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Showing posts from January, 2012

"Afraid of Public Speaking" from 6th graders

I started an iClub yesterday at our local middle school. The idea for the club came during LEP program with Swamiji in 2010. The i in the iClub stands for intelligence.  My plan is to address all different types of intelligence and look at the  things that kids have to face in the modern school.  I also decided to use modern technology and make movies on the concepts, art pieces, etc.  I am using lesson plans and support of the team of educators from Nithyananda mission. Anyway, yesterday at our first meeting we were getting to know each other and kids were talking about things they want to do or things they want to understand better.  We spoke a bit about public speaking and how  they feel about it.   Almost everyone said they are uncomfortable with  it. With a little bit of investigation I discovered ...they are indeed afraid of public speaking in front of the people... whom they know . yes, you read it correctly, This what they said: "If I have to talk to people whom I d

Figuring out Friendships when you are a teenager is not easy

My daughter keeps struggling in school.  No, not with grades.  With friends.  With lack of friends I should say. Her friend with whom she was really close is now close with another girl and they exclude her, Other girls are not that attractive to my daughter. She says they are "inappropriate" or "not interesting". My daughter has two other close friends but they are in different schools. Is she thinking about them?  Nope.  Every day she tells me another sad story about "rolling her eyes" and every day I am saying  "try just to go to school because it is a place to get your education, nothing else" and "try not to expect anything".  It is hard, I feel it. I do not know how to  make it easier.   I wish I could do something.  I know that  focusing on the lack of friendship or love will bring more of that.  Do we all have to go through the same thing or it is possible to learn from others?     She is such a good, kind person.  She want

Christmas Tree

Image
I took a picture of that tree today, January 24, 2012 not December 24th. I was ready to take it out of our house,   It is a bit late but in Russia we celebrate New Year almost until the middle of January so it is customary for us to keep trees much longer but still not that long. Anyway, I took some close ups so it is clear that the branches look as if this tree has just arrived and is waiting to be decorated. This tree was brought home on December 6, 2011.  I did the spiritual healing and welcomed the tree to the house.  I think the tree liked it.  What do you think? Why did I need the tree to be well for a long time?  Well, I am Russian.  One time is never ever enough for us.  We first celebrate Christmas on the 25th because everyone celebrates it here on that day.  Then we celebrate New Year along with most of the planet.  Then we celebrate Orthodox Christamas that is January 7th.  and then..we celebrate something that exists only in Russia - Old New years on the 14th.

Independence Request - 4

My daughter was not happy today in the morning.  She woke up but not at 5:45 as planned, only at 7:10 am.  I told her not to judge herself too much since it was a new thing.  She said: "You do not understand Mom.  I noticed that when I wake up ahead of time I am fully awake when I go to school.  I am not tired and not sleepy.  When I have to rush only 4% of my brain and body in general is awake so I feel sleepy even in chorus!" I said: "No worries dear, I am sure you will figure it out.  Let me know if I can help." She said: "No Mom.  I just have to put a different alarm clock and stop saying to myself that I need another minute when I hear it." Is it a  blessing or what?

Only Russians...

It was interesting today at the webinar.  We had 11 Russian people watching our English speaking Indian Guru.  Actually we had only Russians.  Never experienced doing Swamiji's program with only Russians around. Is it a sign?

Independence Request from my 13 y.o.- Part 2

So two days of waking up at 5:45 went fine. Third day started with me waking her up, then her rushing to eat, then rushing to pack the backpack for school, then make up in the car (for those of you who are not aware, nowadays per my daughter you need make up at 13).Then running to the car: backpack in one hand, half-packed lunch in the other. What happened?  TV. When my husband and I create a schedule for her, she does not have TV or movies during school days and has a movie or TV shows when there is no school.  When she asked me about that rule I said that if she is intelligent enough to figure out the rest of her schedule I will not put restrictions on TV/movies. I have to tell you that she loves all about movies.  She notices the actors, a set design, a plot.  She loves these fantasies and wants to be a part of that industry. Since on both days she was so successful at finishing everything on time and ahead of time, I told her that it was fine if she wanted to watch something.

Self-Love Art Lessons

Part 1  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-GQNM8rLbA Part 2  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBp5JAz5-7Q&feature=related Part 3  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vDOPA59ykM&feature=related

Independence request from my 13 year old daughter

My thirteen year-old is longing to be grown up and independent. She now wants to have freedom to do the following: 1. To wake up early around 6 am and preferably before parents. 2. Do Guru Pooja/ meditation before going to school. 3. To cook her own breakfast. 4. To do exercise before school. 5. To do homework herself with no help from us. I am thinking:"Am I dreaming?" Nope.  She has done all of it today. I was not like that at 13.  I am often not like that now. I do not know if this will last, I know that this is amazing through.

My Guru and the Scandal

I have a 34 year old guru.  He is as young as a child on a playground and wise beyond imagination.  He is also unpredictable and does not follow any rules.  He is the one who had a huge scandal in 2010. Sometimes when people hear about him and do the search on-line,  they find some ugly tales about him. Sometimes I get these remarks:  "Lena, I looked him up on-line and... are you sure you know everything about him?"  "Lena, I have some friends from India and they told me that he was a rapist.  I am concerned about your and your daughter's well-being"  I decided to write a post about it so if I ever hear anything like that again, I will just send a link to this post.  I would like to do a little something so people do not miss him. I met my guru in December 2007 and my main message is: DO NOT MISS AN ENLIGHTENED MASTER! DO NOT MISS A GURU FOR ENLIGHTENMENT1 He was blackmailed by powerful criminals.  He did not give in, did not get scared. He was bet

Gratitude to "bad" parents

I always had an issue with how people who were abused in the childhood can be  grateful? I also thought that parents decided to have a child, then they took care of that child, they played with that child, molded him or her but at the end they expect the child to be grateful? As you can imagine I was not the most grateful one looking at my thoughts. Well I got it today.  My  biggest click. We choose the family that we are born in.  We choose  those who would create what we wanted them to create in the best possible way.  If they treat their child poorly (I am not saying it should be an excuse) then they will do their best to be the best abusive people possible and we, as children,  will get what we came her for. Or we might get lucky and meet our  Guru early and he will  take care of these far from being perfect parents.  

"She never agrees with what I am saying"...

My husband did not go Inner Awakening Program. He is trying to figure out life on his own. He has a good soul and a lot of good intentions.  Without a good training on how to live life and love people, it is not always that simple. Today I walked into the heart to heart conversation that my husband was having with my  thirteen year old daughter.  She opened up and said that she did not think that she was beautiful.  He wanted to help and said that she would definitely be beautiful in ... 2 to 3 years.  This is when I came in.  I did not yell (thank you Swamiji!)  In the attempt to save the situation I just said that she was beautiful NOW and switched the conversation. ......... His response was "of course mom never agrees with what I am saying"