Children's Bodhi School

"We aspire to raise our children in an environment of compassion, fearlessness, and good humor, in which they can grow into full human beings who walk through this world with dignity and care for others with joy and loving kindness."

The Bodhi School provides children ages 5 to 11 with a spiritual education in the tradition of Shambhala Buddhism. "Bodhi" means awake and fun experiential activities are the focus! Each class includes ritual (such as opening and closing of the shrine), chanting, mindfulness activities, and service/sharing opportunities (such as our cookie and juice ceremony). Each class also includes particular activities, art, and discussion intended to introduce the children to core teachings of our tradition. For example, in one class the children followed golden threads through knots and around furniture as they discovered they each have the resource of their own basic goodness to return to when lost or confused. Each "semester" (set of four monthly classes) focuses on a cohesive topic, such as the four elements, the four dignities, or the four immeasurables. Yet each individual class also stands on its own.

Across classes and semesters, we seek to teach the students to work with their hearts and minds; to realize their basic goodness as a way to instill confidence, bravery, and kindness; and to explore the principles of compassion and loving-kindness for working with themselves and others in the world.

The Bodhi School also provides annual and periodic celebrations of our children, such as the annual Children's Day festival each December, Midsummer Day activities and a periodic Rites of Passage Ceremony for children age seven.

Children from inside and outside of the Seattle Shambhala sangha are openly invited to participate in our growing youthful sangha!! Attendance at any or all of the classes is also invited. Children younger than 7 should be accompanied by a parent. The Seattle Shambhala Bodhi School is supported by the generosity of its participants; donations of any size are appreciated.

For more information, please contact Laura Corwin (laura-a-c@juno.com, 206-718-3306).  And if you'd like to be put on the Bodhi School mailing list, contact Laura, and she can add you to that email list.

Upcoming children's programs appear under the "Community Events" section of our Programs page: Community Events (and if you find that nothing is currently scheduled, please check back ... we update our Programs page once a month).

Learn more about meditation and buddhism at shambhala.org

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Seattle Shambhala Center
Tel. 206-860-4060    Email: seattle@shambhala.org