ABC: Bible Meditation for Me!: S Is for Sun!

ABC:  Bible Meditation for Me!:  S Is for Sun!

ABC:  Bible Meditation for Me!:  Bible Meditation Vs. Eastern Meditation

Introduction:  This is one lesson in a series of twenty-six ABC lessons for parents, grandparents, kids, and teachers.  There are three more lessons left to post: K, M, and N.  Scroll back to read the rest.

S Is for the Sun

S is for the sun,
a part of God's creation
that I must not worship,
nor to it give adoration.

In the Morning Meditation Verses

Ps. 5:1-3 tells us what to do in the morning when we wake up.  Do we greet the Sun?  No, but we can meditate with our words, our prayer, and our lifting up eyes to the Lord.  Listen!
"Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation.  Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, my God: for unto thee will I pray.  My voice will thou hear in the morning.  In the morning I will direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up."  

Arrow Book Mark

Seal an envelope; cut off its corner.  Cut out a rectangular marker.  Slip your corner marker triangle over the top of the rectangular marker to make an easy arrow.  Type out Ps.5:1-3; glue it to marker front.  Move arrow upwards as you say verse.  Place near to Psalm 5.

Twenty-five Men Worship the Sun: 
     An Abomination Meditation

In Ezekiel 8:16, the prophet tells of about twenty-five men who were outside the temple of the Lord.  What were they doing?  Well, God's word records that they had their backs to the temple, and their faces were looking east.  Why were they looking east?  They were worshipping the sun. What did God say about this?  Was this the Bible way?

God's Warning Against
Sun, Moon, or Star Worship!

In Deuteronomy four, God told his people they needed to take good heed that they did not worship the sun, the moon, or the stars!  Here's how it reads, "And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the LORD thy God hath divided (imparted) unto all nations under the whole heaven."  (Deuteronomy 4:19)

A Praise Verse to Recite!

Psalm 148:3 is a praise verse to recite and write:  "Praise ye him, sun and moon.  Praise ye him all ye stars of light."  Who is to receive praise?  The sun, the moon, the stars?  No, for over and over this Psalm tells us that all God's creation including the sun, the moon, and the stars are to "Praise Him!" As verse thirteen says, "... for his name alone is excellent, his glory is above all the earth."

"Praise Ye Him!" Door Hanger

Cut out a sun, moon, and star shape; overlap and glue together to form a chain.  Tie a yarn loop to the top to fit over a door knob.  On the sun write "Praise," on the moon "ye," and on the star "him!" On the back write: "Psalm 148:3."  Hang on a door knob! 

Crown Him King of Kings!

Glory, laud, and honor
to the Lord proclaim,
Bowing down before Him,
bless his holy name.
Give him praise and worship
as creator of all things,
Worship and adore Him,
crown him King of Kings.
                                       LEP
Eastern Meditation

S Is for Sun
Salutations

S is for sun
salutations,
a yoga
sequence done,
in the morning 
to greet the sun.

Salutations to the Sun God--Surya

Surya, the sun god, one of Hinduism's supreme deities, is the deity that yogis greet each morning during the sun salutation sequence.  In Debating Mindfulness and Yoga in Public Schools (2019)  Candy Gunther Brown describes in "Modern Ashtanga Yoga" what sun salutations or "Surya Namaskara" involves. 

Brown writes "Ashtanga Yoga" opens with Surya Namaskara, 'a prayer to the sun god,' Surya.  A Hindu Brahmin, Pattabhi Jois, or Guruji stated that ancient Hindu texts teach such salutations are dear to the son god Surya.  Brown notes that sun salutations have priority since "the postures of yoga have each a presiding deity, and there are 72,000 such deities in total." 

One begins with the sun god, Brown says, because according to belief, Surya contains the rest of the pantheon or other gods.  After, Surya salutations one may worship other deities by doing various asanas. (p.71)  Also see Berean Call's Candy Gunther Brown's article synopsis noted at the end of Lesson: "X Is for X-tra and X-out!" 

Rhyme and Shine: Yoga
Sun Salutations for Kids

Karen Thygerson has written Rhyme and Shine: Yoga Sun Salutations for Kids a book aimed at three to ten-year-olds.  But, says Thygerson, it is truly for all ages. These salutation poses are all in rhyme, and after several readings all will begin to memorize the verses.  One rhyme says, "Let's find your light inside today with sun salutations the yoga way."   Another rhyme says, "Now we stretch in cobra pose: lift your shoulders, eyes, and nose.  Stretch your chest, and use your arms, Show off all your cobra charms."
https://www.amazon.com/Rhyme-Shine-Yoga-Salutation-Kids/dp/0615858066

Sun Salutations for Kids

Here's another wordless Moovlee video showing the meditative monkey doing yoga asanas to greet the sun.  Examine this provocative video made for young children here: 
https://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video?fr=yfp-t&p=Yoga+for+Kids%3A+Sun+Salutations+A+%26+B+Moovlee+Kids+Video#id=1&vid=f5f396d9b784a5fb6631637800a8bed9&action=click

Bambino Yoga

"Sun Salutations" by Bambino Yoga has a whole script for teaching young children to salute the sun: Songs, Affirmations, Sanskrit, Nature, Props, Breath, With Books, and more.  It ends with "Have fun and happy sun saluting!"
http://bambinoyoga.com/blog/2015/6/16/sun-salutations-for-kids-yoga

Little Kids Hello, Sun!

An upcoming September 2019 book Hello, Sun!: A Yoga Sun Salutation to Start Your Day! by talented artist Sara Jane Hinder will add to the resources for more sun salutes by innocent little folks.  Hinder's new book begins and ends with the mountain pose plus ten classic postures.  At the end is an illustrated flow of poses, a brief history of sun salutations, and a special sunshine meditation.  Note also this book is published by "Sounds True."   (See "Y Is for Yoga.")
https://www.amazon.com/Hello-Sun-Yoga-Salutation-Start/dp/168364283X

https://bestselfmedia.com/hello-sun/


Parental Suggestion:

Caryl Matrisciana's book Out of India has a chapter titled "Yoga Uncoiled," not to mention the amazing story of Caryl's conversion out the New Age.  If you haven't read it get it, and share it with your children too.  Find it here:  www.lighthousetrails.com