Tao Of Craft

Michaelmas 2012

Every September we celebrate Michaelmas. It is one of my favorite festivals in the Waldorf world.

It is the festival that recognizes the change from the external world to the internal one. We are meant to recognize aspects of ourselves or of our life that need refinement... A time to tame our inner dragons and then to rise victorious in the spring. Each Autumn brings new challenges to face and of course dragons to tame...This year feels different considering that we are celebrating the change of seasons island style. The changing of seasons is subtle on Maui and I find myself having to look even deeper to connect with the lessons of Michaelmas.. 

 

                                                                                            Art by Waldorf Mama...

 

Here are links to our past Michaelmas celebrations ... 2011, 2010, and 2009

Have you been taming your dragons?

Happy Michaelmas!

Lei Day Haleakala Waldorf School 2012

MAY DAY is LEI DAY in Hawaii!

This festival draws from the traditional European May Day but is centered around the Hawaiian custom of making and wearing lei. Grades 1-8 each perform a hula and are dressed in colors and leis that represent each of the Hawaiian Islands. It was a beautiful and reverent event. Milo was chosen as the Lei Day Prince for the 2nd grade because he represented the spirit of hula so well. 

The Royal Court 2012

All of the grades dressed in different colors 

The 2nd Grade Prince and Princess. Dressed in white to represent the

Hawaiian island of Ni' ihau

 

Happy Spring!

Aloha!

Camping On Lana'i

I have never been a big fan of camping but, camping on the BEACH is an entirely different story!

My daughters 5th grade class trip went camping on the island of Lanai.... It is a must do trip if you are on Maui! We took the ferry over from Lahaina ~ Beautiful..Great surfing, snorkeling, AND sometimes the dolphins come in to rest in the bay! The camp spots were right by the beach, nice showers, and the 4 seasons hotel is nearby in case you need a break from camping and want to check out their buffet:)

But most of all it was a real gift to have this trip in the begining of the year. Nadira was able to connect with her new class and they all had a blast!

Here are some images from our trip...

 

 

The rock on the right is called Sweetheart Rock. The kids hiked over, jumped off of the edge, and swam to Swetheart Rock. 

Here they are on the other side! so proud... But they still have to get back!

We went to Lanai City and took in a great Hula Show

And just chilled by the ocean~ This is my kind of class trip!

Happy Michaelmas!

 Michaelmas is one of my very favorite festivas in the Waldorf tradition!

I love the whole idea that the changing seasons relates to our spiritual work. The Autumn brings the season for the awakening of our souls. As the weather gets colder, the light recedes, and we look toward strengthening our own inner reserves, our own inner strength

 With shining hearts we prepare for the taming of our inner "dragons"

I have always been so connected to the changing seasons...  How am I going to do now that I am in the land of endless summer? We shall see.

But the first step was Michaelmas. WSRF has many lovely traditions.... The sharing of bread and soup with the reinactment of St George taming the dragon. Good stuff... At HWS the 2nd grade spent the week making wood swords and they performed their class play at the Michaelmas Celebration! The play was followed with a day of games. water balloon toss, relay races, tug of war... Also good stuff:)

 

Remember this Michaelmas Post from last year? The story of Li Chi is one that I tell my children every Fall.It is a bit of a twist on the traditional Saint George and the dragon. In it, a little girl stands brave and true as she tames the dragon in order to save her village. much to my delight, our new lovely 2nd grade teacher had chosen this story for the class to perform! Milo was the Magistrate in the play. He was amazing! Much like in the story, he was really afraid to do it but he was brave and performed his part beautifully! Taming his own inner dragons  ♥ 

While the 2nd grade children spent all week making wood swords,

I spent the week making costumes for the play!

It has been a flurry of kimonos, tunics, and sashes!

Autumn Blessing:

 Brave and true will I be,

Each good deed sets me free,

Each kind word makes me strong.

I will fight for the right! 

I will conquer the wrong!

 

Sword of Michael brightly gleaming,

Down to earth its light is streaming,

May we see its shining rays

In the Winter's darkest days.

Happy Michaelmas!

Back To School...

So we are settling into our rhythm a bit more.

Day 1 Back to School Maui Style ~

 

 

Then after school....

I think that everything is going to be just fine...

Haleakala Waldorf School Day 1...

Day 1 ... New school... I found this image in blogland

(forgive me as i can't remember where)...

It is so fitting for our week...  

All of my children started at a new Waldorf school this week.

Haleakala Waldorf School...

It is an amazing place, however our hearts are still a bit drawn to our

Colorado WSRF Waldorf and the community that we so love there.

But its is all going well.... It is harder for my oldest daughter than it has been for my son...Mabye becaue she is 10 and is he is 7  ... Mabye it is beacuse she has been with her former class longer that he...Mabye it is because she a girl and he is a boy ... Regardless. She needed a bit more encourgement this week.

I have been expressing to her in so many ways...

The best accesory that a girl can own is confidence...

Here is to next week.... and all that it may bring.

 

 

Waldorf Mayfaire 2011

We had an amazing Mayfaire this year! Here are some images from the day!

 

The dying of Silk Scarves....

The children danced around the Maypole...

 

The Happy Frog Cafe the children were served tiny treats!

 

Of course the chicken picks the Mayfaire King and Queen!

 

Happy Spring! ~

 

Celebrating Michaelmas 2010

Michaelmas is one of my favorite times of the year! 

                                                                          Art by WaldorfMama

 

Michaelmas is the Autumn equinox, when days and nights are of equal length. It marks this turning of the seasons.

In Waldorf tradition, Michaelmas is brought as a celebration of strength of resolve, goodness, courage, and inner light. The image of St. Michael with his golden sword piercing the darkness is meant to give us the courage to face the darkening earth. With autumn, the earth draws into herself, and we also begin to draw into ourselves. Winter is the season of inner contemplation. When we look within ourselves, who knows what dragons we will find? 

The struggle of St. George and the dragon is also a powerful image. There is not only courage needed to deal with the outer cold and darkness but also within ourselves courage is called for to shine light on those personal challenges we face as spiritually, socially and morally maturing human beings. When the deeper, inner meaning of festivals is contemplated, a nourishing and sustaining quality enables us to participate and enrich our own lives and the lives of our families and our community as well.

At our school we celebrate with a reenactment of St George taming the dragon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My son has been all around the house reciting the 

Autumn Blessing:

 Brave and true will I be,

Each good deed sets me free,

Each kind word makes me strong.

I will fight for the right! 

I will conquer the wrong!

 

Sword of Michael brightly gleaming,

Down to earth its light is streaming,

May we see its shining rays

In the Winter's darkest days.

We have been crafting for Michaelmas all week. 

We made these Michaelmas Dragons for our nature table. I found the pattern HERE

We made Dragon Harvest Bread from the book All Year Round. 

Page 1   Page 2

I told the kids the story of The Most Beautiful Dragon in The Whole World 

by Reg Down.

I told my oldest daughter a twist to the Michaelmas story. The story of Li Chi. 

In this version the girl has the sword and is the hero.

 St. Michael's Harvest Song

In autumn comes Saint Michael with sword and with shield  

Passes over meadow and orchard and field.

He's on the path to battle 'gainst darkness and strife -

He is the heavenly warrior protector of life.

- Anonymous

Back To School...

My children started another year at the beautiful

  Waldorf School On The Roaring Fork.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 

Natural Playscapes

 

 

With the arrival of summer all that I can think about is taming our 15 acres of woods. 

I have been working on making play areas in the woods for the kids. 

They do not really need MY help as they have the entire woods at their disposal... 

but some semi focused spaces are nice. 

We do not do the plastic thing as natural spaces and natural materials are so much better for kids. 

Unfortunately these days we do not live in a world that grows free-range children. Instead the problem of "nature-deficit disorder" predominates. This term describes the fact that children who are obsessed with computer games, tv, and other artificial entertainment are deprived of the natural wonders of the world. They miss the developmental benefits that come from playing freely in nature.

We want children to  be outside making forts, catching frogs, and climbing trees. 

Not playing X Box, unplugging to the tv, and over scheduled with structured activities....

This is a fundamental principal in Waldorf education. However, a non-waldorf author, Richard Louv wrote the book: Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder. It is a good read and reminds us to unplug our children ASAP!

Here are some pictures that I am currently obsessed with!