Ceci (centre) and the group of 16G participants

Our Facilitator Cecilia Buzón spent a week in Mongolia in September last year and has done some outstanding work in sharing a full variety of our secular programs within different segments of the local community.

16 Guidelines For A Happy Life Course

Cecilia was kindly invited by Khongor Tsedendamba and her husband, Roy Fraser, to run the FDCW flagship course, 16G for a Happy Life at Kharkhorin, Mongolia.

There were 31 participants in the group, from a variety of backgrounds including teachers, monks, prison guards and government employees. Prior to the course, Khongor kindly translated the course materials to Mongolian herself so all the activities were able to run smoothly in the participants local language.

Here are the translated 16G cards and certificate for participants on completion of the course

May all beings be happy

At first, it was a bit difficult to get the participants to open up to Cecilia, even the few who spoke English were shy and extremely respectful. The 16G course was a first experience of this nature for many attendees so it was natural to feel a little nervous. However, as the week progressed the group eased into the course thanks to Ceci who created a very relaxed and comfortable atmosphere . The participants were able to settle into really insightful group discussions and each felt a real benefit from their experience. The participants were extremely engaged in the activities, asked lots of questions and participated with great enthusiasm. One of the monks also offered to guide some mindfulness activities so the support from the community was outstanding.

The course was a great success and was seen to be highly educational and innovative. News of the workshop was also published in the local newspaper and Ceci has been invited back to lead a level 2 workshop so the participants can continue their 16G journey.

16 Guidelines for Children & Teens

Cecilia has been busy behind the scenes developing a specialised 16 Guidelines for Teens & Children programme for FDCW which should be available to share with 16G facilitators later this year. During her visit Cecilia introduced some of the activities from the 16G for Teens & Children course to children in a local orphanage which was very well received. The activities included a 16G puzzle, parachute and blindfolds which added a more playful aspect to the traditional 16G course materials.

The children were introduced to simple mindfulness practices. Cecilia is still in touch with Yumiko, who works at the orphanage, they are tailoring some very simple activities for the kids to continue working with the guidelines on a regular basis.

“The last few hours we spent together were shared laughing and playing in a very candid way which will be fondly remembered by all.”

— Ceci, Facilitator

Here’s to capturing special moments like these.

Child meditating on the 16G Guideline for children exercise.

THE ANALOGY OF THE PARACHUTE

Ceci has shared some of her ideas of using the Parachute for 16G inspired activities!

A parachute is a versatile tool to incorporate the Wisdom Themes (WT) and 16G in a fun and entertaining way for children and teenagers. The parachute can be presented as an analogy for the 16G s and the 4 Wisdom Themes (WT). If your parachute has four colours, assign each colour to a wisdom theme –preferably matched with the colours in the 16G Jigsaw Puzzle if you have one.

The group engaged in 16G inspired parachute games

A beautiful day to play in the sunshine.

The parachute can be used in many different ways:

1) children hold the edge and billow the parachute to make an umbrella/mushroom. Once the parchute is inflated the children can sit underneath to share a story or a reflection related to the 16G. They can reflect that the WTs or guidelines are the “roof” under which we unfold the activity. This way, the teacher/adult shows the WT and 16G as an ever present subject. Umbrella and mushroom instructions see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Obu9nc9cgN0

2) another example is to use the parachute as a carpet on the floor to sit on to do an activity, using the analogy that the WT and 16G “support us” and that we can develop our lives “based on” them.

3) with a small group, invite each participant to sit on a specific colour, assign each one a guideline or wisdom theme and discuss or reflect on a topic from the perspective of that WT or guideline.

4) with younger participants, keep it simple and playful. They all hold up the edge of the parachute with a ball on it, ask them to move the parachute so the ball won’t fall off. After playing for some minutes, ask 1 or 2 children who are next to each other to step aside for a moment and see if the rest of the group can still keep the ball on the parachute. Probably it will role off - reflect on the importance of each one of us, even animals and plants, to keep a good balance. This is a good way to represent the state of our minds. For example, if we make waves with the parachute or move it up and down so it wiggles around, it is not possible to keep a ball on it. In the same way, if our mind is not steady, it is hard to feel calm and think clearly. Sometimes we need to stop moving the parachute and let it calm down, as with our own minds.

5) use with the cards. Holding the edge of the parachute so it is high participants each have a 16G card from a WT. The adult calls out one guideline and those with it run under the parachute and swap places. Then call out 2 guidelines and swap. Then call out all 4 guidelines. If the number of participants is even and the age appropriate, the adult doesn’t participate but instructs from outside. Participants can be paired in a strategic way. For instance, those who don’t get on well can be given the same guideline. This is a chance to share an activity positively. If you are working with a guideline and its shadow side, this pairing would not be recommended.

4) with teenagers, expand this activity by assigning each colour a guideline and its shadow side, as there are eight triangles in the parachute. For example, the green triangle will represent PATIENCE and the green triangle opposite will represent IMPATIENCE. Invite the group to reflect on a situation, conflict, story, etc. having in mind those specific places on the parachute.

16 Guidelines in prisons

Cecil was also invited to a local prison, where the team discussed delivering the 16G course to employees and also the 300 prisoners that are serving time there. The Manager, Colonel Batjargal Baatar was very interested in having a 16G course and believed it would be of great benefit to the prisoners and it’s staff. Discussions are currently underway to schedule the programmes be shared.

Last but not least, one of the monks (who is in charge of a group of 10 young monks) asked me to guide him to introduce 16G to his group. They are now working with WT1 and its four guidelines.

“We also had the chance to have dinner with the nun who is in charge of the FPMT center in Ullan Bator, who told us about the level 1 Wendy offered there, we shared the experience in Kharkhorin with her and had some very good advice. A blessed night, without a doubt."

We are extremely grateful for all the good work that has been done in sharing Universal Education in Monoglia and we look forward to sharing more stories as more workshops are planned in the future.

Last words from our wonderful Facilitator Ceci

“All in all, it was a fruitful experience in the hope that a tiny seed may grow and the 16Guidelines flourish in a new community.”

Universal Education makes an impact in Mongolia