Marin Tender Tracks Thurs. June 2, 2016 Day 66

Waning Crescent Moon
Lake Lagunitas

Just six children today and the warm sun to bring our bodies into ease and delight.

Michelle and I had different intentions originally for this day yet, as we watched the children’s interactions and play it became clear that staying right where we were was what was going to serve them the best.

I wish to share here a little something special that I observed on this day, the last true Tender Tracks day.

In the beginning of the year there was a lot of play that was large with Super Hero characters and man made creation themes.  Sometimes movie’s watched took over their experience of the natural world and being in the present moment with the elements.
The last three  weeks or so the play has shifted very visibly to such a beautiful and profound connection and inclusion of the natural world.  They have simply been animals, birds and bugs of the Earth and Sky in their play.  They have opened up to the wonders of nature in a far greater way and capacity with a comfort that has been a joy, joy, joy to behold.

Io and Aaron never really were challenged with this so they have been supporters of moving into this kind of play.  On this particular day however, Ione was a bird and was literally flitting about and talking to Michelle and I from that mind set.  She was also talking with the Dark Eyed Junco’s as her friends.  Aaron has been the Mouse King pretty much all year and has brought Rhett into that play many many times.

One of my favorite memories in relationship to this sort of thing was when Rhett asked Aaron if he wanted to play Spider Man. Aaron said kindly, no and asked if he wanted to play Mouse King. Rhett instantly and with ease said YES and off they went!
They all were playing so very, very sweetly together being babies, family, animals, taking care of each other.  We played one of Layton’s favorite games Coyote and Rabbit where they all proceeded to run as rabbits and hide up in the tree!  Some wanted to turn into Coyotes so they allowed themselves to be caught!!:)

While they were all very engaged in being the beings that they were I set up a “ropes course”, something they have done before.  Throughout the day, if they chose, they would become little blind moles, put on a blindfold on and make their way along the rope to the end.  There were several tricky parts and it is always so very fun to see what each person does when they go through this fun adventure: moving upon the earth with out our dominant sense, seeing.   Layton really likes her eyes so she regularly lifted up the blind fold.  Alara persevered and kept trying at this one spot that she couldn’t figure out where to go. ( they were instructed to never let go of the rope)  Rhett went through it without a blind fold and yet with his eyes closed and just was easy about it all.  The other children liked watching and quietly running in and out of the rope.

There was a great big desire to go under the water fall so, after lunch that is exactly what happened!!  What joy they were in. Rhett went off by himself for a little bitand had a glorious time playing with a stick in the water. He was noticing how it made waves and then didn’t. When I came over to sit with him he asked if I would tap my foot in the water so he could see if it did the same thing as his stick or not.   Aaron found the “mermaids hair/ creek greenery and made a great ball of it to play with.  Layton went charging into the water as she, Velia and Alara found some Newts that they played with until the end of our day.  They  found two of them.

And oh yes, earlier Michelle, Alara,Aaron, and Velia were down at the creek creating dams for the little fish and tadpoles. It turns out though that these beings were much more agile and skilled at getting out of the enclosures that they made. Rhett, Io, Layton and I were up at the top playing Bird and family.   We were all so immersed in being birds and such but then I felt like it had really been a long time since we heard our friends so, we went on an adventure to find them.  We used our Coyote call and THEY CAME!!!!

The day was most, most delightful and from a teachers point of view and as I mentioned above, they are now so peacefully able to be immersed into the Natural world and all it’s beings in Joy.