Week 1: Parental Roles Part 1

 

Objective:  Introduction to and assessment of personal male/female energies

Focus:  “What does primary role mean?  The role that God created for males and females.  Each role is distinct and compliments the other.  Primary, simply means that this is your basic nature, your gift.  These roles are more natural to you.  It is easier for you to perform your predominant role.  It does not mean you as a female or as a male will not crossover and use the qualities of the opposite sex, but Swami teaches us that each gender has basic nature harmonizing our tendencies that is easier for us to use.  You can use the opposite energy, but, in general, it takes more effort to develop.  Even though men and women share duties and crossover into each other’s traditional roles, the primary responsibility of the male is to support his family and the women are to nurture the family.” – Rita Bruce (Sathya Sai Parenting)

Instructional Guidance:  After the sharing of last week’s experiences, in small group, have participants write down what they think the different gender roles are for each parent aka mommy roles, daddy roles.  Participants will share their group thoughts briefly with no comments on ideas presented.  Share the table of Male and Female roles/energies (See Chapter titled Man’s Role: Woman’s Role)  Participants should review and discuss, in small groups, the above quote and which of these energies they feel they have developed and which energies they feel require more development.  Each parent needs to develop an action plan regarding the energies they want to develop for the week for themselves to implement.  If last week’s plan was not implemented or unsuccessful, parent should devise a plan to integrate the two week’s plans and attempt execution this week.

 

Week 2:  Parental Roles Part 2

 

Objective:  Balancing of Male Energy in Caregiving within ourselves

Focus:  “It is nowhere stated in any sacred text that woman should only cook and not work like men.  As a matter of fact, even men need to learn cooking and housekeeping to help their wives in times of need.  Awareness is life.  Awareness means total knowledge, not partial knowledge.” – Sathya Sai Baba (Discourse Kodaikanal Women’s Day April 19, 1998)

Instructional Guidance:  After sharing of last week’s experiences, in whole group have participants Compare and contrast the popular images and traditional roles (The Wallet, The Rock, The Dagwood Bumstead -See Chapter called Man’s Roles: Women’s Roles) with newer role of The Caregiver.  Focus on Swami’s quote above.  In small group, parents should analyze the roles and reflect on which image they most identify with in ourselves and the reflection should be about the individual parent, not about the spouse. 

 

Week 3:  Parental Roles Part 2b

 

Objective:  Balancing of Male Energy in Caregiving within our spouse

Focus:  “It is nowhere stated in any sacred text that woman should only cook and not work like men.  As a matter of fact, even men need to learn cooking and housekeeping to help their wives in times of need.  Awareness is life.  Awareness means total knowledge, not partial knowledge.” – Sathya Sai Baba (Discourse Kodaikanal Women’s Day April 19, 1998)

Instructional Guidance:  After sharing last week’s experiences, in whole group, have participants Review comparison and contrast of popular images and traditional roles (The Wallet, The Rock, The Dagwood Bumstead -See Chapter called Man’s Roles: Women’s Roles) with newer role of The Caregiver.  Focus on Swami’s quote above.  In small group, parents should analyze the roles and reflect on which image they feel their spouse most identifies with and the reflection not be a criticism of the spouse, but an objective analysis with the intent of sharing the findings made with the spouse so the spouse can also benefit and grow spiritually.  Participants should continue working towards balancing the male energy in themselves as a caregiver while encouraging their spouse to do the same as well.

 

Week 4:  Parental Roles Part 3

 

Objective: Balancing Female Energy within ourselves

Focus:  “Women are the fountain source of love.  Devotion is considered a feminine quality.  While wisdom is considered masculine.  Let me not be misunderstood if I say that for the presence of all the male devotees present here, women alone are responsible.  It is they by their sacred feelings brought their menfolk here.  Their work is sacred in every respect.  They seek not only to sanctify their lives, but the lives of all others in the family.” – Sanathana Sarathi December 1996 pg. 326

Instructional Guidance:  Women are natural communicators so they are responsible for encouraging verbal exchange.  Women want talk about their feelings, understand their spouse and children.  Women are responsible for teaching the children to love God within and without, love and communicate with each other, nurture and develop peace, to share and help each other: all qualities that strengthen our inner image.  In general, the behavior that is taught by the female is love a devotion.  In small group, parents should analyze their own devotion and reflect on the degree to which they feel that they contribute to the devotional atmosphere of the home.  Parents should also analyze which energy they feel exist stronger within them the masculine or feminine.  The reflection should be about the individual parent, not about the spouse. 

 

Week 4:  Parental Roles Part 3b

 

Objective: Balancing Female Energy in Caregiving within our spouse

Focus:  “Women are the fountain source of love.  Devotion is considered a feminine quality.  While wisdom is considered masculine.  Let me not be misunderstood if I say that for the presence of all the male devotees present here, women alone are responsible.  It is they by their sacred feelings brought their menfolk here.  Their work is sacred in every respect.  They seek not only to sanctify their lives, but the lives of all others in the family.” – Sanathana Sarathi December 1996 pg. 326

Instructional Guidance:  Women are natural communicators so they are responsible for encouraging verbal exchange.  Women want talk about their feelings, understand their spouse and children.  Women are responsible for teaching the children to love God within and without, love and communicate with each other, nurture and develop peace, to share and help each other: all qualities that strengthen our inner image.  In general, the behavior that is taught by the female is love a devotion.  In small group, parents should analyze the roles and reflect on the degree to which they feel that their spouse contributes to the devotional atmosphere of the home.  The reflection not be a criticism of the spouse, but an objective analysis with the intent of sharing the findings made with the spouse so the spouse can also benefit and grow spiritually.  Participants should continue working towards balancing the female energy in themselves as a caregiver while encouraging their spouse to do the same as well.