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Waldorf books for inner work

Waldorf books for inner work

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I always tend to have a handful of books on the go, at least one novel and a few non-fiction books.

And this year I’ve added some books for inner work, that I pick up and read once a week or once a month. And I thought I would share a little about them *smile*

In the Light of a Child

Each Sunday, I have been reading a verse from In the Light of a Child.

A verse is provided for each week of the year {I understand this is similar to Steiner’s Soul Calendar which was drawn on for inspiration for this book}

The verses are written for children or our ‘inner child’. And they resonate with the season {helpfully verses are provided for both the Southern and Northern Hemisphere}.

Here is the verse for the Southern Hemisphere in the fourth week of June…

A ROSE of pure white blooms in midnight’s dark hour. The spell of the darkness is broken and torn. In my heart there’s a bursting of magical power. For the heavenly Child on earth has been born!

He is pure as the snow. With my heart’s love aglow. I shall nourish this Child, and he surely shall grow!

So this week I will ponder this verse. Thinking about what I have read. Exploring what it means for me and my children… a kind of meditative practice.

Words for Parents in Small Doses

The second book that I read each Sunday is Words for Parents in Small Doses by Judith Frizlen. Again this book is organised seasonally, although for the Northern Hemisphere, so I do need to work out which week I need to read from (which is quite easy really).

In Words for Parents each week’s reading is a page which again speaks to the mood of the season. For this week the reading was about wonder, celebration and love…

At this time of year in the natural world, the light begins its return… It’s a time to pause and remember. We were all once infants, and by virtue of our humanity, we have the power to experience awe, to be tender with ourselves and others and to begin again.

When I read Words for Parents I feel uplifted. And I think reading the two books together has brought more to them both.

The simple home

The third book that I am reading is not a Waldorf or anthroposophical book, but a book that encourages me to be a ‘spiritual homemaker’. To find joy in creating, nurturing and nourishing my home. The simple home, by Rhonda Hetzel is a ‘month-by month guide’ that complements the seasons to bring about contentment in the home.

I started reading in May, and laughed to discover the month was about devoting attention to my laundry space, since this is a task in homemaking a do not relish! And even more amusing, at the same time I had started to read a book by Torin M. Finser {see I told you I read too many books at once!}

A Second Classroom ~ Parent-Teacher Relationships in a Waldorf School

In A Second Classroom, Torin M. Finser writes

What we do not accept as a task today may simply come back at us again and again until we engage

I’m not always good at taking advice, but for once I did and actually did get my laundry under control for the month of May. And I might just admit that it did feel nice. However it is now June *chuckle*

And I might just finish up with another nice quote from Torin M. Finser, he wrote ‘Parents have angels too’, and went on to say

…all of us are striving human beings with a spiritual life, whether we take it up consciously or not.

What are you reading or doing as part of your inner work?

For more inspiration, you can see my Waldorf book list here and some of my favourite Waldorf craft books here.

???  And I share snippets of our days on Facebook and Instagram if you’d like to follow along ???

Blessings, Kelly

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Our low media home

screen free playsilk

For years I thought about going screen free.

But to be honest, I was scared to do it. Would it mean I *never* got a moment to myself again

{and such moments were few and far between already!}

screen free drawing

The start of this year presented a new opportunity though. Ruby was about to start Waldorf preschool and Max was going into Grade 2.

Jason and I talked about how the year was going to go, and I just threw it out there

What if we go screen free? Or at least television free?

And without any need to really discuss why we would do this, Jason said

Let’s do it.

playing with th efoxes

And so we did.

This means that during the week there are no children’s television shows. And there are no movies for the children.

screen free wooden toys

We still watch a family movie on Saturday night ~ movie night! Because this is part of our family time.

We are making memories watching these fun movies together, while we eat popcorn and homemade pizza! {maybe in the other order *wink*}

And Jason and I still watch a show or two after the kids are in bed.

screen free

An exception I have found that works for us is when the children are sick.

When they are sick we do allow screen time. I feel like it is almost the only way I can get them to rest! To be still.

And we are comfortable with this compromise {and we know it won’t be right for all families}

screen free play

So how did the children respond to the change?

I was A-M-A-Z-E-D. They simply accepted it.

I think this shows the value of a clear boundary {mind you, this doesn’t always work!}

Once we told them what our new screen rules were, that was it, that was what we do.

screen free playing

Now I wish we’d tried this years ago.

It makes for a much more peaceful home. The children transition from school to home by having a snack, drawing, looking at books. And playing.

screen free reading

Funny isn’t it.

It wasn’t that long ago that I shared our approach to letting the children watch television.

And now, here we are *grin*

screen free toys

You can read what Steiner said about television here. And about the impact of television on child development here.

???  You can see more snippets of our days on Facebook and Instagram ???

Happy days, Kelly

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