Hari Om! Parents,
Reminder: Please sign up and participate in the upcoming Diwali Annakut. The Sewa Diwali collection has started. Details have been posted on the Parents WhatsApp group
Week 6 Class
Likhita Japa for this week is - Sri Rama, Jai Rama, Jai Jai Rama
We started today's class by reflecting on Navratri and how everyone celebrated it.
Shlokas
Om chanting, Sahana vavatu, Vakratunda mahakaya, Saraswati namastubhyam, Guru Brahma, Sarva Mangala mangalye (ref. My Prayers book pg 39)
Next, we finished learning Mahalakshmi Ashtakam (ref. My Prayers book pg 40)
Activity: I Love You by Swami Chinmayananda, a collection of letters to children from our Pujya Gurudev
Today in our class, we delved into the opening chapter of Swami Chinmayananda's book, "I Love You." As we immersed ourselves in the setting where Pujya Gurdev wrote this letter, with the scenic backdrop of the Himalayan Bhagirathi river in Uttarkashi. We contemplated the profound message that lies at the heart of Hinduism: the foundation of this faith rests upon the principle of boundless, all-encompassing love.
One-minute focus exercise - The children engaged in freestyle activities, choosing their own methods for stretching and exercise.
India, the Sacred Land
Topic: The Sacred Land - Review
Since we reconnected after a few weeks of hiatus, we took the opportunity to revisit the topics we've explored before that time, which include:
- The Indian Independence and the Non-violence movement.
- The rich variety of spices found in India.
- India's notable rivers.
- Distinguished Indian scientists and Rishis and their global contributions.
- The significance of the Indian flag, India's national animal, and other important symbols.
- Traditional Indian games.
#TIL [Today I Learned] Patanjali - during our discussion today, we delved into the teachings of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. We emphasized that yoga is more than just a physical exercise; it is a holistic practice that aims to unite the mind, body, and soul. The ultimate goal of this practice is to attain a state of Samadhi, which represents the pinnacle of spiritual realization and oneness. Our discussion also revolved around the significance of the Sun as our "Prathyaksha Deivatha" (visible deity) and the source of life. To illustrate this, one of the students demonstrated the practice of Surya Namaskar, which is a physical and spiritual salutation to the sun. This practice serves as a tribute to the sun's vital role in our lives and in various aspects of Indian culture and spirituality.
Geeta Chanting
We practiced Chapter 4 of the Bhagavad Gita until verse 6 (ref. BV Handbook pg 16)
Saraswathi Pooja
Today was a short class as the children performed a guided Saraswathi pooja in the presence of Swamiji and offered Raisins and M&Ms as prasad. They also took home a picture of Goddess Saraswathi.
- Sangeetha Srikanth and Rashmi Kuroodi
