Program Purpose
The purpose of the program is to help children explore Vedanta in an environment of loving support and inquiry. Children are encouraged to strengthen themselves in body, mind and spirit as they cultivate their understanding of the Vedanta tradition. As they progress on their spiritual journeys, strong bodies, minds and spirits will help them face life?s challenges intelligently. Activities are planned with this intent.

Activities and Content
A theme is chosen and, as much as possible, activities are designed around that theme. Recent themes have included "Practical Vedanta," "Vedanta and Leadership," and "Vedanta and Community Service." Aligned with these themes and the purpose above, activities include the following: prayer, reflection, music, study, hatha yoga, Tai Chi, art, presentations, discussions, community service. Parents schedule these activities and children are invited to help coordinate them. By deliberately bringing children into the coordinator role, parent volunteers provide them opportunities to develop leadership skills within the context of love, discipline and respect, and this is a challenge that can lead to spiritual growth.

Formal study, noted above, is an activity where children are presented with a variety of material to familiarize them with their tradition. Topics can include lives of Ramakrishna, Sri Sarada Devi, Swami Vivekananda and other holy persons; Vedanta tales; teachings of the sages and the basics of Vedanta philosophy; and current topics from a Vedanta perspective.

Organization
Children 9 years and older meet every Sunday.
Children 5-9 years meet the first Sunday each month.
Children under 5 years are welcome with their parents in the children?s room

A typical Sunday schedule follows:

10:45 AM  Arrival. Children take turns cleaning the shrine in their room
10:55 AM  Children (9+ years) enter the Chapel for Satsang
11:00 AM  Satsang begins; children remain for prayers and music
11:20 AM  Children leave the Chapel to worship at the shrine in their room
11:25 AM  Planned activities until 12:00 Noon

Summer Spiritual Retreat
A week-long spiritual retreat is held at the Center?s Sri Sarada Ashrama in Marshfield. Participation is determined by the Swami. Parents are in residence, serving in varied roles as part of their own karma yoga. During this retreat, children are provided an opportunity to practice Vedanta in a communal residential setting. They also may advance their leadership skills learned during the school year (see above). Children help coordinate the daily schedule, an approximate sample of which follows:

6:00 AM  Meditation in the Chapel (optional)
7:00 AM  Breakfast
7:40 AM  Cleaning Cabins, caring for the Ashrama
8:30 AM  Music
9:15 AM  Tai Chi, Hatha Yoga, Exercise
10:00 AM  Session with Swami(s)
11:00 AM  Games
12:00 Noon Lunch
1:30 PM  Outings, Activities, Projects
6:15 PM  Arati
7:15 PM  Dinner and Clean-up
7:45 PM  Evening Activities
9:45 PM  Relaxation and Prayer
10:00 PM  Lights out

During the week, children work to prepare music and presentations for their Closing Program which is offered on the final day of the retreat.

Three significant benefits of the summer spiritual retreat are daily time with the Swami(s), community life in a Vedanta setting that is conducive to spiritual growth, and the development of close friendships between the participants. This last benefit is valuable as the children journey on their spiritual paths. For, while the journey is theirs alone, like-minded company is a blessing.

For information on Vedanta Children, please contact Darith/Vithoura Phat @ (617) 501 6485.