Education and Purpose

              If you were given the power to design a new system of education, where would you start? What would you consider? How would you go about implementing it? You would probably begin by coming up with a purpose.

              In 1934, John Dewey said that “…the purpose of education was to give the young the things they needed in order to develop in an orderly, sequential way into members of society.” He he also said that it would depend which society that was. The aboriginals in the Australian bush or the youth in The Golden Ages of Athens would probably be educated differently. My thought on this is, what if the society is not meeting the needs of the citizens? What if the citizens are not productive? What if the society is not serving the individuals? Shouldn’t we change the educational process?

              In 1957, the ASCD (Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development) Committee said that “the main purpose of American Schools is to provide for the fullest possible development of each learner for living morally, creatively, and productively in a democratic society.” Moral education was the prime concern when the first common schools were founded in the New World. We do not necessarily need to choose a religion to know that values such as respect, peace, and honesty are essential, and yet, this is not always seen in our society. How could a lawyer or a doctor only think of himself, step over others by lying or stealing if he/she went through our educational system that promoted truth and honesty? Was it really promoted?  Creativity has also been obscured by the need to produce individuals that think the same and solve problems in the way that is expected. Somewhere along the way, our priorities changed. Are we serving our purpose?

              Arthur W. Foshay, Director of the Bureau of Educational Research at Ohio State University, reminded us in The Curriculum Matrix: Transcendence in Mathematics (1991) that “the purpose of education since ancient times, has been to bring people to as full realization as possible of what it is to be a human being.” That encompasses so much. It can not possibly be done without knowing what each child brings to the table. The first thing in people’s minds would be the academics. How much math? What is the reading level? What did the child learn in science last year? But what good is all that, if the child does not know how to apply this knowledge, how to use it at the right moment, or if to use it at all? That is called wisdom, and it is part of the human being, so are the individual’s moral values, the ability to concentrate, the ability to process emotions, the ability to keep himself or herself healthy, the ability to relate to self and to others, and so much more. This brings me to my definition of It Takes a Village, because the whole community needs to be involved so that all children in our society grow up to be healthy, fulfilled, cooperative adults. As educators, it is our responsibility to support the whole child. (That makes me wonder, how many children should we be responsible for?) If we as educators are not walking towards meeting the needs of the whole child, then, we should make changes.

              According to a leader in yoga philosophy, Swami Guru Devanand Saraswati Ji Maharaj, in his book Nacimos Para Triunfar, 2009 (Born to Win), “learning is measured by the positive changes that the training produces in the personality. Intellectual concepts that cannot be used, and that do not produce positive results in the person, the family, and the society, have not really been learned, they have only been stored in the intellect and have no value.”

“If we have learned anything good … obligatorily … that knowledge should make us better people.” SGDSJM

              The present system requires that we load our students’ minds with facts and concepts, many of those which are forgotten after the test or never used. Wouldn’t you say that is a waste of time? Why not use the subjects: Reading, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Physical Education, Art, and Music as the vehicles to more purposeful goals, not as the goals themselves?

              In my journey as an educator (and as a student of life), I have come to realize that I do have the power to reach a child and her family in ways that matter. In my view, school should be more experiential than intellectual. It should also appeal to their interests. When individuals apply knowledge, it is more likely that they will keep it. It is also more likely that they make mistakes or have questions during the application. What better time to learn than during practice? (I do not mean practicing 15 math problems. I mean actually solving problems in real life. That is more meaningful.)

I do stop my lessons for a puppy that passed away, a question of how a windmill works, a little white lie, a question about how fast a cheetah runs, the first snowfall out the window, a story about his friend that got sick, and a lack of attention due to excitement or tiredness. All those are great lessons and may become projects. I do lessons on self-discipline, positive thinking, compassion, honesty, healthy habits, and more. I assign projects that build family bonds, that help the child see things from another point of view, or help her develop skills that she will use often. I use the subjects to meet essential goals that help the individual live a fuller richer life. It is not a perfect system because it is not a system as we know it. I use curricula as a resource. A system, the way it is used in many educational institutions is for mass production and machines. I educate children.

              When the time comes that I see our society promoting unity, harmony, honesty, inner wisdom, health, and love, that day, I will say that the education we are giving our children is working. I will see adults fulfilled, doing what makes them happy, and helping others do the same. They will love to learn new things, and they will do them well. And so, I will say, let us continue using the guidelines as stated because they enhance people’s lives and give them a sense of individual and group purpose. When the time comes…and it will when we all revisit our purpose for being in this society and in this world.

Ana M. Robledo

Special Education Therapist and Coach

The New Normal is Here!

So, now that we know what we didn’t know before, how will we tackle the new normal?

What we know may be slightly different for each one of us, but let’s go over some. We know that what we think affects our words and actions, and that all that, affects others here and across the world. And it affects the Earth and our future.

We know that keeping healthy physically, emotionally, and mentally is essential for our wellbeing and the wellbeing of those around us.

Many of us now know that connections with ourselves and with others is what makes everything worth it.

Those who take advantage of the silence, have learned that listening to our gut, to our subtle voice within, is an art we must pursue to make productive, meaningful choices for ourselves and our loved ones.

We have also come to realize that others are going through battles right now that we know nothing about, and it’s nothing new. We shouldn’t have judged others for their actions before, and we should not be judging them now because we do not know what makes them act the way they do.

I am sure you can add to this list. Life is continuously teaching us.

Now , what will we do with our new perspective?

Will we change careers? Will we perform our job in a different way? Will we figure out more ways to connect with loved ones? Will we reach out to others who we feel need support? Will we reinvent our systems of education, economy, and government? Will we help create a new more conscious community?

Today I invite you to reflect on your lessons, whatever they may have been, in order to act upon your believe system which I hope has been shaken. For if we don’t take initiative to cocreate with All There Is, we’ll be stuck in cycles taking us no where. What a great opportunity has been given us to transcend.

Through the Rapids

How fitting that Easter would fall during this challenging world event. It means dying to the old self. It means rebirth.

It may seem difficult to see ahead but it is possible. Yesterday in a women’s conference someone mentioned that her husband compared what we are going through to white water rafting. There are really calm rivers- That’s a level 1. The level 3 has more turbulent rapids and narrow passages. By the level 5, there are so many drops, difficult passage ways, and difficult maneuvering that many people get hurt or die. According to him, we are going through a level 5. We are all on the same boat and aware that what we do affects the person on the other side of the boat. The only way to get through is to focus on the path – Not the obstacles. You have to be prepared as much as you can to deal with obstacles, and you have to deal with them, but your attention is on the through line.

So, the questions to ask ourselves are:

Who will I be when this is over?
What have I learned that I can apply?
Who am I in relation to humanity?
Who am I in relation to nature?
What is my place?
What is essential?
What will I pass to my children that will help them in the future?
What systems and structures will I support?
How can I make a difference to contribute to a better world?

I invite you to grieve the old (because it’s important) and let it go. Then, embrace the new, transform yourself, and transform the world.

Be new and be well,


PS. Working on it myself😏

All is Well!

No matter what today brings, all will be well in me. Let’s make that decision now.

It may bring ideas we don’t like, conversations we may not want to take part in, uncomfortable situations, or events where our body or mind may feel out of control. But all is well in me because I choose to be well.

Let’s remember that everything comes for a reason. It may be a lesson. It may be part of a healing process. It may be an event I or a community needs to wake-up and focus on what matters.

So if toxic actions of others are in your space, maybe it’s your opportunity to learn to step away or to speak up. Only you know what you need to learn. It’s all part of the school of life.

If your day brings, overwhelming circumstances at work or at home, it’s an opportunity to step physically and mentally out of the situation. It may be time to listen to your inner voice, to take a break, to get help, to prioritize, or make a change. There are always choices. The solutions are on the other side of fear. This is not just a popular saying. Get to know your fear. It helps me know that that’s where my growth is.

If your day brings an unexpected natural event, take a deep breath as well. An overwhelmed fearful mind is not helpful to make decisions. What can I do in this moment with what I have, and what I am able to do to be safe? Then act. Working on dealing with emotions is not easy, but we have to do our best so we can think clearly. It’s part of our growth.

Inhale deeply, close your eyes and check with your essence, then smile because all is well no matter what the world brings.

I make a decision now that all will be well within me no matter what happens. How about you?

Our Humanity Steps Out

Stepping into a new way of life or a dream requires courage and vulnerability.

Courage to go deep inside ourselves to figure out what we want to keep and what we want to let go. So deep that we realize that there are two parts to us, our divinity-soul -higher self and our humanity.

Our higher self knowing that our humanity needs to evolve sends her off to learn life lessons in order to achieve a purpose.

Our humanity supported by the higher self builds up the courage to step out, and then realizes that in the process of being courageous needs to open up and be vulnerable when exposed to new things that seem so difficult especially because they are in front of others. So, fear, anxiety, shame, and doubt surface. Our humanity may come back to the higher self feeling powerless and defeated, but if you have allowed your higher self to stand strong and connected, the higher self, with compassion, will hug our humanity and explain the process of growing through the feedback received in every step we take towards a goal, a new lifestyle, and a dream worth growing for. So, our humanity tries again knowing that the higher self is with her.

The reward of sending our humanity into the world with intention is not only for building skills through practice, but building confidence, connecting with what really matters to us, building crystal clear relationships, loving ourselves, and finding something to be thankful for no matter what circumstance we are in. This, of course, brings us to joy.

Like everything in the life we are living on this Earth, is a process which requires our constant attention so we can evolve. You see, we don’t get to choose to live a life. We have to live one.


Either we design it, or it gets designed by circumstances and other people. We might as well create our situations with intention to learn and grow towards our purpose. Let’s be active participants of the creation of our learning curriculum on Earth. The process is worth it!

Facebook Post September 9, 2019

Change or Die!

Most people who are told by their doctors that they are going to die soon unless they change their lifestyle, actually do change for about 4-6 weeks. Then, over 80% go back to their old ways.
When people work on their personal growth, the same thing happens, but when they give up, what dies is their dream- their purpose. So, they continue to do what they have always done, and they continue to get the same results.
How do we change when will power is not enough? Sometimes what we need is support. Over 75% of patients stick to their new lifestyle when they have the proper weekly or daily support (Book: Change or Die). Today, I invite you to find someone that wants the best for you to support you in your journey. Mentors, teachers, coaches and accountability partners have made a difference in my life. Find the right one for you.

Feeling Successful?

A person who feels successful has three characteristics. First and foremost, they do what gives them a state of wellbeing and joy. At the same time, they also give regularly of their time, talent and treasure, and finally, they love who they become in the process. Success is not just being promoted to CEO, getting a degree, getting married, or getting a job. That is just part of the process.

The first two go hand in hand because if we do not take care of ourselves first (i.e. Putting our oxygen mask in an airplane), we cannot take care or give our best to others. I remember being drained of energy, and always tired, when giving my all to serve in all the possible committees at church and the school where I worked, I ended up sick because I did not make time to pamper myself, and didn’t do the things that were good for my mental, physical, and emotional health. I now meditate daily, walk, eat as healthy as possible, and take time for me when needed by going to the spa, going on mini or long vacations, going to retreats or just being.

Giving, is an extension of being, is a satisfying activity that actually has many benefits. Just the act of giving with a generous, loving intention is more than enough. However, in the process of giving great things happen. You develop a sense of purpose, and a sense of wellbeing. According to Why Good Things Happen to Good People by Stephen G. Post, giving helps with stress and depression among other ailments. He also says that when people give to charities that have meaning to them, a region in the brain associated with pleasure and trust, create a “warm glow” effect – that fuzzy feeling. I talk about giving of your time, talent and treasure because it is a basic component in the ancient philosophies and then adopted by religions as well. People who understand the law of giving and receiving know that giving in these three areas results in amazing returns unimaginable to them.

People who feel successful do not just achieve a goal and say, “I have arrived!” They achieve a goal, celebrate, and continue growing and serving. When we decide to rest on our laurels after obtaining a goal, paradigms, old fears, and bad habits may creep up and keep us down. It does not mean that we shouldn’t take breaks or vacations, those are essential. It just means that Our dream must be bigger than a goal, for our lives to be meaningful. So, people who feel successful love who they are becoming in the process of life.

Decisions, Decisions

Every moment of every day, unless we are asleep, we have decisions to make. Should I get up now or in five minutes, should I have fruit or eggs for breakfast, should I take the day off, should I start this project, should I exercise, should I call a friend, should I cut somebody off on the road because they are going to slow… Everything is a decision. All these decisions affect our life now and in the future. What kind of future do we want? Are we equipped to make all these decisions and be content with what we have done with ourselves in a year, in five, or in ten?

I have come to realize that decision-making is an art, and only through continuous observation of ourselves, and love for ourselves and others, can we be satisfied with what we have decided and have become.

Observing yourself and getting to know yourself requires inner work. You need to understand why you behave the way you do, and why you like the things you do. For a while, I worked with a bioneuroemotion coach who helped me see those patterns of behavior that were part of my culture, and my ancestors that didn’t serve me. Beyond that, I learned that there are unresolved traumas or events in my past that blocked or filtered my thoughts. The only way to heal so deeply, for me was and still is, meditation. I have used different types of meditation in my healing process. Just being quiet and still is a great beginning. I have used kundalini meditations, voicing mantras, or using a personal mantra given by my guruji. The latter is a technique that helps in clearing the mind by decreasing the number of thoughts and increasing the quality of the thought. Your thoughts and decision process become more productive.

Observation of your actions and reactions to others and situations is also very helpful. You need to become a third person as if you were a bird overlooking your interactions in different situations. This observation must be objective. You are not here to judge, but to learn why you act the way you do. This will help you decide what you want to be, and what you can and cannot live with in any particular situation and in your life. The process of observing yourself is never ending because we change, and that is good.

As I observed myself, I realized that there were parts of me I didn’t like so much, and some that I could not change right away or maybe not in this life. I learned that if I didn’t come to terms with that and accept myself just the way I was, I could never be free to be me and to accomplish my goals. So, I began to love myself no matter what-No matter what I looked-like, no matter what my past was like, no matter what things I was not good at doing, no matter what! I stopped trying to measure up to anybody’s expectations including mine. Loving others and accepting others was not as much of a problem for me, but this part is also essential in making decisions because our goal should be to “Do no harm.” We are all connected, and our decisions affect those around us. And the results of those decisions come back to us.

Now that all this is in place, making decisions is a matter of keeping some things in mind and practicing. Here are some questions to ask yourself as you make decisions.

  1. Does this option reflect a love of self, others and nature?  Yes
  2. Am I attached to the outcome? Do I have a specific expectation for the result? No
  3. Have I visualized the positive feeling I and others will have as a result of this decision? Yes
  4. Does it serve the purpose that it was intended for? Yes
  5. Do I see myself answering questions 1-4 the same in 6 months or in 1-10 years? Yes

I am a student of life sharing my lessons. Please use what I share after running it through the filter of your mind and your heart together.

Be well!

The Magic of Gratitude

Little Girl Laying on Grass

A 12-year-old girl and I were reading a passage about a major earthquake that happened in California a while back, and how Japanese students came to show their support to the victims. I asked her what the victims could do to thank them, and she said just say “thank you” because they don’t have anything to give. This answer is not right or wrong, but incomplete. There is magic in the word “thank you” when offered sincerely, there is no doubt about that. The word affirms what is good in your life, and it shows respect for others.

However, I believe that gratitude goes beyond saying, “thank you.” Gratitude is a sincere feeling which recognizes the value of the act of giving, and the abundance available to us all the time. Waking up and being in a state of gratitude during the day as much as possible allows you to see the goodness surrounding your life, and there is always goodness. You may have at least four senses functioning, you may have a bed to sleep on, you may have a body that supports you and takes you places, you may be able to see the sky and its magnificence, you may picture your family and friends and be grateful for them, or you may get caught in traffic and say, “the universe must be protecting me or teaching me something.” I don’t know if you remember some of the people that did not die on 9/11 but could have been working at that moment. One was getting donuts, one overslept, one went to get a haircut, one missed the train, and another one had to switch to a later flight. You never know, until you look back, that what you are going through is exactly what you should be going through.

An attitude of gratitude strengthens relationships, improves your health, helps you attract more of the same, invites others to say thank you, and keeps you in the present moment. The benefits of continuous gratitude are endless. If you need help being in a state of gratitude, here are some tips. First, have a reminder on your night table to say thank you for your day in advance. Second, keep a jar where you place pieces of paper with all the good things you are thankful for each day to be read at the end of the year. Finally, every time something “bad” happens, wonder how the universe is rearranging your world to protect you or to improve your life and move you forward. That’s it! All you need to do is to start being thankful.

So, we go back to why I believe the girl’s answer is incomplete. When we are sincerely grateful, the feeling comes from deep inside of us, and one word sometimes is not enough to express it. The earthquake victims actually wrote a letter to them, and also gave hugs, even though it’s not the custom in Japan, they understood. In our case, we can teach our children to be grateful, draw pictures for others, offer a big smile,  write a poem, give flowers, bake cookies, or do something else that would require our time to make. Gratitude is a magical state of being.

Be well!

Feeling Rich

Mother and Child Playing with Leaves

I lived most of my life thinking that I couldn’t get things because they were too expensive. I never had enough money, or it had to be saved for food, shelter and transportation only.  I always thought that I didn’t know how handle my own money.  First my parents, and then my partners oversaw my finances.

I went to many courses to visualize being okay with having money. They didn’t work. I tried spending and donating because the lesson was that if you give it comes back to you. You just need to keep the flow. The problem was that deep inside I didn’t believe that I could have more.  I felt that I didn’t deserve it. Even if for a moment, I believed, I blocked the process because I doubted myself.

At some point I started developing worthwhile goals. Goals that made sense to me and that would be shared with the world. Suddenly, it made sense to spend money in these goals. The money made itself available. I started not being afraid of managing it. I became conscious of each transaction. I studied my investments, my credit cards, my savings. I made decisions. Like magic, things were now possible. There was always enough for what I wanted to do for me, and enough to share with others.

I realized later that there were specific things that I had done that led me to feel rich. After I separated from my first husband. I went through a process of forgiveness. I forgave others for what I thought they had done to me. I asked for forgiveness from my ex and my children, and finally I forgave myself. I believe that resolving these issues helped unblock part of the flow of goodness towards me. I still have to learn much about relationships, but I am now more aware, so I can avoid conflicts, or at least not stay too long in the conflict by bringing clarity, love and peace to all parties including me.

The knowing that the universe will provide without a doubt is essential. The universe’s time is not my time, and it’s easy to be impatient. We must trust the process. We also have to be open to the subtle doors that are opened to guide us into our next step. I remember being open to the steps in the process of writing Absolutely Relative. Where do I start? How will I come up with all the material? Can I trust someone to revise it? What about the cover? Do I know anything about publishing? These questions came initially, but I dismissed them. I never really worried about them. As I was ordering a book from Hay House Publisher’s, they were advertising a free video for writers where they discussed how to get started, and how to overcome writer’s block. The only thing I remember from it is that you should write a table of contents to get started. I chose my topics and started writing. In six months I had written nine chapters.  The next steps of choosing people to revise, copyedit, proofread, and enhance the book were choices that felt 100% right. There were no doubts in my part. Even though I had a timeline, I did not rush them. I made them all aware of the timeline, but I always said that if they needed more to let me know. Each step in the process presented itself, as I needed it. Everything flowed.

In order to feel rich, I think it’s crucial that we feel grateful about every little thing that the universe provides that gets us closer to peace, love, and our chosen goals. Sometimes, situations, and people come that do not seem to be taking us where we want to go. For this, we need to be sharpening our discernment process, so we can follow our intuition. Our inner guidance helps us decide if what is in front of us, is beneficial for us or not at this moment. So, I may not be rich as defined by many, but I am rich as defined by me. My wealth allows me to create and to do what I think is best for me, and best for those I choose to serve. It gives me joy.