Recollections VII

What inhibits learning? Smart Moves goes into a lot of detail here, and I found this particularly interesting after learning about the many different stressors that affect our body/mind during Geoff's illness. As a matter of fact, the class on stress I attended just over three years ago (that tied together the various health issues Geoff was struggling with, and which finally moved us to the right diagnosis) basically taught the same things. I'll state learning inhibitors/stressors here for children, but they go for us adults too.

External Stress

Having to sit still in school

Developmentally inappropriate curriculums

Rigid systems at school and home

High expectations at school and home

Societal expectations

Environments that are not calm and safe and predictable

Tests

Competitive sports/games

Learned helplessness

TV, Computers, and Video Games

Lack of movement

Lack of imaginative development

Lack of interactive communication

Occular lock (the muscles in the eyes form incorrectly)

Violence

Chemicals/Electromagnetic fields

Chemicals in food, body care products, household products, furniture, carpet, air, etc. (The more we can eliminate the better.)

Electromagnetic fields from microwaves, cell phones, computers, and all electronics (they have a different wave frequency than what our bodies have - they are much faster. At close distances these faster wave lengths disrupt our body's natural wave lengths.)

Nutrition and Water

Sugar in all its forms

Too many carbohydrates

Processed foods

Eating too much

Lack of variety contributing to a deficiency in vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids

Not enough water

Exercise

Lack of movement

Inadequate oxygen supply

Obesity

Sleep

Not enough

Going to bed late (Good sleep is critical. Sleep clinics to scriptures say go to bed early and get up early. Research shows that any sleep you get before midnight is like getting double sleep. There are physiological rhythms that we support by going to bed early.)

Clearly to eliminate stress in our lives it requires lifestyle changes! While challenging (it goes against our cultural tide) it is possible, at least to some degree. It is all about choices and priorities.

In Waldorf Schools these stressors are strongly discouraged in both school and the students homes. (While I don't love every aspect of a Waldorf Education you can see I love a lot of it!)

There is one more Reflection, and that is on Nature. Stay tuned, or tune out...which ever you are inclined with these long, photo-less posts!