Every year, we delve into an essential topic for our annual retreat. This year, our focus is on attention. The retreat series, titled “Homeschool Essentials,” underscores the foundational elements that every homeschool program must incorporate.
[48:57] Are we ignoring our children if we choose solitude?
[1:03:04] Brandy’s backfired solitude
Today’s Hosts and Source
Brandy Vencel developed her intellectual life with faithful slow-reading.
Mystie Winckler learned to love reading and thinking when she was homeschooled with nothing else to do.
Abby Wahl gained an intellectual life when she had many babies and no internet.
Today’s Source: The Intellectual Life by Sertillanges, chapter 3, section 2
The premise of Sertillanges’ book is that being a thinker is a vocation, but one that can be fulfilled in two hours a day. Most of the book is practical helps for setting up a life of scholé learning that is not only reflective but also productive.
“The solitude recommended to him is not so much one of place as one of recollection; it means rising above things rather than keeping away from them; it consists in an upward-tending isolation, thanks to the surrender of self to higher things and the avoidance of frivolity, wandering ideas, fickleness, capricious fancies; it reduces to practice the conversation nostra in coelis of the apostle, by lifting us and our intercourse into the heaven of spirits.”
Sertillanges, the intellectual life, p. 68
Scholé Everyday: What We’re Listening To
The Genius Life with Max Lugavere, episode 373 – interviewing Charles Duhigg on his new book Supercommunicators
Abby enjoyed this conversation about making friends, winning arguments, and deepening relationships.
The Joe Rogan Experience, episode 2109 – interviewing Abigail Shrier on her new book Bad Therapy
Brandy enjoyed this conversation.
Theology Applied with Joel Webbon (no episode numbers) – interviewing Rosaria Butterfield on her new book 5 Lies of Our Anti-Christian Age
Mystie went through a spree of listening to interviews with Rosaria Butterfield on her latest book 5 Lies of Our Anti-Christian Age. Others mentioned were Theology Pugcast, CrossPolitic, Life and Books and Everything, and Mortification of Spin.
Learning requires solitude
When peace, which is the tranquility of order, puts order in your thoughts, feelings, and investigations, you are in the supreme disposition for learning.
Sertillanges, The Intellectual Life, p.50
To begin, why link solitude with attention? Sertillanges draws a distinction between different kinds of solitude, emphasizing “interior solitude.” This form of solitude doesn’t require physical isolation. Instead, it’s about focusing on one thing rather than being distracted by many.
Understanding attention means understanding its opposite: distraction. Distraction occurs when multiple thoughts occupy the mind, whereas interior solitude allows the mind to focus on one. Solitude, as Sertillanges presents it, is essential for cultivating attention because it provides the mental space to concentrate on a single task.
Sertillanges insists that solitude is more about internal recollection than physical isolation. This mindset enables one to maintain focus regardless of external conditions. For homeschooling moms, this translates to finding moments of peace and quiet even amidst a busy household.
Advice for learners & thinkers
Sertillanges references Thomas Aquinas’s Seven Councils, which offer timeless advice for reducing life’s noise:
Be slow to speak
Be slow in going to the parlor
Don’t ask about the actions of others
Be polite to everyone but familiar with none
Do not concern yourself with the words and actions of people who live outside your monastery
Avoid useless outings
Love your cell
Translating the Intellectual Life into Mom Life
Listening more than speaking fosters wisdom and reduces unnecessary noise.
Avoiding superficial social interactions—modern parallels could be social media—helps maintain focus.
Curiosity about others often leads to gossip and drama, distracting from true engagement
Maintaining courteous relationships without getting embroiled in others’ affairs preserves mental peace.
Reducing unnecessary trips can save time and energy for more essential activities.
Cherish your personal space and home, creating a peaceful environment conducive to concentration.
The opposite of attention is distraction
Modern life distracts us constantly. Sertillanges’ exploration of solitude offers valuable lessons for homeschooling. For example, homeschooling often involves creating structured schedules and environments. However, even the most meticulously planned schedule can fail if both the educator and students have “noisy souls.”
Sertillanges argues that solitude restores peace by minimizing external noise and focusing on the internal self. This focus is vital for homeschooling moms who face constant external demands. A quiet, attentive mind nurtures a more effective learning environment.
