Speak and Listen from the Heart

We held our first council of the year as a community. Council is an "ancient practice which offers a way of communicating that encourages attentive listening, as well as honest and compassionate expression."  Sixth graders guided the rest of the class in defining the agreements of this sacred ritual--speak from the heart, listen from the heart, be lean with words, and be spontaneous.

We began with a dedication when students shared individuals/beings in their lives that could use our thoughts and healing energy. Next, students told stories about an experience that pulled them out of their comfort zones and what they did to work with what arose. We then looked ahead to next week and spoke about what is arising for them in terms of what they expect will be challenging and what they needed to navigate it.