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FACE TO FACE | EASTERN HORIZON 25

Monthly Full moon chanting and blessings Briefting on Ariya Vihara Bhikkhunī Sīmā Ariya Mid Year Retreat at Fraser's Hill
for a fruitful Building Project at Ariya consecration and construction to Ariya Sīmā June 2024
Vihara Land Declaration Committee by Ven. Aggacitta
Mahāthera 7 June 2022

To illustrate the consequences of to be a role model and spiritual other’s practice. Indeed, the best to
actions related to the Five Precepts, friend for the children. Children teach is LIVING BY EXAMPLE.
ARK program utilizes multimedia see, children do. The children are
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such as videos. For example, the 5 good imitators, so parent have to be You advocate that meditation
precept - to abstain from alcoholic mindful of what you say and do. should be taught to young
drinks or drugs that leads to children. How would you do this as
intoxication and heedlessness. We Sometimes, parents forget to it is not easy for a child to sit still?
show the children videos of the be mindful, and a well-taught
consequences of drunkenness and child, may in a fleeting moment, Mind is the forerunner of all
taking drugs, such as a drunk driver become the teacher. There was phenomena. Mind is the chief, mind-
who caused a terrible accident, and an interesting incident, where a made are they, if one speaks and acts
an intoxicated lady who puts her face mother used to remind her son to with impure mind, then suffering
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and head into a toilet bowl, throwing keep the 4 precept well: not to tell follows. If one speaks and acts with
up and feeling sick. The helps the lie, not to speak divisive speech, a pure mind, then happiness follows
children to see the consequences, not to speak harsh speech and idle like the shadow that never leaves.
the causes and effects of intoxication. talk. One day while driving, with Dhammapada 1 & 2
After watching the video, there are her 7-year-old son sitting beside
discussions on whether they had her, a reckless driver, overtaking Meditation, to children, is
seen someone who is drunk or took her car, caused her to nearly hit perceived as boring. So, we have
drugs; what drinks should they another car. She became furious and to change the narrative, instead
consume, and why the need to take started scolding the reckless driver, of telling them: “we are going to
healthy drinks and foods for good whose car was now in front of hers. meditate,” we say “we are going
health and comfort. Her son, looked at her and said, to develop the POWER of our
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“mummy, keep your 4 precept, ah!” mind.” The method is still the
What about to the parents? As The mother was shaken, only by the same - “cultivation of mindfulness/
children learn by example, how reckless driver, but her son’s words, awareness of breathing.” This
do you encourage Buddhist too. Reflecting on her son’s timely helps to anchor them to stillness,
parents to set good examples for advice, she cooled down and said calmness, happiness, clarity of
their children to emulate? to her son, “Sorry son. Thank you mind and focus. Hence, reframing
for reminding mum. I will be more meditation as ‘developing the
Parents who attend the Ariya mindful the next time.” power of mind’ is a strategic
Rainbow Kidz program with their approach to make meditation more
children, learn the importance of When parents and children learn and appealing to children.
their role as parents – they have practice together, they support each