DHARMA KIDS PRACTICE GROUP
The Dharma Kids Practice Group is a program for children in grades K-5. Together, we explore the teachings of the Buddha and plant the seeds of compassion, loving kindness, and mindfulness, for the benefit of all. We practice various meditations, engage in dharma discussions and inquiry, play cooperative games, create dharma-inspired art, participate in service projects and cultivate friendships. Lama Pema or Lama Yeshe offers a brief dharma talk at the beginning of each session.
Our practice group is under the direction of Lama Pema Clark, and is led by practice group leaders and parent volunteers.
We meet at KSC twice a month, from 9 am -11:30 am on KSC’s Calm Abiding and Tonglen Sundays. We ask that parents be present at the Dharma Center (that is, upstairs in the Shrine Room) for their children to participate.
“Bodhicitta, bodhicitta, plant the seed, plant the seed. Water with compassion, and with loving kindness. Watch it grow. Watch it grow.”
Application process:
We are pleased to share that classes are resumed on:
October 15th, 2023
The program has reached capacity with a long waitlist. Please check back with us in August/September of 2024 if you would like to apply for next year.
resources and supports for children's meditation
"Cultivating an attitude and a habit in a young person that is based upon a good foundation of discriminating wisdom is the biggest contribution that a parent (or as any adult) can give to young children." ~ Jetsun Khandro Rinpoche
Tonglen Meditation
The foundational perspective of Tonglen practice is to consider all beings as our kin, because we and all beings share the wish to be happy and avoid suffering. From that common perspective, we aspire to utilize our natural great heart of compassion to relieve beings of suffering and bring them genuine happiness. This recorded version of the Tonglen practice has been adapted for children, and was generously voiced/recorded by former Dharma Kid parent, Cat Gould.
🌈☸️The Four Noble Truths for Kids☸️🌈
1.Truth of suffering: This means we all feel sad, mad, or scared sometimes. When we feel these feelings we can try to remember we are not alone, there are many other kids feeling the same thing. And it’s ok to cry if we feel like crying.
2.Truth of the cause of suffering: There are many reasons why we may feel these feelings, such as not getting what we want, feeling left out, physical pain or seeing others being mistreated or in pain.
3.Truth of the end of suffering: It is possible to suffer less and be happy and peaceful more often. All emotions come and go, they don’t last forever, like the waves of the ocean, they arise then subside.
4.Truth of the path that leads to the end of suffering: By following the Buddha’s example of loving kindness and compassion for everyone, including ourselves, we can reduce suffering and be happy and peaceful. And it’s ok to laugh if you’re happy.
Calm Abiding Meditation
This meditation is common to many traditions of Buddhism. In this practice, we rest our attention on a simple meditative support, such as the breath. Instead of following thoughts and emotions as we usually do, we release them and maintain our connection to the support. This beautiful video by Julie Bayer Salzman & Josh Salzman, illustrates the benefits of calm abiding from a child's point of view. We incorporate this video into our Dharma Kids curriculum, and show it in tandem with our Mind in a Jar project.