RESPECT VS LOVE
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VOLUME 8
THE SPH NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM
RESPECT
VS
LOVE
INTRODUCTION:
Very often love is confused with respect. From young age children are brought up to show respect but not how to show love. We often say 'you should respect your elders', we hardly hear, 'you should love your elders' that is the problem; respect sows the first guilt in you that you are something inferior. It makes us feel separate from the other person to whom we show respect; on the other hand, love sows the seeds of joy and unity in you. It makes you feel connected with the other person and with everything. With respect, there is always accompanied fear; with love there is authentic respect as well as understanding. Love by its very nature is transforming it softens and melts you. Respect creates distance between you and the other. Respect is easier but not real and it depends on circumstances. Every single tree, every single stalk of a plant responds to your love. Plants respond to human thought in a way similar to how a human being would respond.
GOALS:
Make them understand the difference between love and
respect. How our feelings and emotions affect the
growth of plants.
ASSESSMENT:
1. How do we get more love in our lives?
2. Where does love come from?
3. Who gives you love?
4. Can we force ourselves to love someone?
5. What is the meaning of respect?
6. Who are the persons you respect?
7. Who are the persons you love?
8. Do plants have feelings?
9. Does our emotion affect them?
10. Whom do you respect the most? Why?
11. Why do plants whither and droop when anger is shown?
9. If plants are affected by anger/
love could it be the reason for
global warming? If yes, explain.
CONCLUSION:
Enjoy more so that you can feel
your heart. Watch the sunrise,
sunset, clouds, rainbow, birds,
rocks, animals and flowers and
feel the love in everything.
ART OF THE DAY -
DRAW LONELINESS
Materials Required:
Paper Pencil or Sketch
Procedure:
Explain to the children why they feel upset when they are alone. It is because of our attention we feel upset when we are alone. Ask each child to imagine about loneliness and to depict that in pictures. Encourage each child to speak about which they drew.
ACTIVITY 1 - LIST OF LOVE - POSITIVE THINKING
Material Required:
Paper (1 per person) Pencil (1 per person)
Preparation:
Have enough paper and pencils for everyone. Each person will write the name of their classmates on separate sheets of paper. For each of the classmates, they will need to write three positive points.
Presentation:
Gather the class together and talk about positive thinking. How important it is to be a friend and look at each other through eyes of love, remembering their good points and not their bad ones. Give each child a paper with all their friends' names on it and ask them to go to different corners to write 3 points about each person. When they are all finished, for each child, compile all the nice things that were written about them by other children on a new sheet of papers. Now for each child you will have one paper.
Example:
Krishna:
- Always fun to be around!
- He is great at art and draws and colours really well.
- He is sweet and kind to those around him!
Give that to the respective children and ask them to decorate their paper with colour pencils. Ask them to read it aloud. Ask them how they felt. Instruct them to keep these lists about themselves to remember what a special individual they really are! Extension: Make a book mark with the list of positive notes and give to each child.
ACTIVITY 2 -
PLANTS - LOVE AND ANGER
Material Required:
- Small disposable cups (2 per child)
- Earth (Soil) (enough to fill the cups half way) or cotton
- Mustard seeds
- Water
- Permanent marker
Preparation:
Fill the cups half full with earth (soil). Have enough cups so that each child will receive 2 cups. 1 cup with the word love written on it, and 1 cup with the word anger. Both cups should also have the children's name written on it, so they can differentiate and take care of their own cups.
Discussion:
Talk about positive and negative energy. How positive energy gives us strength and negative energy makes us sick and ill. Studies have proven that plants have feelings too, that when they are subjected to anger, they do not grow well, but when they are showered with love, they flourish. So this is a bit of an experiment that we will try out. And with these cups, we will put the mustard seeds inside and put just a bit of water every day. Now with the cup of love, we are going to say all sorts of positive things, direct positive energy towards it, and talk to it, and they can even name their plant if they like. With the anger plant, we are going to direct all our anger towards. Talk to it negatively, when you are feeling upset go and discuss it with your plant, shout at it! And over the period of 2 weeks, keep observing how the 2 plants grow. The love plant will flourish, and the anger plant will wither or show stunted growth.
KAILASA's NITHYANANDA RAJAVIDYA GURUKUL Presents
