The Exuberant You
“What we call education is nothing but domestication of the human being.” - The Mastery of Love, Don Miguel Ruiz
It can be really easy to get triggered reading this sentence, afterall, if you’re like me you spent close to 20 years being educated, learning, and achieving. That all had a purpose, right? Of course it did!
And, if we don’t free ourselves from the belief system and structures that our current education system is built from, we will continue to live life using those same rules and principles, instead of creating our own way of being.
Transcend & Include
One of the most important concepts in creating an integrated life is transcend and include. At the heart of this is the idea of continuing to grow while including the healthy, beneficial aspects of what came before. In this case, the domestication of education. Schooling taught us how to read, write, do math, listen, pay attention and socialize kindly, among many other things.
The process of schooling teaches us to be patient and listen to others, follow instructions (which really comes in handy when assembling something from Ikea), and put our minds and energy to work to complete an assignment. This process taught me that I am capable of doing so much more than I would have ever thought possible.
The process of transcending and including asks us to mindfully and intentionally honor the parts we want to keep. The list I have above is a good start for me; I’m curious, what are the parts of your educational experience that you want to keep and take along with you on your journey?
Releasing what isn’t True
Next, we get to question, become cynical, “disobedient” and curious. We get to wonder why things were taught to us a certain way, why a college level accounting class even matters for a political science student who has access to Quickbooks. We get to off-load all of the extra, in favor of clean, clear minds that are focused on what is useful to us now, in our current lives.
As we go through this process we inevitably remember the not so good, or even downright traumatic moments. For me, it was second grade when I got “too excited” about the announcement that we were playing kick-ball for PE. Instead of getting to participate, I had to sit in the courtyard alone.
How much joy have I forsaken since the age of eight for fear that it would be “too much” and I would end up alone?
Reclaiming Ourselves
To the heart of an innocent and well-intentioned second grader, that moment was crushing to my heart and psyche. There is a little girl inside of me who is begging to be reclaimed. To be loved through that moment, reminded that her teacher’s opinion of her is just one voice of many and most importantly, it’s the voice of a relatively inconsequential human. It’s not my true voice, it wasn’t my own values or soul speaking. I get to remind her that she is perfect exactly the way she is and she is welcome, in my loving presence, to be and emote in any way she feels. She is safe, she is held, and she is home.
What moments from school that felt traumatic are you ready to remember, bring healing to and change beliefs around? The world wants the full you. The you who sings, dances, creates art, loves stories, and playing with others. No matter your personal version of this list:
the world loves you and needs you, in all of your quirks, exuberance, and joy!
If you’d like to work to explore these or other integrative living topics, contact us.