Hari Om Parents and Guardians,
,
The Balavihar session on Feb.10th was interactive with great enthusiasm from students and teachers alike. The session began with morning prayers followed by meditation.( It would immensely help if parents can help their child with reciting those short prayers at home regularly.) We then jumped into retelling the fascinating story of Ramayana. Students were able to recall the story told earlier using Q&A and the much awaited story began. Sugriva who is lost in royal pleasures is persuaded by Hanuman to wake up and take action to fulfill his promise to Rama and Lakshmana. He forms a large canard army to go in all four directions to search for Sita. Rama has a premonition that Hanuman who is heading South with Jambavan, Angada and other vanaras, would probably bring good news about Sita's whereabouts and blesses him. Hanuman and his group have an encounter with Sampati, Jatayus brother and find out that Sita has been taken by Ravana across the ocean and is sitting lonely under a tree in a beautiful garden. Of course, it is Hanuman who is chosen to cross the ocean and he encounters obstacles on his way and finally lands in Lanka.
The story led to a discussion about not giving up, trying harder, being focused and reaching the goal just like Hanuman. We all pretended how we could grow big and strong with our arms and legs spread wide and lifting our bodies up, symbolically conveying that we can gain strength and power through concentration and effort.
We sang the bhajan, "Atma nivasi Ram" with action and added a new one about Anjaneya, "Veera Maruti, ghambheera Maruti". Students colored the appropriate page in the coloring book.
A question about Lord Ganesha has been thrown in for kids to find out - What does Ganesha hold in his four hands? Pl. Help if you know.
Please recite the DAILY prayers with the children at home. Reminder - registration is open for Geetha Chanting Competition. Next Balvihar class is on 24th Feb. see you all!
,
The Balavihar session on Feb.10th was interactive with great enthusiasm from students and teachers alike. The session began with morning prayers followed by meditation.( It would immensely help if parents can help their child with reciting those short prayers at home regularly.) We then jumped into retelling the fascinating story of Ramayana. Students were able to recall the story told earlier using Q&A and the much awaited story began. Sugriva who is lost in royal pleasures is persuaded by Hanuman to wake up and take action to fulfill his promise to Rama and Lakshmana. He forms a large canard army to go in all four directions to search for Sita. Rama has a premonition that Hanuman who is heading South with Jambavan, Angada and other vanaras, would probably bring good news about Sita's whereabouts and blesses him. Hanuman and his group have an encounter with Sampati, Jatayus brother and find out that Sita has been taken by Ravana across the ocean and is sitting lonely under a tree in a beautiful garden. Of course, it is Hanuman who is chosen to cross the ocean and he encounters obstacles on his way and finally lands in Lanka.
The story led to a discussion about not giving up, trying harder, being focused and reaching the goal just like Hanuman. We all pretended how we could grow big and strong with our arms and legs spread wide and lifting our bodies up, symbolically conveying that we can gain strength and power through concentration and effort.
We sang the bhajan, "Atma nivasi Ram" with action and added a new one about Anjaneya, "Veera Maruti, ghambheera Maruti". Students colored the appropriate page in the coloring book.
A question about Lord Ganesha has been thrown in for kids to find out - What does Ganesha hold in his four hands? Pl. Help if you know.
Please recite the DAILY prayers with the children at home. Reminder - registration is open for Geetha Chanting Competition. Next Balvihar class is on 24th Feb. see you all!
