Dear Parents,
Hari Om!
Welcome to a new year at Chinmaya Mission Balavihar. And to our returning families, it is a pleasure to have your children in the Balavihar again. Hope you had an enjoyable summer and are ready for your kids to jump into another great year of Balavihar.
Supplies needed for Balavihar class
<![if !supportLists]>1. <![endif]>My Prayers book (green one)
<![if !supportLists]>2. <![endif]>Balavihar binder with few lined sheets and a few plain sheets
<![if !supportLists]>3. <![endif]>Pencil or pen
<![if !supportLists]>4. <![endif]>A notebook for Likhita Japa
Shlokas and Bhajans
This year, the class will be learning new shlokas and some Vedic chants.
Curriculum
Our curriculum’s goal is twofold. First, to teach the children about Hindu culture; and second to provide deeper insight into how to live by it and lead a happy life. We will then relate it to our goal in life, which is to gain self knowledge. This year we will involve the children to extensively participate in discussions.
Discussions will also be on our rich guru paramara and teachings and the vision of our Pujya Gurudev.
The children should get the book “Introduction to Hindu Culture by Swami Tejomayananda.”
Our activities during the year will include:
1. CORD (Chinmaya Organization for Rural Development) Walkathon – October 13, 2019
Children enjoy this experience immensely, so don’t miss it. A very good opportunity to talk to them about those less privileged than us, and the importance of seva. For more information on CORD programs and how you can help, please visit www.cordusa.org.
2. Seva projects in the ashram, at the ashram. Dates not announced yet. This year the children will participate in making Thanksgiving baskets for Home Front.
3. We will be providing food for the soup kitchen. Dates will be announced soon.
4. This year too, our class will be doing a program as part of the monthly program series. Our class program is on December 13, 2019
Gita Chanting Competetion: This year we will be learning Chapter 1 of the Bhaavad Gita. We will be using th recording our Pujya Swami ji.
Class Schedule
The typical class schedule will be as follows:
7:00------7:05 - Likhita Japa – Sri Krishna Sharanam Mama
7:05------7:10 - Chant Om 3 times, followed by Sahanavavatu… and opening chants.
7:10------7:40 - Bhajans and Shlokas including Gita Chapter 18 Verses
7:40----- 7:50 - Recap of previous week’s lesson
7:50------8:25 - Curriculum
8:30------8:45 - Aarti at the temple
We plan to email special class events. At any point if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us.
We will be sending out a weekly update of what we are teaching in the class. Please send us an email if you have any questions.
Look forward to an enjoyable and productive year of spiritual learning.
During our class this Friday, Sept 13th
We chanted the beginning shlokas followed by a Ganesha prayer ‘Ajam Nirvikalpam’.
Played an Ice breaker game of introducing ourselves and sharing interesting facts about ourselves.
We then went on to our curriculum ‘Hindu Culture’
Discussed the 2 terms civilization and culture. Man’s control of nature external is civilization. His control of nature internal is culture.
Discussed prakriti and vikriti. Taught, to prevent prakriti from turning into vikriti we need culture.
Discussed the 2 aspects of culture which is materialistic and spiritual. Hindu culture is a spiritual culture.
Discussed how our spiritual culture gives us a road map to reach our short term and long term goals.
Told a short from Leo Tolstoy, about how a piece of iron can increase its value by refining it, so also by refining our thought patterns and living by culture we can increase our value and be successful.
Discussed both short term goals which is to work hard at school and get good grades and long term goals which is to lead a dharmic life and become a devotee of the lord.
Discussed Gandhiji’s quote to replace hate and anger with love in reply to a question form a child about likes and dislikes.
Performed Aarti ay the temple.
Looking forward to an enjoyable and productive year of spiritual learning.
Pranams,
Nirmala and Purnima
