BOOK: Montessori and Mindfulness
This book has the magic of leading the reader to be able to understand how Montessori environments offer the practice of “mindfulness” in such a natural and authentic way through work, concentration and being part of all the wonderful experiences, as children and also as adults.
—Cecilia Elguero, Director of Training,
AMI Instituto Montessori Internacional de Queretaro, Mexico
(From the Introduction)
What is Mindfulness and what does it have to do with Montessori philosophy or practice? A relatively new concept in the West refers to something that has been explored for centuries in the East. Google mindfulness and you will find hundreds of pages of advice for learning to be in the moment, something to help make our fast-paced sometimes hectic lives more manageable, more enjoyable. Most of us are interested in mindfulness because we seem to be always focused on the future, never quite caught up. We want a break.
Most definitions of mindfulness include being deeply involved with, or concentrating on, what we are doing or thinking about in the present moment, without being distracted by what is going on around us or our thoughts about anything but what we are experiencing right now.
The practice of mindfulness in the development of children existed even in Dr. Montessori’s work in the San Lorenzo slums of Rome in the beginning of the 20th century. And in our Montessori classrooms we witness it daily when we see a child concentrating deeply on an activity that is just right for his stage of development, an activity that he has chosen for himself, and for which the steps have been made clear. Respecting this activity of the child, protecting it from interruption, is the most important element of Montessori philosophy, at home and in school, at all ages.
Table of Contents:
—Mindfulness
—Meditation as a path to Mindfulness
—Montessori and Mindfulness from the Beginning of Life
—Mindfulness, Support and impediments
—Flow, the Secret of Happiness
—Work as Mindfulness
—Mindfulness Walking
—Music as Mindfulness
—Born to be Good
—Conclusion
—Mindfulness Practices in Education: Montessori’s Approach
(Dr. Angeline Lillard)
When the children had completed an absorbing bit of work, they appeared rested and deeply pleased. It almost seemed as if a road had opened up within their souls that led to all their latent powers, revealing the better part of themselves. They exhibited a great affability to everyone, put themselves out to help others and seemed full of good will.
It was clear to me that the concept of order and the development of character, of the intellectual and emotional life, must derive from this veiled source. Thereafter, I set out to find experimental objects that would make this concentration possible, and carefully worked out an environment that would present the most favorable external conditions for this concentration.
And that is how my method began.
—Maria Montessori,
The Child in the Family
The author writes with clarity and simplicity yet takes on the complexity of Montessori philosophy and contemporary thought on Mindfulness with grace and care. Her overall theme that personal fulfillment leads to care for others and for our environment echoes throughout each chapter and creates a wonderful symbiosis of Montessori thought and Mindfulness practice, with interesting retold personal stories throughout.
—Lynne Breitenstein-Aliberti,
NAMTA (North American Montessori Teachers Association)
The author has a deep and broad understanding of Montessori and life long experience with meditation. Supplemented by wonderful pictures and stories from worldwide travels, this book gives a sound portrayal of how mindfulness manifests in this most profound and wise approach to children’s education. Many thanks!
—Angeline Lillard, Professor of Psychology, University of Virginia, Author of Montessori, the Science Behind the Genius
This book was based on my presentation at the AMI Congress in Prague. Angeline Lillard also has plenty to say about mindfulness so we discussed our talks ahead of time and made a plan. She left the topic of mindfulness to me because she always has so much more to talk about. Thus, this book was born, including a chapter by Angeline sharing her own perspective, “Mindfulness Practices in Education: Montessori’s Approach”
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