Dear Parents,
Here is the summary of our class on Friday, March 05, 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: Review and revision of the 10 values described in Sanathana Dharma by Manu Bhagavan, Concept of Dharma Thermostat and Yaksha Prasnas
Chanting: Gita Dhyana Shloka: Our goal is for all kids to fluently chant the 9 verses of Geeta Dhyana. We are assigning one verse each week for them to learn. Please encourage them to practice and learn. They can also register for shlokathon and recite the same.
Closing prayers
Next Balavihar class: 3/12/2021
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 kicked off the topic of the class by revising the 10 values in life that characterize Dharma. Children remembered most of the values and explained the meaning of each. It was very nice to see them comprehend these in a meaningful way.
- Dhrithi: Fortitude /emotional strength that gives you courage
- Kshma: Forgiveness or ability to endure cheerfully.
- Dama: control over our organs of actions and perception.
- Astheya (non stealing ) : Asteya teaches about importance of not stealing possessions of others.
- Saucha: purity ( external and internal):Purity is two-fold- bahya, outer, external cleanliness and anatara, inner , internal cleanliness.
- Indriya nigraha ( mastery over sense organs): Mastery over sense organs determines what we should see, hear, taste, touch and so on.
- Dhi: Ability to discriminate between right and wrong.
- Vidya: Vidya is Knowledge. True knowledge is not merely the ability to read and write.
- Satya: Satya is truthfulness and our ability to fulfill a promise made.
- Akrodha is Absence of anger.
Then we discussed the concept of Dharma Thermostat. By explaining the difference between Thermometer and Thermostat, we tried to apply the same to dharma. Our personality thermostat is set at different levels depending upon the different values we possess. For some values, for example, forgiveness, the thermostat may be set a 90-100 meaning we live by that value all the time. So, our thermometer always shows 100. For some other value say Akrodha, we may set the thermostat to 50 but it may always read 5 degrees meaning we need to work on our anger. Through this activity , Dharma thermostat, let us learn to raise our thermostat slowly and ultimately to a level that our thermometer reads nothing less than 100 .. Also, similar to a regular thermostat that influences the surroundings, by setting our own thermostat at 100 for all values, we can positively influence others around us.
Homework for Kids : Each kid will select three values that he/she would like to work on. They will make their own charts . Every week, they will set their thermostat to a level they can handle comfortably. They will watch themselves carefully during the week. Upon return to the class the following week, children will place the thermometer at a level that they had reached on each value.
Through a story narration " Reverse Thread", we learned that the life of dharma teaches us to live like a reverse thread – it is just opposite to what everyone leans towards an easy way. For example, lying can help one can escape and get ahead at that moment but will hurt the person later. Dharma says – Speak the truth and be the winner.
Yaksha Prashnas covered this week:
- What is moha (delusion)? Wrong understanding of Dharma is moha. Often, when we are doing something wrong, our mind convinces us that it is okay to make a mistake or do wrong to somebody now and then. Our intellect deceives us and therefore we misinterpret Dharma and this leads to delusion.
- What is Maana (exaggerated self-respect)?: We should not brag about our achievements or qualities. Remember if we have achieved anything or have won accolades it is due to the Lord's Grace alone. Exaggerated self-respect and pride leads to a person's downfall.
- What is Aalasya (laziness): To not follow Dharma is laziness. A student's dharma is to complete his/her homework and study meticulously for exams. If a student instead wastes his/her time playing with friends or gossiping then it will comprise his/her grades and this is not following Dharma because of laziness.
- What is Shoka (grief)?: If we have knowledge of Self then we see God everywhere. When we have this knowledge then there is no grief.
We reviewed the Geeta Dhyana Shlokas followed by Geeta chanting verses with Swamiji's video and wrapped up with closing prayers.
Regards,
Mythili and Anandi
