The Dewdrop Digest

TODAY at 11:00: Tea for Parents of Infants, Toddlers and Preschoolers

Please join parent-facilitators Carrie Pomeroy and Anne Towney for tea and conversation in the Zendo. Meet and check-in with each other, then brainstorm ways that you might want to support each other, with help from Clouds in Water.
Ideas so far include: parenting class or workshop, meet monthly with a series of senior students or teachers who are also parents, develop family rituals for celebrating Buddhist holidays, book-study, check-ins and action learning.

Childcare is offered in Compassion Hall until 12:30—check in with Hannah to see if there is room left. Or your children are welcome to hang out with you in the Zendo.

Home Practice

This year, we are encouraging our young people practice on their own—and/or with their family—at a home altar. Most of them need your help, encouragement and/or participation to do this. The last two Dewdrop Digests have included detailed ideas for practicing at your altar. A short version is included here—contact Katharine Krueger for more information or with any questions about home practice. Dewdrop Digests will soon be online from a link on the Childrens Practice page.

For week 1, students made or were given altar clothes and a lovingkindness verse. For week 2, we made Buddha images for their home altars. Today students will receive their glazed-and-fired images to take home. Please encourage your children to treat the images with the utmost respect.

Three Refuges and Lovingkindness
This quarter we are “backing into” an understanding of the Three Refuges (Buddha, Dharma and Sangha). We’ve started with a daily practice of offering lovingkindness. This experience may stimulate them, over time, to sense that Buddha, Dharma and Sangha are safe and good supports to make life more wonderful. With grade 2 and up, we have described this as an experiment. We’ve invited students to send lovingkindness to themselves, loved ones, and all beings each day. We’ve asked them to observe lovingkindness in everyday life, and to notice how they, others, and life itself responds. Since lovingkindness relates directly to each of the Three Refuges, the practice prepares the ground to learn about refuge in general and the Buddhist refuges specifically. Today we begin discussions of the Triple Treasure, focusing on taking refuge in Buddha. We think that celebrating Buddha's enlightenment (on Sunday December 10) will be an inspiring ceremony for our potential refuge-takers. We will continue to learn about refuge next quarter, when we also introduce the Pure Precepts.

Your Own Altar: Practice Suggestion

A Simple Lovingkindness Verse

May I be well and happy.
May my family and friends be well and happy.
May all beings be well and happy.
May there be peace. (3x)

Leave your altar with the intention to spread lovingkindness into the world. Return to that intention throughout the day. Notice when you observe lovingkindness—whether in thoughts, speech or action, whether you offer it, or you receive it, or others exchange it. Notice how you feel when you give or receive lovingkindness. Notice how you feel when you observe it. Notice how you feel when you are missing it.

Simple Refuge Verses (from the Plum Village song)

I take refuge in the Buddha, the one who shows me the way in this life.

I take refuge in the Dharma, the way of understanding and love.

I take refuge in the Sangha, the community that lives in harmony.

Song: "Breathing In" from Thich Nhat Hanh's songbook

Breathing in, breathing out.

Breathing in, breathing out.

I am blooming as a flower.

I am fresh as the dew.

I am solid as a mountain.

I am firm as the earth.

I am free.

Breathing in, breathing out.

Breathing in, breathing out.

I am water, reflecting what is real, what is true.

And I feel there is peace deep inside of me.

I am free, I am free.

Special thanks for help in bringing these ceramic Buddha images into being

This project is the brainchild of new member and potter Ben Gavin Cain, who is also co-teaching the 4th–5th grade class. His practice as a potter, a Buddhist and a teacher of children came together here, and it was a wonderful experience for all involved. The same can be said for Bill Kaufmann and Cynthia Mosedale, who engaged the K–1 class in a fabulous hour of creative expression. Rebecca Zaban was instrumental in this as well as providing altar clothes to our students last month. Thank you!

Question, suggestion, problem? Contact Children's and Youth Practice Coordinator Katherine Krueger.

posted by webmaster on 11/12/2006 07:20:00 PM | link