Blog
Be the Observer
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Intuitive Teachers are great observers...
They go first to receiving mode to observe and listen - then they go second, to thinking and analyzing. They do this with problems great and small. By practicing getting the ego out of the way on small problems, they become able to 'hear' their intuition on big problems. |
Practice Observing ...
by Making an 'O/A' 
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How to Make an O/A
(Observation / Analysis)
(Observation / Analysis)
An Example of Making an “O/A” - Observing vs. Analyzing
Here is an exercise in becoming conscious of using heart thought to observe and head thought to analyze. You can do this with any simple event. This one is a science demonstration we called, ‘Sparkling Candle’. It is accomplished by sprinkling some fine iron filings onto a lit candle and watching.
Take Away Mindfulness Demonstration & O/A (Observation/Analysis): ‘Sparkling Candle’
[1st graders through adults]
Can you tell when you are completely mindful, observing and paying quality attention? When do you stop paying attention? What stops you.
Here is an exercise in becoming conscious of using heart thought to observe and head thought to analyze. You can do this with any simple event. This one is a science demonstration we called, ‘Sparkling Candle’. It is accomplished by sprinkling some fine iron filings onto a lit candle and watching.
Take Away Mindfulness Demonstration & O/A (Observation/Analysis): ‘Sparkling Candle’
[1st graders through adults]
- Part I. As an exercise in observation, I like to conduct this demonstration interactively, with students calling out their observations. As each comment is called out, the class and I first decide if the proposed comment is truly an observation – without analytical thought. We are careful to be accurate. For example, we note: the golden color of the sparks, that the sparks occur above the flame, that the flame has parts and occurs above the wick.
- Part II. Then we create an O/A together, if the class is not familiar with O/As. We try to draw the picture with simple artwork. It should take up as much of the upper half of the paper as possible, so as to enlarge the main parts that the observer wishes to show. We try to limit ourselves to four colors so that – like taking notes – we stay focused on the big picture. We color code and label our parts. Then we use the bottom half of the paper to write three observations and three analyses. With younger children, I call these, ‘what you saw, smelled, heard, tasted, or felt’ – ‘and what you think about it’. According to the students’ ages and familiarity, I do more or less of the drawing and writing with them.
- Play “Paper Strips” … Write each phrase on a separate strip of paper, then ask “Is this phrase O or A?”
- Observation Phrases
- “that inspires me”
- “it smells like flowers”
- “a soft cooing started”
- Analysis Phrases
- “I think this is intended to inspire me”
- “the fragrance is from chemicals in the flower”
- “maybe the mourning dove is waking up”
- Observation Phrases
Can you tell when you are completely mindful, observing and paying quality attention? When do you stop paying attention? What stops you.
Humankind 2.0 (moderns) & Humankind 1.0 (cavepersons)
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2.0: Don't you cavepeople wish you were like us? Nowadays we have great security! We can lock the house, lock the car, lock the office, lock the inner office, lock the desk, lock the bathroom, and lock the safe. We have secret passwords to secure all of our computer accounts. Our food, our money, and our possessions are safe.
1.0: No. Our food, clothing, and shelter was plentiful.
2.0: But, what if someone stole your stuff?
1.0: What stuff?
2.0: Didn't you own anything you wished to protect?
1.0: We shared.
2.0: What about insuring and protecting against disasters?
1.0: We would rebuild.
2.0: What did rebuilding cost? Did you call it insurance?
1.0: We called it community.
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Points of View
