Tuesday, November 22, 2005

If da Vinci knit: the yin-yang of knitting

This is the first of a seven part blog on knitting groups. Enjoy!

Knitting groups
The origins of the meeting circle

I was an Early Childhood Educator for fourteen years.

The philosophy behind the day care center is markedly different from that of school. In schools, everyone, but the teacher, sits at desks. These desks are placed in rows. Teachers stand at the head of the class and "teach" the children. It is teacher-directed learning. In day cares, we have many activities. One of them is the circle. During circle, everyone including the ECE sit on the floor in a circle. The ECE facilitates learning. We, ECE, enrich the environment so that learning may occur. It is child-directed learning. We share in the act of discovery.

What are the origins of the meeting circle?

King Arthur and his knights of the round table are legendary. The round table was chosen to ensure that all knights were equal. All voices heard.

Historians speculate that the round table was adopted from the biblical passage of the last supper. During the last supper Jesus and his apostles feasted from a round table. Yet, the meeting circle is even older than this biblical passage. It dates back to the Stone Age and the existence of the Pagan society.

Nature spirituality was at the core of the Pagan's society. Females, the giver of life, were revered. Mother Goddess was the creator of all. Pagans did not dominate but sought to live in harmony with Mother Goddess' creations. From the harvesting of plants, they learned of the never-ending circle of life. When they celebrated Mother Goddess and when they passed on knowledge of her they formed a sacred circle.

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