DEAR 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.
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 free vegetarian soup, so everyone can feel welcome regardless if they have prepared a potluck dish. Any donations received will go towards art supplies & the next soup supper. All types of potluck dishes are welcome.
This WINTER we invite you to join us as we grow our commitment to FAMILY and widen our practice COMMUNITY
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grow children…
In the Children’s workshops we experiment with music, movement, story, discussion, art, games, and relaxation. Children are invited to experience for themselves mindfulness and meditation practices designed to calm the body & mind, navigate strong emotion, and explore the inner cycles between thoughts, feelings, & actions.
We offer two groups: (Infants and toddlers are welcome in group with at least 1 parent/caregiver)
4:00 - 5:00pm
ages 4-7, meditation room
ages 8-13, main stage
grow parents…
Lisa Bilotta Kunkel facilitates a dharma based forum for parents that runs simultaneously, but separate from, the children’s group. This workshop offers caregivers a place to connect, reflect, and explore parenting as spiritual practice.
Lisa has 20 years of experience working with these practices as they relate to family dynamics, and is currently at IMS in Barre as retreat support.
We are so grateful to have her join us.
4:00 – 5:00pm Parents/Caregivers forum, Ladies parlor
grow community…
“It takes a village to raise a child”, and so, we welcome everyone to share a meal with us in gratitude and celebration of community.
A vegetarian soup will be offered, and all potluck dishes gratefully welcome.
5:15 – 6:30pm
Community Soup & Potluck
First parish Unitarian, cafeteria
With YOU we hope to create a NOURISHING space in our busy lives where we can come together to CONNECT, practice, and celebrate.
Planting Seeds In Petersham
First & Third Sundays
February 1st - April 19th 2015
February 1st - April 19th 2015
4:00pm-5:00pm, workshops
Davis Memorial, on the common in Petersham, MA
5:15pm -6:30pm, Community Soup & Potluck
First Parish Unitarian Cafeteria
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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