Time: At least two periods or till the teacher is satisfied.
Learning objective: To help students identify the importance of having patience and a peaceful mind.
Start the class with mindfulness – ask the students to focus on their breath for 2-3 minutes.
Direction of Discussion (For Teachers): No difficult situation lasts in nature. For example, we cannot be continuously angry for long. We want to consistently keep our mind peaceful. We can make appropriate decisions only in a peaceful state of mind.
In difficult or adverse circumstances, our mind gets distracted and the decision taken as part of that reaction is usually not right. Later, we often regret the decision. Therefore, if we process the situation with a quiet mind (without distraction) and then take a decision, we will not regret it.
Story
A hermit and his student were going somewhere. After walking for long, they felt thirsty and sat under a tree to take a break.
The student went to fetch water from a small river close by. There, he noticed some animals who’d just crossed the river, leaving the water dirty. As they had run across, the water had got muddy and the rotten twigs and leaves had come to the surface. Because of the dirt, the student returned without water and told his teacher that the water of that river was not clean for consumption, he’d have to go uphill to fetch it. His teacher told him, “It would take longer to go uphill and fetch water. Go to the same spot again and fetch water.”
The student went but returned empty-handed once again. The water was still dirty. But, his teacher sent him again to the same spot. When the student went there a third time, he was astonished. The water of the river was absolutely clean and sparkling. The mud had settled and the water had become gentle. The student returned with water this time.
He asked his teacher, “How did you know that this time the water would surely be clean?” The teacher told him, “There is no difficult situation that lasts in nature. This also happens with our mind. When any incident or thought bothers it, the upheaval lasts for a while like it did in the river. But if we are peaceful and patient, we can find a solution and it all settles down.”
Day 1
Proposed questions for discussion
1. When your mind is disturbed because of anger or sadness, the decision you take at that time is usually right or wrong? Why?
2. What is the difference in the decisions made with a peaceful mind and when the mind is distracted? Give an example each for both situations.
At home – Observe, Enquire, Understand (for students)
Day 2
Start the class with mindfulness – ask the students to focus on their breath for 2-3 minutes.
1. What did you lose when you took an impulsive decision? Share with an example from your life.
2. Share another incident from your life about how an impulsive decision you took was not acceptable to you yourself? After thinking about the incident with a peaceful mind, what decision do you think would have been right?
Ask the students to sit quietly for 1-2 minutes and reflect on the essence drawn from the day’s discussion.
Learning objective: To help students identify the importance of having patience and a peaceful mind.
Start the class with mindfulness – ask the students to focus on their breath for 2-3 minutes.
Direction of Discussion (For Teachers): No difficult situation lasts in nature. For example, we cannot be continuously angry for long. We want to consistently keep our mind peaceful. We can make appropriate decisions only in a peaceful state of mind.
In difficult or adverse circumstances, our mind gets distracted and the decision taken as part of that reaction is usually not right. Later, we often regret the decision. Therefore, if we process the situation with a quiet mind (without distraction) and then take a decision, we will not regret it.
Story
A hermit and his student were going somewhere. After walking for long, they felt thirsty and sat under a tree to take a break.
The student went to fetch water from a small river close by. There, he noticed some animals who’d just crossed the river, leaving the water dirty. As they had run across, the water had got muddy and the rotten twigs and leaves had come to the surface. Because of the dirt, the student returned without water and told his teacher that the water of that river was not clean for consumption, he’d have to go uphill to fetch it. His teacher told him, “It would take longer to go uphill and fetch water. Go to the same spot again and fetch water.”
The student went but returned empty-handed once again. The water was still dirty. But, his teacher sent him again to the same spot. When the student went there a third time, he was astonished. The water of the river was absolutely clean and sparkling. The mud had settled and the water had become gentle. The student returned with water this time.
He asked his teacher, “How did you know that this time the water would surely be clean?” The teacher told him, “There is no difficult situation that lasts in nature. This also happens with our mind. When any incident or thought bothers it, the upheaval lasts for a while like it did in the river. But if we are peaceful and patient, we can find a solution and it all settles down.”
Day 1
Proposed questions for discussion
1. When your mind is disturbed because of anger or sadness, the decision you take at that time is usually right or wrong? Why?
2. What is the difference in the decisions made with a peaceful mind and when the mind is distracted? Give an example each for both situations.
At home – Observe, Enquire, Understand (for students)
- Students should discuss the story at home and understand the thoughts and views of their family members.
- Students should be aware of their thoughts and decisions when the mind is disturbed so that they can share their experiences with honesty.
Day 2
Start the class with mindfulness – ask the students to focus on their breath for 2-3 minutes.
- Have some students recall the story. You may adopt various ways for helping the students recall, such as getting one of them to narrate the story, role-play, pairing the students and letting them tell each other etc.
- Have them share the feedback received from their homes in small groups. Some students can share their thoughts with the entire class.
- The first day’s discussion questions can be used again for the remaining students.
1. What did you lose when you took an impulsive decision? Share with an example from your life.
2. Share another incident from your life about how an impulsive decision you took was not acceptable to you yourself? After thinking about the incident with a peaceful mind, what decision do you think would have been right?
Ask the students to sit quietly for 1-2 minutes and reflect on the essence drawn from the day’s 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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