“Groovy,” “Keep on Truckin!’” I was a pre/early teen during the Hippy days. Needless to say, I was impressionable. Being literal at that time, I truly believed that peace and love were the answers. I thought we were to encourage one another. I resonated with the songs, “He ain’t Heavy, He’s my Brother,” “What the World Needs Now,” “Bridge over Troubled Water.” I believed we were to love one another, to live in harmony, to support each other. I did not understand competition and mean-spiritedness.
Even though the resonance of the Peace Movement message resonated with me that message was not being taught or modeled by the adults in my life. So maybe my ideals were just that--idealistic. I was a literal thinker and imagined what life would be life like if we could achieve harmony, peace, love.
The message encoded itself on a deeply profound level. I would never be the same…but I grew-up not knowing how to live it. Over time, I buried my inner hippy.
I don’t know if other’s have this same experience as a parent, but as a mom, my daughter is constantly requiring me to change, to grow, to evolve, to be more than I am, to expand in ways that at times are uncomfortable!
As some of you know, Mandy, my 9 year-old, is an Indigo child. Like so many of these creative, psychic, joyful children, she has learning differences. She is dyslexic and brings a unique vision to this world because she is a whole brain, global thinker. She thinks outside of the box. She is ADHD and her body dislikes highly processed food. However, she has lived in a culture that has not valued purer living, nor have I.
Since she started school, I watched the brilliant light that shines within my daughter become covered with anxiety. She was riddled with thoughts that she was somehow lacking and feeling defeated on a daily basis. At school she was treated only like an intellect…At 9, the focus was her reading and math scores….passing state mandated tests…a performance-driven system was crushing the spirit if my child.
So Mandy’s soul has called forth a change for her! She deserved a place that nurtured her spirit. She deserved a school that allowed her to develop, intellectually, but emotionally, physically, and spiritually, as well….
Was there such a place on the planet?
We found it in Fairview, TX, The Robert Muller Center for Living Ethics. Dr. Robert Muller was Undersecretary to the UN and urged that humanity adopt a program of study that offers the world’s children a comprehensive curriculum stressing their relationship to the Earth and the Human Family. He outlined the World Core Curriculum, which approaches every subject as part of the “Four Harmonies.” The Four Harmonies include Our Planetary Home and Place in the Universe, Our Place in Time, The Family of Humanity, and The Miracle of Individual Life.
Our Planetary Home in the Universe is a study of all sciences, including biology, geology, geography, and astronomy as dynamic, interrelated aspects of one vast living system. Whether infinitely small or infinitely large, respect and reverence are keynotes.
The second harmony is Our Place in Time, which is a study of the cause and effect, the interrelated flow of events in the cosmos, the biospheres and humanity (nations, religions and world organizations.) The emphasis is on what people can learn from the past to apply in the present to create a harmonious future, informed and infused with creativity and innovation in all fields of human endeavor.
The third harmony is The Family of Humanity and is a study of the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of humanity such as world population, culture, geography, standards of living and human groupings such as nations, corporations, and families. The inclusion of the heart brings in all humanity’s sorrows and joys, struggles and accomplishments within the radius of our own caring and sense of responsibility.
The fourth harmony is The Miracle of Individual Human Life and studies the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual levels of each human as aspects of a synergetic whole. Attention to the human need for optimal nutrition, loving relationship, mental brilliance and spiritual refreshment lends relevance to this holistic education.
Children have the opportunity to participate in the Global Elementary Model of the United Nation, Ecological Education, Sacred Geometry, Destination Imagination, music, art, mentoring, student teaching, language class, ecological education, sustainable living, Global Learning to Benefit the Environment.
The school, its founder, the staff and the parents are devoted to being the change they wish to see in the world.
In being in the community I see that I am giving my daughter what I wanted to receive when I was young and impressionable. I see that where I am still idyllic and where I have contributed to helping this world be a better place. I know that my role as a spiritual peacekeeper began as I hummed, “I would like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony!”
But her enrollment in this school has also provided a measuring stick for me to see opportunities to live more consciously as well.
We had a little girl from the school over to play and she had a handful of Fritos and she broke-out in a rash! The foods we eat are not pure. We use products that are not environmentally friendly. We are not conscious of the paper and plastics we are using. Plus, many other atrocities. Hopefully, I will not be kicked-out of this loving community and they will be patient as we work to transform ourselves!
Instead of chastising myself, I am going to allow my inner Hippy to come out … to dust herself off and to be proud of who she is…
I can still be idyllic and I can return to some of the basics in life. I can be more conscious and know that even one or two changes in the world can and will make a difference!
For my inner hippy, I want my body to be more pure. I want to eat foods that are closer to their natural state…whole grains, no sugar or white flour, most of the time. I think I can do that…Remember it is not about perfection. It is about being conscious. I will participate in the organic food coop that the parents organize at the school!
I will learn to make couscous and learn to use aguava nectar as a sweetener. I will buy organic milk, free from hormones. I will read more labels and seek products that don’t have a lot of ingredients that I can’t pronounce!
I can send real silverware to school instead of plastics. I can send a hand towel and cloth napkin so we can save the trees. I think I will start buying cleaning products that are not toxic. I will rest a little easier knowing I am consciously taking better care of Mandy and me!
Doesn’t it feel great to embrace being more pure? Doesn’t it make you feel more connected with the earth and more supportive of life and the planet? Doesn’t it help you feel real and have more self-love?
Won’t you join me in letting your inner Hippy come out? How can you feel more free? How can you embrace your ideals more fully? How can we ---together---help this world sing in perfect harmony? In the words of the Beatles, “All we are saying is, ‘Give peace a chance!”
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