Educating Young Students From The Inside Out

Educating Preschool students from the "Inside Out"
Showing posts with label Ananda. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ananda. Show all posts

Monday, May 26, 2014

Searching within! Finding Happiness Movie



What a whirlwind this spring has been. Since completing my Ananda Yoga Teacher Training this spring, the days were increasing in light, but I have found myself mindfully connecting closer to my heart, and internally slowing down while listening to the inner callings of my soul. Thank you for continuing to read my past entries and sharing this with your friends and colleagues. I find the internet so fascinating and how we can connect globally all around the world with others that I may never have the opportunity to meet personally. I am viewing this blog as a divine service to others in sharing the Education for Life ideals, and Sharing Nature philosophy that I have grown to call my life's dharma. 

I am here to introduce today, a beautiful project that I am asked to get involved by connecting others through social media. This entry today is to invite others to watch the recently produced; Finding Happiness movie.

For the past 20 years I have been apart of a large spiritual community called "Ananda." I found Ananda after developing my intuition through self taught meditation, and deep prayers during a particular challenging transition in my early 40's. I have been so blessed in developing life long friendships, spiritual family along with the benefit of deepening my spiritual longing to find truth and meaning in my life.

Recently in the past two years Ananda has been involved in a more outward ways by sharing the teachings of Paramhansa Yogananda, and his mission of spiritual communities. They have recently produced a beautiful movie, which I am attaching in the right hand column of this blog. There is a link to the trailer to view, and directions on how to actually host your own gathering of friends and sharing this streaming movie in the privacy of your own home. .

Are you seeking truth and depth in your spiritual life? For connections to other like minded souls to grow in  deeper spiritual understanding?

Please take some time to watch the movie: Finding Happiness, and share it with others.

Any questions that you may have, you may direct them to me on this blog, or contact Ananda.


May your light in this world be every guided from within. 

Aum,
Blessings, Chandi

Saturday, May 25, 2013

Nature's infinite path


I have just returned from a trip to Nevada City, California at Ananda Village. The drive is just about 2 hours outside of Sacramento. Ananda Village is the home to the Expanding Light Yoga and Meditation Retreat. Ananda Village is one of our sister communities from where I live in Lynnwood, Washington. It was the first of the Ananda spiritual communities and was founded in 1968 by Swami Kriyananda. The community is situated on 850 acres of private land including meadows, forest lands,and valleys in the Sierra Mountains. Over 250 adults and children live harmoniously on this land.

I had the extreme fortune to be invited this year, to attend the "Sharing Nature with Children®
New healing activity: Forest Bathing
"Sky and Earth That Touched Me" Joseph Cornell
We spent five days with other participants from various backgrounds that spanned the globe. Many of us came together for the purpose of expanding our consciousness, while sharing our depth of connection in nature. I had to set my camera aside this week and became fully immersed in the vibration of the trees, forests and all life. It was a deeply rich and profound time for me. The pictures in this post are from: Barbara Bingham and Sara M.Skinner Photography. 



The reasons for my attending this training is to expand my work with children globally in the early childhood field, but to also listen to the inner guidance and resonance of my soul.

I love the two fold mirror that our soul reflects while in nature. 
"Silent Sharing Nature Walk"
Sharing Nature with Children®
@Dawn Publications 1998
"Silent Nature Sharing Walk on Lotus Lake"

How we can take nature's serenity inwardly and find it's peace consciously in any given moment but also how can we become a witness to our thoughts as this benign beauty unfolds as a spiritual communion before us? In nature, we feel a spirit of community with all life.

We gain a more positive state of mind as it guides us upward towards a deeper state of inner joy.

 During the workshop we were able to work directly with Joseph Cornell on two consecutive mornings, lunches, and during a celebratory banquet. He is currently writing his next book: "The Sky and Earth that Touched Me" and his "Sharing Nature Wellness Program." These will be published in 2014. We were able to sample the new activities.

Now as they say, after attending a workshop or training; the real work begins. How can I easily and effortlessly apply all that I have absorbed?What is my next step?

I'm convinced that I will be guided spiritually, as nature's path unfolds before me.

My first step on the ridge. 

  " Unendingly magnificent is Nature; yet we view only one of her billions of planets. Her splendor is spread across endless space and manifested on countless worlds;but for us, Her most wondrous gifts remains Her willingness to teach us about ourselves. And when we learn to see and understand ourselves and the world around us, we humans become the pinnacle of Nature's accomplishments; for through man, Nature is able to view and appreciate herself in the fullest, most vividly aware way of all.
      Quote: Sharing Nature with Children®, Joseph Cornell.


Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Go with Love with Guest blog: Hriman McGilloway

Since the beginning of this blog I have had this lovely heartfelt photo on my blog each month for the announcement of our reading segment, "Come gather round." 

I may have failed to describe this photo. This is our dearest friend, Nayaswami Kriyananda, the direct disciple of Paramhansa Yogananda.

Swami Kriyananda, aged 87, the founder of the worldwide work of Ananda and one of the few remaining living disciples of Paramhansa Yogananda, has left his physical body and this earth. His passing took place in Italy on Sunday, April 21 at 8 am (Central European time).  He had been in residence at the Ananda Center near Assisi, Italy where, each year, he would often spend a few months teaching and writing. He had been scheduled to come to America for the summer months as he has done in the last many years. Kriyananda loved young children and they loved his childlike spirit. Kriyanada was able to visit our classroom this past September and shared candy with the children. 

On this website I publish many of his writings and songs that we share in our classroom everyday.  We also share the "Little Secrets", books that he published on love, friendship and the deep meanings of happiness

I am forever grateful that I had the opportunity to correspond with Kriyananda over the years through email about the Living Wisdom School of Seattle. 


  Kriyananda was a reflection of the divine and inspired many souls to reach to their highest potential and had a deep impersonal relationship with so many spiritual seekers around the globe. But  it was through his writings, music and love we all felt he was our dearest divine friend. 

In conclusion, I would like to pass along a link to this months, guest blog: Nayaswami  Hriman McGilloway 
 Nayaswami Hriman had a very special relationship with Swami Kriyananda for 36 years.  He is the spiritual director at Ananda Seattle along with his wife, Nayaswami  Padma McGilloway.  I have lived at the Ananda Community for 19 years sharing these principals of the path of Kriya yoga, meditation and Self-realization.  His writings perfectly describe more eloquently the life of Nayaswami Kriyananda. 

Please visit his blog and offer your comments and inspirations. . 

            For a more intimate look at his personal view of life, discipleship and divine teacher:
We will, however, miss him, our spiritual guide, and one who embodied so joyfully the spirit and teachings of Paramhansa Yogananda.  

May we all be one in that light someday. 


Sunday, December 9, 2012

A tiny babe in a manger lay


Tonight's entry is the continuation of our festival of the lights ceremonies that we are currently celebrating in our classroom for Christmas. We have traveled to Italy to discover the mysteries surrounding the creche scene and the birth of Christ. Saint Francis of Assisi  is credited with creating the first nativity scene in 1223.   

A few years ago, I added this tradition back into my classroom as a celebration of Christ's birth and the true meaning of Christmas. For the young child it is that joyful expectation of the birthday, that lies ahead. 

One of my favorite songs written for the Christmas Season is one that J. Donald Walters wrote that we sing each Christmas in our temple and community. It is called the Christmas Mystery. 
These are the cards that the children select their parts from our play. 

I wanted to share with you the words and the pictures that I took this week, as we acted out our sweet play to celebrate the birth of Christ.  At the end of the play, we switched all the children around several times so they could experience different parts. We ended the day, working on our creche scene ornaments that the children will take home and hang on their Christmas trees. 



Long ago there was a little shed,
There three mighty kings did bow their heads
To a gentle babe of low degree,
Whom men call the son of Mary.


Who tell to me this mystery?
How a tiny babe in a manager laid
Could so many hearts to love persuade
This holy son of Mary. 

Shepherd's came and knelt in wonder there,
Seeing him in light beyond compare,
And his eyes that told them all love was he
Whom men called the son of Mary.

Wonderful it was that Christmas Day,
How from far and near they came to pray,
How far they glimpsed his majesty
Whom men called the son of Mary.





Could it be that in that little one,
Spirits universal love did shine?
If it's true, he lives in you and me
Whom men call the son of Mary.

                               
  We ended this special day creating our ornaments and singing.



Silent Night from chandi holliman on Vimeo.


Joyful Blessings,
Chandi 

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

The Light of Gratitude


We made this as a gratitude jar in class on Monday. It was for our children this week to drop pebbles into the jar  and express their own unique thankfulness for the many gifts in their lives. Four year olds have such keen sense of innocence. We had many sweet responses.

I am truly grateful for my life as a Living Wisdom Teacher and to be a part of my spiritual community at Ananda Seattle and the worldwide work of Ananda.

Happy Thanksgiving to all and thank you for tuning into my blog.
 What a blessing it is to share it with all of you.

May we be one in that light someday....