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Karen Zalubowski Stryker earned five college degrees: two in education, psychology, computer science and art; and seven teaching endorsements; and taught grades K-12, most of the time in the high school.
Karen's additional careers were systems analyst, co-owner of RV, Tent and Cabin Resort, and co-owner of the first video store west of the Mississippi.
She is a writer, poet, painter, silversmith, home builder and creator of large tile murals. She hikes, does art shows, and has traveled in many countries She has lots of stories to tell of her backpacking, hosteling adventures and living with families in some of the 42 countries she has traveled to, which will be her next book 'Backpacking 42 Countries and Living With Families There'. She tries to do ½ hour of SILENT THINK TIME twice daily after doing 15 minutes of exercises.
Reviewed by Anne Boling for Readers' Favorite
In "Silent Think Time: How to Bring Virtues Back into Our Home, Schools, Counseling and Work" Karen Zalubowski Stryker cleverly uses her expertise as a teacher, systems analyst and business owner. Ms Stryker has five college degrees: in psychology, computer science, art and two in education. The concept behind STT is to relieve stress by taking two breaks a day, one in the morning and one in the evening, of 15-50 minutes, to meditate. It is suggested that the employer or teacher prepares specific areas and times for the employee or student to sit and contemplate on such questions as: “Who am I in relation to the rest of the world?” and “What was my most precious moment today?” Ms Stryker found that using her techniques helped her students to focus, concentrate and behave with a positive attitude toward others. Having vastly traveled outside the United States, Stryker discovered that something similar to STT was being used in many countries. Around mid morning the teacher asks the children to lay their heads on their desk and be completely quiet, or in the afternoon the children would lie quietly on a mat. This practice calmed the children down. As I read this part I remembered my third grade class. Ms Myers employed the very same technique on us each day. We had a quiet time with our heads on our desks each afternoon. Often a few students would fall asleep.
Ms Stryker continues by expanding on the topic, explaining the importance of attitudes and showing how meditation assists the body in healing. The concept has positive benefits that should be at least discussed by institutions. There is much more in this book than I can address in this review. However, I do want to mention that Stryker suggests this may calm hyperactive children and adults. Ms Stryker’s book is interesting, well-organized and easy to read. Much of the philosophy could be called new age although Chakra is actually part tantric and yoga, whose roots are in Hinduism.
