Special Interest Pathways

• 503CContemplative Arts

  Practice creating art without attachment to specific outcomes by starting projects with open curiosity rather than fixed plans, experimenting with letting go of “perfect” results, and discovering how releasing expectations can lead to surprising discoveries; engage in contemplative art practices that develop present-moment awareness such as mindful drawing, meditative clay work, or focused color mixing; and reflect on how the creative process changes their relationship with patience, frustration, and acceptance.
• 430CFour Noble Truths Overview

  Compare the Buddha’s medical analogy (diagnosis, cause, prognosis, treatment) with modern problem-solving approaches; investigate how the four truths explain patterns of dissatisfaction in different life areas; and develop systematic approaches for applying the eightfold path to specific challenges.
• 439CRight Motivation

  Examine Buddhist biographical stories to identify how right motivation led to beneficial outcomes and wrong motivation led to suffering. Compare the motivations of different Buddhist figures and analyze how their intentions shaped their actions and legacy. Create detailed personal narratives about times when changing your motivation transformed a difficult situation.
• 422CThe Paramita of Dana/Generosity

  Analyze the role of generosity in Buddhist Jataka tales and compare with contemporary examples, evaluate how story characters demonstrate caga (generous heart) versus mere obligation, and create multimedia presentations teaching younger students about generosity through narrative.
• 430DFour Noble Truths Overview

  Examine personal and social sources of suffering through contemplative inquiry; evaluate how understanding the four truths transforms relationships with disappointment, conflict, and change; and implement mindfulness practices that cultivate emotional resilience and compassionate response to others’ pain.
• 439Right Motivation

  Investigate the layered nature of personal motivation by uncovering hidden drives beneath surface intentions; evaluate how cultural influences, peer pressure, and personal insecurities affect your motivations; and implement systematic approaches for aligning your actions with wholesome intentions while recognizing the complexity of human motivation.
• 422DThe Paramita of Dana/Generosity

  Design personal experiments to test how generous actions affect mental states and relationships. Analyze the relationship between attachment and giving through systematic self-observation. Develop strategies for overcoming internal barriers to generosity.
• 422EThe Paramita of Dana/Generosity

  Differentiate between ordinary giving and transcendent generosity (dana) that expects nothing in return; analyze how the quality of mind (caga) influences the spiritual impact of generous acts; and design a practice of multi-dimensional giving that cultivates non-attachment while addressing the varied but specific needs of others.
• 410AMindful Listening Practices

  Demonstrate good listening by showing quiet body, watching eyes, and still hands during story time; use listening games with partners where one person talks and the other shows they are listening; and describe what it feels like when someone listens carefully to you.