I always
envision school much different than it actually is. Since Hogwarts does not
seem to fit within the modern day limitations, I envision campfires with happy
children playing music, cooking dinner, sharing stories, and philosophizing
about the riddles of the universe. An environment created where children are
comfortable enough to explore the depths of their own thought without the
hindrance of unnecessary stress. How is this accomplished? Through embracing
and living with Mother Nature.
As we
continue to progress at exponential rates, we pull ourselves farther from
Nature; whether it be an iPhone, television, vehicle, plastic clothing, or
scientifically altered food. I was there, in the heat of it. I remember being a
young boy in the early ‘90s and having one of the first Apple computers. A
simple machine that rapidly progressed into an Internet search engine (Yahoo),
email, video, and online gaming. A good chunk of my middle and high school
years were devoted to “computer classes.” In fact, one summer I volunteered for
a “website design” company, since I was sure my future would be intertwined
with the use of these fantastically amusing machines.
Through my
college years I was involved in online gaming, graphic design, and the
rising/creation of social media (Facebook). Luckily, this also marked my first
time owning a cell phone; which was before the iPhone’s time. During these
years, I witnessed a shift in the way people began to relate to one another.
Rather than mustering up the courage to meet girls face to face, guys started
connecting with girls via social media and “breaking the ice” online. It became
common to exchange cell phone numbers or Facebook tags with someone after
meeting them for a few minutes; only to fantasize about the potential of your
lives together, or to call them in a haze of drunken courage. As these sorts of
interactions evolved, I found myself becoming increasingly isolated. Then I
broke free.
I was
camping in Vermont with family and friends during the summer of 2005. One
morning, my friends and I ate a handful of magic mushrooms and ventured into
the forest. My lid was absolutely blown off of my head. The spirit of creation
revealed itself in me, and I could not deny the powerful presence. From that
morning on, my entire experience on this earth shifted. Perhaps my friends did
not understand the metamorphosis that I was going through, since it was
painful. When I realized the truth, that we are all Love and connected through
breath, I needed to shed the layers of sludge that was weighing me down and
keeping my existence blurry. I know that I am meant to be in harmony with the
earth and all beings that live here.
What do you
mean, Mom, that people are pumping the animals full of antibiotics and
hormones? I could not believe I was eating poison without knowing. On top of
this, the animals are being treated terribly in most commercial farms! I am
eating their fear! From one day to the next, I changed from a meat eating,
power lifting macho man, into a vegetarian, meditating yogi. I needed to clean
my vessel from 19 years of pollution. I radically changed overnight: becoming a
raw foodist, then a macrobiotic, then pescatarian, etc. etc. until my family
and friends began to look at me like a chameleon – changing my skin with every
season. I was trying everything on, during these experiences I would lose weight,
gain weight, feel strong, collapse in weakness, and go through every emotion of
the Rainbow.
When I was
21, I became a math/science middle school teacher in inner city Los Angeles. I
was devoted to my classroom and my kids. We were totally confined in our little
bungalow with 40 laptops and a Smart Board. I did my best to pound their heads
full of Algebra curriculum while staying true to myself and sharing positive vibrations.
My students always reacted better to my authentic self (stories, jokes,
experiences, etc.) than they did to California curriculum. I learned quickly to
create an atmosphere where I could be my authentic self, and they would perform
well on tests – but it was damn hard, and I did not really believe in it. I
remember standing in front of my kids saying, “I have no idea when you will
need to know this formula in real life, but you will need to know it for the
state test.” When testing time came, I remember my students saying, “This test
is whack Mr. D., but we are gonna Ace it for you!” The only way I could
extrinsically motivate my students was through my heart.
During
these two years in LA, I was trained in Kundalini Yoga. It was my pleasure to
bring these teachings into the classroom through meditation, music, and a yoga
club. Every day we began class with a meditation with mantra music playing. One
day I was approached by a handful of teachers asking me, “Mr. D., why are all
these kids running around the school talking about how they are ‘so happy’?”
When I left the school, my principal contacted me and said, “Mr. D., we miss
your positive vibes here at 32nd St. It was like your aura had a
positive effect on the school.” I wasn’t anything special, I was just myself –
and my kids knew it. I was transparent with them – I told them my fears, my
weaknesses, and they watched me persevere through them.
After 2 years, I picked up a pink
slip in my mailbox that read something like, “Thank you for your service to
LAUSD. We do not have enough money to pay for teachers anymore.” I took this as
an opportunity to break free and dive deeper into my spirituality. The universe
responded me by granting me a job babysitting for a couple of weeks in the
Caribbean. This spiraled into me staying on St. John for 6 months, and totally
reconnecting with my yin energy while embracing a disciplined yogic lifestyle.
My experience in St. John was filled with barefoot exploration, beach
volleyball, drum circles, full moon dancing, snorkeling with the
sharks/octopus/turtles, and teaching yoga. One thing led to the other with
fluidity and grace; Mother Earth had me in her bosom!
I have learned to follow the flow
of life, trust the experiences that present themselves to me, and embrace the
love that surrounds me. A brief bullet list of my flow since 2009 and St. John
(since my main source of inspiration in this moment is to share ideas about a
school!):
-
4 road trips across the United States (various
times) connecting with friends, exploring mountains and waters, attending yoga
festivals
-
6 months in India (2 trips) backpacking from
Himalayas down to the tip of India. Deeping yoga practice, studying
Kalaripayatu Martial art, co-leading 11/11/11 International KY festival
children’s program
-
6 Months in Alaska leading Youth Trail crew –
SAGA – Americorps. Helping at-risk youth learn to work/live in harmony
outdoors.
-
6 Months in Alaska leading Wilderness Therapy
Expeditions for Alaska Crossings – 48 day canoe/mountaineering behavioral
health trips in the wilderness with at-risk youth. Teaching survival skills,
team building, moral support and modeling “how to be a responsible human”
-
2 months in Guatemala, Lake Atitlan – diving
deep into spiritual practice – including ceremonies with Cacao Shaman.
-
9 months Big Island, Hawaii & Kauai, HI.
Exploring the land, self-sustaining from Mother Earth, swimming with Dolphins!
Building, farming, living.
-
6 Months Mexico, Tepoztlan, Oaxaca, Tulum,
Palenque. Learning Spanish, meeting the love of my life and her family, yoga
festivals, learning about culture, opening my heart
-
1 month Taiwan, 2 months Bali, 1 month China,
couple weeks Thailand – studying martial arts (Tai Chi), deepening yoga
practice, learning to surf, eating Durian (King of Fruits!)
-
6 months
through Switzerland, France, Germany, Czech Republic, Hungary, England, Sweden,
and Norway – culture immersion, hitchhiking from place to place, exchanging
with a plethora of beings
-
2 Months Egypt & Israel – Great Pyramids,
teaching yoga on the Red Sea, hiking Sinai, floating in Dead Sea hot springs,
experiencing Jerusalem, crossing “the wall” enclosing Palestine.
-
A few trips here and there through 48 of our 50
United States and into Canada – connecting with people/community.
It’s been a wild journey…I have
learned more than I can relay with simple words. Currently, I am sitting in
South Kona, HI on the ocean, writing as the sun is setting. I wrote this bullet
list as a perspective on my life and the discoveries I am finding along the
way.
Someone asked me one: how do you do
this? Are you a millionaire or something? The truth is: I spend a great deal of
time camping the forest; I have no cell phone, no car, no insurance, and no
rent. The money I make goes towards plane tickets, food, and necessary gear. I trade
services where I go for entry into festivals, food, and lodging; I keep an open
heart and smile, and believe it or not, people respond well and share what they
can!
My most enjoyable experiences have
been in nature with people I love. Our culture and educational system is moving
away from sharing these experiences. The masses are creating human robots to
operate synthetic machines, while a whole different movement is reawakening to
our spiritual depth, endless potential, and the infinite source of love that
fills each of us with life force.
Since the folks with the money and
political power are interested in keeping the mass population subdued, what is
the answer? I have been trying to answer this for years, and I continue to come
to the same simple solution: live outside of the system, live with Mother
Earth, patience pays. This is easy to say or philosophize about, but it is much
harder in practice; as the use of the Internet or a credit card is quite
convenient…so is the Post office! So, what do you do?
We can create educational
systems/programs that bring our children in contact with Mother Earth. Create
an environment where they can listen to Mother Earth without the sounds of the
technological static that is a byproduct of the modern world. Children need a
space where they can be creative, socialize, and search for their truth. Why
are we building walls and putting kids in them for 6-8 hours a day? Sunlight is
healthy, as is rain, wind and all the elements. The more we build up
technological safe houses, the more we isolate ourselves and lose human &
earth connection. I don’t need to ramble about the statistics of ADD, ADHD,
etc. and the increase of social development issues – but this is our reality.
What happened to listening to the
elder’s stories around the fire? Or making a quilt with your grandmother? Modern culture lacks connection to our elders
and our ancestors. Indigenous cultures treated the elders and ancestors with
the highest respect. They are/were known as the greatest source of wisdom and
knowledge. The elders led boys to become men, girls to become women, and helped
grow their communities. Where are our rights of passage in the modern day
world? In Iron John, Robert Bly explains the importance of “coming of
age” rituals, and the detrimental effects our society is incurring due to our
lack thereof. Sure, you can find “rites of passage” in some specialized
schools, and some individuals choose to put themselves through a self-initiation;
I feel our children need more opportunities to step into their full power of a
human being.
I envision a small school located
deep in the forest, with a large garden that sustains the students and staff.
The students plant and harvest the garden, sing and make music with the plants,
experiment with growing cycles and methods, cook the food together, dance in
the forest, imagine possibilities beyond our current reality, create friendships,
laugh and smile, breath fresh air, use their bodies for physical activity, and
learn life lessons through the process.
We will practice yoga, Tai Chi
(martial arts), meditation, and other healing arts together. The idea is to
create a space where the child’s true avatar can shine. There are many
prophesies about the “Rainbow Children” or “Star Children” that are coming into
our planet now; regardless of which prophesy you believe, the reality is: the
younger generation is vibrating very fast, and they are capable of things
beyond our comprehension. They just need a space and someone to guide them in
their development. One child will like the flow of Tai Chi, another will prefer
to sit next to a river and listen to Gaia, others will prefer to sing and play
harp with the birds; no matter the specifics of the activity, the students must
be given that chance and encouraged to tap into their infinite potential.
Purity of food, water and air will
help their physical beings develop, as well as their minds to stay clear. The
overconsumption of sugar possesses the youth of today and polluting their
minds. There is a mind, body, and
spirit connection. Working in the earth will keep all of us grounded, and help the
Earth to flourish. The ancient, sacred practices will help their spirits be
active on earth and help their inner eye to open and focused.
It is the Aquarian age; the age of
the Rainbow; the melting pot. Many of us realize that we are all one, and we all have something unique to
share with the other. As do the indigenous tribes with Sweatlodge/Temescal,
drum circles, full moon ceremonies, sacred dance and song, vision quests,
offerings to the Earth, myth and story, etc. Let us reawaken to the mystery of
life. Let us embrace the beautiful ceremonies that our ancestors created,
regardless of skin/eye color or geographic location. All humans have a heart,
let us put all else aside and revisit the cosmic, golden spiral that binds us
all at the heart level.
In the evening, the students can
build fire together – reconnecting with creation – and ponder the stars. Find
inspiration and meaning in our existence through story, myth and sharing.
Elders can pass a talking stick, guest speakers can share experiences, and
children can create their own stories and philosophies to share. We will treat
one another as family, in love and respect for one another, a simple formula
for becoming an incredible human being.
Expeditions will be an integral
part of the experience. Students will have the opportunity to pack a backpack,
hike through the woods or paddle on the waters, rely on their instinct, listen
to nature, and change their normal patterns. During the expeditions there will
be initiatives set up to challenge the students to work together to solve
problems and overcome their fears. As a group, we will work together to build
confidence in the elements so the student is ready for their own personal rite
of passage.
I am going to create this space for
children of the Aquarian age to grow. I only wish to serve the planet and all
she grows to my highest capability. I appreciate all the help that is offered. I
need a large piece of land with access to mountains, delicious water, and very
large trees, and a lot of funding to back it up so we can develop a sustainable
property that will totally embrace all of the children that spend time there.
If you resonate with my ideas, please contact me about working together. Any
input on my words is much appreciated. My ideas are always evolving; please
feel free to chat with me about anything – mdenicola9@gmail.com.
I love you all…In peace and Aloha that surrounds us all – in
and around!
