If the Child Misbehaves

We have really worked on ourselves while disciplining the child. We always noticed that he is not behaving properly when we are not meditating or behaving properly.

And one more thing we realised that if we keep on doing the wrong behaviour or wrong actions in front of him he picks them up like pointing finger, showing eyes, saying “no” for wrong things etc. So, we stopped doing such things in front of him. We tell him in a positive manner that “the thing is wrong to touch it” rather than saying “don’t touch this”. Also, if he is repeating mistakes, we ask him (though he is very young) that “what do you think, will Shri Mataji like it?”, and in many cases he would slowly slowly stop doing those wrong actions.

“…And then there is a way of correcting children. I mean, I don’t like that punishment, you can correct the children, never. But by telling them stories, by telling them, talking to them, by sorting out with them, you can work it out very well. And if you talk with them, I tell you, these days the children are so wise, that they immediately take to wisdom, immediately. When they talk, they talk wisdom. I mean all of them sometimes, if you talk to them, you feel you are amongst grandparents or great-grandparents, the way they are talking about things. So, you have to understand that these are special children, are to be treated with respect and to be brought up with respect and instill in their mind that: “You are special children,” that “You are children who have to change the world. You have come on this earth for a very great purpose and that’s why you have to be brought up like that…

…And then the disciplining also comes in children when they understand that they are …, they themselves discipline. So, the first thing is to instill in them the sense of security and a sense of self-respect. I think this is the most important thing we have to do….” (Shri Mataji, Children, Parents, Schools, 1985)

An example:

We both had a bad habit

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A Child at School

As a former teacher, a Sahaja yogini working in non-Sahaj schools, what I appreciated most were the parents who invested themselves in their child’s education from the start. Those who were always interested, who didn’t just drop off and pick up, those who lingered to ask about the day, saw how the children got along in the school, who advocated for certain things that their child and other children needed. Some of the parents were even willing to help out in the classroom, occasionally assisting at special functions, such as hosting a table with a special activity, or preparing materials for birthdays or other special days.

That brings love and vibrations into the school. Certainly the children are blessed with resilience and every child is protected by the Divine. But not every child will automatically thrive, even in the most wonderful of schools. It is the partnership between a parent and a teacher that allows adjustments to be made so that the child feels at home at school, safe and understood, able to mature nicely.

Parents can share with the teachers the small, small insights about that child and the family’s culture and traditions. Teachers may not be able to understand the child without a parents’ guidance. Truly, most teachers stick with it out of compassion more than ego – it is tiring and hard work, and will push out those who are not truly dedicated to children. Still, even a teacher who has taught hundreds of children may not understand your child, even when they want to, they will need the friends and family of a child to be advocates, to share stories about how that child learns and expresses him/herself, and a teacher, even the most perfectly loving and wise teacher in the world, also needs your respect and support …

With affection,

Elizabeth

Sahaja Yoga in Educational Establishments of Nikolaev City, Ukraine

October-November 2007

On October 10, in a library the first program “Spiritual and Moral Backgrounds of Ethic Culture of Ukraine” took place.  There were more than 130 people. Our public organization “Vishwa Nirmala Dharma” is known in the city. That is why we had such a big audience.

On October 11, we worked in School #17, Nikolaev City, Ukraine, giving lectures on the following topics:

– Symbols (grade 7);

– Music in our life (grade 7)

– Watching the film by Plyikin “New Model of the Universe” (grade 9-10)

– Rude words: what do they bring (grade 5-6)

– A Play-Program (grade 3-4)

On 15 of November, on the International Day without Smoking, we conducted a program on bad habits and on how to overcome them (smoking, alcohol, drugs).

On 29 of November – “The Purity of Human Relationships (the effect of telegony, precautions against AIDS)”.

With love,

Svetlana

News from the Russian Sahaja Kindergarten

The first term in the Russian Sahaja kindergarten “Cool breeze” has come to an end. Little children were being taught to walk, they were taking the first steps. As they are glad, so their mothers are glad, too. Among teachers and aunties the belief even appeared that the kindergarten is a place where pure desires are fulfilled. Because if you want something, everything is solved, everything is organized.

This is really a Russian project in which the efforts and vibrations of the teachers, tutors and parents of various Russian cities were combined. In the first term 18 children (6 of which came from other cities of Russia) lived in the kindergarten. First it was rather difficult, because this project differs from all the others which we had had in Togliatty. We learned all together.

And collective aspiration for developing this project has worked out! Teaching activity was filled with various lessons according to the pre-school curriculum. We began to coach children of the preparatory group for school. This work will be continued in the second term.

At Sahaja lessons and daily meditations children learned to balance themselves using various cleaning techniques, to conduct meditation and to sing bhajans.

At weekends various trips were organized: to the forest, to the city Philarmonic Society, to the winter-field, along the Volga (we went along the river by yacht).

In the second term, we are going to add visits to the theatre and staging stories to our leisure activities. We plan to introduce lessons of English as well.

We would like to tell you about the final holiday. We have worked with children for about 12 years, we have never had such a balanced holiday before. Everybody just dissolved. The aim of the festive occasion was to sum up the term, to consolidate the knowledge received by the children and, which is more important – an ability to put this knowledge to life. In general, only adults were preparing the holiday, so the scenario of it was composed in the form of a theatre – impromptu. We made up rather vital situations (those we watched in the kindergarten during the term) which the kids should have overcome using the knowledge and experience received. The examination was passed.

With respect,

The organizing committee

Conducting a Sahaja Yoga Class by an 11-year old

About 3 months ago my wife Leela was asked by one of the teachers, at our kid’s school if she would like to offer a meditation class for any interested kids, after school. You see my kids go to a public school call “open class room.” In this school it is required for a parent to help every week in the class room. So many parents with special knowledge’s like science etc. will help teach a subject. Or parents just help out the teacher with grading, or arranging assignments etc.

Anyway after school they offer different activities, and Priya’s teacher had noticed that she was somehow more balanced than the other kids. So this brought about her asking Leela to conduct a meditation class.

The fist class was in November and the turn out was great – 16 kids and they all loved it. So much so that when the following week came the kids were asking Priya, our daughter, questions about what they would be doing that day and saying how much they enjoyed it.

Then came the second class and Leela again had 16 kids come. Some of them were really benefiting from the experience, and they loved it. Also some of the parents commented on how much calmer their kids were after the class.

Then came Christmas break and so everyone was off. Last week the teacher asked Leela if she wanted to continue with the class. There had been a little bit of a conflict of after school activities because one of the other fathers decided to have a chess club on the same day. So Leela was not sure if the kids would want to go to meditation or to the chess club. But the teacher informed her that she had already received 12 inquires for meditation. So Leela agreed.

Everything was great, and to this point now one can be happier that such an event is happening in LA. After all how great it is that we can possibly save these young children from the strife of our world, and the fact that they want such a subtle experience is a wonder.

So this morning Leela was sick, and as we sat around the breakfast table we were discussing how we needed to call all the parents of the children, that would be coming today for meditation, and let them know that it would be canceled. They would need to know so that they could pick up their kids right after school instead of an hour later when the meditation class would have been over.

Suddenly I found myself saying, “why cancel the class Priya can do it.” And Priya