For All
Because there are so many thoughts that run through our minds, it is understandable that we live in the world of our minds.
However, there is so much more to you than your thoughts—for you and your child. Let’s start with you.
Integration of all parts of you is the definition of health. So let yourself—the part that witnesses and notices all that you are experiencing—check in with all the other parts of you.
Notice what you are experiencing in each part of your body, from tip of your toes to the top of your head, outside, and then inside.
Notice what brings you joy, sadness, excitement, and each of the other myriad of feelings your system experiences.
Be aware of what feeds your sense of well being—that the world is here for you, with each moment providing an opportunity for you to grow, and supporting you in some nuanced or obvious way, even when the hard times come.
It’s a path to less suffering, to more joy, and to you being who you are. And that’s who your child needs as the model, the leader, to follow in the ways of living life well.
For Gifted and 2E
Imagine what life is like for a cognitively or creatively gifted person. Let’s say it’s you.
So much of your experience has told you to trust your own mind implicitly above all else – you have known more and/or understood complexity better than many of those with whom you interact. You have had, and still have reason to start with the assumption that you know better. It’s understandable that you stay stuck in your own opinion; that you’re often inflexible, that your system does not readily take in new/other ideas and information.
The more you come to rely on your mind, the less you rely on your whole system, and the more you are limiting who you are, not listening to your body in part because you’re so comfortable in your mind.
Nurturing body-awareness in tiny ways is a start. Pointing out about yourself, aloud: “I notice my____(body part) ____(how it is tensing.)” Such as: teeth gnashing/jaw-muscles twitching/shoulders up around ears. And then asking yourself aloud; “I wonder what’s going on for me.” Doing this in the presence of your children models for them how to create the integrated mind, body, and soul that leads to flourishing in life.
Another way to model with these children is to play with thought experiments in your child’s presence – stepping outside of your own opinion.
For those who have strong imaginations: “What if there were a parallel universe? What would you want to be different and what would you want to stay the same?”
For those who don’t want anything to do with imagining: “Yes, that (thought/idea “B”) is true given x, y, and z. What would have to be the “givens” for “B” to be not true?” What would your body have to experience? What would your relationship with me have to be?”
We get to get creative in the use of our gifts to expand beyond, while including them in our life. We get to live all parts of ourselves working together, being the full integrated person we are. We are more than our minds.
