an intuitive living practice is born

This practice was born from my experience as a Reggio Inspired educator and mother of four.

When I opened up my Reggio Play School, I was mother to 6 year old triplets and a three year old. I would go to work and implicitly trust my students. For the time that they were with me, I allowed them to explore the materials and environment as they felt guided to do so.

Then I would go home and notice that even though I tried to give my children the same freedom to enjoy the environment and material as they felt guided to do, I felt judgement and expectation around their explorations, or lack thereof.

In the classroom I had no expectations, only curiosity. With my children, I was trying to control the outcome.

I thought it was because they were my children, and of course, I would feel differently.

This theory stuck around for quite a few years.

My soul wanted to give my children the same freedom but my ego was standing in the way.

There was always a pull. Always a wondering how could I have so much knowledge and understanding about children with all the education I've gotten and still not fully trust my own children?

I just couldn't understand.

Now, from an outsider, I may have looked like I gave my children freedom.

But inside of me, I was always in control or manipulation - you'll learn more about this later.

And then it dawned on me.

I was listening to a podcast and heard a story.

The story was about a tiny coffee shop in Japan where the owner/barista was open only two hours a day. The line to get his coffee went all around the corner. When asked why he didn't open the coffee shop for more hours and make more money he said that it takes him so much concentration to make one really good cup of coffee that he doesn't have that much energy to give to a whole day of coffee making.

Now, I don't know if this is the true story, but it's the way I heard it.

Something in me clicked.

The reason I was able to give my preschool kids total freedom and exploration is because they were only with me for three hours a day. In these three hours, these children had to show up.

The school was this safe container of time for exploration and discovery.

And it was for me as much as it was from my students.

At home, it was a 24/7 job. I didn't have the energy for that type of concentration all day long.

(Maybe concentration isn't the right word but for now we'll just leave it.)

So the seed for An Intuitive Living Practice was born.

Eventually that seed has sprouted and grown into a full practice that you'll learn about in these pages -

how to create safe and nurturing spaces not just for your children but for you as well.

We will learn how to create small pockets of time and space for our children to explore the environment and material as they feel guided to do so while we learn to cultivate the act of noticing what comes up for us to be seen and heard.

It's really exciting to see what comes up. I hope you stick around long enough to discover how and experience the magic of releasing our history through this practice.

With Much Love, Maria

loud + clear

The message came in a dream one night. It was so loud and clear it woke me up. I quickly sat up and wrote it down, "Create space, show up and watch what unfolds." Then I turned around and went back to sleep.

It was about a year or so later that I was flipping through my little Messages notebook that I saw it again.

Create space. Show up. Watch what unfolds.

This time around it caught my attention.

What does this mean?

I knew there was something there.

So I did what I do best. Contemplate.

For years I would find myself asking questions like,

"What does it mean to create space?"

"Why is this so important?"

"How does this space support us?"

And so on.

I would ask these questions to what felt like was something bigger than myself.

And I would get answers.

Downloads.

Deep understandings.

I started to connect these downloads to The Reggio Approach.

They were in total alignment.

I want to share the practice with you because it takes it out of the classroom and into our lives.

It also does the reverse.

It allows us to live intuitively so we can bring that into the classroom.

It's this give and take.

This reciprocal energy that gives to us as much as it gives to others.

Especially our children.

This formula - create space, show up and watch what unfolds- is life transforming.

Are you ready for it?

With Much Love,

Maria

my children, my world

I found myself at a Donna Eden energy workshop at the request of my cousin. I was up for anything and said yes without even thinking about it. I purchased her book and brought it with me.

At some point in the workshop she did a book signing.

So naturally I went up to get her signature.

She took my book and scribbled these words on the page.

Dear Maria,

You have a blue life color -

Great mom and natural healer.

(Heart) Donna Eden

I was pleasantly surprised that I had received a message but had no idea what it all meant.

I still don't.

Except for the mom part.

At first this didn't make sense.

Aren't we all moms?

Wasn't my cousin, who got her own message, also a great mom?

Back then, I didn't feel being a mom was anything special.

I was still struggling and challenged by this role.

I would look forward to them growing up and out of whatever phase it was they were in.

Being a mom was tough.

But they were my reason.

They were my everything.

I wanted to do better for them.

I wanted to be better for them.

I wanted, more than anything else, for them to know that they were unconditionally loved, felt seen and heard and know that they were fully supported.

This is still my daily intention.

I'll be honest with you -I don't know what my children's experience of me is.

They are four teenagers right now.

But my experience of them... wow, how it's changed!

I sit here today, having done this work, and can say with 100% honesty, that I am loving my experience of motherhood.

I sit here in awe and curiosity every moment they are with me.

Author Toni Morrison said this in an interview with Oprah Winfrey:

Interesting to see when a kid walks in the room, your child or anybody else's child, does your face light up?

That's what they are looking for.

When my children used to walk in the room when they were little. I looked at them to see if they buckled their trousers. If their hair was combed or if their socks were up.

And so, you think your affection and your deep love is on display because you're caring for them.

It's not.

When they see you they see the critical face. What's wrong now?

But then, as I tried to from then on, to let my face speak what's in my heart because when they walked in the room, I was glad to see them.

It's as small as that.

It's as small as that but how challenging it can be.

I know. I've been there.

I am here to tell you it can be different.

Our eyes can light up every time we see our children.

Whether they are dressed the way we want them to dress.

Whether they are acting the way we want them to act.

Whether they are doing what we want them to do.

With this practice, the light we feel inside ourselves will be reflected back to us in our children.

And at the end of the day, with a smile on your face, you will say,

"I'm so happy to have a front row seat in this adventure called motherhood."

With Much Love,

Maria