Posts tagged with "maslow"
What a glorious day, the clear blues skies showed Knoydart off at its best. It is great to get some quality time to get to know people and myself too! Our lecture around Maslow’s hierarchy has really got me thinking about what we really need and how much we are influenced by media, branding and peer pressure.
In this beautiful peaceful setting, where you can literally hear the leaves fall, it is easy to have ‘thinking time’ and how important it is too; I can hardly believe what has come up for me today. Time to do nothing but think, what a crucial part of life and yet one that I suspect most people don’t afford themselves. I realised a long time ago how short sighted it is not to build in the luxury of time to reflect; why in general do we not do it? Why do we often put it at the bottom of our ‘to do’ list if in fact it is there at all? Are we a nation who doesn’t appreciate the benefits of it as we bury ourselves in consumerism or are we a nation who doesn’t know how to do it? I know, and have seen, the major impact that the process of reflection has both personally and professionally on the colleagues I work with on the Flexible Route to Headship programme. I am however today also aware of the added dimension for me of that reflecting time being done in a very peaceful setting. I wonder how my colleagues would be influenced by an experience like Knoydart, what might it add to the programme?
I am remembering when as a Depute Head Teacher I gave a talk at my year group assembly about the power of reflection and suggested that we had a few minutes to reflect at the assembly. I also remember actually saying to the pupils that they probably thought I was mad, certainly that is what the look on many of their faces was telling me. I wonder if any of them remember that assembly, I wonder if it made any difference. Why don’t I know?
Enough for one night, I can hardly contain myself as time approaches for yet another vegetarian experience!
It’s very hard to climb to the upper reaches of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs when you’re wearing a hat on your feet and doing the YMCA in the middle of nowhere.
When I’d started out, the solo didn’t seem too daunting. I’ve spent a lot of time in the mountains, silence and solitude don’t phase me and I’d even decided to fast for the day so as not to be distracted by food (‘fast’ is probably a bit melodramatic. I had early breakfast and a late dinner with nothing between the two – something lots of people do every day).
Heading out from the tent into the early morning gloom was quite peaceful, nearly falling into an unexpected river as I headed for my chosen spot less so. The ensuing tramp across a bog was unpleasant, the wet socks nasty and the subsequent attack of the giant tick fiend from hell was hideous (knowledgeable friend tells me it was actually a sheep ked but when one runs across your face you don’t look too closely).
One very hasty retreat for the tick/ked haunted chosen spot resulted in the rapid choosing of a new spot. Sadly it also resulted in my precious pair of dry socks getting wet too. Inevitably as I settled down to my day of quiet contemplation the cold began to seep up through my soaked boots and socks.
I tried various tactics from rapid wiggling of toes to trying not to think about it; all to no avail. Eventually Dave’s advice came to mind – if you’ve got cold feet, put them in your rucksack. So I emptied my rucksack, took off my socks and shoes, inserted my feet into my fleece hat and hopped into my rucksack.
It worked, but the price for my comfortably warm feet was an inability to move much. After an hour or two this becomes a problem as you get quite cold sitting still; which is how I came to be dancing in the middle of nowhere but only doing dances that don’t involve foot movements. The YMCA was followed by the Monster Mash, the Twist and when I ran out of ideas the Grand Slalom while humming the music from Ski Sunday.
It was at that point that I really began to wonder what on Earth we were doing here…
