Dear Parents,
Here is the summary of our class on Friday, Feb 26, 2021.
Opening prayers: Om Sahana Vavatu
Om Sri Ganeshaya NamaH
Om Sri Saraswatyai NamaH
Om Sri Sadgurubhyo NamaH
Vasudevasutam Devam (Krishna Shloka)
Activity: My Vacha, Gratitude Journal
Lessons: 10 values described in Sanathana Dharma by Many Bhagavan, Yaksha Prashna
Chanting: Gita Dhyana Shloka
Additional activity : 5th grade performance
Closing prayers
Next Balavihar class: 3/5/2021
Summary: Using the My Vacha exercise, we started off the class with reflecting on the week and how effective our speech and usage of words was. We continued the discussion with gratitude journal and what little things during the week made us feel happy and thankful for.
Since we had a two week break, we revised briefly what Sanatana dharma is and the first three values that were covered in previous classes and then moved on to the rest of them. Sanatana means 'Eternal' and 'Universal'. The following are the 10 values in life that characterize Dharma and that should be followed by all people at all times. Hinduism is built upon duties and not rights. When everyone performs their duties, the rights of others are automatically preserved. Each of the values were discussed in depth with the students with relevant stories and d2d examples.
- Dhrithi: Fortitude /emotional strength that gives you courage, perseverance to raise above all obstacles to reach your noble goal . Sathvic Dhriti is the ability to rise above all obstacles , difficulties and doubts while pursuing a noble goal in life. It is the strength, force or ability with which we hold onto our noble values of life.
- Kshma: Forgiveness or ability to endure cheerfully The highest form of forgiveness is when the feeling of being offended does not even arise in the first place.
- Dama: control over our organs of actions and perception. For example, if we get angry at someone and immediately want to strike him, that is no Dama. We may initially not be able to control the feelings in mind, we should atleast try to control the outward expression of it.
- Astheya (non stealing ) : Asteya teaches about the importance of not stealing possessions of others. We do not have any right to deprive others of their wealth, prosperity or achievements. Even the thought of taking someone else's possessions should not arise in our minds.
- Saucha: purity ( external and internal):Purity is two-fold- bahya, outer, external cleanliness and anatara, inner , internal cleanliness. While external cleanliness includes body, clean clothes, homes and clean environments; internal cleanliness represents cleanliness of our mind. Jealousy, anger, hatred are some examples of impurities of mind.
- Indriya nigraha ( mastery over sense organs): Mastery over sense organs determines what we should see, hear, taste, touch and so on. This control is very important and requires determination.
- Dhi: Ability to discriminate between right and wrong : Every moment in our life, we are at the crossroads of having to decide what to do, rt how to do. It is only with this discriminative faculty that we can choose the right mode of action and adhere to dharma.
- Vidya: Vidya is Knowledge. True knowledge is not merely the ability to read and write. Our scriptures say " The knowledge that liberates us from all entanglements is the only real knowledge and that is the knowledge of the self.
- Satya: Satya is truthfulness and our ability to fulfill a promise made. Whatever we speak should be true and what is true, that alone we should speak
- Akrodha is Absence of anger : Anger brings misery and peace bring anger and solutions. When anger overwhelms our mind, we become slaves to it. We should practice controlling anger and not become an instrument in the hands of anger.
Yaksha Prashnas covered this week: The kids were able to guess the answers to these yaksha prashnas based on the values discussed above. It was very refreshing and encouraging to see the kids connect the dots nicely.
- Who is the undefeatable enemy of a human being: Anger
- Which is the unending( incurable) disease: Greed
- Who is a noble person: Well wisher of all
- Who is ignoble: A heartless person is ignoble.
We reviewed the Geeta Dhyana Shlokas followed by Geeta chanting verses with Swamiji's video and wrapped up with closing prayers.Dear Parents,
regards,
Mythili and Anandi
