The Chapel Hill Zen Center Children’s Program includes short lessons on Zen teachings such as mindfulness, ethics, compassion, and interconnectedness. We also practice mindful movement and sitting and walking meditation, offer each other tea, chant short sutras, and sound bells, and work on arts and crafts related to the teachings. The Children’s Program is open to people from all traditions, and parents of children in the program are not required to be members of the CHZC. However, parents are encouraged to become involved in the Zen Center as a way to support their children’s practice.
Mission Statement of the Children’s Program
- To offer children a space and time where they can practice living mindfully and well through programmed activities
- To introduce children to Zen concepts and Buddhist history and teachings, as well as providing a place for them in the Zen Center Sangha
- To enable parents to do Zazen in the zendo while their children are participating in the Children’s Program
2018/2019 Theme
The theme this year will be waking up to who we are and what we do.
2019 Calendar
Given the summer holidays and school schedules, we do not plan any meetings from May through Labor Day, but childcare will be available for parents who are attending Sunday morning programs upon request. Please contact Maura High at maurahigh@gmail.com, if you’d like to arrange that.
Joining the Program
All children age four upward are welcome to the Chapel Hill Zen Center’s children’s program. If you’d like your child or children to attend, it’s helpful if you contact the program coordinator beforehand, and fill out and sign an application form for each child. You can also mail or email the form. You can download the registration form here. The program is free, but a donation of about $5 per class is suggested, to cover the cost of snacks and materials.
Attendance and Drop-In Policy
Children enrolled in the program don’t have to come to every session, but please let us know before each session if your child will attend. We plan our lessons and snacks based on who is coming, and how many will be there.
Contact
The main means of communication among the parents and the teachers is an internal mailing list, which you can join if you decide you like the program. The list is moderated, so the coordinators must send you an email invitation to join the mailing list. Please contact the program coordinators with any questions and concerns. We welcome your suggestions.
Program Coordinators 2018-2019
Maura High, Children’s Program Coordinator
919-929-9523 (home) 919-265-7045 (cell)
maurahigh@gmail.com
Lance and Andrea Ashdown, Program Assistants
919-645-7000 (home)
lashdown@yahoo.com
andreajost@gmail.com
CHZC Children's Program 