.”

“I’m now self-confident.”

“I have energy and it’s cool.”

“Now I know how to calm down.”

“I feel more energetic and no longer have the case of the mondays.”

“I practice the breaths at home to control my energy.”

And Nicole, their teacher shared: “Kids ask before class to center themselves-even while camping!

Springmont shares “Maria Montessori lived during a time of world wars and global upheaval, and perhaps for this reason, she placed great emphasis on peace education. She believed that the future of the world depended on teaching children the importance of peace. There is a great emphasis on community, within the classroom and the school and in the wider global community. Children learn about the world and internalize tools for calming themselves and conducting peaceful conflict resolution.”

It’s truly beautiful to witness a peaceful school where everything is purposeful and designed for the greater good. Where children are respectful, joyful and helpful! They set the tables with cloth and utensils. Nothing feels rushed.

Where children are indeed, creating the future.

Thank you, Springmont for welcoming us into your peace-filled school. Thank you, Dara for bringing Georgia Breathes to Springmont. Thank you for giving us a tour of the classroom gardens and introducing us to the chickens and turkey and goat and sheep!

Thank you, Wally of Kelley Sue Photography, for capturing the essence of our tour stop.

Breathe Free!
Lady Inhale