May 14, 2021 - Grade 8 (Friday)

Hari Om!

Dear Parents,

Here is the summary of our class on  Friday, May 14, 2021.

Opening prayers:

 Om Sahana Vavatu                            

Om Sri Ganeshaya NamaH

Om Sri Saraswatyai NamaH

Om Sri Sadgurubhyo NamaH

Vasudevasutam Devam (Krishna Shloka)

Activity (1): Dharma Thermostat

Lessons: Gems: Be free from good and evil),

                           Be equal to friend and foe

                           Be the same in honor and dishonor

                           Be the same in heat and cold; pleasure and pain

                           Be equal in praise and censure

                           Be silent

 Activity (2): Elevator Pitch/ Group Discussion                    

Pledge - led by student

Ending Prayers

Next Balavihar class: 5/21/21

Summary: It was a good class yesterday! We started with the opening shlokas followed by a Dharma Thermostat presentation by a couple students. The children have come a long way in identifying their slips in following the values and correcting themselves where needed and they have been really good with keeping up their values. 

 We then moved on to continue our discussions of the gems. The first gem we talked about today was to be free from good and evil. The objects of this world are not inherently good or evil. Our interaction with them and more specifically our reactions to them are the reason they appear as good or evil to us. What is good for one person may be evil for another and since it is ever changing, we can draw a conclusion that the reaction to it makes an object good or bad. 

 To be equal to a friend and foe is the next gem. How is it possible to treat a friend and an enemy the same? Our arm may have been injured and hurt and may cause pain and discomfort and yet we don't ever think that we should hate it or get rid of it! That is because we recognize the arm to be an extension of our very self. Hence no matter what trouble we experience because of it, we will still love it! We should adopt a similar attitude towards all beings that we interact with. When we see ourselves in others we will treat all of them equally.

  The next gem is to be the same in honor and dishonor. The intellect is the one that judges situations and categorizes them as honorable or dishonorable. When a friend invites us to a party, we feel really good and popular. If the same friend, for some reason, forgets to include us for movie night and we come to know, we feel  very insulted. In both cases, our intellect is the one that judges and decides to feel great or down! If we make up our mind to look beyond these and not let them affect our peace of mind, we will be the same in both situations. Here, the situations themselves do not change but our attitude could be shifted. It is, indeed, a very valuable gem if we are able to maintain such equanimity. 

  

  Equal treatment of pleasure and pain; heat and cold is the next gem. Our body experiences pain or discomfort and pleasure or comfort. Equal treatment, in this case, does not mean that we should not feel these physical experiences. That is not practically possible! Here, we talk about obsessing over and being bound by such experiences. We should condition ourselves to look beyond these and find peace. For example, if we just keep complaining when there is a snow storm on how much snow needs to be shovelled or how cold it feels, we will be even more miserable! Actually, in such a situation, we have a lot to learn from the children. They are very resilient and able to find joy even amidst such discomfort!

 Freedom from attachment: When we channelize all our thoughts towards a particular object, we let ourselves be attached to the object. This, in turn, leads us to joy upon getting the object and sorrow upon losing it. It will send us on a rollercoaster ride of emotions, attached to mere worldly objects! When we analyze in this manner, we strive to decrease our dependence on external objects for our happiness.

 Be equal in praise and censure: When Aristarchus, an astronomer who lived in 310 BC discovered that the solar system revolves around the sun, his peers laughed at him but years later, it was proved that we indeed have a heliocentric solar system. He was undeterred by such criticism (censure) in his quest for the Truth. Similarly, what is fashionable and praiseworthy today, may be archaic in, say, five years, and again become fashionable in ten years! The point is that praise and criticism are very superficial and temporary and we should not invest in them emotionally!

  Silence is an invaluable gem. Many of us tend to fill our surroundings with music, or some form of white noise! We do this because we are uncomfortable with our own thoughts. When we start getting comfortable with our solitude and silence, we will realize that we rise above the mundane and the materialistic and become more spiritual. We should, therefore, strive to silence our thoughts when we are alone and get comfortable with solitude.

 We, then, had a CHYK join our class for a group discussion on some of the gems we learnt about in class. It is heartening to know that the children are using the values they have learnt and try to apply them to real life situations. 

 We ended the class with Pledge and closing shlokas. We will conclude our discussions and the curriculum for this year in the next class. Please stay safe.

Pranaam,

Mythili and Anandhi

May 07, 2021 - Grade 8 (Friday)

Please find the summary of the 5/7 class.

 

Opening prayers: Om Sahana Vavatu  

Om Sri Ganeshaya NamaH

Om Sri Saraswatyai NamaH

Om Sri Sadgurubhyo NamaH

Vasudevasutam Devam (Krishna Shloka)

 

Activity: All Balavihar students participated in the  GURU Paduka pooja from 8 pm.

 

Lessons: continued with the 35 Gems/virtues discussion.

 

Closing prayers

 

Next Balavihar class: 5/14/2021

 

Summary:  We started the class with a quick reflection on the Dharma Thermostat. We had a short class and covered  the following gems in today's discussion:

Gem 18 - Be alert, be prompt (Daksah) : It implies that we need to be clever in determining what should be attended immediately among a variety of matters. One who knows 'first thing first' is a daksah or alert person. Pujya Gurudev says that opportunities come to everyone in life. Unfortunately either we are out or sleeping in and not prepared to make use of them. We need to be alert and awake to make use of these opportunities. Being alert and vigilant is the price that will have to pay for leading spiritual life. In our day-to-day life, we are busy and don't pay attention to many small things and focus on big issues. If one is alert and aware and pays attention to all the details, we will know where our energies should be directed to and how we can best utilize our time and resources. Being alert also implies that we should always remember the final goal, moksha as we go through our life's journey. One may question how is this possible? When we are traveling from work to home, despite all the traffic issues and possible detours due to construction, we never lose sight of our destination which is reaching home. Similarly we should never forget our final destination!

Story – King Akbar had a wise minister by name Birbal. He was always king's favorite because of his wisdom and cleverness. But it made many people jealous of Birbal. Once the king's barber told King Akbar that he had neglected to inquire about his forefathers in heaven. He suggested that they send Birbal to heaven to check them out. King liked the idea. So they prepared a fire ritual as a way to heaven. Barber and his friends started thinking Birbal would sit on the fire and he would burn to ashes. The fire was started and Birbal was asked to enter the fire. Birbal entered the fire without hesitation. People thought he was burnt. But Birbal who learnt about the vicious plan of the barber and his friends, had secretly made a tunnel for himself where the fire was lit so that he could escape from the fire. He appeared before the king a few days later and told him that he went to heaven that all his forefathers were living happily. But they had one problem: Their hairs and beards were growing too long because they did not have a barber in heaven (similar to our covid situation!). So the King ordered the barber to enter the fire to go to heaven. Barber got burned into ashes. Hence it always pays to be alert!

 

 Gem 19 – Unconcerned (udasinah): One who is fair and does not take sides is said to be unconcerned. Unconcerned/Over Concerned attitude helps to consider our energies. It does not mean that we don't have empathy and sympathy, but instead of reacting to a situation we think and act wisely. In life we all have difficulties, discomforts and sorrows. We tend to exaggerate their importance and try to run away from them. In this way our life is a constant struggle trying to adjust to various situations and difficulties. Instead we need to learn to overlook the small pinpricks in our life. This overlooking is called udasina or unconcerned attitude. It does not mean being lazy. It is a cheerful attitude of accepting various situations and circumstances that come across in our life and facing them bravely. This is the intelligent way of living. It has been beautifully said that God keeps us in water not to drown us but to clean us. It is only when a diamond is chiseled the beauty inherent within it comes out. Similarly difficult or sorrowful conditions, depending on how we react and respond to it, can help to polish your personality and lead to inner unfoldment.

 

Gem 20- Untroubled (Gatavyathah) : When the Lord himself is carrying our burden why should we be troubled or worried? We should learn to do our best and leave the rest. People complain that God has forsaken us, especially with this Coronavirus pandemic going on. But can mud ever forsake the mudpot? Gold forsake an ornament? In the same way God has never really forsaken us. Once a man had a vivid dream at the end of his life. He could see himself walking with Bhagwan on the beach and was able to replay his entire life. He saw two sets of footprints on the sand most of his lifetime, but during difficult times he saw only one set of footprints on the sand. This disturbed him and he asked Bhagwan that when I needed you the most, I see only one set of footprints. How could you forsake me? Bhagwan kindly replied and asked him to look carefully, the footprints that he was seeing were the footprints of Bhagwan himself. Bhagwan told him that during troubled times he was carrying him! So whatever happens we should remember that the Lord is with us. We should remain untroubled and unperturbed.

 

Gem 21 - Renounce all undertaking (sarvarambha parityagi ):One who has renounced all desire prompted activities. Aaramba means beginning. To end all beginnings does not mean not to undertake any new actions. It implies that we do all the activities without having an egoistic feeling that I am solely responsible for any action we perform. If we carefully analyze and dig deep into the meaning of it we see that all our actions are controlled, regulated and governed by the world of things and situations around us. We are only a part of a long change of events that are happening in the world. No undertaking in our life in fact has an independent beginning or end. For example when we decide to play a game of basketball, we get the basketball out and have some friends over; play the game, enjoy and have a good time. But to play the game we needed a ball which we did not make, a gravitational force that needs to bring the ball down, we did not invent or manufacture the material with which the ball was made, have other people around us to participate with us so that we can enjoy etc. So even for a simple game there are so many factors involved, hence we should give up the attitude that I am solely responsible for doing certain things or performing certain actions.

 

Gem 22: Neither rejoices nor hates ( na hrsyati, na dvesti) : Does not rejoice upon gaining what is desirable and does not hate upon gaining what is undesirable. When we have mistaken expectations it will only result in disappointment. The fundamental mistake we make is that we wish permanent happiness in the world which is continuously changing. World is nothing but a play of pairs of opposites. Joy and sorrow, pleasure and pain, heat and cold, darkness and light all are unavoidable. For example if you take a magnet it has north and south poles. If we cut it into two, each piece will have a north and south pole, so no matter how small we cut the magnet into these two poles exist. Similarly two pairs of opposites exist in the world all the time. It doesn't mean we have to run away from the world, but we have to face it. We should not get too overjoyed when we get the desired object and not get too dejected or depressed when our desire is not fulfilled. A great devotee realizes these and rises about these pairs of opposites. We should face them bravely with equipoise holding onto the Lord.

 

Gem 23:  Grieves not (no socati): Having no grief even while parting a beloved object. If analyzed carefully the happenings in the world, everything is bound by time and space, and nothing remains permanent. Things, objects and people decay with time.  We bought up conservation of energy and matter. We can neither produce nor destroy matter, but matter disappears when it changes into energy form even though we may not be able to see or perceive it. In the same way the substratum which holds the whole universe together, the Lord, neither changes nor decays; while the objects or people can decay & die. Knowing this we should not grieve excessively.

 

Gem 24: Desires not ( na kanksati ): When the whole area is flooded with water what is the use of a bucket of water. In the same way a true devotee completely identified with the Lord is always satisfied. He does not have any egoistic desires. For him all his desires have been fulfilled as he has found eternal happiness within himself. Pujya Gurudev says that we need to understand we will never be fully satisfied by indulging in our desires. In fact the more we indulge the more our desires will increase. Moreover uncontrolled desires by themselves will lead to bondage and sorrow. For example if we feel like eating a sweet, the first time we eat it might taste very nice and we feel happy, second or third time you may still be happy but the extent of happiness decreases, it follows the law of diminishing returns. But if somebody were to eat 10 or 20 sweets at same time he will start feeling miserable and positively uncomfortable. In the long run this habit can cause its own health problems. Understanding this fact we should know to control our desires, and channelize our energies in the proper way.

 

We all then joined the Paduka pooja with the rest of the Balavihar students. The pooja was led by our temple priest.

 

Regards,

Mythili and Anandi

Apr 30, 2021 - Grade 8 (Friday)

Hari Om Parents! Please find the summary of the 4/30 class.

 

Opening prayers: Om Sahana Vavatu  

Om Sri Ganeshaya NamaH

Om Sri Saraswatyai NamaH

Om Sri Sadgurubhyo NamaH

Vasudevasutam Devam (Krishna Shloka)

 

Activity: Dharma Thermostat

 

Lessons: continued with the 35 Gems/virtues discussion.

 

Closing prayers

 

Next Balavihar class: 5/07/2021

 

Summary:  We started the class with reflection on the Dharma Thermostat. Couple of students shared their week's journey of practicing the values they chose.  We continued with the values taught by Sri Krishna in Chapter XII of Bhagavad Gita, where He enumerates 35 virtues or gems for us to live by. We covered  the following gems in today's discussion:

 

Gem 11: Firm Conviction (Drudha Nischay): Firm conviction or resolve means having steadfastness, determination to make up one's mind. When we know the value of anything then we make a resolve to get it. Students were asked if they wanted a 100$ note if it was all crumpled up.. Answer was YES because they knew the value of a hundred dollars. Similarly only when we value a thing then we make a resolve to achieve it. It was emphasized to the students that they should have faith in three factors - faith in our sastras, faith in God/Guru and faith in oneself. Just because we cannot see God we cannot conclude that he is not present. There are many things that we cannot see but can experience such as emotions, even though science says that the earth is round and moving all the time we perceive earth as being relatively stationary. But when seen through the eyes of science we understand that the earth is moving all the time. Similarly we need a special 'mirror' to be able to see God, the mirror is the purified mind. We achieve this purification by following the teachings of our sastras. When you watch a movie we don't see the screen, but without the screen the movie cannot play, similarly without God the world cannot exist. Our inability to recognize him is because of our agitations and impurities in our mind. Pujya Gurudev said that the pilgrimage leading to the temple of truth is not easy; one may have to go through dangerous forest, tunnels or precipitous steeps. On this pilgrimage we may experience despondence, despair and hopelessness. Hence we need to have unlimited exchequer of power and strength, and this exchequer of infinite strength is called faith. Students were then asked to read questions like - people say you are very smart but I don't think so, can you help me with my problem?  - four or five such statements were read, and students were asked to comment on them. Obviously none of these statements sounded polite or nice or rational. It was then pointed out to the students that this is what exactly we do when we pray to God. Most of the time we are so busy with our life that we do not acknowledge God for what He has given us, but when we need something from Him, then we remember to pray to Him. In fact what we're doing is not 'praying' but we are 'preying' on God. All we need to do is just to look around in nature or even analyze how miraculous this human body works, how the heart pumps blood continuously without a break to understand the greatness of the Lord. He is the one who is running the show of the world and making our body function seamlessly. We are too busy playing with his toys that we fail to recognize and acknowledge them. We forget the Giver!

 Story to support the concept of Faith- One night a family woke up from sleep detecting smoke and fire in their house. Frantically the father grabbed the one-year-old and a five-year-old and started running out. Five-year-old remembered that he left his favorite teddy bear in the bedroom so he let go of his father and ran back to the bedroom. In the anxiety and confusion father did not realize that the five-year old son left him to get his toy. Once he got out he realized that his other child was still in the house. By now the fire got much worse which prevented the father from going in. The son was shouting from the bedroom window asking for help. There was a lot of smoke. The father could see the son and asked him to jump from the window.  Unfortunately his son could not see him because of all the smoke, so he hesitated. Father assured the son that it is okay that he will catch him to trust him and jump, the son jumped and was saved by the father. Similarly we don't know what the future holds, but we do know who holds the future. We just need to hold onto the feet of the Lord, and he will take care of us.

 

Gem/Value 12: Mind/Intellect centered in Lord ( Mayyarpitha Mano Budhih):  To drive this home, we started explaining the concept with a story: The lobby was buzzing with a lot of candidates who were waiting for an interview for an important job. An announcement was made from the public address system which was very soft, only one person who was alert heard the announcement. He entered the interview room and was rewarded with the job. Others had to go back home. Similarly we need to develop ears to hear His announcements, have eyes to see the substratum of the universe. How do we develop these faculties? When a movie is over only then we see the screen behind, so also when we're able to quieten our mind and thoughts the projection behind our thoughts - the Lord is experienced. One of the easy ways to try to quieten the mind is by praying regularly to God and developing devotion towards Him. We can chant His name and keep Him in our mind all the time. Pujya Gurudev stated that our actions should sing His glory and our feelings should have the fragrance of His purity, and our thoughts should express His dynamism. Such God centered life is a true hymn praising the Lord.

 

Gems 13 and 14: By whom the world is not agitated and whom the world does not agitate (yasmannodvijate lokah, lokannodvijate yah): Devotee of the Lord will not create any agitations in the world around him. Similarly when we are with our friends and family we should try not to spread negative feelings and create agitations and confusions in other minds. Things in the world are constantly in a state of flux, especially now with this coronavirus pandemic, there are many things that are happening that we never expected. A true devotee of the Lord, who is rooted in his devotion to the Lord, does not get disturbed by the happenings around. He does what needs to be done and sees the play of the Lord in all the various changes that are happening around. He is like a lighthouse which is firmly rooted in its foundation, erect and motionless, which watches all the waves crashing onto it. Similarly we should also get firmly rooted and hang onto the Lord who will protect us.

 

Gem15: Free from joy, fear, and will, and anxiety ( harsamarsha bhayodvegair muktttah): When we get the desired object we feel happy, if you don't get the desired object we are envious of those who have it. Once we procure the desired object we have the fear of losing it and if the object goes missing there is an anxiety for the object - all this is not there for somebody who does not have too much desire or attachment for an object. Fear is always because of unknown or uneasiness in our heart. Such emotions when left uncontrolled can prevent the blossoming of our personality. This happens due to lack of faith and lack of understanding of the Lord. A child might feel fearful in the dark, but holding onto the mother the same child can walk in darkness fearlessly. Similarly if we hold onto the Lord we can have the courage to face any challenges and overcome our inner agitations such as uncontrolled joy, envy, fear, and anxiety.

Story - once in the depth of ocean lived a fish, which was restless to explore and swam up to reach the surface of the ocean. It saw the vast sky and looked down below at the deep ocean which was many miles deep. The fish was overwhelmed with fear. He thought it was going to drown in the ocean. So it only swam on the top of the ocean. The Lord of the ocean appeared and asked the fish why it was only rolling on top of the water on the top and not swimming gracefully. The fish replied that it is trying to catch his tail by mouth so it may hold onto the tail and prevent itself from drowning. The Lord smiled and said that you should use your fins to swim gracefully; I am the one who is supporting you. It is my job to make sure that you float. The fish did not listen, and succeeded in catching its own tail. Now the fins could not move so it slowly sank to the bottom of the ocean, the Lord could only look on. Similarly we are given a healthy body, hands and legs, utilizing which we should work and be free to act. We need to give up unnecessary worries and have trust in God who supports us. Do we get into the train and then carry the luggage on our head? Don't we put the luggage on the train so that the train can carry your burden. Similarly while we are traveling in this life journey, we need to put the burden of her problems on God and let him support us in this journey. Make Him our friend and supporter so that our journey may go on smoothly.

 

Gem 16: Free from dependence ( anapeksah): One who is free from wants or to be free from dependence. True devotee of the Lord is not dependent upon external objects or things for his sustained happiness. We all feel happy when favorable things or situations happen, and feel upset when facing unfavorable situations. For most of us our happiness or sadness depends upon external objects or relationships over which we have little control. In contrast ,devotees of the Lord draw his inspiration and joy from his attachment to the Lord, his happiness springs forth from a deeper source inside him, so external objects and happenings have little influence over his inner peace and joy. Once we realize that the external objects, emotions and thoughts are constantly changing and hence cannot give us everlasting happiness we will try to find the source of happiness within us. Pujya Gurudev says that when we experience sorrow, tragedy, happiness we need to shift our attention to the one who is aware of these emotions. Then the attention is not on the object or on the experience of sorrow, but is directed towards the consciousness within us. For example if you eat a food item that you like, initially it may give us pleasure, but if we continue to eat too much of it, then we will experience only misery and sorrow. In the long run this habit can also cause detriment to our physical health. God has given us so many precious things, in fact most important things that we need in life are freely available such as air, water and sunlight. We need to be thankful to God for this. Focus on what we have rather than dwell on what we don't. In fact if you make a list of things that we need/want, most of us usually have 80% or more of what we need or want. Thus by reorienting our mindset and focusing on positive aspects we can learn to be happier and less dependent.

 

Gem 17 - Be Pure ( sucih): We need to maintain purity both external and internal. Maintain cleanliness in our relationship with others and keep our surroundings clean. Our sastras have a lot of emphasis on externally cleanliness, because without external purity, internal purity will be a distant dream. Hence we have to keep our body and our surroundings clean and organized. In addition internal purity, that is, having pure intentions and clear thoughts is also extremely important. Pujya Gurudev states that we should not be satisfied by practicing passive goodness. We need to live a disciplined life following our values sincerely. When the majority of people in a society have honest intentions and pure motives; then that generation will lead the nation to glorious summits of joy and success. Once a poor man decided to invite the King to his house. The kind King granted his wish. Royal messengers came before the King came and cleaned up his house, spread the carpet and decorated the place to receive the King. When the King visited everything was already set and ready. Similarly if we invite God to take his seat in our hearts he will do what is necessary, he will send his messengers to clean our hearts so that our heart is a fit-place for him to arrive. One of the simple ways to invite God and achieve purity is to pray to him regularly with devotion. Prayer should be done not to ask God some specific material stuff but is done to ask for His blessings and guidance. Regular introspection is necessary to look at our thoughts. We can then identify and remove those thoughts that are not serving any good purpose for us. We should always question what we are doing and why we are doing a certain thing – thus explore our motives behind our actions. This helps us to keep our mind clean and free from malice etc.

 

After this discussion, we wrapped up the class with closing prayers.

 

Regards,

Mythili and Anandi

Apr 23, 2021 - Grade 8 (Friday)

Hari Om Parents!

Please find the summary of the 4/23 class.

 

Opening prayers: Om Sahana Vavatu  

Om Sri Ganeshaya NamaH

Om Sri Saraswatyai NamaH

Om Sri Sadgurubhyo NamaH

Vasudevasutam Devam (Krishna Shloka)

 

Activity: Dharma Thermostat

 

Lessons: continued with the 35 Gems/virtues discussion.

 

Closing prayers

 

Next Balavihar class: 4/30/2021

 

Summary: We started the class with reflection on the Dharma Thermostat with a couple of students talking through their experience of trying to reach the goal they have set that week.  Kids are being honest in their assessments and also being realistic in setting their goals. We will continue working on this for the rest of the year.

We continued with the values taught by Sri Krishna in Chapter XII of Bhagavad Gita, where He enumerates 35 virtues or gems for us to live by. Bhagawan says he is showing us these gems so that we can make use of them and be happy. He says "anyone who lives by these virtues is My darling". We covered  the following gems in today's discussion:

 

Virtue/Gem5 : Free from Ego (Nirahamkarah);  Pujya Gurudev says ego is a noun not a verb. Ego is nothing but a bundle of past actions and reactions, from birth till now. He commands us to throw away this stinking bundle down and look at the world without this muddy poison. Where ego is dropped, divine experience arises. Ego is false identification with our body, mind and intellect. When ego is divinized, the individual will automatically remain equanimous in both success and failure.

  The Balloon Effect – when a balloon filled with helium is let go, it rises up as it is less dense than atmospheric air. With greater displacement of air it will go higher and higher and in the process it expands, until the elasticity of the rubber is reached and it bursts. The balloon shrivels and falls down. Similarly we, the perceiver, feeler and the thinker – the ego entity – will get filled up with "helium" as we study scriptures and follow a value based lifestyle. The vasana burden in us gets reduced and the mind & intellect get an upward thrust. As we progress in our sadhana a time will come just like the balloon our mind and intellect will explode and we will merge with the Reality.

On a practical note we can see that too much ego leads to its own problems. We can get angry with people, hurt our family and friends – even though we know we did wrong, our ego prevents us from saying 'sorry'. When we say sorry we should really mean it

Supporting Story – in a forest lived an egoistic elephant and it treated everyone badly. One day a bunny who never heard about the elephant, did not greet the elephant and went about singing. Elephant got angry and wanted to crush the bunny. A mosquito nearby decided to teach the elephant a lesson. The mosquito challenged the elephant to fight with it and to leave the bunny alone. The mosquito got into the trunk of the elephant and started biting him. The elephant jumped and rolled, but could not get rid of the mosquito. All the animals started cheering for the mosquito. Finally the elephant realized the result of his egoistic attitude and asked forgiveness from all the animals. Mosquito then left the elephant alone.

 

Gem/Virtue 6 - Equal minded in pleasure and pain( samaduhkhahsukhah) : One needs to be balanced in our responses to various situations we encounter in our daily lives. A Balanced mind does not mean living like a statute. Normally we get very happy when we get things that we like or if people behave according to our liking. We are unhappy when we get what we dislike or if circumstances are not conducive to our liking. What we need to realize is strong likes and dislikes make us unhappy. For example I must sit in my favorite dining chair to eat my food, I must eat pizza every Friday from Pizza Hut, I cannot eat pizza without Coke or I get upset if I do not see my favorite TV show. We should avoid such strong likes and dislikes which will inevitably make us unhappy. Instead if we have a balanced mind we will be more peaceful and happy. Likes and dislikes depend upon background and environment. When we put fingers in ice water for a few minutes and then put the same finger in warm water, it will feel very hot. When the finger is put in lukewarm water, then put in warm water the water will not feel that hot. Similarly, all our feelings are relative. Our likes and dislikes are conditioned both by circumstances and environment

 

Gem/Virtue 7: Forgive (Kshama): God is all forgiving.  All we need to do is pray and ask for his forgiveness; He immediately responds. The more we rub Sandalwood to the stone, the more fragments it gives.  Such is the beauty of forgiveness and life. Once a holy man was invited to a town to judge wrongdoers to see what punishment they can be given.  The holy man entered the town dragging behind a basket full of holes filled with sand.  People did not understand his behavior.  The holy man replied - like this sand my sins are running behind me.  I do not see them but I have come here to judge others.  It only means that what right we have to judge others.  Just as we forgive and overlook our own sins, we should learn to forgive others. When we forgive people, it is we who benefit more than the person whom we have forgiven. We need to forgive and forget. A lot of times people say they have forgiven a person, but every time they meet the person they'll remind him about the incident. It is important that we forget the hurt that incident caused even if we can't forget the incident. Forgiving somebody despite the harm or ill that they have done to us is what we should strive for. We should forgive everyone without exception, maintaining grudges against one or two persons will still poison our mind. For example one may say I forgive everyone except my in-laws, this is not good enough. Forgiveness should be complete. "To err is human, to forgive is divine." – Alexander Pope. "It is by forgiving that one is forgiven." – Mother Teresa.

 

Gem/Virtue 8:  Ever Content (Santhushtah): Definition of Content is 'ease of mind'. When there is contentment, there is ease of mind. Contentment has nothing to do with our possessions or wealth.  Our urge to have more is when we don't get it is what makes us unhappy. To keep the session interactive we asked the students to name some of the wealthiest people they could think of along with the greatest sports stars of all time. Although they answered the questions it took them some time to come up with the names. We then asked them a second set of questions and asked them to think about the answers mentally and raise their hands when they thought of someone. The questions were: think about a teacher who has helped you, think about a role model who you look up to, think about someone you can trust wholeheartedly. Students took just a few seconds to raise their hands and we asked them why they thought answering the second set of questions was much easier. They responded by saying that it was because they interact with these people often and think about them in tough times.

To drive the point home, we went a story of two mules  and learned to  " Be content and do not show off, lest you should get into trouble"

Gem 9: Steadfast in meditation (Yogi): We started the conversation by laying the fundamentals through the discussion of some key words. We talked about who a Yogi is and what having Laser focus means. We told the children that their minds are like a river and they are controlled by memories of the past, fears of the future, anxieties of the present... all of these cause flooding of the mind. Through yoga and meditation, the goal is to have no vasanas (disturbances within oneself) and we discussed how to meditate briefly as well. We shared an incident from Swami Vivekananda's story when Vivekananda was a teenager who was full of desires. His guru, through a clever way, teaches Vivekananada how to meditate and also shows him the power of meditation.  It makes our mind quiet and our desires evaporate.

 

Gen 10: Self-control ( Yatatma): Initially we had open discussion to see if students remembered 'Indriya Nigraha', one of the 10 core values we discussed as part of Manu Dharma discussion. We discussed whether self-control is beneficial or not, how can it be pursued – students gave some examples such as doing school work in time etc.…. It was reminded that freedom comes with responsibilities. Unless self-control and discipline is followed, one cannot achieve anything productive in this life. Pujya Gurudev has said without self-discipline, concentration and total dedication one cannot grow and shine forth. 

 

We wrapped up the class after discussing a little about our monthly program and chanting closing prayers.

 

Regards,

Mythili and Anandi

Apr 16, 2021 - Grade 8 (Friday)

Hari Om!

Dear Parents,

Here is the summary of our class on  Friday, Apr 16, 2021.

Opening prayers:

 Om Sahana Vavatu                            

Om Sri Ganeshaya NamaH

Om Sri Saraswatyai NamaH

Om Sri Sadgurubhyo NamaH

Vasudevasutam Devam (Krishna Shloka)

Mookam Karoti Vaacalam

Activity: Dharma Thermostat

Lessons: Satyam, Gems: Love, Friendliness, Compassion, Non-attachment

Pledge - led by student

Ending Prayers

Next Balavihar class: 4/23/21

Summary: Today's class started with our reflection on the Dharma Thermostat. A couple of the students shared their experiences in trying to follow their selected virtues: Akrodha and patience. This exercise goes a long way in reinforcing self reflection! We then moved on to discussing Satyam (Truth) as one of the cornerstones of our Hindu culture. It is not always convenient or pleasant to speak the truth all the time but we must strive to do so! This is the only way to be at peace within. Our intellect choses an ideal/virtue to live by and our mind and body should work in harmony to live up to that ideal. External situations may sometimes be challenging and may hinder us in this path. When we allow our ideals and values to be broken due to a weak mind, we create inner turmoil! Therefore, we should first deliberate and choose an ideal that we are convinced about and then follow it despite possible external challenges. When we do this we develop integrity which is a very important virtue for a person in any field, professionally, personally and spiritually! We discussed a few hypothetical day to day situations and the kids shared how they would react in each situation. The children were honest about their reactions. It made for a very interesting discussion. Starting this class we have begun the discussion about the gems (values) in our treasure chest. In chapter 12 of the Bhagavad Geeta Lord Krishna has explained these values or gems and the one that possesses these gems are very dear to Him. We discussed a few of the 35 gems that make us the darling of Lord Krishna! We will discuss a few of these in every class going forward. 

 The first few gems were:

Hate none - We don't hate our nose if it caught a cold, or our arm because we hurt it, because these are parts of our own body! Similarly, when we start looking at everyone and everything as part of the One Brahman, the Paramaatma, we won't hate anyone! We should replace hate with love in our lives

Be Friendly - We should always extend a hand of friendship to others. When we cultivate good friendship, we enrich our lives! True friendships are not made based on how much material benefits we can get but it should be unconditional, unafraid to be truthful and selfless. Such friendships make our lives richer.

Be compassionate - We should always be compassionate towards others. Being compassionate does not mean that we blindly support a friend who is doing the wrong thing or breaking a friendship because of one mistake that our friend made! We should try to always understand the situation from the other person's perspective and strive to do the right thing while showing kindness always. 

Be free from attachments - When we invest our emotions and feelings on other things and other people, we tend to get attached to these superficial things and our happiness and peace start depending on these things! When we let go of these lower attachments we can reach greater heights! It is not practical for us humans to not be attached to something or the other. So our strife should be towards attaching ourselves to the higher (Bhagavaan). When we climb up a ladder or stairs, we have to take our foot from the lower rung/stair in order to put it on the next higher step. Similarly, we should attach ourselves to the higher and let go of the lower and rise above!

 We then had a brief discussion about our upcoming monthly program and ended the class with the pledge and closing prayers. We look forward to more discussions like these in the upcoming classes. Until then, please stay safe and well!

Pranaam,

Mythili and Anandhi

Apr 9, 2021 - Grade 8 (Friday)

Hari Om Parents,

Please find the summary of the 4/9 class.

 

Opening prayers: Om Sahana Vavatu  

Om Sri Ganeshaya NamaH

Om Sri Saraswatyai NamaH

Om Sri Sadgurubhyo NamaH

Vasudevasutam Devam (Krishna Shloka)

 

Activity: Dharma Thermostat ( Ananya and Pranay shared their experience of practicing 'Dhrithi' and 'Kshma'

                 

Lessons: Discuss around 2 of 3 cornerstone values defined in our shastras – 'Brhamacharya' and 'Ahimsa'. We will cover the last one 'Satyam' in the next class. We also wrapped up  Yaksha Prashnas.

 

Closing prayers

 

Next Balavihar class: 4/16/2021

 

Summary: Since we had a two week break, to refresh everyone's memory, we revised the concepts covered in the previous class quickly – this included reviewing the facts of life, the importance of having a goal and drafting a roadmap to achieve the goal.  In order to achieve the goal of attaining ultimate peace & happiness in life and also liberation, we turn to our scriptures for a Roadmap that can guide us in this journey.  Brahmacharya, Ahimsa and Satyam are the three cornerstones upon which the foundation of Hinduism is built.  We took a deep dive into the concepts of Brahmacharya and Ahimsa in this class.

Brahmacharya: Desire causes thoughts, thoughts leads to actions, actions become habits, habits become character and character determines our destiny.  In order to follow these disciplines we need to change our habits. HABITS are very difficult to change. However,  Mind is very strong instrument and if used appropriately can help us overcome our weaknesses and detrimental habits. So no more delay – 'Now' is the time to act and change for the better.   We need to conserve our energies and not let them get dissipated through sense organs. This attitude of intelligent contact with the world outside is called brahmacharya. It does not mean total self-denial, but means living in self-control.

The discipline of Brahmacharya is for the body.  An athlete training for the Olympics has to go through a strict regimen prescribed by his/her coach: healthy diet, adequate sleep, refraining from drinking, smoking etc. Our Rishis advise us to conserve our energy and not fritter it away on external temptations and situations. Brahmacharya is achieved by controlling our sense organs. When we live such that we are continually seeking gratification of sense organs, these demands will eventually consume us!   Brahmacharya is the method of living with self control with regards to all our sense organs. But this does not mean that we should not enjoy what the world has to offer. Enjoy what the world has with restraint! 

• Why Self-Control? - When human beings live with self-control, it is a blessing to them and to society. When we lack self-control, we bring destruction and disaster to nature, to society, to family and to oneself. We can see that when nature is not in control (e.g. floods, forest fires etc.) it leaves considerable destruction in its path. If we are stuck in the attitude that "my desires alone matter" we compromise in our values, morality, responsibilities and obligations. Self-control is even more important in modern times since we are constantly bombarded with so many enticements from all around – TV, radio, smart phones, social media – it is a wonder that we are able to live sanely! Desires never get satisfied. The more we indulge in our impulses, the more the longing for more material goods. Since the desired objects are limited, and desires are so many, not all desires will be fulfilled, leaving us frustrated and bitter. Similarly, if we overindulge by eating our favorite foods all the time (chocolate cake, pizza, ice cream etc.) or we keep watching reruns of our favorite serial on television for the best part of the day, instead of feeling happy, rejuvenated and calm, we  can all admit we will feel tired and fatigued.
• Develop Self-Control:  - Self Control is a learned behavior. Learning self-control is worth it. Everyone loves freedom, but freedom without discipline leads to chaos. One who submits to discipline is a disciple/student. Just as the process of getting a driver's license is a long process: attending Driver Ed. Classes, getting a decent score in the written exam, practicing driving with parents, making it through a Driver license exam etc. and finally getting the actual Driver's license. Just as getting a Driver's license is earned, similarly driving every day one has to be disciplined because it is not a right but a privilege. Or else, it will lead only to accidents and disasters. With freedom comes responsibility and one has to undergo adequate training in order to be disciplined.  

Ahimsa – it is not to cause injury or hurt someone even in our mind. Our scriptures urge us not to even think of hurting anyone on a mental level because we believe in the eternal value of life. This means that we should not curse anybody, never wish/ harm on anyone or have ill feelings towards anybody. Golden rule is –  Do unto others, as you want done unto you.   Sometimes you may have to cause physical pain in order to help others – for example a Doctor cutting off an infected leg to save   the person's life – this is not himsa.   There are several types of Himsa: 

1. Himsa by Action: Most of us civilized enough not to be physically violent. We know that physical violence is frowned upon and there are repercussions if we get into physical fights with anybody. Fear of suspension, fear of facing the wrath of parents etc. will often prevent us from being violent with anybody.

2. Himsa toward the Environment: We hurt the environment by not recycling, by polluting the air, by dumping effluents from factories in rivers, by damaging our forests, by not maintaining the cleanliness of our home/room and indiscriminate cutting down of trees etc. 
3. Himsa towards Animals: Some people hunt and kill wild animals for the thrill of hunting and for pleasure. The animals are killed and then either eaten or stuffed and/or mounted on living room walls. Some animals are also killed for making leather handbags, shoes and still others for making mink coats. Another way of himsaa towards animals is taking them away from their own natural habitat and confining them to a narrow cage. Hinduism advocates vegetarianism – there is a scientific basis for this - we don't have claws or sharp front teeth to tear meat. In addition, our digestive tract is 10 times longer than our body whereas for carnivores it is only about 3 times longer. This means that the waste products of digestion of meat remain in our body for a longer time exposing us to more toxins. One does not need to eat meat to be strong: the horse, elephant, bull are all examples of strong animals that are vegetarian!

Himsa towards Self: We harm ourselves by having poor eating habits, watching excess amounts of television, gossiping about others etc. Our body is a gift given to us by God and we need to take care of it, nourish it with good healthy food, with clean thoughts, by keeping it clean, by exercising regularly, by saying good and serving others well.
Himsa through Speech: Although animals and birds communicate with each other, we humans have this God given ability to be able to speak and communicate and express ourselves. With proper use of words we can make friends, acquire wealth and success. Improper use of words can lead us into a lot of trouble. Very often we see that people like to gossip – this makes them feel important and that they are the center of attention; they feel they can influence others and win over more friends - in the end it comes to hurt them only. Story – once a woman spread untrue rumors about her neighbor. The news went around the community and reached the neighbor eventually, who was hurt and upset. The woman who spread the gossip later found out that the gossip she had spread about her neighbor was wrong. Surprisingly her conscience bothered her and she went to a Sage and asked him how she could atone for her sins. The Sage asked her to drop one feather in the backyard of every person to whom she had spread this gossip to. She was surprised at his advice but followed it diligently. Next day, when she told the Sage she had followed his advice, he asked her to bring back all the feathers that she had dropped in each person's backyard. When she went to fetch them she found that the wind had blown away most of the feathers. The woman now realized the impact of her gossip. It had created havoc in the other person's life. It is easy to spread a rumor but impossible to undo. So we need to be very careful about what we say.  Guruji says – 'Word power is far greater than weapon power'.   

Yaksha Prasnas: We wrapped up the discussion on Yaksha prasnas in this class  after covering the last two questions and how Yaksha revives all Pandava brothers after this conversation.

Prashnas: Who is a Purusha? And Who is the wealthiest? : When a person does so many "punya karma" (good actions), his/her fame spreads from earth to the heavens and such a person is defined as Purusha. A person who does good actions, will have many persons who wish him/her well and so the fame of such a person will spread far and wide. Such a person alone is fit to be called a purusha or human being. A person who is not affected by pleasure or pain, happiness or sorrow, past or present is the wealthiest person.  

In the final conversation with the Yaksha, when asked to choose which one of his brothers to be revived, Yudhisthira choses Nakula. When asked by the Yaksha why he chose Nakula over Bhima or Arjuna; Yudhisthira said, "one who lives by Dharma is protected by Dharma. Therefore I do not discard Dharma lest it may destroy me." He states that impartiality is the highest Dharma. One who follows Dharma will eventually attain moksha/ Self Realization. Yaksha brings all 4 brothers back to life.
 
Regards,

Mythili and Anandi

Mar 19, 2021 - Grade 8 (Friday)

Hari Om!

Dear Parents,

Here is the summary of our class on  Friday, Mar 19, 2021.

Opening prayers:

 Om Sahana Vavatu                            

Om Sri Ganeshaya NamaH

Om Sri Saraswatyai NamaH

Om Sri Sadgurubhyo NamaH

Vasudevasutam Devam (Krishna Shloka)

Mookam Karoti Vaacalam

Activity: Dharma Thermostat

Lessons: The goal of life, the roadmap; Yaksha Prashna

Bhagavat Gita: Ch. 2 Verses 34-38

Monthly Program: Grade 4

Next Balavihar class: 4/9/21

Announcement: The Geeta chanting CNJ Regionals will be on Saturday, April 10, 2021. Please click on this link to register to participate:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf6FU_3x89j626HvlFT2n66i80kcCYXmL3Y1OmkFdlZ1GWCdw/viewform

Registration closes on Sunday, April 4, 2021 at 5 PM (EDT). For more information please see: https://www.chinmayavrindavan.org/activities/geeta-chanting

Summary: Today was yet another interesting class! After the opening prayers, a few of the students shared their experiences with the Dharma Thermostat. They spoke about the challenges they faced in practicing their chosen value (Akrodha, Kshama, Satyam, etc) and how they tried to overcome the distractions and focused on their values! We are extremely proud of their efforts and consistency! As the weeks go by more and more students will be sharing their experiences and challenges. We then moved on to the discussion about our goal in life. In the example we discussed, there were 3 groups of children who were given a jigsaw puzzle with many small pieces. Group A got just the puzzle pieces; Group B got the puzzle pieces and a picture of how it should look when solved and Group C was given the pieces, the picture and the pieces had sequential numbers behind them. Obviously, Group C was most successful in solving the puzzle. For Group B it was a hit or miss and Group A had no clue how to solve it! The point of this example is that when there was no clear end goal and a specific set of instructions to follow, the group struggled to put the pieces together! Similarly, in life, if we don't set a goal/purpose and have a set of values to practice, chances are that we will be confused and directionless! We may not have every little detail of our lives figured out and planned out but we can still set some important goals, such as how do we want to be remembered after our time on Earth and what values/virtues we can begin to follow, starting now in order to achieve the goal. The goal of human life is to gain Moksha or liberation. Now, this does not mean death! It means freedom from attachments to gain unlimited happiness. That is our true nature. Everything we do is to gain happiness and real happiness is in liberation! 

 We continued our discussion with creating a roadmap, now that we have the goal/destination in mind. If we were to take a road trip to New York , we plan every detail of the travel and make a checklist:

Music/ entertainment

Snacks/drinks for the road

a list of thing to do

fill gas in the car

bring phone charger

Now the only little thing we forgot is our phone which has the directions! We then decide that we will generally start driving and figure out things as we go along. We know that it takes about an hour to an hour and half to get to New York and start driving. After an hour we realize that we are nowhere near New York city. Then we pull up in a gas station and upon enquiring find out that we are traveling on Turnpike S instead of Turnpike N!! If only we had the GPS, we wouldn't find ourselves in this situation! We put in all the effort into the trip and still ended up in the wrong place without the directions to guide us! Applying this example to the journey called our life, we may have everything but without direction, it is futile! Here, our GPS is our scriptures that provide the instructions to lead a fruitful life and achieve the purpose of our human birth! In the last class we discussed the 6 stages of life. As we move through each stage, it is a graduation from that stage to move forward. The ultimate goal, therefore, is to graduate from human birth, meaning to try not to go back to Kindergarten (rebirth) after graduating High School! There are 3 main values that we need to follow in order to achieve this goal. They are:

 Ahimsa (Nonviolence) - For the Body

Brahmacharya (Discipline) - For the Mind

Satyam (Truth) - For the Intellect

 All other values are interconnected with these three. When we follow these three, we will end up following all the other values by extension.

Yaksha Prashna:

Who is a Brahmin?

One who is a Brahmin does not become a Brahmin just by virtue of their birth or by the austerities/rituals that they perform. The one who follows the highest virtues and conducts themselves in line with these values is considered a Brahmin. In essence, one cannot be called a Brahmin just because he/she was born into a family with a certain Surname. Regardless of birth, good behavior with highest values alone determines whether a person is a Brahmana!

What does a person who speaks only kind words get?

One who speaks only kind words is dear to all!

What is gained by one who thinks before acting?

One gains more success when he/she thinks before acting!

What is gained by one who makes many friends?

One who has made many friends lives happily!

What is gained by one who lives by Dharma?

One who lives by Dharma gains Sadgati (better life)

We concluded the class with Geeta chanting practice of verse 34 - 38. Please encourage the children to register and participate in the Geeta Chanting Yajna on April 10, 2021. The last day to register is April, 4, 2021. We then watched the monthly presentation by Grade 4 in the common Zoom. We will see the students after the Spring Break! Until then, please stay safe and healthy!

Pranaam,

Mythili and Anandhi

Mar 12, 2021 - Grade 8 (Friday)

Hari Om!

Dear Parents,

Here is the summary of our class on  Friday, Mar 12, 2021.

Opening prayers:

 Om Sahana Vavatu                            

Om Sri Ganeshaya NamaH

Om Sri Saraswatyai NamaH

Om Sri Sadgurubhyo NamaH

Vasudevasutam Devam (Krishna Shloka)

Mookam Karoti Vaacalam

Activity: Dharma Thermostat

Lessons: The Facts of Life; Yaksha Prashna

Bhagavat Gita: Ch. 2 Verses 31-33

Pledge: led by Student

Next Balavihar class: 3/19/21

Summary: We had yet another very interesting class. After the opening Shlokas we discussed the Dharma Thermostat. As explained in the previous class, going forward we will continue with reflection on our virtues/values using the Dharma Thermostat. Each student has picked a value that they will work on through the week. Some of the values picked by the students for this week are Purity, Satyam, forgiveness, Akrodha, etc. At the beginning of the week they set their thermostat for their value at 30 and try to get it up to at least 60-70, while the ideal number would be 100. The students will be their own judges and monitor their values and how well they followed through with their Sankalpa. They will share their reflections in class each week. We then discussed some Yaksha Prashna:

What is steadiness?

To follow one's Dharma and do our duties without trying to find loopholes and excuses is considered steadiness by the Rishis.

What is Dhairya or Patience?

When we are able to control our senses and urges, like jumping the line to get ahead, or getting upset with a younger sibling or a friend, etc.,we practice Dhairya.

Which is the best bath?

To cleanse our physical body we shower or take a bath daily with soap and water but seldom do anything to purify our minds. The best bath is considered to be one of mental purification by getting rid of low tendencies such as jealousy, anger, guilt, hatred, fear, vanity etc.

What is Daanam (charity)?

Yudhishtira says that Daanam is to protect all! We give our time and money etc to causes that we truly identify with. Where there is identification, there is love and where there is love, there is kindness. Where there is kindness, there is no room for hurt, which means that we will protect all. Thus, Daanam is to protect all!

We then moved on to talk about the beauty of speech as explained by Pujya Gurudev. He explains that the beauty of speech is determined by the personality behind it. An inwardly harmonious individual uses kind words and soft and sincere speech. Such a person shines with their straightforward speech and clear conviction. They do not indulge in malicious gossip for self gratification! According to Gurudev, the world is like a stage and we are performers and our life is our performance! the only thing is we don't get rehearsals or do overs! So it is important to fix a goal and develop a strategy to unswervingly adhere to our Dharma and move forward towards our goal.

There are six stages of life:

Jaayate - birth

Asti- living

Vardhate- growing

Viparinamate- changes to the body

Apaksheeyate- decay

Nashyati- death

Although people may be born into different circumstances, there are many common experiences that everyone goes through. Ultimately what matters is how and on what principles and values we live our lives by. We also have to accept what we have in this life and learn to navigate through our hurdles! To summarize, it is safe to say that the Asti stage of our life is our chance at achieving the real true purpose of our birth and we have to work on a goal to achieve during this!

 We then reviewed a few more Yaksha Prashnas:

 

What is ego?

When we get boastful of our knowledge without realizing how little we know, we exhibit our ego in the form of ignorance!

What is Dambha (pretense)?

Pretending to be someone we are not to show off to others how great we are is Dambha!

What is Daivam (divine)?

Daanam or giving whole heartedly without any ulterior motive is divinity!

What is Paishunyam (cruelty)?

Blaming others and pointing fingers at them for our misgivings is cruelty!

After this discussion, we practised Gita chanting for the week with Swamiji's video and then ended the class with Pledge and ending shlokas. The students are assigned specific verses of Gita Dhyana stotra. It was shared with them through Whatsapp. Please encourage them to practice their lines. We will meet again on Friday. Please stay safe and healthy!

Pranam,

Mythili and Anandhi

Mar 05, 2021 - Grade 8 (Friday)

Hari Om!

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.

 

1. Dhrithi: Fortitude /emotional strength that gives you courage
2. Kshma: Forgiveness or ability to endure cheerfully.
3. Dama: control over our organs of actions and perception.
4. Astheya (non stealing  ) : Asteya teaches about importance of not stealing possessions of others.
5. Saucha: purity ( external and internal):Purity is two-fold- bahya, outer, external cleanliness and anatara, inner , internal cleanliness.  
6. Indriya nigraha ( mastery over sense organs): Mastery over sense organs determines what we should see, hear, taste, touch and so on.
7. Dhi: Ability to discriminate between right and wrong.
8. Vidya: Vidya is Knowledge.  True knowledge is not merely the ability to read and write.
9. Satya: Satya is truthfulness and our ability to fulfill a promise made.
10. 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:  

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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