John McPhee - Draft No. 4

John McPhee - Draft No. 4

I just read Sam Anderson’s article on John McPhee in last Sunday’s New York Times magazine. In it, we are reminded of how obsessed McPhee is with structure in his writing. His new book Draft No. 4 emphasizes the primacy of structure and its great pay-off. McPhee tells Anderson, “Structure has preoccupied me in every project.” Anderson says that “Structure, in McPhee’s writing carries as much meaning as the words themselves.” It used to be that structure was a key piece of any writing instruction. It certainly still is in McPhee’s writing course at Princeton. In fact, Draft No. 4 is essentially McPhee’s writing course, which he has been teaching since 1975.  Unlike McPhee’s course, many writing courses today give up structure to free writing or self-expression, asserting that obsession over structure can limit the imagination or squelch creativity. McPhee attributes his obsession with structure to his high school English teacher who made him outline all his papers before he wrote them. When I started teaching, my mentor and the chair of the English department emphasized the essential value of outlining to free students to express themselves, pinning down the structure so that meanings could flow smoothly and organization and clear expression could be givens. I am so grateful for that instruction. It certainly made me a better writing teacher and a clearer writer.

Grand Canyon

I just returned from a trip to the Grand Canyon. Because I have a dog, I couldn’t get down into the Canyon, but I was able to take a wonderful long hike from the Village out to Hermit’s Rest along the South Rim. It felt like an otherworldly experience, as though I were not only stepping back in geological time but also entering a world uniquely its own. The words that came to my mind to describe the experience and the views were “majestic,” “magnificent,” magical,” ‘mysterious.” Regardless of one’s religious inclinations, the Canyon is definitely a spiritual space, one that touches one and moves one to the core. I will be forever grateful that I now have those astonishing vistas as part of the furniture of my imagination – to nurture and inspire and heal. 

A Found Poem

Seamus Heaney

The famous Irish poet Seamus Heaney was not particularly religious, but this poem gives us a glimpse into the power of the liturgy for him and the words that comprise it. The words may appear simple, but their pull is profound “like well water far down.”

A Found Poem

Like everybody else, I bowed my head
during the consecration of the bread and wine,
lifted my eyes to the raised host and raised chalice,
believed (whatever it means) that a change occurred.
I went to the altar rails and received the mystery
on my tongue, returned to my place, shut my eyes fast, made
an act of thanksgiving, opened my eyes and felt
time starting up again.
There was never a scene
when I had it out with myself or with another.
The loss of faith occurred off stage. Yet I cannot
disrespect words like ‘thanksgiving’ or ‘host’
or even ‘communion wafer.’ They have an undying
pallor and draw, like well water far down.

 – Seamus Heaney (2005)

Living With Contradiction

In her book Living With Contradiction, an Introduction to Benedictine Spirituality, Esther de Waal reminds us that “We all stand in need of healing. We are all seeking wholeness.” She asserts that “We all know that unless we attend to our inner conflicts and contradictions, not only will we find ourselves torn apart by our inner divisions but also we shall very likely inflict wounds on those around us.” The good news is that “Our God, the God of love, does not want a broken and divided self. He created us for fullness of life.” There is not an ah-ha moment when wholeness comes or our brokenness disappears. It is the search of a life-time, and we cannot make the journey without God’s help; he is the potter to form and transform the clay that we are, to make the old give way to the new.

Gratitude

When we have been unjustly hurt, our reaction might understandably be anger and resentment, and we might be motivated to retaliate. Let’s say we experience a great loss because of someone else’s actions against us – a life-changing and devastating loss. How do we get beyond vengeance against the one who caused the loss and move towards gratitude for what we had that was lost?  It’s a hard change of heart and mind: being thankful that we had the lost thing at all – a person, a job, a prized possession – for however long, rather than resentful for having been deprived of it. Gratitude can be a powerful avenue through the trauma of loss. It does not minimize the intense pain that always accompany the work of rebuilding one’s life in an entirely different context, but it can take away the feeling of anger and the conviction that a terrible injustice has been done, and it opens the way for thanksgiving and renewed trust in the world.

Hiking

I have been lucky to live in places where great hikes are readily accessible. I am also lucky to have a dog who likes the hikes as much as I do. There is, of course, the beauty of the external landscape – trees whispering in the wind, streams babbling along the path, wildflowers donning their colors, and birds chirping overhead. There is also the meditative effect of putting one foot in front of the other, as one’s internal landscape begins to echo the beauty of the external surroundings. And then, there is the easy discourse with hikers whom you pass, fellow travelers along the path. Being in nature seems to promote a gentle courtesy, a shared appreciation of the space, inviting us to tread lightly and to be respectful of one another. My dog reminds me that there are other critters along the way, as she scampers after squirrels and bunnies. The full tableau is a gift that inspires gratitude.

Poems by Mary Oliver and Naomi Nye

“Little Dog’s Rhapsody in the Night" by Mary Oliver 

I am lucky enough to have a dog and also lucky enough to know Mary Oliver’s collection Dog Songs. Those poems remind us that our dogs teach us philosophical lessons about how to live a good and full life and about what matters most in our lives. What matters most, they tell us continually, is love. They love us unconditionally and in so doing teach us the purity of loving. What could be a sweeter arrangement, indeed, than giving and receiving love? To do so enriches our lives and the lives of those we love. Oliver’s poem, “Little Dog’s Rhapsody in the Night,” ends with a reminder of the magic of that reciprocal giving and receiving. “… He puts his cheek against mine/and makes small, expressive sounds./…/“Tell me you love me,” he says./“Tell me again.”/Could there be a sweeter arrangement? Over and over/he gets to ask./I get to tell.”

"Kindness" by Naomi Nye

In Naomi Nye’s poem “Kindness,” sorrow and kindness figure as two sides of one coin – or perhaps more accurately, as a cause and effect relationship: “Before you know kindness as the deepest thing/you must know sorrow as the other deepest thing.” Your own sorrow connects you to the pains and griefs of others and bulks up your empathic muscle. You come to know sorrow, the poem says, by losing the things you once counted on, by “feeling the future dissolve in your hand.” Once you know that desolation, you are in a better position to understand the “tender gravity of kindness” and how much it matters. Henry James, when asked about the important things in life, responded, “Three things in human life are important: the first is to be kind; the second is to be kind; the third is to be kind.” We would be wise to follow his counsel.

Manuoso Manos to Instruct Three-Day Iyengar Yoga Session in L.A.

As an award-winning educator, Cissy Lewis received the Distinguished Teacher award twice during her tenure at The Castilleja School, California. She most recently served as interim head of school at the Palo Alto, California, school. Among her outside-the-classroom interests, Cissy Lewis enjoys practicing yoga, particularly Iyengar yoga led by instructors Manuoso Manos and Osha Hanfling.

Iyengar yoga was named after B.K.S. Iyengar, who began doing yoga as a teenager in an effort to improve his health after suffering from tuberculosis. He began teaching yoga in 1936, with his method rising to prominence in the 1960s. As a result, he became one of the first teachers to instruct yoga to westerners until his death in 2014. His method, which is a form of hatha yoga, primarily focuses on the body’s physical alignment. He believed there is a correct way to do each pose, and each student can achieve that through practice. In addition, he used props, such as pillows, chairs, straps, and blocks during his sessions.

Manuoso Manos, who is a senior Iyengar yoga teacher and studied with B.K.S. for many years, teaches Iyengar yoga at numerous locations throughout the year. His primary location is his studio in San Francisco, the Abode of Iyengar Yoga.

San Quentin Prison Helps Inmates Earn AA Degrees

Lifelong educator Cissy Lewis served most recently at the Castilleja School in Palo Alto, California. Cissy Lewis is now teaching an introduction to literature course at San Quentin Prison through an accredited program from Patten University.

Patten University offers special extension classes at nearby San Quentin Prison, where inmates can earn an associate of arts degree. To complete the degree, students must earn a minimum 61 credits and pass core classes.

Classes at San Quentin are introductory-level, making them accessible even to inmates who are behind in their academic training. These courses include introduction to reading and composition, introduction to literature, U.S. history, and art or music appreciation.

Elective course options are available as well. Students who would like to transfer to University of California or Cal State in the future can use elective credits to fill transfer requirements. Meanwhile, courses such as introductory Spanish and pre-calculus can help inmates prepare to earn their BA when they leave prison.

Prison University Project at San Quentin State Prison in California

An award-winning teacher with more than 4 decades of experience in education, Cissy Lewis is the former academic dean, Head of Upper School, Assistant Head of School, and interim Head of School at Castilleja School in Palo Alto, California. Cissy Lewis has also supported such educational initiatives as the Prison University Project at San Quentin State Prison in California.

Following the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, incarcerated individuals could no longer receive Pell Grants and were therefore unable to attend college. Founded in 2003 and incorporated as a non-profit organization in 2006, the Prison University Project (PUP) strives to provide higher learning opportunities for persons incarcerated in San Quentin State Prison, as well as increase public awareness and promote dialogue about criminal justice and education. Currently, PUP operates a college preparatory program and an associate of arts degree program for approximately 330 students. Education within prison has proven to be a sound way to reduce recidivism and in the ten years of the program’s inception, not a single PUP graduate has returned to prison for committing a violent crime.

Teacher Training Programs from Little Sisters Fund

A longtime educator and graduate of Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education, Cissy Lewis most recently served as assistant head of school and academic dean at Castilleja School in Palo Alto, California. Apart from her professional commitment to education, Cissy Lewis supports charitable organizations such as the Little Sisters Fund, which provides scholarship opportunities for disadvantaged girls in South Asia.

Among numerous initiatives to make education more accessible to girls in Nepal, the Little Sisters Fund operates a primary education training program for teachers at the organization’s partner schools. By training Nepalese teachers to combine multi-sensory and child-based techniques with more traditional methods, Little Sisters Fund aims to cultivate an educational environment of collaboration and group learning. A cost-effective way to encourage curiosity and love of learning in the classroom, teacher training programs emphasize critical thinking skills and give teachers the tools to more effectively reach between 50 and 100 students daily.

How the Little Sisters Fund Improves the Lives of Nepalese Girls

Cissy Lewis is a distinguished educator who previously held the role of interim head of school at Castilleja School in Palo Alto, California. In addition to her current work as an independent educational consultant, Cissy Lewis supports the Little Sisters Fund.

Founded in 1998, the Little Sisters Fund aims to help economically disadvantaged girls in Nepal rise above their conditions of poverty and oppression to make better lives for themselves. To avoid the all-too-common traps of child marriage, trafficking, and labor, the fund offers girls several different programs, such as long-term scholarships to pay for school uniforms, books, supplies, and their full tuition at private schools. Other initiatives include awareness-raising campaigns and instruction in proper hygiene to maintain health.

The Little Sisters Fund also partners with 70 government-operated and semi-private schools throughout 18 districts of Nepal, enabling them to cover school costs for underserved girls. Currently, over 1,500 girls are enrolled in this program.

The Amazing Splendor of Machu Picchu

Respected educator Cissy Lewis has taught in a variety of settings. Outside of her work, Cissy Lewis has traveled to many different continents, including South America.

One of the most popular destinations within South America is Machu Picchu. This historical landmark is located in Cuzco, in Peru. Tourists from all over the world flood this area during the summer months. There are more than 5,000 steps leading up to the peak of Machu Picchu, which hundreds of thousands of individuals climb every year to view the region and the impressive stone monuments. The entire site spans a 5-mile distance. Regardless of its popularity, though, little is known about this lost Incan city.

The American historian Hiram Bingham discovered this lost city in 1911. Then, he found more ruins on the Inca Trail when he went back a few years later. Scientists have since identified more than 100 skeletal remains and 50 burial sites. Machu Picchu is considered to have been a sacred religious site for the leaders of the Incas.

Several theories exist to explain the creation of this city. One of the more prominent theories is that the city was founded to preserve Incan culture during the last years of the civilization.