The Unseen Classroom  

September always arrives with a certain electricity in the air. For students, it's the start of a new academic year, filled with fresh notebooks, sharpened pencils, and unknown possibilities. But beyond the school bell, there’s something deeper at play—a spirit of learning that characterizes this time of year. It’s the hum of curiosity, the bravery of beginning again, and the quiet promise that growth is possible. This feeling isn't reserved for children and teenagers; it belongs to anyone willing to re-enter the classroom of life.

What if we approached our daily lives with the same openness that young people bring to the first day of school? Too often, our engagement with new ideas, whether in relationships, work, or even hobbies, is filtered through layers of conditioning and programming. We carry assumptions about who we are, how others should be, and what’s worth questioning. We compartmentalize our critical thinking—reserving it for books and debates—while shielding our personal truths from real inquiry. But learning, in its truest form, demands a full-hearted and whole-bodied openness. It invites us to notice where our minds resist, where our habits dictate, and where our comfort zones have become cages.

So this season, back to school isn’t just a calendar marker—it’s a calling. A calling to re-engage with reading, with imagination, with difficult questions and uncomfortable answers. To study our own responses. To unlearn what no longer serves us. To awaken the parts of us that still wonder, still hope, still believe in the transformative power of a good question. Whether you're 8 or 80, this time of year can be a sacred return, not to old routines, but to the learner within.

An Interrogation Exercise

As we lean into this spirit of learning, here’s a simple practice: choose one area of your life that you’ve held as fixed or beyond examination. It might be a long-held belief about your relationship, your spiritual path, your knowledge in a certain field, or even how much you care (or don’t) about your job. Now ask: What conditioning shapes how I show up here? What assumptions do I carry into this part of my life without even realizing it? So often, our deepest habits remain invisible because they feel like “just the way things are.”

But the practice of learning—true, transformative learning—asks us to interrogate even the most familiar parts of ourselves. So let’s journal about it. Set a timer for 15 minutes, grab your journal, and write freely. You might be surprised by what arises when you let the pen lead the way. Check out this inspired painting below, drawn by an educator who engaged in one of our workshops that integrated this practice!!

Remember: what you write is not for anyone else. It’s for the part of you that already knows the way home. We hope this practice anchors you in the present, and gently opens space for insight and ease. 

Stay Tuned!

Yes - it was the culmination of Season 4 for our podcast. But, STAY TUNED! Throughout the weeks, we have been releasing previous conversations, video podcasts, and information on upcoming events.

Want to know what our name means? Find out through this beautiful explanation. The ROOTS Movement is founded on Realizing Our Own True Selves. We are grateful for this expression, as it provides a goal and context for our daily practices.

In the past season, we spoke with Sadhviji, George Mumford, & Dayal Gauranga. Truly an honor to spend that much time with teachers and practitioners of this caliber! We are hoping that you can join us in understanding and applying the philosophies of now that the esteemed guests share. Feel free to reach out with questions, notes, and reflections of your own.

In The Philosophy of Now podcast, we speak with thought leaders and innovators to learn about their mantras and perspectives for being present, or what we like to call - their philosophies of now.

We’ve already learned from a diverse range of phenomenal personalities like Sri M, Henry Shukman, Swami Sarvapriyananda, Sid Sriram, Acharya Prashant and Nandita Das.

Join Us On This Journey!

We hope The Philosophy of Now serves to be a unique podcast - one in which the listener feels fully present and truly immersed in the conversation. One in which the guest, interviewer, and listener share a collective learning space.