When I was in sixth grade, I sat on the bookshelf instead of my chair. Mrs. Danahy called me “Perchie” and let me sit there as long as I wasn’t talking out of turn, which sometimes happened, when I’d be relegated to my regular desk. We had a good thing, she and I. As long as I paid attention and showed up, she’d let me sit there. My bird’s eye view of the class was valuable then. Jonah’s now in sixth grade, so I’m trying to remember who I was in order to serve him.
This week I was super nervous to teach my book to a crew of high school people about their inner life, how to observe and eventually modulate their innermost conversation. Reading, I realize, has a lot to do with the quality of my dialogue inside, and so does writing. My hope is that Practice You will help open us all up and bring the long-buried details to life.
This image was taken by Carrie Burke, me perched on another shelf, teaching that class, offering to a group of high school humans. right from my heart.
If you’re a facilitator or teacher in a school, healing or recovery setting, please feel free to email me at info@elenabrower.com; I’m glad to share our growing crowd-sourced teaching doc as well as the contact at Sounds True, my publisher, to access wholesale pricing for your class or group.