2nd term starts

Having renewed my energy with the holiday and the retreat, I was back to scripture classes today.

During the retreat I asked Bhante to make a CD for kids with a guided Metta meditation. I hope he does it. Meanwhile I thought I could use the one he made for adults.
This morning I sat with his CD and realized that it was not going to work out for the little ones.
I'm happy I took that decision.

With the little ones we read the story of Sigala. One of the kids, of Sri Lankan background already new it. The story is about a boy (Sigala) who the Buddha finds throwing seeds in the four directions. When the Buddha asks him why he is doing it, he says its because his father asked him to before dying. The Buddha then explains him the meaning, basically that it is a symbol of sending loving kindness to all sentient beings.

Sometimes you’ll hear Buddhists refer to all ‘sentient beings’ in their blessings and prayers. This is a way to say ‘everyone in the whole wide world who can sense and feel’, including all creatures from the tiniest little bug to the biggest whale, all humans and animals and insects and even the beings we can’t see, like happy spirits waiting to be reborn. When you say a blessing for all sentient beings you’re making sure not to leave anyone out!

I went on to read a definition of sentient beings that my wife had written and a blessing:

May all sentient beings be well and happy,
May all sentient beings be free from suffering,
May they live in equanimity, free of prejudice, craving and anger.
May they never be separated from the happiness that is free from suffering.

I asked to repeat after me, and emphasized the first two.

We the older group we did the metta guided meditation. It was excellent. All the kids sat for the first 10 minutes of session (15 minutes long). They were mostly quiet, and they were still for most of the time. I was very grateful.

Last term I told the principal about the problems with discipline and she suggested I get some extra help from the council. With so mny students in one group is not easy to do it alone. When I told her today that the kids had been pretty good, she was happy and said '"we all have a bad day"

I gave a CD to the two that seemed more concentrated. I asked them to share it and use it at home... lets see if it works.