In this podcast, Steve Sachs, former co-director of Alaya Preschool, was interviewed on the Soul Path Parenting podcast about drawing on the wisdom of the Buddhist tradition to inspire Alaya’s approach to early childhood education.
The Struggle Is Real
It is not the challenges of life itself that are ultimately problematic, just like it is not feelings that are the culprit –but rather how we respond to our feelings. Do we accept life’s challenges or rail against them? In that ups and downs are a natural part of life and a super-natural part of parenting, it makes more sense to accept the challenges and focus on our relationship with the struggle. Trying to get our parenting ducks in a row is insane. Instead, if we stay present in life’s instability, we ride the ride instead of being ridden by it.
Alaya Preschool's Principles of Practice
Over the next couple of years, and as a part of honoring Alaya Preschool’s 40th anniversary (!), we will be exploring our Principles of Practice. These are 15 different expressions of what happens here at Alaya; they provide a direction and purpose to our work, and perhaps even to our lives altogether.
Montessori Principles at Alaya Preschool
One of the virtues and powers of contemplative education as it is practiced at Alaya is the opportunity given to our teachers to use different methods and techniques based on their own merits–discerned from direct experience–rather than being limited to a particular ideology or plan. I am experiencing this firsthand with Montessori principles and techniques at Alaya as I help out in the Garuda classroom this year.
The Rhythm of the Day at Alaya Preschool
Tiger, Lion, Garuda & Dragon - What Do These Names Mean?
A recent community night at Rowan’s preschool (which was founded by Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, a Tibetan Buddhist meditation master and lineage holder), reminded me how lucky I am to send my son to a school honoring the tradition of Shambhala Buddhism (the teachings of which are grounded in the premise that there is a basic human wisdom inherent in human experience, where bravery and fearlessness are cultivated and a ‘basic goodness’ in ourselves and one another is celebrated).
5 Ways To Help Children Be Who They Are
Genuine relationships are what inspires many parents to have their children here at Alaya, many teachers and staff to teach and work here, and is a guiding principle for many people. But what is it? What is the experience of being genuine? How is genuineness cultivated in ourselves and how is it taught, if it even can be taught?
