Category: The Inner Work of Education
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Freewill (Control of Will)
In this blog post, we will discuss freewill. However, this will not be a philosophical treatise on whether or not freewill exists. Rather, it will be a practical guide on how to become free of will. This is the followup to a post we wrote a few months ago entitled Control of Thought. The Six…
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Education in a Time of Uncertainty
Our world is becoming increasingly uncertain. Wars progress and threaten to escalate. Markets are volatile. The upcoming U.S. presidential election looks messy. Even Asheville, N.C., long considered to be one of the very safest places in the country, was just devastated by a hurricane. (So safe was Asheville considered that NOAA put their server building…
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Michaelmas Reflections
A pale, yet warm, light glows in our garage this evening. The stars are coming earlier each night, and the air they bring grows crisper. The crop vines are withering from green to yellow to brittle brown. They’ve made their fruits, given them as gifts to the next generation, and now they’re passing from an…
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The Power of Story
Where do you get your news from? I get mine from The Lord of the Rings. I know that sounds silly, but it’s true, and that is because of the power of story to convey truth. Allow me to explain. Every reasonable adult I know agrees that the media is a fray, literally like the…
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Which Homeschool Curriculum Do I Choose?
Which homeschool curriculum do I choose? I see this question come up constantly in social media groups. Most homeschooling parents aren’t trained teachers, and they are looking expert guidance. In my experience, parents fall into one of three categories with education: no experience, some experience, and lots of experience. To each group I will make…
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Spiritual Treasure
Silver and Gold What is life’s greatest treasure? Is it silver and gold, an abundant retirement, or the ownership of a nice house? How about a new car, the ability to travel, and the financial freedom to treat your family to dinner out each week? What about several years’ worth of food and supplies stored…
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Humor as Medicine in the Home
Have you ever found yourself talking with your spouse about something stressful which pressingly needs to be discussed…like, now? Meanwhile, your young child or children are in the room, and they will inevitably be stressed out, too? Your solid parenting instinct recognizes this, so you try going into another room. However, because your children are…
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Control of Thought
Dr. Steiner advises that people spend a month doing each of the Six Basic Exercises. The first is called “Control of Thought,” and we will describe it here. Below is the version I practice, and it’s based on indications from Steiner, Florin Lowndes, and Mark Riccio from the Organic Thinking website. As a side note,…
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The Six Basic Exercises
In Ancient Greece, Plato spoke of the soul as a chariot driven by the three horses of thinking, feeling, and willing. Becoming a true philosopher demanded the student learn to control these horses. Thereby, the individual, and not the horses, could drive the chariot where he or she wanted it to go. This need is…
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Breaking Bad Habits
During this summer’s live Spirituality for Youth class, I asked the students to choose one habit to set aside for a week. I am still waiting to hear the results from that after our summer break is over. However, in solidarity I told them that I would do the same practice, choosing to give up…