Mission & Facilitators

OUR MISSION...

Planting Seeds in Petersham is a free non-denominational mindfulness and meditation workshop geared for children  and their caregivers, but open to all. 

Our children's program strives to develop a child's inner and outer awareness through music, movement, story, discussion, art, and guided meditation. We invite each child to explore and experience for themselves a wide variety of practices designed to calm the body and mind, navigate strong emotion, and explore the inner cycles between thoughts, feelings, and actions. We hope to inspire reflection, challenge perception, and celebrate the interconnectedness of all life. We are here to empower children and encourage them to grow a compassionate understanding of themselves and the world around them. 

Our Parents program offers caregivers a place to connect, reflect, and explore parenting as spiritual practice. Meditation, and facilitated conversation support the group's intention.

By practicing, creating, sharing and playing together we can build a community, and foster a life long sense of well-being.

·      Practice using anchors to navigate strong emotion

·        Develop practices to calm the body and mind.

·       Create a safe place to share with others

·       Build a sense of community by practicing, working, and creating together

·       Inspire reflection

·       Celebrate connections to others and nature

·       Grow happiness, love, kindness and gratitude

·       Explore inner cycles of thought, feelings, and action

·       Foster compassion and understanding

On Buddhism…
Although our inspiration comes from the wisdom and practices of the Buddhist monk Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh and The Plum Village Community, our program is non-denominational, and focuses on the mindfulness teachings, stories and activities. As suggested in the Planting Seeds text, we'll use a mindfulness bell, and reference "your true self", or "the source of all compassion and understanding within you" in place of Buddha, God, Jesus, or Allah, as a need arises. Our curriculum uses Buddhist and non-Buddhist materials, pulling exercises, songs, activities, and meditations from a wide variety of resources. 

About Our Facilitators...

And a little bit about our journey...

I became a mom 9 years ago, and it wasn't until the birth of my daughter, on vacation, 2 months early, that I finally understood "groundless". That experience shifted something inside of me and an awareness began to stir. I was terrified, and despairing, but there was a place inside that was strong, and peaceful, and I could get there if I stopped.

Not until my daughter was 3 or 4 did we really start thinking about a "world view" in terms of parenting, spirituality, and what we wanted for our family. So began a search for materials to support the kind of non-denominational, values based, spiritually grounded parenting that I was looking for. Finding A Pebble for Your Pocket, and Planting Seeds, two years later was, for me, like coming home. I remember putting my daughter to bed reading A Pebble for Your Pocket; I sat there in the dark with the book light and read it straight through till the end - long after she had fallen asleep. 

I felt we had found the keys to the kingdom, trouble was, after a while my daughter wasn't super keen. I needed a guide, a community of like minded families, and someway to legitimize and ritualize the practice to my increasingly skeptical six year old. As in times of old, I turned to friends and family to up the fun factor.  

So Planting Seeds in Petersham began, and it is slowly growing. The two amazing women who have joined their voices to this journey are Jody Bird, and Jeanneane Pugliese - both experienced teachers (high school and preschool) and comfortable managing groups of kids ... something I am truly in awe of.  Michelle Lagrave, Kay Berry, and The Petersham Unitarian Church and Community have been our biggest supporters. Sharing with us the beautiful Davis Memorial space, inviting us to participate in flower ceremony, drumming circle, and suppling many of our materials. 

We have had the astounding good fortune to receive wisdom, insight, guidance, and encouragement, from so many friends and supporters, and thank our parents who believe in the program enough to overlook the fact that we ourselves are learning along the way. 

Seeds in Petersham are being planted and watered, come join us and see what together we can grow.

- Christine Word

Planting Seeds In Petersham - Program Director, Facilitator