Hari Om Parents
We have started this year with a bang! We got to know each other by introducing our names, our favorite food and favorite God. The children were super excited to share how their summer was.
After introductions, We chanted 3 OMs, followed by Sahana Vavatu .
We chanted Karagre Vasate Lakshmi - this is the first shloka we chant when we wake up invoking Lakshmi, Saraswathi and Govinda. Followed by Samudravasane Devi for our dear Mother Earth. After this shloka we chanted the dhyana Shloka Buddhir Balam. This year we will learning in detail about this Dhyana shloka.
After the shlokas we sang a short Bhajan - Veera Hanumana. The kids were loud and clear singing this. This will be sung each Balavihar class.
After Bhajans, we talked about what is the importance of a Backbone for vertebrates.
Then we went into the story for the class about a King who had no heir to the throne. He wanted to select the right candidate as his successor, so he devised a clever plan. He gave flower seeds to all the people in the kingdom.he gave them 6 months to grow a healthy plant. All the people came back with beautiful plants in their hands. There was a boy in the crowd who had an empty pot. All the people looked at the boy and laughed at him for having an empty pot. The king looked at all the flower pots and then the boy's empty pot.He asked the boy what happened and the boy replied that he watered, fertilized and took care of it but nothing grew. The king listened carefully and then king announced suddenly that the boy will be the future king. The king called everyone else as unworthy as the king had given them all roasted seeds which won't sprout. The people had lied and only person who spoke the truth was the boy. Even though the people laughed at him, the boy was not afraid of speaking the truth. This is the moral of the story.We discussed what is a physical backbone and what is a mental backbone.
After the story we chanted Bhagavad Gita Chapter 15 verses with Swamiji during Gita time on TV.
Then we got ready to go to the Prayer hall. Each class we will be picking a line leader, door holder and caboose when we line up to go to the Prayer hall.
Please talk to your children about the shlokas they have learned so far, and have them narrate the story of the King and the Clever Boy.
In the upcoming classes we will be discussing the Dhyana shloka in detail going through the meaning of each word.
Please have the children be on time, so we can cover the material we have for each class.
Looking forward to a great year!
With Prem and Om
Gr 2 teachers
Visit regularly for the latest updates each week.
Children are not vessels to be filled but lamps to be lit.
- Swami Chinmayananda
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