The Dewdrop Digest

The Dewdrop Digest
Connecting Children, Youth and Sangha
Clouds in Water Zen Center
Sunday, November 10, 2002

Mindfulness and Meditation:
Our focus this year is "Mindfulness and Meditation". Each class meditates for a short period, in an age-appropriate manner. The 4th-8th graders have been joining adults for the first 15-minute period. The younger classes have been doing variations on The Raisin Meditation (see below) as well as other guided meditations.
We have also studied the life story and basic teachings of the Shakyamuni Buddha, which we do every fall, although the focus varies each year. This year, for instance, we considered the nature of Prince Siddhartha's homeleaving: Shoudn't ones responsibility to one's family take precedence over one's calling to help others, especially if it means leaving your family? We learned that he knew that he could help his family more, in the long run, by leaving them in order to find an end to all suffering.

Today's lesson:
Today the Preschool, K-1 and 2nd/3rd grade classes will be hearing the story of Prince Siddhartha's homeleaving, a brief mention of his ascetic practices, and then the wonderful story of his enlightenment as told by Thich Nhat Hanh.

4th- 8 graders will be introduced to the Four Foundations of Mindfulness:
- Mindfulness of the Body and Mindfulness of Breathing
- Mindfulness of Feelings (noting preferences: like, dislike and neutral)
- Mindfulness of Conscious States (noting moods and state of mind)
- Mindfulness of Mental Objects (noting the transient and insubstantial nature of mental experience, which brings freedom from the suffering that arises from identifying oneself with passing thoughts and images)
More on this next quarter!

Mindful Parenting: Sunday, November 17 with Sosan Theresa Flynn
The Mindful Parenting Group - a CiWZC interest group, drop-ins welcome - will meet Sunday, November 17, 4pm - 6pm, in Compassion Hall. Sosan Theresa Flynn will be lead the discussion on the topic of Empathy, as discussed in Myla and Jon Kabat-Zinn's book "Everyday Blessings: The Inner Work of Mindful Parenting." Reading the chapter is not a requirement!

This group is for all parents who would like to be supported in their mindful parenting, and who are interested in Buddhist practice and study as part of their path. To let us know that you plan to attend (which is very helpful but not necessary), contact Katharine Krueger at 651-222-6968 x10 or katharine@cloudsinwater.org

Raisin Meditation
(Originally written by Jack Kornfield. Adapted by K. Krueger)

Amend the following according to the age of your students. You could add some quiet guidance such as "slow down and notice what is happening" or "breathe" throughout the meditation. ? Begin by talking about what mindfulness means in your own words. Then tell them:
- "We are going to pass around some raisins mindfully, each of us will pick up a raisin and hold mindfully in our hand. Then we will mindfully eat the raisin."
- "We will do all this in slow motion in order for us to have a chance to be really aware of what's happening."
- "We'll do each step together. So wait and listen for instructions. While you're waiting, pay attention to your breathing or to the raisin."
[Pass around the dish of raisins.]

Tell them:
- "When the dish comes to you, take one raisin and keep it in your hand."
- "Feel the weight of it."
- "Touch the raisin with a finger. Is it rough or smooth? Thick or thin? Hard or soft?"
- "Lift the raisin under your nose and smell. What does it remind you off?:
- "Notice the topography of the scent of a raisin. Look into the valleys and peaks, the highlights and dark crevasses."
- "Put it in your mouths, close your eyes and take a couple of minutes to get the full experience of eating a single raisin. Notice the trajectory of the flavor as it bursts forth, the flood of saliva, how the flavor changes from the body's chemistry, right into the aftertaste and the echo of the aftertaste."

Reflect on your experience with the group. E.g., "What did they notice, what did the like about it? Dislike? What do you do (or what might you do) at mealtime to notice the food you're eating (to invite intimacy with the present moment)? How would that change mealtimes? How about other times of the day?


Songs

ALLUNDE, ALLUNDE (African welcoming song)Allunde, Allunde, Allunde AlluiaAllunde, Allunde, Allunde Alluia OH GREAT SPIRIT (Native American)Oh, Great Spirit, Earth, Wind, Sky and Sea.You are insideAnd all around me.



Question, suggestion, problem? Contact Children's and Youth Practice Coordinator Katharine Krueger here at x10 or katharine@cloudsinwater.org


posted by Michael Howard on 11/10/2002 08:00:00 AM | link