Time: At least two periods or till the teacher is satisfied.
Learning objective: To make it clear that we are not happy or unhappy by doing something, but our happiness or its absence depends on our feeling while doing that work.
Start the class by mindfulness – ask the students to focus on their breath for 2-3 minutes.
Direction of discussion (For Teachers)
We are not happy or unhappy by doing something, it depends on our state of mind while doing it. In other words, an understanding of the purpose of the work and its role in the larger order gives us happiness.
Story
Three labourers were working at the site of an under-construction school. A passer-by asked one of them, “What are you doing?” The disgruntled labourer replies, “I am breaking stones.” In reality, he was breaking stones mentally too and so he was unhappy.
The passer-by went to the other labourer and repeated the question. The labourer was not unhappy, he was balanced, neither sad nor happy. He said, “I am earning my bread.” In reality, he was working to earn, so his face wore a neutral expression.
The passer-by went to the third labourer and asked him the same question. The labourer was joyous. He was singing while breaking those stones. He paused and said, “I’m building a temple of education. Children will come to study here.” His eyes were shining as he spoke.
These are the three ways to work in life. The first is to do it like a burden and remain unhappy. The second is to work like a machine to earn bread and the third is to derive happiness from the joy our work will bring to others.
Life’s joy is in perspective. It comes from within and not externally.
Day 1
Proposed questions for discussion
1. Who was the happiest among the three labourers? Why?
2. The first labourer had no interest in his work and even if he got paid without working, he would continue to be sad as he will find another reason for staying sad. Agree/disagree? Discuss.
3. If you get all comforts (such as TV, AC, food, bed etc.) sitting at home but are told you cannot ever leave the room, how would you feel? Would you be happy or unhappy? Why? Discuss.
4. If the third labourer was given a meaningless job (like take ten chairs from one room to another, then bring them back - keep repeating this from morning to evening), would he still be as happy ? Discuss.
5. Discuss useful work. For example, in this story, making a school is a meaningful work and the third labourer is considering his work as a part of this meaningful work and so is happy. Give examples of other useful work like cleaning, distributing mid-day meals, studying, cooking etc.
(Note: If required, mention that the work that enables upkeep of the order or strengthens the order, is being called meaningful.)
Ask the students to sit quietly for 1-2 minutes and reflect on the essence drawn from the day’s discussion.
Day 2
Start the class with mindfulness – ask the students to focus on their breath for 2-3 minutes.
1. Have you observed either of your parents do the same work with different feelings at different times?
2. Have you been in a situation when at different times you’ve felt differently doing the same work? Share with an example.
3. Will you get happiness by working with happiness or will receive happiness by doing that work? (Give an example from your life about the work you do with happiness and the work where you feel you will get happiness by doing it.)
(Note: Being happy means understanding the value of the work you’re doing. When we are clear about why we are doing something and what role it plays in the larger order, we are happy.) 4. The work that you feel will give you happiness by doing, can it also be done with happiness? Explain with examples. (If the students find it difficult to find examples, the teacher may start like this – we plan to go out with friends and eat ice cream so we feel that we will feel happy on eating ice cream. But it is also possible that we are anyway happy with friends – whether or not we eat the ice cream. Another example can be when our friend bought a new pair of shoes and is happy because of that. We didn’t buy shoes for ourselves because we didn’t need them, but we are still happy.
Ask the students to sit quietly for 1-2 minutes and reflect on the essence drawn from the day’s discussion.
Dos and Don’ts
Learning objective: To make it clear that we are not happy or unhappy by doing something, but our happiness or its absence depends on our feeling while doing that work.
Start the class by mindfulness – ask the students to focus on their breath for 2-3 minutes.
Direction of discussion (For Teachers)
We are not happy or unhappy by doing something, it depends on our state of mind while doing it. In other words, an understanding of the purpose of the work and its role in the larger order gives us happiness.
Story
Three labourers were working at the site of an under-construction school. A passer-by asked one of them, “What are you doing?” The disgruntled labourer replies, “I am breaking stones.” In reality, he was breaking stones mentally too and so he was unhappy.
The passer-by went to the other labourer and repeated the question. The labourer was not unhappy, he was balanced, neither sad nor happy. He said, “I am earning my bread.” In reality, he was working to earn, so his face wore a neutral expression.
The passer-by went to the third labourer and asked him the same question. The labourer was joyous. He was singing while breaking those stones. He paused and said, “I’m building a temple of education. Children will come to study here.” His eyes were shining as he spoke.
These are the three ways to work in life. The first is to do it like a burden and remain unhappy. The second is to work like a machine to earn bread and the third is to derive happiness from the joy our work will bring to others.
Life’s joy is in perspective. It comes from within and not externally.
Day 1
Proposed questions for discussion
1. Who was the happiest among the three labourers? Why?
2. The first labourer had no interest in his work and even if he got paid without working, he would continue to be sad as he will find another reason for staying sad. Agree/disagree? Discuss.
3. If you get all comforts (such as TV, AC, food, bed etc.) sitting at home but are told you cannot ever leave the room, how would you feel? Would you be happy or unhappy? Why? Discuss.
4. If the third labourer was given a meaningless job (like take ten chairs from one room to another, then bring them back - keep repeating this from morning to evening), would he still be as happy ? Discuss.
5. Discuss useful work. For example, in this story, making a school is a meaningful work and the third labourer is considering his work as a part of this meaningful work and so is happy. Give examples of other useful work like cleaning, distributing mid-day meals, studying, cooking etc.
(Note: If required, mention that the work that enables upkeep of the order or strengthens the order, is being called meaningful.)
Ask the students to sit quietly for 1-2 minutes and reflect on the essence drawn from the day’s discussion.
Day 2
Start the class with mindfulness – ask the students to focus on their breath for 2-3 minutes.
- Have some students repeat the story.
- The first day’s discussion questions can be used again for rethinking.
- Some other students can share their storytelling experiences at home in small groups. Some of them can share with the entire class.
1. Have you observed either of your parents do the same work with different feelings at different times?
2. Have you been in a situation when at different times you’ve felt differently doing the same work? Share with an example.
3. Will you get happiness by working with happiness or will receive happiness by doing that work? (Give an example from your life about the work you do with happiness and the work where you feel you will get happiness by doing it.)
(Note: Being happy means understanding the value of the work you’re doing. When we are clear about why we are doing something and what role it plays in the larger order, we are happy.) 4. The work that you feel will give you happiness by doing, can it also be done with happiness? Explain with examples. (If the students find it difficult to find examples, the teacher may start like this – we plan to go out with friends and eat ice cream so we feel that we will feel happy on eating ice cream. But it is also possible that we are anyway happy with friends – whether or not we eat the ice cream. Another example can be when our friend bought a new pair of shoes and is happy because of that. We didn’t buy shoes for ourselves because we didn’t need them, but we are still happy.
Ask the students to sit quietly for 1-2 minutes and reflect on the essence drawn from the day’s discussion.
Dos and Don’ts
- Give everyone an opportunity to express themselves and listen to them patiently.
- Make sure that all the students participate in the discussion.
- Encourage and support the students who are hesitant to participate in the discussion.
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- Alexander and Diogenes
- The Mind Palace
- Rabia’s Needle
- What is real and what is fake?
- How much land?
- Ego’s room
- Turban
- My Identity
- Arunima Sinha
- Socrates’ three questions
- Three labourers, three perspectives
- Serene water
- Who is speaking?
- The kite string
- A big man
- Brother, not a burden
- All together
- Sugar in milk
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