The Dewdrop Digest
Connecting Children, Youth and Sangha
Clouds in Water Zen Center
Sunday, November 26, 2006
New parenting groups welcome youA group of parents of babies and young children has formed. They plan to meet monthly for some combination of mutual support, reading
Everyday Blessings: The Inner Work of Mindful Parenting, receiving ideas and insights from teachers and senior students who are parents, and more. Email Anne (
anne AT atowey DOT com) for more info.
A similar group for older children is in the works. Email
Katherine to help us set the date for the first meeting.
Today’s class: Buddha’s Enlightenment and Taking RefugeThis Sunday's class is about learning about Buddha's enlightenment, so that we are ready to celebrate it at home (Dec 1–8) and again in class and with the sangha ceremony on Dec 10. We tell Thich Nhat Hanh’s version of how Siddhartha met two children as he was embracing the Middle Way, Svasti (the buffalo herder from the untouchable case, who brought him grass to sit on) and Sujata (the milkmaid, or sometimes told as chief's daughter, who shared rice and milk with him). Then, during the seven days when he sat under the bodhi tree, resolved not to move until he could discern that path to end all suffering, these two children sustained him each day. After he was enlightened, his first teaching, which we call the Tangerine Meditation, was taught to Svasti, Sujata and their friends.
We’ll talk about what's interesting and important about how Siddhartha lived his life. What do weadmire? What puzzles us, or pushes us away? This leads to pondering why we mighttake refuge in Buddha. Although we are inspired and upheld by the historical Buddha, refuge-taking is about faith in our own Buddha-nature, in our own basic goodness, and believing that a caring universe completely holds each of us.
Buddha’s Enlightenment Story (brief version to aid in your home celebration)
While Siddhartha sat under the Bodhi tree, two children assisted him, Sujata and Svasti (described above). He was also visited by Mara, the deluder, who tempted him with demons of all sorts—self-doubt, desire for nice things, fear, loneliness, anger. But the earth bore witness basic goodness, and Mara’s demons faded away.
On the 8th morning, Siddhartha saw the morning star and was enlightened. He awoke to true nature of this loving universe and clearly saw the path to overcome the obstacles to the natural flow of peace, love and compassion that is within all beings.
Just after Siddhartha was enlightened, he met Svasti and Sujata, who were astonished at the change that had come over Buddha. His face and body radiated peace and joy. "It’s like, you are a star!" Svasti exclaimed.
"Today is the happiest day of my life because last night I found the Great Way. Please enjoy this happiness too. You are intelligent children and I am sure that you will be able to understand and practice the things I will share with you. Anyone willing to apply her or his heart and mind can understand and follow the Great Way.” Together they ate tangerines with awareness, fully experiencing each moment of eating, each quality of the tangerine. They ate each morsel in awareness, and saw how precious and wonderful it was.
Ideas for home practice to honor Rohatsu, December 1 to 8Daily interactions with Rohatsu scene: By December 1, set up a Rohatsu scene, perhaps under a plant that can be the bodhi tree. Let your children choose (or make) dolls or figures to be Siddthartha, Svasti (the buffalo boy) and Sujata (the milkmaid). Our Siddhartha is sometimes a teddy bear. Each morning, Svasti reverently places fresh “grass” (dried grass, autumn leaf, fabric,) under Siddhartha. Sujata offers fresh milk and rice (or substitutes). You can gassho (bow with clasped hands) before and after this offering. If possible, eat the rice and milk for your breakfast or lunch; if not, offer it respectfully to the compost or the outdoors. On the morning of December 8th, look out to “see the morning star”, then celebrate the awakening of Buddha and all being. Eat small tangerines mindfully together, noticing their color, shape, weight, texture, smell and taste silently.
Daily Vow: I will do [fill in the number] acts of kindness or compassion each day.
Read: About Buddha, spiritual heroes, lovingkindness, courage, compassion, awareness. There are many excellent library books including “Prince Siddhartha”, “The Prince Who Ran Away”, and several books for children by Thich Nhat Hanh.
Candles for the Four Divine Abodes: Choose four candles: for lovingkindness (bringing happiness), compassion (relieving suffering), sympathetic joy (celebrating spiritual development of others), equanimity (responding evenly to positive and negative stimuli). For the first week, light the lovingkindess candle during one family meal each day. Tell, read or share stories about lovingkindness. Act with lovingkindness each day. Next week, light the lovingkindness and the compassion candles, and focus on compassion. The third week, start by explaining
sympathetic joy, perhaps including the honoring of a broad range of personal accomplishments—learning to walk, to bake a cake, to play the guitar—but emphasizing “spiritual” victories such as taking responsibility, being kind, noticing emotions, telling the truth, and sharing. For the 4th week, equanimity, your greatest teaching may be how you model gently noticing and responding to your own responses—confessing without judgment when your response was not equanimous, and celebrating when it is. We (Katharine’s family) light the first candle today (four Sundays before Solstice), and so we celebrate the all four candles lit during Solstice week. So for us it includes and extends Rohatsu, and also marks the journey into the darkest, most meditative time of the year, a time when reflecting on our deepest values, dreams and yearnings is natural and powerful. You could choose a more Rohatsu-based timetable by starting on December 1 and spending 2 days on each abode.
posted by webmaster on 11/26/2006 07:29:00 PM | link
The Dewdrop Digest
Connecting Children, Youth and Sangha
Clouds in Water Zen Center
Sunday, November 12, 2006
TODAY at 11:00: Tea for Parents of Infants, Toddlers and PreschoolersPlease 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 PracticeThis 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 LovingkindnessThis 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 SuggestionA 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
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