Aim

To understand that life is viewed by many as having stages.
To know that Hindus consider that there are four stages to life.
To reflect on the Journey Ahead.

Preparation

Before the lesson revise knowledge about Brahman.

Lesson

Begin by revising what was taught about life as a journey in the course of the previous lesson.

What about the journey ahead? Discuss the children's ambitions.

What must the children do both now and in the future to realize their ambitions? What stages must they pass through?

For example, if a child wanted to be a doctor, she would have to pass 'A' levels and study medicine at university.

What ambitions do the children's parents have for them? What do the children think of these?

Most religions throughout the world say that the most important ambition a person can have is to be 'united' with God.

In Christianity, this means loving Jesus. In order for this to happen, a person must pass through one stage. Christians call this stage 'conversion'. Most, if not all, Christians have passed through this stage at some point in their lives. For some, 'conversion' happened when they were children. For others, 'conversion' took place when they were much older.

The main ambition of Hindus is to reach Brahman. (At this point, you may need to revise what has been taught previously about Brahman.) Hindus believe that there are four stages which a person should pass through in order to reach Brahman. These stages closely relate to a person's age.

The four stages or ashramas as Hindus call them, are - student, householder, retired person and 'renouncer'.

Inform the children that you will be looking at these four stages over the next two weeks.

Conclusion

Conclude lesson by asking the children to draw their Journey Ahead.

Notes

It is important to stress that the four prescribed stages of life are an ideal. In practice, the vast majority of Hindus, both in India and in Britain, do not 'progress' beyond the second stage.