Sir, – In her letter (“The benefits of making time for silence and reflection at school”, Letters, September 26th), Alice Leahy rightly makes the point that starting young in consciousness-based education really matters.
When my family moved back to Ireland from the US with our five children 30 years ago, our two youngest went to a school in Co Tipperary but were bullied on the schoolbus for their American accents.
We searched the country for a school with the right values and, after much looking, found one in Dublin with the motto “Laetus in praesens” – “Delight in the Present”. That was a good start.
On visiting the school in 1995, we found a very welcoming environment and a school that taught children how to rest and take a real break from their busy minds. Each class, including sport, began and ended with a pause – they were actually taught how to be present.
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A little older, they were also offered meditation. But the emphasis throughout was on valuing stillness and awareness before every activity. I just knew this was right.
My children have long since finished that phase of their lives, but they are thriving, responsible and happy adults, valuing the present and whatever it brings, rather than living in the troubles of the past or the fears of the future. I am so grateful they met this while still young. – Yours, etc,
ETHNA DORMAN,
Clonsilla,
Dublin 15.
