October

October 18

Hi Dharma 8 parents, in this week's class (Oct 18) we went over the following:

1) We learned about Swami Vivekananda, an inspirational Hindu figure who shared many important teachings about life, leadership, and service. We watched the first half of a video about his thoughts and quotes. We discussed how his teachings can inspire us to work toward our goals, become better leaders, and use our abilities in a positive way.

2) Some of Swami Vivekananda's key teachings were to choose one goal and keep working toward it until we achieve it, instead of leaving things unfinished. He also encouraged people to aim high and set goals that match their potential rather than choosing goals that are too easy. Another important lesson was to follow our heart when making decisions.

3) We also learned about Chanakya and his importance as an inspirational historical figure. His teachings on leadership, decision-making, and strategy can help us understand how to approach challenges and make thoughtful choices. We can learn from the lives and teachings of inspirational figures and apply their lessons to our own lives.

*Homework* is for students and parents to watch the second half of the Swami Vivekananda video together and discuss how his quotes can be applied to daily life. Students should also discuss with their parents which current Hindu leaders in today's society they can look up to for inspiration and why.

Video Link: https://youtu.be/SILlYEEuPEg?is=QXR70NsZ1SFLFkBb

October 11

We learnt about the importance of the hanuman chalisa and we had an amazing guest speaker Shajive Jeganathan pwho talked about hinduism in leadership and character development. Things like understanding the impact of things one does, serving/helping others.

HW: read about chanakya, wrote notes about him and be ready to share next class. 

October 4

Hello Parents. Today we had our yoga session. We did some breathing exercises like inhaling for 4 counts and exhaling for 5 and poses like Surya Namakar. We discussed the ability to focus on a singular thing instead of letting our minds wander.

September

September 27

we started by going over the homework, identifying the 6 internal enemies.

We then revised the 3 qualities of life that we discussed in the previous class. Next, we reviewed the main events throughout the history of India and watched 2 videos:

1. Sushruta- the father of cosmetic surgery, Ayurveda, and the “Sushruta Samhita”

2. ⁠Patanjali- Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, Adi Sesha, Ayurveda, Sanskrit, Adi Shankaracharya, and how the different parts of the brain function and are affected by yoga.

The homework is to read about Sushruta and Patanjali and any other ancient gurus/rishis that have had a contribution to Hinduism.

September 20

In today’s class (09/20/26), we began by reviewing the homework assigned last week. Afterwards, we learned about the 3 qualities of life (Saatvic, Rajasic, Tamasic) and how to balance our lives through Dharma, Artha, Kama, and Moksha. Overall, we had a very fun and interactive class this week, along with some great questions and answers!

*Homework for this week - Identify the 6 internal enemies.*