We Experience Taking Care

PUPPETS came to play!...

And helped us explore the unpredictable nature of our emotions. With Ahn as our guide, and our friends gathered around, we set out to uncover just how to take care of strong emotion. Here's a peek at what we did...

"When I'm feeling lost and lonely

and I don't know where to go

I follow my breath 

and my breathing takes me home"

-Jerusha (I Follow MY Breath)

Our SONG this week is one of our favorites... 

I Follow My Breath from the Planting Seeds CD takes a real "how to" approach, and breaks down the essence of mindful breathing in a fun way that gets straight to the point and is a perfect fit for kids. Have a look... we've posted lyrics to the left. 

"Feelings come and go

like clouds in a windy sky

conscious breathing is my anchor"

-Traditional Gatha 

We were TREES bending and stretching...

The Feelings Gatha inspired the stormy skies our imaginary trees flexed and stretched to. Reaching and rooting our branches and trunks we had Maples oak, birch, pine, weeping willow, and an African savannah tree all slowly moving their branches to tree pose, using the breath to anchor and bring mind and body together. 

All joined in as we IMPROVISED a puppet play...

Our cheerful innkeeper, Ahn, had his hands full as a wedding brought several interesting characters to the Inn. As always Ahn did his best to care for them and all was sunshine and rainbows as happiness, joyful, and excitement checked in and got settled. Events took a hairy turn when idiotic arrived lunging and growling, and foiling all Ahn's attempts to try and sooth her. Once fear and worry pulled up weeping and terribly needy, Ahn was almost completely overwhelmed! It was true puppet madness in classic punch & judy form... until the sound of the bell. When everyone put puppets down and sat for several good breaths. We all found the bell soothing, but we needed more... 

In AHN'S ANGER by Gail Silver we learned more...

We got some real life strategies in this fantastic book about a boy coming face to face with his anger - literally! Like the Innkeeper in our puppet play, Ahn (the boy) has a one on one confrontation with his anger. Here we watch as together with his anger Ahn releases his physical tension through dance, drumming the floor, and howling to the wind, until they are both exhausted, and ready to be still. Then they sit - breathing in & out- they follow their breath. With the help of the excellent illustrations, we could clearly see Ahn's anger slowly fading away. The fact that Ahn befriended his anger was interesting, and different, and gave everyone something to think about.

YUMMY-LICIOUS...

Bananas and chocolate soymilk... what more can we possibly say?

PUPPET LOVE? You bet...

We crafted and created, but we didn't get a chance to photograph them all. - So send us your puppet pix and we will post them in our gallery!

There you have it! Another wonderful start to our Sunday...

Next week we will begin our Pebble Meditation series, with FLOWER / FRESH as the theme. We look forward to seeing you then! Here's a look at what's ahead...

Week 4 we aspire to flower

Sing-a-long Great Big Smile from Planting Seeds CD

Waking up poem and stretch from Planting Seeds

Discussion: conditions for happiness are already inside you from Planting Seeds

Light bulb Demonstration: connect to your source 

Fresh food contemplations with Kiwi, and lemonade

Our story is The Small Bowl of Rice from The Buddha's Apprentice

Flower meditation from A Handful of Quiet

Paint a Flower Calligraphy wall hanging