2024 Children’s and Teen’s courses 

One-day children and teen courses are offered several times a year in Florida and twice a year in Atlanta. In the summertime, overnight courses are offered in Jesup, GA. 

Kids are taught Anapana in a fun, friendly environment. The program includes meditation instruction and practice, lunch, snacks, games, and activities.

The following is an excerpt from the Children/Teens Course Teacher.  “The teens were engaged in the question-and-answer period, especially as the course went on and they opened. They asked lots of questions pertaining to the “why” of Anapana, they were very engaged in understanding why the technique was very particular . “why the breath?”, “why not focus on the lungs or chest area?”, “why not just focus on nothingness?”. These were great questions, and I let them know at home they are their own masters but for this course to practice as they were told to see the full benefit so they could later decide. It also gave us lots of space to discuss why this particular area was selected. By the end, the boys understood very well, also through their own creative thinking, that the breath was helpful because “it was always with them, up until death”, “because it was closely related to the mind”, “because it is an object that is real and we want to be with reality”, “because it can both be controlled and can happen automatically, allowing us to focus with hard breaths when needed, but also be aware of reality as it happens without doing anything”, etc.” 

You may register your children to sit or register yourself to serve any of the current courses at the Dhamma Patapa Registration Page

If you’re interested in helping to
organize a course in your area, with the support of local old students, please reach out to the children’s course committee at
childrens-course@patapa.dhamma.org

The next available Children/Teens course is September 29, 2024, in Alpharetta, GA.

Other 2024 Children and Teen’s courses were held June 21-22 and June 22-23 at Dhamma Patapa and April 28th in Alpharetta, GA.

  Circle of Service

Recently I met a server on day-zero of a Satipatthana course in our Dhamma Patapa dishwashing room, which some of us have called “the Pit.” As he put on his splash-guard apron getting ready to cleanse a heap of pots, pans, and dishes, I noticed how young he looked. I asked him if this was his first time serving.

He nodded his head and said, “Yes, this is the very first time I could serve or sit. I just turned 18.” Then, as if he realized something, with the same calmness on his face unchanged, he said, “I think I sat a children’s course with you. .  it was 10 years ago, in Atlanta.”

“So you were only eight back then. . . 10 years ago so that must have been one of the very first courses we did in Atlanta.” While I was thrilled to learn how a children’s course student went on to serve a course, his demeanor remained serene.

As he recalled how the male Children’s Course teacher seemed like a towering tall man, I doubted whether he was still speaking about me. I questioned, “I’m 5’4’. . I’m not tall to anyone, especially not to you.” He quickly retorted, “You would be to an eight-year old.” We both laughed.

Later, on Metta day, I learned more about him as we walked (and got lost) on the men’s walking path. He is interested in computer science and ready to enroll at a University near Atlanta, Ga. He also had some wise words to share from his own practice as I listened without offering any advice. His parents are also keen on practicing Vipassana and regularly serve at Dhamma Patapa.

As I took in the series of events in relation to his Dhamma journey, I could not help but appreciate this circle of Dhamma service— ten years ago, when he was only 8 years old, he sat a course I conducted, and now he’s serving as I sit mine.”