Family program - Seeds of Spring

In the April 8th family program, the children and teens had the opportunity to plant seeds and talk about the growth of new life.   The parents discussed right-livelihood and we all together did a seed-sprouting exercise.

Mud and other distortions

In honor of the state of our dirt roads this time of year, this month's family program had the theme of "mud." Children and teens explored the various ways as humans that we get "stuck in ruts" and form habits, as well as ways to break free of those habits as best we can. They looked at optical illusions that can be seen in multiple ways and Scribbles (drawing different abstract shapes and exploring various things we can see in them/add to them) and a meditation experiment on seeing things freshly. Also they made "ublec" as a mud substitute and had mud-like soymilk chocolate pudding for snack.

Wagesa Sewing Day

Wagesa Sewing Day

The first step commitment available at Shao Shan Temple is receiving the first five precepts.  With this step, a person receives a wagesa - a minature Buddha's robe.  This year, participants are sewing their own Wagesas, putting in a prayer ("Namu Kie Butsu") with each stitch. Five sangha members began this process today in preparation for the July 2nd ceremony.

Special thanks again 

to our sewing teachers: 

Donna, Judy and Kathleen!

Rakusu Sewing begins

Three sangha members have asked to make the commitment of becoming formal students at Shao Shan Temple: Max, Susan and Sharon.  They have recently begun the process of sewing rakusus for the Jukai ceremony on July 2nd, 2017.  The sewing process is a meditation practice with a prayer in each stitch ("Namu Kie Butsu").

Special thanks to our sewing teachers: Donna O'Malley and Judy Harden and also joining this year as a sewing-teacher-in-training is Kathleen Daye.

Valentines Family Program

In the February 11th Family program, the children made valentines and then had an opportunity to sanctify their valentines over incense.  Parents met together to discuss how to support their children from a Buddhist perspective.