Vrindavan KG - Section 2 Jan 30th 2011

Next Class: February 6th, 2011

Sevikas: Jayashree, Asha

Announcements

Schedule of Jan 30th Class

Morning Prayers

• AUM Chanting
• Sahanavavathu
• Vakratunda Mahakaya
• Saraswathi Namasthubhyam
• Mookam Karothi Vachalam
• Manojavam Marutha (Hanuman Shloka)

Focus and Concentration Game: 2-3 minutes of silent focusing and counting of rocks thrown in a vessel. Almost all kids got the right count.

Story Time Focus: 'J' for Japa

We spent a lot of time practising the new Hanuman Shloka and Krishna Shloka. We challenged them to memorize atleast one of these two by the next class. Please help them with it. The shlokas are given above for your reference.

After a quick recap of all the Alphabets done so far in our Alphabet Safari (A-I), we moved to the letter 'J'.

We explained what Japa means - repeating God's name with devotion. We discussed what the benefits of doing Japa were - these were some of their ideas - It makes God happy, God will bless us, God will give us powers, it will makes us calm etc. We also learnt how it can improve our concentration, and when doing tasks with concentration we succeed.

They heard the story of Valmiki - how he used to be a robber and once Narada asked him if his family will share the burden of the sins he was accumulating and he found to his surprise and disgust they were not willing. So he wants to change his way of life and Narada teaches him to do Rama japa but he finds it hard to pronounce. So Narada asks him to repeat Mara Mara Mara and he does that with concentration and became the great sage who wrote the Ramayana.

After listening to the story, we also did the Rama nama japa with concentration for a few minutes. We were amazed at how quiet they were. We played the rock counting game right after it and it helped almost every one get it right this time.

We played another concentration game - there were a lot of small objects on a tray and the class was divided into 3 teams. Each team got to look at the objects for 30 seconds and then had to try and remember as many items as possible. They had fun playing this game.

They then got to do some Likhita Japa - writing OM and making patterns while writing the OMs. Their work looks beautiful. We will send it back after we have had a chance to scan it.

Geeta Chanting Chapter - 11

Reviewed the first 4 shlokas quickly and practiced the 5th a few times. Parents , it would be very useful if the kids listen to these verses on a daily basis.

Closing Prayers

Asathoma

OM Poornamadah

Reminders

Please take the children to the restroom before the class.

Please do not send in any bags or folders with them. They don't need it as we have the workbooks they require.