Hello Planting Seeds in Petersham Families & Friends!
This season we’re gathering at a new time, and experimenting with a new family
inclusive format. We hope to explore a direction that supports you –
our parents and caregivers, as well as strengthens our commitment to building community.
Planting Seeds In
Petersham
1st and 3rd
Sunday’s of the month
February thru April 2015
The Davis Memorial,
Petersham, MA
Beginning Theme:
“Watering Seeds”
·
4-4:10pm
Families gather @ the Davis
·
4:15-5pm
Children’s workshop 0 to 7yr - The Davis meditation rm
·
4:15-5pm
Children’s workshop 8 – teen - The
Davis stage
·
4:15-5pm
Parents forum - the
Cafeteria
·
5:15-6:00
Community Vegetarian Soup Supper & potluck
Making room for new routines and rituals can be difficult when family
life already seems such a balancing act, but we believe in the value added of
coming together in this way. Together we hope to create a nourishing space
in our busy lives where we can bring families together to connect, practice,
and celebrate community.
After the workshops, at about 5:15, we will gather in the cafeteria inviting all
members of the community to join us in sharing a meal together. Planting
Seeds in Petersham will offer a Vegetarian Soup, so everyone can feel welcome regardless
if they have prepared a potluck dish. Donations received for this soup will go
towards the next soup supper. All types of potluck dishes are welcome.
We hope you will join
us as we grow our commitment to family and widen our practice community. All are
welcome.
Here’s more information about what we’re planning…
Each
Month will have a theme for the 2 Sundays we meet.
With a central theme explored
by all, we hope to encourage the sharing of perspectives through continuing conversations
at home during the week. Bringing this theme back the 2nd time,
allows us to share our experiences together & see where these mindfulness practices
will take us.
Children’s workshop
Over the next few months the Children will
workshop these different themes, exploring ideas through music, movement,
story, discussion, art, games, journaling, meditation, and relaxation. The idea is to invite each child to experience an
assortment of mindfulness and meditation practices designed to calm the body
& mind, navigate strong emotion, and explore the inner cycles between
thoughts, feelings, & actions.
By forming two
children’s workshops, we hope to engage the children with activities better
suited to their specific age group. We welcome Zoe Burch who will be joining Jody
Bird in leading the 7 and under children’s workshop, and Amy Rocheleau will join Christine Word in the 8 and older
group.
Caregivers
of infants and children 4 & under are invited to join
their children in the 7 and under workshop.
Teens
are encouraged to take part in the 8 &
older group. By developing or deepening a mindfulness practice of their own
and sharing their perspective, they water seeds of generosity! A teen presence
would be most welcome!
Parents
Forum
In eliminating the drop-off aspect of the children’s program, and offering a simultaneous mindful parenting workshop instead, we
commit to supporting both parents and children equally. In her article “ A Family Affair”, Sumi Loundon Kim
writes: “Parents need a forum to explore the relationship between parenting and
spiritual practice and to connect with other parents for spiritual friendship,
learning, and problem solving.” She goes on to site the benefits of parental involvement in a mindfulness program, “it
allows parents to extend their
children’s learning at home throughout the week and to integrate new habits
into the family as a whole.” This sounded really good to us, and so we are delighted
to welcome Lisa Bilotta Kunkel as facilitator
of our Parents forum.
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