Youth Curriculum, 6-14-26
Announcements:
Hillary from Soluna Soundworks has a special Sound Bath for Kids and parents on the third Thursday of each month. Doors open 15 minutes before the event starts. Your next opportunity begins June 18th 6-7pm. Come discover why adding this mind-body connection practice can accelerate your child’s spiritual growth in the areas of emotional regulation, stress reduction, self-awareness, and resilience building.
June Theme: Higher Deeper Love: Expanding the Heart of Humanity
Week 2 Value: I Was Made for Loving You
Affirmation: I shine and share as Love.
Curriculum Overview:
In Week 2, youth and teens expand their understanding of Love from an inner experience to an outward expression. Building on the awareness that Love is already present within them, they explore how Love can be shared through everyday interactions, choices, and relationships.
Youth discover that showing up as Love is not about being perfect; it is about being present, compassionate, respectful, and willing to connect with others. Through mindful listening, authentic communication, and acts of kindness, they learn that each interaction is an opportunity to express the Divine Love that lives within them.
Spiritual Lesson:
The Love we recognize within ourselves is the same Love we can recognize in others.
Youth explore the idea that every person is an expression of the Divine. When we take time to truly listen, understand, encourage, and care for one another, we strengthen our awareness of our shared humanity.
Drawing from Ernest Holmes’ teaching that the Spirit within us is the same Spirit we meet in others, youth learn that loving our neighbors begins with recognizing our connection. They discuss how kindness, empathy, patience, and respect become powerful ways of expressing Love in action, especially during imperfect or challenging moments.
Spiritual Practice: Heart-Centered Breathing & Emotional Awareness
Youth participate in a mindful listening exercise designed to cultivate presence and compassion.
In pairs, one person shares about something important to them while the other practices listening without interrupting, fixing, or judging. Afterward, participants reflect on how it felt to be fully heard and how it felt to offer someone their complete attention.
This practice encourages youth to experience Love as attentive presence and helps them recognize listening as an act of care and connection.
Active Listening: Book / Music / Video
Younger Children (Ages 4–7)
- Book: Have You Filled a Bucket Today? by Carol McCloud
Introduces kindness, empathy, and how our actions affect others. - Music: Kindness Begins With Me by Karen Drucker
Encourages children to share kindness and compassion wherever they go. - Video: The Rabbit Listened Read Aloud by Cori Doerrfeld
Demonstrates the healing power of listening and simply being present.
Children & Preteens (Ages 7–12)
- Book: Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson
Explores compassion, inclusion, and the impact of everyday choices. - Music: Count on Me by Bruno Mars
Celebrates support, connection, and caring relationships. - Video: The Rabbit Listened Read Aloud by Cori Doerrfeld
Demonstrates the healing power of listening and simply being present.
Teens (Ages 13–16)
- Reading: Excerpts from All About Love: New Visions by bell hooks
Focus on love as a practice of care, commitment, respect, trust, and communication. - Music: Stand By You by Rachel Platten
Encourages loyalty, support, and authentic connection. - Video: The Skill of Empathy by The School of Life
Explores empathy as a pathway to deeper relationships and understanding.
Creative Expression: Kindness Connection Cards
Youth create a set of affirmation and encouragement cards to give away throughout the week that may include positive affirmations, words of appreciation, messages of encouragement or gratitude notes for family, friends, or community members.
Connecting: Circle of Appreciation
Youth gather in a circle and complete the sentence: “One way someone showed me Love recently was…”
Group Response: “Love grows when we share it.”