November 6th Class Review

Welcome back after Diwali break. The class started out well with many children seated five minutes before start of class (may have been the end of daylight savings time) .While waiting for start of class we played an interesting game of follow the leader with Ruchi aunty clapping some measures and phrases and children following her lead.

We started our class with our 3 Oms followed by the Om Sahana vavathu. The altar was set up with Goddess Saraswathi and Gurudev's picture. We talked about the altars in our homes and how we light our lamps and pray everyday. We did one minute meditation with couting of the marbles in the metal cup. The children were excellant. There were quite still and focused with two third of the class getting the marble count on the dot.

We reviewed the first verse a few times and started on the second verse of the geeta chapter 12.
                 

sri-bhagavan uvaca
mayy avesya mano ye mam
nitya-yukta upasate
shraddhaya parayopetas
te me yuktatama matah 

      We will give out handouts with all the verses in the next class. Please review these with the children. There are Friday evening classes being offered at the ashram as well.

      We continued with Rama's story. The children reviewed the sequence of events leading up to Rama's coronation.We are amazed at all the details the children pointed out.
      The story moved to the next phase. Dasaratha feels old and wants to retire to the forest. He is eager to coronate and appoint Rama as the next King. He consults his guru Vasistha and they decide the next day is right time. Rama and Sita are informed and asked to fast. The couriers make the announcements and preparations ensue for the joyous occasion. There is riot of festivity.
But one person is not happy. Manthara is Kaikeyi 's maid and she poisons the Queen's mind. Following Manthara's advice, Kaikeyi threatens to kill herself if the King does not grant her the two boons (promises) he had pledged her.
     The king is in extreme mental agony but ultimately concedes to Dharma. Rama arrives at Kaikeyi's palace and is alarmed at his father's state but calmly receives the order to be banished to the forest for fourteern years. Rama says there is no one better than Bharatha. Rama says to help his father fulfill his duty he would do more than be exiled for fourteen years. We ended the story session with Rama, Sita and Lakshmana leaving for Dandka forest.
     Next we played the No, I am Rama game. Rama was calm and steady when he was told he was going to be King and he did not get angry or depressed when he was asked to go to the forest. To emphasize this we played the What will you do if you are Kaikeyi, what will you do if you are Rama. When we think of me and mine we act like Kaikeyi. When we are composed, steady and obedient we are like Rama. Please discuss the game with your children.

We ended the class with coloring the chapter 9 picture. Hari Om.