Dharma 7
Hindu Ideals and Values
2021-2022
Class Information -
This class covers: Review inspiring life stories of Hindu/Jain Sages and Saints (such as Mahavir Swami, Tulsidas), Kings (e.g., Shivaji), political leaders (e.g., Mahatma Gandhi) and major historical events. Use these biographies and events to teach Hindu values such as Ahimsa, compassion, Bhakti respect, morals, and so on. This class also has a major focus on our internal enemies and how to overcome those. Students also learn about Ashtanga Yoga and the 16 basic steps of Hindu Puja ceremony. This course focuses on ‘saadhaarana dharma’/ sanaatana dharma (general ethical precepts of Dharma) from a Hindu standpoint.
Ages: 10-11 / Grade: 5-6
Download PDF copy of book: CLICK HERE
Teachers -
Teachers:
Bhakti Modi
Jayant Anand
EMAIL teachers: bhaktibm@gmail.com, jayant@jayantanand.com
Teenage Volunteers:
Anagha Manoj
Adhvaith Sridhar
Rishi Pandey
Class & Homework -
May
May 1
End-of-Year Presentation:
VIRTUAL - during class time - on May 8th
Ask parents to join, either with you, or separate device
Tips on Doing a Good Presentation:
Know Your Audience
Think about their skill level
Present as if you’re teaching the topic for the first time
Have some formality
Get Comfortable with your Environment
Limit your distractions
Sit comfortably, but not TOO comfortable
Be alert
Focus on speaking skills
LOUD - but don’t scream/yell
Test sentence - ask can you hear me clearly
Use GOOD audio device
Take your time - take pauses between thoughts
ENUNCIATE - pronunciation, emphasize, open your mouth
NO MUMBLING
LCS - Loud, Clear, Slow
OK to use hand to emphasize, but not too much
Learn from the Pros
Watch some good TED talks or other presentations
Learn from how others are doing
Watch a presentation on a topic of your interest
Know your Material
Be FLUENT in your topic
Be the EXPERT in your topic
DON’T READ OFF SENTENCES
Speak in your own words
OK to have reference points - but don’t be robotic
USE YOUR OWN WORDS!!!!!!
Don’t read off slides directly
Make it a conversation
Practice
Practice practice practice
Record yourself - listen, try again
Build your confidence in material and skills
Encourage yourself
Practice saying your prayer!!
MISTAKES ARE OK
If you mess up, pause, take a breath, start again
Don’t panic if you make a mistake
For presentation:
Know who goes before you
Try to transition the topic
Be prepared to speak your turn in advance
Order of presentation:
Pushpa Ganesh - The Six Internal Enemies
Samarth Kathuria - Desire, the First Enemy
Vibhanshu Wadhwani - Anger, the Second Enemy
Aniya Mehta - Greed, the Third Enemy
Nikitha Aligireddy - Delusion, the Fourth Enemy
Samhitha Putrevu - Pride, the Fifth Enemy
Aaryan Alegaonkar - Jealousy, the Sixth Enemy
Sachit Charan - Ignorance
Nidhi Katti - Ahimsa (Not hurting others)
Rajat Bhat Padubidri - Shanti (Peacefulness)
Arushi Bhalerao - Compassion towards all Creatures
Diya Shah - Truthfulness and Honesty
Sraddha Sudharsan - Forgiveness
Shalini Bajpai - Hard Work and Vigor
Anushka Jhavar - Habits
Nishka Pandey - Charity & Seva
Vihaan Achary - Performance of Worship & Study of Scriptures
April
April 24
Today in class we spent time preparing for our end-of-year presentation
We discussed tips for material:
On the slides, don't write out paragraphs
Use summaries and bullet points if possible
When you speak, you can add more details - not everything needs to be written on slides
Your material should be explained in your own words
You can create your own template, colors, and add visual aids if you want - but not required
We discussed tips on presenting (will discuss more next week):
Practice reading your material again and again
Become comfortable with your topic
Present like you are teaching this to someone who has not attended class (e.g., parents)
Practice ENUNCIATING (Loud, Clear, Slow)
Don't read off a piece of paper
HOMEWORK:
Work on End of Year Presentation - By end-of-day or before April 30th: Finish final slides and send to Anagha: anaghamanoj03@gmail.com (send file or share Google slides)
Here is the template for class presentation: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1f22ftrBdGZM-q3TXa2mUhdEY3mpAnJpF/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=112311778222519609976&rtpof=true&sd=true
When you open template, click "FILE" and either add to your Google Slides and make edits, or download as powerpoint
Once you have finished working on your slides, share with anaghamanoj03@gmail.com (either share Google Slides directly OR email her powerpoint - NO PDFs or IMAGES)
Schedule through end of year:
In class May 1st: Regular class and presentation prep
In class May 8th: Virtual presentations - parents PLEASE JOIN
In class May 15th: Last day of class! (game day)
Here are the assignments for topics:
Aaryan - Jealousy, the Sixth Enemy
Aniya - Greed, the Third Enemy
Anushka - Habits
Arushi - Compassion towards all Creatures
Diya - Truthfulness and Honesty
Nidhi - Ahimsa (Not hurting others)
Nikitha - Delusion, the Fourth Enemy
Nishka - Charity & Seva
Pushpa - The Six Internal Enemies
Rajat - Shanti (Peacefulness)
Sachit - Ignorance
Samarth - Desire, the First Enemy
Samhitha - Pride, the Fifth Enemy
Shalini - Hard Work and Vigor
Sraddha - Forgiveness
Vibhanshu - Anger, the Second Enemy
Vihaan - Performance of Worship & Study of Scriptures
April 17
Performance of Worship:
Praying to God
So you have good values in life
We have received so much in our life
To be grateful
To say thank you
We’re learning from God - all the examples and stories and qualities
How/when to pray
Panic praying - “make deals” “as for favors” “want help”
We shouldn’t ONLY panic pray
We should pray in GOOD and BAD
Add meaning to our prayer
Add love to our prayer
It’s ok to ask for extra help and strength through our prayers when things are difficult
Prayer is a way for us to CONNECT with the energy of Bhagwan
Prayer helps us become BETTER
No matter how you pray - YOU have to work hard, and EARN what you have
Prayers just helps us get there
Add strength and courage
Gives us self confidence
Prayers enhance our qualities and values
Prayers are to help us focus our actions and outcomes
Method of prayer - WHATEVER WORKS FOR YOU
Study of Scriptures (Shaastras):
Mantras come from shaastras
Writings and teachings
Hindu practices - what to do and what not to do
“Sacred texts”
A collection/compilation of all our Hindu teachings
THey’re put together by many many many wise people and gurus
Examples: Bhagavad Gita, Ramayana, Mahabharata, Puranas, Upanishads, Vedas
They’re kind of like a guide - give helpful information on how to lead a good life
HOMEWORK:
Work on End of Year Presentation
Here is the template for class presentation: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1f22ftrBdGZM-q3TXa2mUhdEY3mpAnJpF/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=112311778222519609976&rtpof=true&sd=true
You can download slides or edit in Google Slides
Schedule through end of year:
Homework for April 24th: Do research and prepare your assigned topics
In class April 24th: We will do breakout sessions and continue to prepare for presentation
By end-of-day or before April 30th: Finish final slides and send to Anagha: anaghamanoj03@gmail.com (send file or share Google slides)
In class May 1st: Regular class and presentation prep
In class May 8th: Virtual presentations - parents PLEASE JOIN
In class May 15th: Last day of class!
Here are the assignments for topics:
Aaryan - Jealousy, the Sixth Enemy
Aniya - Greed, the Third Enemy
Anushka - Habits
Arushi - Compassion towards all Creatures
Diya - Truthfulness and Honesty
Nidhi - Ahimsa (Not hurting others)
Nikitha - Delusion, the Fourth Enemy
Nishka - Charity & Seva
Pushpa - The Six Internal Enemies
Rajat - Shanti (Peacefulness)
Sachit - Ignorance
Samarth - Desire, the First Enemy
Samhitha - Pride, the Fifth Enemy
Shalini - Hard Work and Vigor
Sraddha - Forgiveness
Vibhanshu - Anger, the Second Enemy
Vihaan - Performance of Worship & Study of Scriptures
April 10
Charity:
Giving food or money or something that helps those people who don’t have that
Donating people things they need (that they can’t get themselves)
Helping others who may need it
It’s not always for under privileged
Give with kindness and niceness - tone matters
Have genuine feelings when giving
NOT Charity: if you want to show off
Keep in mind: some people don’t want to be helped
Often material
Ways to do charity:
Can give anonymously
Do it without taking credit or recognition
Do it subtly
ASK if something is needed - know the situation
“You give a person a fish, they can eat for a day. You teach them how to fish, they eat for a lifetime.”
Think about the effect
Empathy - understanding and feeling for the other person’s situation - having perspective - have compassion
Avoid:
Savior complex - you think you know what’s best for everyone, and think you’re the one who can save the world/person/situation
Charity with judgment
Giving something to someone they don’t want
Waste by not meeting requirements
Don’t give beyond your means or their needs
Seva:
Type of service
Do some work for others (people or animals)
Selfless help
Desire to help others
Not self serving
Not letting ego get in the way
You cannot have true seva without compassion
In many faiths and beliefs - seva is considered the best way to get closer to God
Ways to do seva:
Volunteering at a place that needs help
Giving back to the community
Thinking about what others need
Helping family/friends - above and beyond - share workload
Limited recognition
Not expecting something back in return
Empathy - understanding and feeling for the other person’s situation - having perspective - have compassion
Can help sometimes anonymously (e.g. take out elderly neighbor’s trash)
KNOW where help is needed - ASK FIRST
Avoid:
Hard to do seva anonymously
Developing pride/ego
Savior complex - you think you know what’s best for everyone, and think you’re the one who can save the world/person/situation
Seva with judgment
Giving something to someone they don’t want
Examples of seva:
Helping in animal shelters
Food drive & collections
Helping someone with their work
Household help for others
Making cards for others
After natural disasters - help clean up and organize
Charity vs Seva:
Charity is focused on materialistic things - can do from behind the scenes
Seva is focused on help, actions, and beings - needs more involvement - can help us remove ego and closer to reality of world
BOTH are equally important - you can give things where they are need and/or help where is needed
Homework:
Ask someone in your life - why do you volunteer (do seva) you do?
Chapter 51 & 52 - Performance of Worship & Study of Scriptures
Continue habits!
End of Year Presentation:
Reminder, our presentation is on May 8th virtually!
Review this section for topic assignments: https://sites.google.com/site/hatshsmn/classes-dharma/dharma-7?authuser=0#h.f43lor231c9t
For homework due 4/16, research and write out answers for sections 1-3. We will do breakout session in next week’s class to review further:
Name of Value/Topic
Meaning & Description of your Value/Topic
Real-Life Example
Example of your value from Mahabharata/Ramayana/other
Shloka relating to value
March
END OF YEAR PRESENTATION:
We will be doing our End-of-Year presentation VIRTUALLY on May 8th during class time. This weekend in class we started discussing our plan with students as well.
We have assigned topics to each student. Over the next two weeks (as part of homework over spring break) we want all students to make notes and do research on their assigned topic. They can use the chapters in the book, notes from class, and any other resources. We want each student to become very comfortable and confident about their topic. The following weeks, in class, we will set aside some time for the students to discuss their topics and start working on their presentation.
We will send out a slide template in April that the students will have to fill out and send back to us for the final presentation. We are very excited to see what the students have learned! Please mark you calendars for our presentation date: May 8th!
Here are the assignments for topics:
Pushpa Ganesh - The Six Internal Enemies
Samarth Kathuria - Desire, the First Enemy
Vibhanshu Wadhwani - Anger, the Second Enemy
Aniya Mehta - Greed, the Third Enemy
Nikitha Aligireddy - Delusion, the Fourth Enemy
Samhitha Putrevu - Pride, the Fifth Enemy
Aaryan Alegaonkar - Jealousy, the Sixth Enemy
Sachit Charan - Ignorance
Nidhi Katti - Ahimsa (Not hurting others)
Rajat Bhat Padubidri - Shanti (Peacefulness)
Arushi Bhalerao - Compassion towards all Creatures
Diya Shah - Truthfulness and Honesty
Sraddha Sudharsan - Forgiveness
Shalini Bajpai - Hard Work and Vigor
Anushka Jhavar - Habits
Nishka Pandey - Charity & Seva
Vihaan Achary - Performance of Worship & Study of Scriptures
March 27
Purity of Mind:
Clean up bad thoughts
Focus on happy thoughts
Don’t focus on the negative things
Think positively
Don’t be stuck on a thought
Be open minded
Meditation
Balance in your mind
It’s very specific towards each person
Control and manage your own thoughts
Understanding good vs bad - but then ACTING on it
Knowing when to react and HOW to react
Managing our ideals and values
Controlling our internal enemies
Example: Gandhi Ji - stuck to his values, controlled his ego (internal enemies) - he had the whole world’s of pressure and expectations - half the world was with him, half was against him - regardless of what anyone else said or did, he was CLEAR about his values and actions - he knew what we wanted and WHY - he didn’t let other people’s OPINIONS and desires affect his values and actions
Example: Krishna - during conflict, he focused on negotiating before violence - during the war (bhagvad gita) - in the middle of conflict, he was smart and calm and balanced enough to manage violence with values
Example: Ram - chose to positively go into exile, decided to turn it into opportunity to help the community, used that time to grow his family and friends network, did everything with a smile on his face
Cleanliness of Body:
Hygiene
Taking care of ourselves
Meditation
Having a proper mindset - pure mind
Eating healthy/clean
Feeling clean/good based on external actions
Having good practices - we’re helping and world and environment
Example: greeting people - put your hands together, good hygienic practices
When we eat healthy, we’re less likely to get sick, less likely to need healthcare, which means less exposure to other health problems, less increasing cost of healthcare, more sharing healthcare who need it
HOMEWORK:
Start researching topics for presentation
Read chapters: 33 & 34 - Charity & Seva
Keep practicing habits
March 20
saha nau avatu Saha nau bhunaktu
Saha – together
Nau – ”both” “all”
avatu – protected / safe
bhunaktu – nourished / healthy
Summarized Meaning: May we be protected and healthy
Saha viryam Kara va vahay
Saha – together
Viryam – power / strength / energy
Kara Va Vahay – performing action - using “hand”
Summarized Meaning: Together let us have energy/power and perform actions (not being lazy)
Tejasvi na vadheeta mastu
Tejasvi – light / brilliance / intellect
Nau(v) – ”both” “all”
Adheeta(m) – learning / studies / intellect
Astu – be
Summarized Meaning: Let us become brilliant by learning together
Maa vidhvishaa vahaye
Ma – not
Vidhvisha Vahai – having hostility / animosity (negative feelings towards someone else)
Summarized Meaning: Not hurting or hating each other
May we be protected and healthy
May we have energy/power and perform actions (not being lazy) together
May we become brilliant by learning together
May we not hurt or hate each other
This prayer is important because:
Reminder on how to treat others
No “GOD” represented
Telling us how to be
Focuses on “GROUPS/OTHERS”
Community and society, or friends and family
Gives guidance on actions, habits, behaviors
Non Hoarding
Cleaning can result in satisfaction
Can help in organized thinking
When we have clutter - our senses are over activated
Simple Living
Limit greed
Don’t focus too much on things you don’t already have
Doesn’t mean leave everything that you have
Don’t overdo your actions and lifestyle
How do we approach thinking about others
What we wear, what we do - how does it affect us vs others
Limiting desires
Don’t take on more than you should
Be aware and appreciative of what you have
It’s a certain mindset - knowing where to focus your attention
Homework:
Memorize word-by-word meaning of saha na avatu
Keep up with habits
Brainstorm ideas for end-of-year presentation (VIRTUAL - May 8th)
Chapter 47 - Purity of Mind & 46 - Cleanliness of Body
March 13
Homework Review:
Keep up with habits - see if parents can do with you
DOWNLOAD TRACKING SHEET:
PDF version for printing: CLICK HERE
EXCEL version for digital: CLICK HERE
Talk to your parents - Examples of truth with sensitivity and lying on purpose
42 - Hard work and Vigor
Look up the word-by-word meaning of: saha na vavatu
Hard Work & Vigor:
Vigor:
Hard work
Effort into something
Good health (result)
Strength
Energy
Force
Hard Work
Studying
Practicing
Physical endurance
Making an effort
Having motivation
Improvement
Persevere a goal
“HARD” - this word has a negative connotation (e.g., could be difficult)
“HARD” work - is not about doing difficult work, it’s about how HARD (strongly) you are deciding to work
HARD = solid, tough, can’t be broken, strong, not soft
The real way to do hard work is to think about it with strength, instead of difficulty
Why is it important to do “HARD WORK” even when something is easy
Helps you in the future
Builds confidence
Results in good/better outcomes
Increase quality of results
Keep UP the quality of results
Maintain your mental strength
Have a goal in mind
Effort > Talent
Homework:
Fill this out -
saha nau avatu Saha nau bhunaktu
Saha – together
Nau –
avatu –
bhunaktu –
Summarized Meaning:
Saha viryam Kara va vahay
Saha –
Viryam –
Kara Va Vahay –
Summarized Meaning:
Tejasvi na vadheeta mastu
Tejasvi –
Nau(v) –
Adheeta(m) –
Astu –
Summarized Meaning:
Maa vidhvishaa vahaye
Ma –
Vidhvisha Vahai –
Summarized Meaning:
Spring cleaning for Holi!!!
Chapter 43 - Non Hoarding & Simple Living
Keep up with habits
Next week will start talking about end-of-year presentation
March 6
Truthfulness & Honesty
Honesty - tell the truth most of the time
Truthfulness - not lying (for the wrong reasons)
External- Say what actually happens
Internal- Say what you actually feel/think
Forms lying:
White lie - (e.g., not brushing teeth) - harmless lying
It can negatively impact you
Can spiral - and turn into more lies
Can break trust with others
Can make you feel guilty, getting wrong credit
It’s hard to keep it at just one lie
You have to remember what you lied about
Deceptive lie - (e.g., the boy who cried wolf) - tricking others “for fun”
Others can quickly lose trust
Repetitive lying
When you need help, no one will be there
Involves other people in the lie, can spread
Can get out of control fast
Can build ladder of lies
Silent lie - (e.g., “No I didn’t see that happening) - staying out of it
Watching bullying happen - not standing up for them
Avoid situation to not get in trouble
Lie to avoid getting hurt
Being a bystander ONLY - dependent on situation
Half lie/truth - (e.g., Yudhishtir - “Ashwathama -the elephant- is dead”) - skipping part of the truth
Can be equally as harmless as harmful
Only telling part of the whole situation
You can still be a part of “half lie” without even lying
Just skipping certain details
Is lying always bad?
Depends on situation - INTENT
E.g., life saving situations, surprise birthday, will it hurt/help someone else
Forms of truth: - avoid causing harm
Bitter truth - the truth isn’t good, but needs to be heard “tough love” can get worse otherwise
Evil-intended truth - speak truth in order to hurt someone or cause problems, revenge, embarrassment
Sensitive truth - emotion driven
Complete truth - straight forward, not missing any points
Homework:
Keep up with habits - see if parents can do with you
DOWNLOAD TRACKING SHEET:
PDF version for printing: CLICK HERE
EXCEL version for digital: CLICK HERE
Talk to your parents - Examples of truth with sensitivity and lying on purpose
42 - Hard work and Vigor
Look up the word-by-word meaning of: saha na vavatu
February
February 27
Discuss how you increase the different parts of Ashtanga Yoga in your daily life, and how they affect your habits
1. Yama [moral codes]
Calming yourself (post anger) – Ahimsa
Reducing anxiety practices
2. Niyama [personal discipline]
Making your bed
Studying
Prioritizing your tasks
3. Asana [posture]
Physical exercise
4. Pranayama [breath control]
Can focus on when waking up
5. Pratyahara [sense control]
When you have free time
Not getting distracted or involved in things not needing you
Keeping attention on one task
Staying within your limits
6. Dharana [concentration]
Focusing on tasks or homework
Working towards something
Sports
7. Dhyana [meditation]
Regular practice
8. Samadhi [deep absorption/contemplation]
Ashtanga Yoga steps:
At home - write these out - put it somewhere visible.
Look at the list daily - ask yourself throughout the day, how many am I doing to day
Increase your steps whenever you can
Plan your day, think ahead
These actions will help your day be smoother
It will help you become a better person
HABITS -
It is very hard to create new habits
You have to actively work on it
21 DAYS STRAIGHT
Homework:
Print out Ashtanga Yoga checklist - monitor every day
Outline: CLICK HERE
Keep up with HABITS, try to find someone to do it with you
DOWNLOAD TRACKING SHEET:
PDF version for printing: CLICK HERE
EXCEL version for digital: CLICK HERE
Read chapters:
36 - Truthfulness and Honesty
42 - Hard work and Vigor
February 20
Today we learned about Ashtanga Yoga and how it affects our daily lives. We discussed each step of Ashtanga Yoga and how to apply it. Here is the presentation outline: CLICK HERE
We also continued talking about our HABITS
Habits = something that we do regularly without thinking about it
It does take effort to develop this
It takes 21 DAYS to build a habit
For our project, we’re going to ask all students, parents, teachers to pick a habit:
Something EASY
Something you can do EVERY day, regardless of weekday, weekend, school, vacation, etc.
Something you can track
E.g. make bed, brush teeth at night, floss every day, read 10 min, etc.
HOMEWORK:
Start/continue your habit this week
DOWNLOAD TRACKING SHEET:
PDF version for printing: CLICK HERE
EXCEL version for digital: CLICK HERE
Read Ashtanga Yoga notes with parents
Discuss how you increase the different parts of Ashtanga Yoga in your daily life, and how they affect your habits
February 13
Actions that bother us
Internal
Our own actions
When we don’t have time to think about/plan
Our physiology
Hunger
Tiredness (lack of sleep, perhaps)
External
Other people
Often our inability to positively interact with others
Things that annoy us
External environment
Forgiveness
Also important to “forget” – let go
Importance of memory of past events – allows you to prepare better for future
Not forgiving continues negativity
Continues with anger
Brings balance back to our lives
Commitment and Perseverance
Prioritizing actions to decide what to commit
Think before you commit – only make promises that you can keep
Growth mindset needed persevere
Recognize that we have the ability to learn and grow
Overcoming failures is important
Know what went wrong and do something different the next time
HABITS PROJECT:
Pick a SMALL, SIMPLE, DAILY habit to start
E.g. make bed, brush teeth at night, floss every day, read for 10 min
Anything that you do EVERY SINGLE DAY
It takes 21 days to develop a habit
Start your habit this week
PARENTS - do project with children
DOWNLOAD TRACKING SHEET:
PDF version for printing: CLICK HERE
EXCEL version for digital: CLICK HERE
February 6
Humility & Respect
Humility
Similar to “Humble”
Modest
Not too proud or arrogant
Not acting superior to anyone
Not having ego
Not selfish
Thinking about others
Acting smaller around people
Considering what others around you need
Not boasting about yourself
Blending in with others (figuratively)
Acting in a way to not hurt others
Gandhi Ji - When you practice your other values - you will automatically get humility
The minute you start thinking you’re modest/humble - you’ll get an ego
It’s one of the few values that we can’t “openly practice”
Humility is about how other people perceive you
Humility is a feeling, not an action
Respect
Being kind to someone
Being welcoming to people (e.g. guests)
Showing manners
Treating others based on their qualities
E.g. we often respect older people more
But should also show respect to younger people
“A feeling of deep admiration for someone or something based on their abilities, qualities, or achievements”
“Due regard for feelings, wishes, rights, or traditions of others”
We have to be careful to not just have blind respect
We have to know if we’re respecting the right kind of people
Know what someone’s qualities are
See if someone is doing something right or wrong
Can’t just respect people because of the things they have or accomplishments
Focus on values and personality
Don’t respect based on status
Consider how people treat other people
If we don’t have all the facts, think about perspective and add positivity to situation
Put benefit of the doubt when you can
Depends on the situation!! How do you handle a situation where an elder or person in power directly connected to you, acts in a way that is not respectful
Share with someone else to find a solution
Find a way to productively talk to someone
You can still act respectfully without respecting another person
Act with values (kindness, less ego, not emotional)
Think about the situation - why did the person react or say what they did
When you are disrespectful - you are insulting yourself and/or someone around you
Self-respect is just as important
Starting our Habits project soon!
Habit:
Something you do a lot
Daily routine
Can be good or bad
Can be working towards something bigger
It’s often something you do without actively thinking about it
It becomes “subconscious”
Almost a reaction
E.g. brushing teeth, making bed, reading, sports
Habits can improve or make life worse
Most people have almost twice as many bad habits as good
Really difficult to break a bad habit
Homework:
Chapter 38: Forgiveness
Chapter 41 - Commitment & perseverance
HABITS: (parents should do this project with the kids) - we will start project next week after discussion - write down:
3 good habits you have
3 bad habits you have
1 goal for improvement
January
January 30
AHIMSA (cntd.):
Two types of violence (himsa):
Physical
Killing (animals or people)
Torturing
Hurting
Destroying the environment
Hitting/slapping within family members
Getting in a fight
Pushing/shoving
Shooting (casual AND police related)
Riots
Protests
Burning things down
Wars
REACTION to physical violence:
Try to stop it first - say no, talk it out
If needed - self defense is important
Ask for help if possible
Never react “offensively” - react “defensive”
Reactive violence can help protect others
Last case scenario!!!!
E.g. Mahabharata & Ramayana
Non-Physical
Mental torture
Cyber bullying
Bad words & insults
Bullying
Talking bad
Lying & hiding the truth
Gossipping & rumors
Teasing
Jealousy
Judging
Arguing
Discrimination:
Judging someone based on something they can’t change
cultural - physical - religious - racism - sexism - ageism - mental
WHY do these forms of violence happen??
INTERNAL ENEMIES
JEALOUSY!!!
Anger
Desire
Ego
Lack of Self-confidence
Overconfidence
Fear
Reaction (payback, defending yourself, fix a situation, etc)
How to backtrack and avoid any form of violence
Difference between argument and debate:
Argument = includes emotions and at least ONE internal enemy - and you want to WIN - nothing productive comes out of it (going in circles)
Debate = a conversation based on FACTS - limited emotions, no winning necessary - leaving judgment out of it - an opportunity to learn and grow
Limit/stop talking
Staying calm
Listen only
Think before you speak
Explain your point of view - ASK for the other point of view
Try to find a solution
Stand up for yourself
Knowing what you want
Gain self-confidence
Think about the big picture
Having clear thoughts
Responding with kindness and empathy
Focus on a compromise
Focus on NEEDS instead of WANTS
Homework:
Chapter 32: Humility and respect for everyone
Chapter 38: Forgiveness
Start our habits projects for the year
January 23
Homework Review:
Find ONE shloka/mantra - MEMORIZE its meaning
Learn and be able to say the meaning without reading it (in your own words)
Within the shloka/mantra learn THREE sanskrit words
Some resources to use:
https://greenmesg.org/stotras/ganesha/vakratunda_mahakaya.php
Shanti -
Peacefulness and calmness
Happiness
In a state of relaxation
Controlling yourself
Unity and peacefulness
State of mind - can block everything out
Where do we hear this most often?
End of prayers - om shanti shanti shanti
Meditation
Say it 3 times
Body, soul, mind
Past, present, future
Others, Nature, Self
To reduce disease, discomfort, suffering
3 Bhagwan: Brahma-Vishnu-Shiva / Durga-Saraswati-Lakshmi
3 Worlds: Earth-Heaven-Hell
How to be peaceful in the world
Take deep breaths
Share with someone else - work towards change
Listen to others
Share with the initial problem creator IF possible
Ignore and walk away
Don’t let it get under your skin
Avoid reacting emotionally
Often time silence is important - to calm the situation down
Write it out before saying it
Ahimsa -
Non-violence
Not just about wars and fights
Trying to create change with peacefulness
Making change without hurting others
Caring for others
Avoiding violence
Small things as well
Can be accidental
TWO TYPES OF AHIMSA:
Physical
Non-physical
Homework:
Continue conversation on Ahimsa
Write - 3 points each on two types of ahimsa
Chapter 32: Humility and respect for everyone
Continue memorizing and revising your prayer (especially the sanskrit words)
Find ONE shloka/mantra - MEMORIZE its meaning
Learn and be able to say the meaning without reading it (in your own words)
Within the shloka/mantra learn THREE sanskrit words
Some resources to use:
https://greenmesg.org/stotras/ganesha/vakratunda_mahakaya.php
Parent-Teacher summary 1/16
We started class off with parent-teacher conference. We discussed the following points:
Discussed the topics we have covered (6 internal enemies, other values, and negative qualities)
We talked about our upcoming plan for rest of year:
Start talking about the meaning of prayers and practices
Focus more on critical thinking and open conversation at home
Additional parental involvement in the homework
Start habits project
Encourage students to speak up more, most of the classes going forward will have to be more conversation and interaction based
We also discussed that we want parents to be more aware of the weekly topics and homework, and discuss those points with the students at home more - as well as encourage students to take initiative and have conversations about topics/homework at home
We want all parents to (along with students) learn and memorize the meaning of at least one mantra/shloka - and be able to say it in your own words, along with memorize 2-3 sanskrit words from that shloka/mantra - to introduce the practice of KNOWING what we are saying when we pray
We also heard some great feedback from parents on the progress of class, and will continue to improve as best we can
January 16
Hatred & Enmity:
Disliking something someone did
Intense dislike towards something or someone or what is said
Don’t approve of what someone’s doing
It’s beyond anger
Highest level of not liking
Holding a grudge against someone
Can come from “crossing the line”
Judgement - towards someone, something, some idea, some action
Opinion - having a strong opinion against someone/thing
When you decide who someone is based on your own thoughts and expectations
Thinking someone’s actions are wrong or crazy
You can have judgement towards people who are right or who you care about
Depends on the situation and how well you know someone
When we are reacting to a situation, focus on which emotions are coming up? Anger? Judgement? Hatred? - which values were affected?
You can have some judgement towards someone doing the wrong thing WITHOUT having hatred
This can also depend on the outcome
How you act can depend on how you’re affected by a situation
Temporary emotions (e.g. sibling rivalry) - but not affect long term emotions and relationships
You can judge, but have ALL the facts (almost impossible)
What are the values that are driving our actions and thoughts?
Focusing on our reactions
Focusing on understanding the full situation
Adjust our own actions and expectations
What choices are we making that are affecting our emotions?
You can have judgement without hatred
E.g. Pandavas and Kauravas judged each other - but only Kauravas HATED the Pandavas
Pandavas thought about big picture - family, long term
Didn’t base their final opinion on just emotions
Did or did not react to their internal enemies
Unity and Mutual Cooperation
Unity
Everyone is together
Thriving peacefully
“One” - as one person, one thought, one idea, one emotion
Mutual Cooperation
Some form of an agreement
Common between two things/peoples/thoughts
Find a common and “together” solution
When starting from judgement
Calm down before making any decision
Have conversation - explain your perspective
Reach an agreement with the other party
Where can we see more unity and cooperation
Societal problems (public health, environment, housing, public, littering, racism, government, political beliefs) - big level
Personal lives (public health, environment, housing, public, littering, racism, government, political beliefs) - small level
TALK to people - and find a common point, to create fewer problems and more solutions
Before you speak up, make sure YOU are doing the right thing (avoid being a hypocrite!!!!!!)
HOMEWORK:
Chapter 28 - Shanti (Peacefulness)
Chapter 27 - Ahimsa (Non-violence)
Find ONE shloka/mantra - MEMORIZE its meaning
Learn and be able to say the meaning without reading it (in your own words)
Within the shloka/mantra learn THREE Sanskrit words
Some resources to use (can find your own as well):
https://greenmesg.org/stotras/ganesha/vakratunda_mahakaya.php
January 9
We had meditation class today
December
December 19
BIAS = going in favor of a thing/person/group because of your personal preference - even if its unfair or wrong
When this becomes a common thought process (e.g. ONLY going to do…)
This can turn into stereotyping, discrimination, ignorance
Mahabharata: Dhritarashtra (father), Karna (friend), Bheeshma (duty)
Hypocrisy:
Telling someone else to not do something, but doing it yourself (and vice versa)
Just lying, cheating, bullying isn’t hypocrisy - tell others not to
Saying something, but doing something else
Not following rules or guidelines that you set for others
Guiding others:
Different in certain circumstances (helping)
INTENT matters (why you’re doing what you’re doing)
Providing assistance
Stopping others from getting hurt
Morals and values - actions and thoughts
You have to be ACCOUNTABLE (trustable, responsible)
Examples (very complex):
Public health - wear masks
Screen time!!!
“Don’t argue”
Environmental issues - littering, usage
Racism and discrimination
WHEN we call out hypocrisy
Denying it “I didn’t do that”
Refusing to accept it
Hurts their ego and feelings
People feel attacked
People don’t want to change, prove themselves right
How and when can we call out hypocrisy
Bring it to someone’s attention
OK to call it out
Be direct and don’t sugar coat
Approach alone, don’t make a scene
Make sure you’re not being hypocritical
Provide examples and explanations
Changing hypocrisy is slow progress
Change only happens for people who want to learn and grow (ignorance vs knowledge)
We should still speak up - we ourselves need to limit our stereotypes, ignorance, hypocrisy
E.g. Vibhishana in Ramayan - he’s doing the right thing, he tried his best based on knowledge, set an example for others
Homework:
Chapter 22 - Hatred & Enmity
Chapter 25 - Unity and Mutual Cooperation
Find ONE shloka/mantra - MEMORIZE its meaning
Learn and be able to say the meaning without reading it (in your own words)
Within the shloka/mantra learn THREE sanskrit words
Some resources to use:
https://greenmesg.org/stotras/ganesha/vakratunda_mahakaya.php
December 12
IGNORANCE:
Not caring
Not listening or understanding what others are saying
Can come off as stupid
Being stubborn, even repeatedly
Don’t follow someone’s instructions repeatedly
Can be hypocrites
Not having empathy towards anyone unless they’re getting help too
Examples:
When someone doesn’t care or dismisses your problems
Discarding the importance of the pandemic
Lack of knowledge or awareness
Often being uneducated can lead to ignorance
Turning a blind eye to what’s going on
Not adapting to change
Ignoring what’s going on
Not helping those who need it
Assume things a lot
“Not my problem”
Strongest internal enemy: EGO!
Results of ignorance:
Harshness
Cruel
Hatred
Enmity
6 internal enemies
Hypocrisy
Gossipping
Being mean
Being unaware
INTENTIONAL Ignorance
On purpose
Not listening to others
Not thinking about other people (empathy)
Annoying others
Getting under other people’s skin
Fighting to be right
Discrimination
Treating people differently because of various reasons
E.g. skin color, gender, ethnicity, race, choices, preferences, food
Pandemic - mask wearing
UNINTENTIONAL Ignorance
Automatically happens
Saying something that YOU believe to be true
If someone gets the wrong information
We don’t know what we don't know
Blind spot - can’t see it until you make an effort
Stereotypes
Judging people based on specific characteristics
All old people are wise - Young people are good with tech - Teenagers are difficult
Gender: games and preferences and colors
Girls cook, boys work
Asian people are smart
Asian people become engineers and doctors
Smart people (esp Indians) only do STEM
Indian people have more Indian stereotypes than non-Indian people
All Indian people are really rich or really poor
Clothes!!! (Cars and gadgets as well)
Clothes as identity
They come from the environment people grow up in
Lead to things like: hatred, racism, discriminiation, negative actions, hurting others
How can we overcome ignorance (intentional OR unintentional)
Look at other people’s perspectives
Have EMPATHY
LEARN LEARN LEARN LEARN LEARN LEARN LEARN
Read books
Read news
Talk to others
Go to educational programs
Make relationships with people who are DIFFERENT than you
Have diversity in your life (in all parts of existence)
Limit judgement and criticizing others
Ignorance cannot be an excuse
Homework:
Gita Jayanti - on the 14th do prayer for Krishna and include these shlokas from the Gita; Chapter 2 - shlokas 62-63
Ignorance - Write 5 stereotypes that YOU have against others
Hypocrisy
Chapter 22 - Hatred & Enmity
December 5
We had meditation class this week. Homework is the same as previous week.
November
November 21
Pride:
All characters in Mahabharata (except Krishna) had a high dose of ego
Even Yudhishtir - lost his kingdom because his ego got hurt
In games (e.g. NFL) its great to celebrate when you get touchdown, but if you over celebrate you can get penalty for “unsportsmanlike conduct”
We get an ego about something we’re not even connected to (e.g. sports teams, parents, teachers)
False modesty
Not accepting compliments
Overreacting in a “modest way”
It’s important to know how to properly accept a compliment
Throw in positive emotions into the conversation
Move the focus from the “achievement” to the conversation
Compliment the other person back
False bragging
When people like to overly show off
Really easy to get frustrated
It can affect your confidence and pride
Generic compliment
Go along with conversation - can eventually change topic
If you react, the other person will get defensive
Good pride:
We can be proud of our interactions
Jealousy:
Why do we get affected by others' achievements?
We don’t have that
We get wrapped up in other people’s comparisons
When you’re trapped in other’s comparisons, how do you stop your jealousy?
Ignore others - try to stop the conversation
Remove yourself
Think about what you have (not what someone else does/doesn’t have)
Have conversations - WITHOUT high emotions
Makes boundaries with people
Chapter 29 (Compassion)
Being friendly
Being mindful to others
Showing positive emotions
Showing affection, sympathy, care
Caring for others
Helping other people
KARUNA - caring action
Caring for animals - they can’t do by themselves
Caring for ALL creatures (humans, plants, animals)
It’s the right thing to do
Plants provide oxygen and food
GLOBAL WARMING
Planting a tree
Hindu Dharma - these concepts are very popular because of KARUNA
Environmentalism
Vegetarianism
Vs pity (feel bad for someone)
Can make them feel bad, negative emotions, can remind of bad things, embarrassment
Instead of pity, combine empathy and compassion
BE THERE for someone - build on your relationship
Chapter 31 (Empathy)
Knowing what others are feeling
Considering their thoughts
Understanding what others are going through
Put yourself in their shoes
Help others
Compassion vs empathy:
Empathy = understanding
Careful about crossing a line
Don’t let others impact your life
Only help those who need it
Compassion = caring
Actually helping those people
Acting upon your empathy
Emotionally helping those who need it
Example from Mahabharata:
Draupadi was getting attacked and sari pulled off
EVERYONE else was looking away and feeling sorry for her (PITY)
KRISHNA - (empathy) understood what she needed in that moment, (caring) provided her sari AND emotional comfort
It’s not just when things are bad - we need to act on empathy and compassion on a DAILY basis - in everything we do
Homework:
Internal enemies - write an example that connects ALL internal enemies
Read chapters: 21 - Ignorance & 19 - Hypocrisy
Write 2 instances where you actively practiced empathy + compassion
November 14
Recap: Six Internal Enemies
Desire (Kāma), anger (Krodha), greed (Lobha), delusion (Moha), ego (Mada), jealousy (Mātsarya)
Competition
Living to the “cool kids”
Fear of being bullied
Desire to attract more friends
What others think about you
Sports: be like the best
Pride
Self-centered; think you are the best
Happiness of one's own dignity/ self-esteem
Negative consequences of self-esteem → pride
One-upmanship
Balance self-worth and pride
E.g. Karn, Raavan
Jealousy
Unhappiness towards someone else’s achievements
Can lead to competition
E.g. Duryodhan
Recognize your internal enemies and know what to do with them.
Remember: the six internal enemies do interact with each other
HW: Chapter 29 (Compassion) and Chapter 31 (Empathy)
Think about examples from your life where you have noticed the interactions between the six internal enemies.
November 7
Recap:
SIX internal enemies
DESIRE - when we WANT something
ANGER - negative reaction to an unwanted situation
GREED (Lobha):
When you want something, and more of it
Keep wanting more and more
You can negotiate to fulfil what you want
You forget the differences between NEED and WANT
It can make you feel jealous
Uncontrolled selfish desire for something
It can hurt our personal relationships
It’s very hard to get rid of
Kids/toddlers
Want more toys and things and food
Want more love and affection
Want something they can’t have
Want attention
Don’t want consequences
Want something that someone else has
React - negotiate - cry - throw tantrums
They’ll get bored with it
Adults/young adults
Want more money
New/fancier things (technology)
Can cheat to get what they want
Want better social life
Want better job
Want better grades
New clothes, more shopping
Better “Status” (what other people think of you)
Want “better” food
React with anger
Show disappointment
Act surprised
Talk with humor (or sarcasm)
Lie or pretend about the situation
WHY - why do we have greed?
It’s related to jealousy
We want to “act cool” or “seem better”
Live in a very competitive world
Lot of competition and comparing with others
Want to be better than what people think you are like
You think you’ll be treated better if you are better
When you’re surrounded by people who have more things
Emotionally better too
State of competition about:
Academic (studies)
Who has more money
Who has more athletic ability
Who has more things that are trending
Who does more good
Who is more popular
Who has better fashion and looks
Who is healthier
Who is a certain race
Who is a certain gender
Who has better kids
Whose kids have better grades and activities
Whose families have more fancy cars
How many teslas do you have
How do you stop competition from turning into greed
If someone else wins - don’t be a bad sport
Control your reactions to other people
Find the right motivation
E.g. when getting into college, don’t focus on showing off that you got in a better college, think about where you can learn more
Try other things - find an alternative
Ask yourself WHY
Do you want that thing because someone else has it?
Do you want that thing because it would look better?
Do you want that thing because it will make your life better?
What happens if you don’t get it? What’s the worst that will happen?
Our “results” don’t equal success or failure - what things we want is temporary
What we want is always going to change
Mahabharata (e.g. greed)
“Bad person” acting with good qualities - Karna: stood up for his friends, he didn’t want kingdom just for himself, very selfless
“Good person” acting with bad qualities - Yudhishtir: he gambled away his family
DELUSION (moh):
Imagining something to be different from what it is
Trying to make it seem different than what it is
Thinking something is real event if it isn’t
Not thinking clearly (not focusing on the facts)
Examples:
Defending someone even if they did something bad
Overreacting
How come someone else is getting something i’m not
“IT’S NOT FAIR!”
You WANT it badly
Start thinking other people are horrible
Calling out other people’s issues
Calling others hypocrites
Judging others and pulling them down
Questioning others “why do you care”
Compare them with others
“FAIR”
Comparing to see if you have the same things
Having same amount of experience or things as someone else
Equality
Getting the “right” thing or treatment
We only see what we WANT to see - no matter the consequences
Mahabharata (e.g. delusion)
Dhritarashtra - his son (family) has to be right no matter what
Bheeshma - he made promises that he shouldn’t have (sticking to things out of “status”)
If you make your choices for a reason you made up in your own head - that’s delusion
Homework:
Think about all the parts of your life where you are in competition - try to focus on reducing one area of competition
Talk to parents: How to reduce competition and comparisons - talk about why it exists
Chapter 17 - PRIDE
Chapter 18 - JEALOUSY
October
October 31
Started class with in depth presentation and conversation on Diwali.
Continued conversation on Anger and discussed the individual answers from last week's homework.
2. ANGER (krodha)
Most of the things that make us angry are very small and relatively unimportant
We react to our own laziness and ego
Often, we’re not angry about the things we SHOULD be angry about (e.g. big things: covid, violence, racism, gender inequality)
We get angry at the people in our immediate lives
We feel hurt
It might be something else that’s bother us - we just take it out on people around us
It’s displaced anger
It’s easier to be angry to be upset with people we’re closest to
“When our house is on fire, instead of running after the person who caused the fire, we should put out the fire” - just like anger, when we’re angry, instead of jumping on the other person, let's find a way to calm down first
Most of the time - when we’re angry, it’s only affecting our mood, the other person doesn’t even realize - only YOU are getting hurt when you are angry about minor things
****Forms of anger:
Anger
Mad
Frustration
Annoyance
Irritation
Reactions:
Attitude changes
Argue
Make a scene
Stop and make noise
Make bad decisions
You don’t think straight
How do you stop being angry? DOES NOT INCLUDE ANYONE ELSE
Take a few deep breaths
Take a step back (physically)
Be alone
Talk to others - once you’re calm
Distract yourself
Reading - read something good
Fidget - move things around - stay physically distracted
Listen to music that makes you feel good
Take a nap - resets your brain
Take a shower - refreshing
Think about something good coming up
Physically active - jumping jacks (your body releases chemicals called endorphins - which reduces negative feelings and triggers positive feelings)
Think about other things
Next steps
Talking about it - to the person who made you angry
Apologize if you reacted
Explain why you got angry
Think about WHY you got angry
Talk to yourself about it first
Talk to a third party (neutral) - someone who is not in the middle of a situation << friends!!
Have someone in your life who trusts you, who you trust, and can be honest
TURN IT INTO ACTION - make sure it doesn’t happen again
Homework:
Read Chapter 15 - Greed
How you can reduce this in your life (especially holidays around)
Read Chapter 16 - Delusion
October 24
Internal Enemies:
Bad thoughts - inside us
Qualities inside us that can be controlled, but not easily
Anger, Desire, Greed, Jealousy, Ego, Delusion
1. DESIRE (kaama)
When you want something
When it benefits you
When you wish that you have things
WHY do we want things?
If others have it
Don’t want to feel left out
Could be jealousy
How it feels or looks
Its usually something that we want (sometimes for no reason), but can sometimes be need?
WANT vs NEED
WANT = You don’t have to have it, doesn’t impact living, can be unnecessary
E.g. when you already have something that’s working fine, but “want” another - upgrade their phones because a newer model came out
NEED = Required to function, could affect surviving (food/water, clothing, shelter), will be necessary
E.g. tools, phone, bed, shower, fridge, medicine, technology
The REASON we want/desire something matters the most
SHOWING OFF
When we want things just to say we have it
WHY is this problem
Waste of money
Waste of energy
It may impact someone else who needs it more
It affects your mind: can make you feel guilty, it can also make you see others in a bad way,
You will never stop, it will never be enough
INTENT - knowing WHY we do what we do
Making a choice that we know is for the RIGHT reason
Eight Forms of Desire
Organs of Perception (senses) - 5
Sight - how things look
Hearing - how things sound
Touch - how things feel
Taste - how things taste
Smell - how things smell
Mind - 2
Glory - feeling good about self
Exaggerated self-respect (maana) - how we think others see us
Body - 1
Laziness - physically not wanting to do something
How we conduct ourselves by ourselves and around others
The problem is desire is - its the FIRST internal enemy
It starts and triggers the rest of your internal enemies
2. ANGER
Negative feeling or emotion - it takes over your body and mind
It impacts your thinking and decision making
Forms of anger:
Anger
Mad
Frustration
Annoyance
Irritation
Cause any form of anger:
Sibling - parents - immediate family
Any person
When someone does something that doesn’t align with our “good”
Leaving us out on purpose
Bullies
Inaction from others
Society problems
Media & politics
HEALTH
How do we react?
Raise our voice
We wish badly on others
Most of the time in anger - say stuff you regret saying
Arguments
Fighting
Screaming
Venting - ranting - going on and on and on
Homework:
ANGER:
Make a list of things (minimum 3, think of variety) that have made you angry
How you reacted
How you SHOULD have reacted
How you can control your anger once you’re in it
Talk to your parents - what’s the number one thing that gets them angry and how they deal with it
Read Chapter 14 - Greed
October 10
Science of the Mind and Sense Organs
Chariot - sense organs are part of chariot
SENSES
Body’s workers
The way we understand things
The way our organs gather information
“Active senses” Examples: smell, touch, taste, sight, hearing
What drives our thoughts -
What we think about (even randomly)
A topic
Know what’s around us
Guides how we feel
MIND
Our thoughts and actions resulting from thoughts
Our feelings and emotions
Our expectations
BODY
Physical thing that holds all our organs and mind
The physical actions that we take - we use our body
ATMA
Soul
Living energy
Energy that drives everything we do
INTELLECT
Commands the rest of what we do/think
Intelligence - how much you know
Influences whatever you do
Wisdom - thoughts - decision making
Common sense
Gives us direction
Mind vs Intellect:
Mind is the object, intellect is how it works
Fire: mind knows it can spread, hot, dangerous - intellect tells us don’t touch it, don’t near it
Six INTERNAL ENEMIES:
Enemies that have a hard time going away
INTERNAL - they’re not physical, you can’t see them
In your mind
Can push you back
External: bully, “karens”, virus, medical things, ignorant people, racial discrimination, physical limitations, violence, riots
Internal: Anger, fear, bad voices, laziness, jealousy, arrogance, greediness, ego
Are these internal enemies dependent on your or what someone else does to you?
Can be both
Can be driven by someone’s actions
But your own actions can drive it too
In any situation - YOU decide how to feel and act
Only YOU are responsible for your actions
Desire (Kāma), anger (Krodha), greed (Lobha), delusion (Moha), ego (Mada), jealousy (Mātsarya)
Think about how they are connected to each other?
Homework (due Oct. 24):
Chapter 13 - DESIRE
Chapter 14 - ANGER
Write examples of each one
Build a RAAVAN for Dussehra
October 3
KARMA
ACTION
Doing something
Whatever you do comes back to you
Good or bad
Be aware of action - so you don’t do something wrong
If you can’t act on something, you can’t really change anything
“YOURSELF” - you are the only person who can change you
YOURSELF - The sum of all your actions
Similarities with Newton’s Laws of motion:
Active & Passive actions
Active actions:
Helping others
Walking
Eating
Brushing
Stretching
Drinking water
Talking
Passive actions:
Subconscious actions
Breathing
Living
Sleeping
Random acts of kindness - begin a chain of actions
Helping others spreads kindness
Helping without asking for anything back
Makes the community around you a better place
What happens when you do something kind but someone reacts badly?
Does that mean we’re getting something negative in return for a good action?
We can’t guarantee the immediate response
Reasons for doing the “right thing”
Intent of actions: do you expect anything in return?
INTENT
The meaning or purpose behind doing something
Making an active choice
Thinking about action (or desire)
WHY am I doing something?
MOST of the things we do in life, is because we want something better back in return
Finding a balance between your actions and intent
In the world around us - so many people are doing really bad things, but nothing bad is happening to them - but if we stress about that, we’re not better
It’s important to focus on OUR SELF and our actions we do - are we following our values? Regardless of what someone else is doing
Are our thoughts and actions helping or hurting others??
How are we thinking in bad situations?
If you do something good with bad intentions, thinking you’re getting good karma - its just as hurtful and bad as doing bad actions
HOMEWORK:
Talk to parents about KARMA & INTENT
Ask them a situation where they were faced with something negative/bad - how did they adjust their intentions and karma (actions) - e.g. bullies, at work, socially…
Think about YOUR intent in things you do all week
Try to think of OR do one random act of kindness - where you do NOT get the credit
Review Chapter 2 - Science of the Mind and Sense Organs
Read Chapter 12 - The Six Internal Enemies
September
September 26
Meaning of: “Dharma” (NOT religion) and “Religion”
DHARMA:
Honesty
Truth
Value
Trust
Good Deeds
Belief
Respect
Being Kind
Doing the right thing
Equality
Happiness
Keeping your word
Prosperity through practice of Dharma
Strength
Spirit
Peace
Knowledge
NOT separate from science or government
Summary:
Acting on our qualities
Doing the right thing
Following a good and value based path
Making decisions in a positive way
Following your respective duty
RELIGION:
Beliefs about God/Gods
Faith and worship
Geographical distinction (origins and practice and culture)
Belief in a superhuman power
Languages (e.g. Hindu: Sanskrit, Christianity: English latin greek, Islam: Arabic)
Is it possible to practice the religion without knowing the original language?? YES you can. We may not know original language, but we can learn and understand what we are saying.
Important to spend time to understand meaning of words from language that’s not common
Often has books “spiritual texts” or “scriptures” (e.g. Gita, Ramayana/Mahabharata, Bible) - how to connect to TODAY’s day and age?
Often separate from government AND science
Summary:
Set of rules and guidelines
A God or figure to pray to
Something or someone to believe in
Historical beliefs
Difference between Dharma and Religion:
Dharma: good deeds vs Religion: belief (faith, worship, language)
When following religion, people can put their own perspective on it, you can practice all the steps - Dharma is more about following good deeds
E.g. Ramayana - Ravana: Was a very big Shiva devotee - but he was greedy and selfish, he acted on his bad qualities
Dharma vs religion:
Dharma - anyone can do the right thing
Religion - something you pray to
Many forms of Bhagwan
Culturally in India - many regions believe in different things and values
Each bhagwan represents a different quality - “ROLE MODEL” or “Exemplar”
E.g. Hanuman: strength/loyalty, Saraswati: knowledge/wisdom
Understanding these key concepts helps get rid of ignorance and stereotypes. Be able to share our story/stories.
Meaning of: “Ideals” and “Values”
IDEALS:
Something we think should always happen
Role models
How a person should behave
How things SHOULD be
To strive to something
Things we look up to and follow
What do I do
A goal
Right thing to do
Expectations
Standards, could be good, for future, external, could be unachievable, Expectations for something
Examples: idealistic things use the values to become idealistic. For example, Arjun was idealistic because he fought in the Mahabharat War
VALUES:
Good qualities
Being kind
Giving
Characteristics
Things we respect
Things we believe are important to live by
Good characteristics to follow and grow
Giving importance to something
Things to live by
Can we live in a world with no values? - NO - Values help us do good things
Are good vs bad always consistent? - NO - it can depend on situation and ideals
About yourself - internal - what you choose to act on
What’s the difference or similarities between the two?
Example: Historical examples of girl vs boy responsibilities - now that has changed
Ideals: historical expectation was that men worked outside the house and did physical labor and ran the society / women stayed at home, did house related work, and raised families - NOW both are combined and equally distributed
Values: historically - a person could be bitter and been mean about their restrictions OR acted courageously and kindly to help make change - if they didn’t act on values, no change would happen
Society and humans change based on the values we act on - ideals adjust based on society
The world changes around us a lot (culture, challenges, etc), but values can stay the same - values help us make right decisions
When we think of history, think about how people’s values drove their decision
Chapter 1: Human Being
Greatest parts of being a human - we have the ability to shape our decisions
We have the ability to act on values not just instinct
What is instinct? - first impulse/thought/feeling you have before you add logic - how we REACT - an urge to do something - “Fight or flight”
When we add values, we can override our “bad instincts”
Subconscious workings
HOMEWORK:
Meaning of Karma
Look up AND ask your parents
How does intent tie in to karma?
Read Chapter 2 - Science of the Mind and Sense Organs
September 19
WELCOME to Dharma 7: Hindu Ideals and Values
General Information:
Is an interactive class.
Student Participation is very important.
Please try to participate at least one time each week.
The lessons we learn apply to everyday life.
This year is a transition year from stories to the application of these stories in day-to-day scenarios.
Please refrain from eating/snacking a lot during class.
Please finish your homework.
Be accountable, responsible, and have fun!
Parents, please discuss the topics covered in class at home with the students!
Please try to keep your camera on throughout the class
Please keep your microphone muted unless participating/sharing something to the class
Please be on time!
Contacts:
Feel free to contact the student volunteers and/or the teachers if you have any questions.
Covered In class:
Hindu Dharma
Be kind
Good actions
God
Prayers
Religion
What we believe in
God
Forms of God
Values
Self
What we practice
Karma
Pooja
Prayers
Values
Celebrations
India
Languages
History
Lotus
Honesty
Festivals
Pray for different things
How do we do these things?
Go to mandir
Recite
Fasting
Hands together (namaste)
Close eyes
Light diyas
Bells
Offer
Say prayers
HW:
Meaning of: “Dharma” (NOT religion) and “Religion”
What’s the difference and similarities between the two?
Meaning of: “Ideals” and “Values”
What’s the difference or similarities between the two?
Read Chapter 1: Human Being