Edith, a 24-year old single mother of five from Puerto Rico, showed a pattern of being absent on Monday mornings, the day of the Loves Herself Regardless class. In our discussions at staff meetings, we concluded that perhaps it was just too difficult for her to be with herself and dedicate time for herself. Foremost, she seemed to resist anything that had to do with loving herself. Although her struggle was exploring her sense of self, she found comfort in the community of learners. She would bring a plate of sandwiches for the class at least once a week. I believe this was her way of showing her commitment to the class and her desire to create a sense of place (Teacher’s reflection notes, 2001).

In many cultures, food plays an important role in gathering people, developing relationships, and maintaining community. Not only does it nourish the body, but it also cultivates a sense of place where people feel belonging and love. This is especially important for those who may not be ready to love themselves.

Music is an integral part of our classroom. It is powerful in its healing effects on the whole person. First Nations cultures believe that “sound vibration connects the mind, body, and spirit, and makes the physical body whole (Herbert, 1996).” Knowing this, we have incorporated music into our everyday classroom environment. For some classes where students work individually, meditation music plays softly under the steady flow of the water from a fountain. We always include music when asking the women to do freewriting. We also experiment with a variety of musical styles because we know that music impacts each woman in a different way. For freewriting, we use more mellow, soothing, and calm instrumental music that occasionally contains nature sounds. While students are working in their workbooks or writing an in-class essay, I play Classical (Mozart) or Baroque (Bach) music to help “align” the brain waves and stimulate mental alertness. Sometimes I play the violin in class for special projects, like collages or specific writing assignments, so the women can experience the sound waves in a more intimate manner. When the students are in a “transition time” between classes, we play more upbeat music with drums and words to encourage movement and help them feel revitalized before the next class. It is also important to note that the same kind of music can affect a person in a different manner according to her mood or feelings at that moment. For example, a powerful work, like the first movement of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony can be energizing when I am cleaning the house or driving on an open road. However, if I am writing a paper or sitting in traffic, that same piece can cause stress and anxiety.