key_stages: Key Stage 4 (Age 14-16)

Come and join us for Vaisakhi – the Indian spring harvest festival, which has been celebrated for centuries. Vaisakhi is of special importance in Sikhi as it marks the day the Khalsa was established by Guru Gobind Singh Ji in 1699.

Our film highlights the vibrant traditions and practices associated with Vaisakhi, from the Nishan Sahib Seva – the service of cleaning and putting up a new Nishan Sahib (flag), and the sharing of langar (community meals) to the recitation of prayers and music that fill the air. The celebrations of Vaisakhi showcase the spirit of togetherness, faith, and cultural pride. With beautiful illustrations and live action combined, we hope that we can get you excited for the festival of Vaisakhi!

Transcript

Vaisakhi Transcript

Contributor 1: Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

Jaya Narrator: Every spring all over the world, Sikhs like me celebrate the festival of Vaisakhi. It's been a harvest festival in India for thousands of years. But for Sikhs it has an extra special meaning because it's also where the Khalsa began. Khalsa means the pure ones and it's what we call the community of Sikhs who have fully committed themselves to Sikhi. This is our temple where we worship and get together as a community. It's called a Gurdwara, which means House of the Guru because the Guru Granth Sahib Ji is here. Our living Guru, in the form of a book on the days leading up to Vaisakhi an Akhand Path will be held. This is when the Guru Granth Sahib Ji is read out loud from beginning to end. It takes 48 hours to read all 1,430 pages, so different readers take turns. On the day itself. Everyone goes to the Gurdwara in the morning for prayers and to hear the Guru Granth Sahib Ji being read.

Contributor 1: Vaisakhi to me means coming together as a whole community to celebrate the birth of the Khalsa. Celebrating togetherness and oneness. No matter what faith you are, what creed you are, what gender you are. We all come together as one.

Contributor 2: Vaisakhi to me is also a good time to reflect, to be grateful for all that we have.

Jaya Narrator: Vaisakhi is celebrated on the first day of the Sikh month of the Vaisakh, which falls on the 13th or 14th of April.

Contributor 3: Vaisakhi is signing up to the code and conduct of the Sikhs, and the storytelling that goes on in these days reminds you of the sets of values that created the Sikh faith.

Jaya Narrator: At Vaisakhi we remember an important event in our history. In 1699, the Sikh community didn't feel much like celebrating the harvest festival. They were facing vicious persecution from the Emperor Aurangzeb just for being Sikhs. 23 years earlier. Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth guru and leader of the Sikh people, had been beheaded on the emperor's orders. Many people had decided that rather than share the fate of their guru, they would abandon Sikhi altogether. Now the Sikh community was in danger of falling apart, and it was up to Guru Gobind Rajij, the son of Guru Tegh Bahadur to do something about it. In the weeks leading up to Vaisakhi, word went out that the guru was asking every single Sikh to attend a special celebration in the town of Anandpur. And on the day, tens of thousands of people gathered in front of Kashgar Fort, where a large tent had been put up. Guru Gobind Rajij walked out in front of the crowd. He was an impressive sight in his saffron robes, his hair tied neatly in a turban. He held a sword above his head and it flashed in the sunlight. The crowd fell silent, waiting for their guru to speak. Who among you is willing to die for God and for their guru? Who will give their head to my sword? What did he mean? Eventually a man made his way up to the front. It was Daya Ram, a young man from a well-to-do family. The guru welcomed him like a brother and took him into the tent. Then a hush descended as the crowd strained to hear what was going on. There was a swish of a sword and a sickening thud. The guru emerged alone from the tent and waved his sword for all to see. Shock ran through the crowd like a wave. The blade was covered in blood. Had the guru beheaded Daya Ram. Who else is willing to give their life for God and for me? This time everyone remained absolutely still frightened to move. But then another man stepped forward. A farmer called Dharam Das. As before, he was welcomed by the guru and led inside the tent. Everyone held their breath, a swish, a thud, and the guru re-emerged, brandishing his bloodstained sword. Panic began to spread. My sword is still hungry. Who else is willing to give their head to serve me? Unbelievably, three more men volunteered. A tailor called Mokham Chand. A barber called Sahib Chand. And a water carrier called Himmat Rai. One at a time, the guru took them into the tent and then came out alone, his blade sticky with congealing blood. The crowd was in confusion. No one could understand what was happening. But then the guru threw back the flaps of the tent and all five men walked out alive and well. They were wearing turbans and saffron robes like the guru, and they were all smiling. Five men from very different backgrounds, standing shoulder to shoulder with the guru. Five men who were willing to die for their guru if necessary. The crowd cheered. The guru announced that they would be known as the Panj Piare, the beloved five. He invited them to drink holy water called Amrit, and then he anointed them, sprinkling the Amrit on their heads and eyes. They were the first members of the Khalsa, the Pure Ones. Sikhs who were truly committed to Sikki. The guru asked the Panj Piare to baptise him with Amrit in the same way. And then the crowd rushed forward, all eager to join the Khalsa. Each person was given a new name, Singh, which means lion for men and Kaur, which means princess or leader for women. Guru Gobind Rajij became Guru Gobind Singh Ji and new life was breathed into the Sikh people as they stood proudly together. They were more than a match for the Emperor. The Panj Piare are represented at our celebrations by members of the Khalsa, sometimes called the Khalsa Panth, which means the way of the Pure Ones.

Contributor 4: So the Panj Piare, they're the first Sikhs to be initiated into the Khalsa Panth. So Guru Gobind Singh Ji, who was the 10th guru of the Sikh religion, he felt it was necessary to create a distinct identity for the Sikhs in which they were clearly recognised and could follow a code of conduct which helps them in their daily life.

Contributor 5: The underpin of love and compassion and humility, of telling the truth and living a very simple lifestyle and being content with what you have.

Contributor 6: So Khalsa is someone who actually fights for the justice, someone who fights for the righteousness. Someone who is not biased. He would not take the side of his own religion or his own people. He would fight for righteousness. That is Khalsa.

Jaya Narrator: Vaisakhi is a popular time of year for people to join the Khalsa, which they do in the same way as the Panj Piare and the guru did by going through the Amrit ceremony or Amrit Sanchar.

Contributor 7: I was fortunate to take the Amrit Sanchar ceremony two years ago, when I felt it was the right time in my life to commit to the Guru's teachings and way of life. The Amrit Sanchar ceremony is open to all regardless of your faith, your background, your age, your colour. It's open to everybody. Through that ceremony, essentially, you're saying that you give your head, you will live a disciplined life, and ultimately you'll believe in the force of one. In treating humans together, humanity together, but also how you will conduct yourself and with others around you. Also, at that time, the Sikhs are given the five symbols of the Sikh faith. The Kesh, which is the long uncut hair, the Kara, which is the steel bangle, the Kirpan which is the sword that you may see worn on the outside, the Kachera, which is the the shorts that are worn as undergarments. And finally the Kangha, which is used to keep your your hair tied up as well.

Jaya Narrator: Every Gurdwara has a flag outside, like this one called a Nishan Sahib, which symbolises that everyone is welcome at the Gurdwara for food and help. At Vaisakhi it's taken down and a new one is put up in a ceremony called the Nishan Sahib Seva.

Contributor 5: Today is also particularly special because as you can see behind me, we are going to be doing the Nishan Sahib Seva. So the Nishan Sahib is our flag and the Nishan Sahib can be seen in every Gurudwara. Wherever you go in the world, there will always be a Nissan Sahib up and this time of year it's taken down and we clean it. We redress it, if you like. So that because the colours fade with the weathering over the year. So new bright robes are put onto the Nissan Sahib and everybody loves joining in, in that process. Especially children that like to see it all being done.

Jaya Narrator: All Gurdwaras have a Langar a dining hall that serves free vegetarian food so everyone eats together. And then celebrations often continue long into the night.

Contributor 7: It's springtime in India. It's about actually, you know, the start of a new beginning. It's a time for people to come together. The Sikh faith congregation around the world comes together to reflect on the values of the Sikh faith. But then also, I think it's an opportunity for us all to come together and think about how we want to lead our lives as well, and what was set out by the gurus initially, then how we want to take that forward in our daily lives as well.

Vaisakhi

Video length - 11.06

Published date - Apr 2025

Keystage(s) - 3 and 4

We hit the streets of London to uncover a diverse range of opinions on relationships. Whether it’s the bond between friends, the love shared between romantic partners, or the connection within families, we delve deep into what makes these relationships work well and what can cause them to turn toxic.

Beyond exploring the dynamics of healthy and unhealthy relationships, we also take a closer look at the concept of respect. What does respect truly mean to people? How do they express it, and in what ways do they expect to receive it in return? Through honest conversation, we gain insight into the values, challenges, and expectations that shape the way people navigate their relationships every day.

This film is a perfect resource as a catalyst for classroom discussions in PSHE or RSE lessons.

Respect and Relationships

Video length - 04.30

Published date - Feb 2025

Keystage(s) - 3 and 4

Where do we come from? Humanists UK’s new schools video with Alice Roberts tells the scientific story of our origins, from the Big Bang, through the evolution of stars, planets, life, and, ultimately, us, revealing what we are made from and how we are connected to the rest of the living world. This short but beautiful animation highlights the wonder in this story that humanists (and others) might draw on as a source of inspiration, meaning, and value in their lives.

https://understandinghumanism.org.uk/

Transcript

Billions of years ago, the whole universe was packed tightly together, smaller than a grain of sand. Then suddenly, bang! It got bigger. Much bigger and very, very fast. In this early universe, there were atoms, the tiny building blocks that would build almost everything else. Gravity pulled the atoms together. Millions, billions, trillions of them. And made the stars and the atoms inside the stars smash together, releasing heat and light in the hearts of the stars. New atoms formed bigger but still ever so small. New building blocks that in time would go on to build new things. Things like you. You are made from stardust. But stars don't last forever.

They grow bigger and bigger then collapse and explode. Throwing atoms out across the universe. Until gravity pulls them together again to make new stars. Stars like our sun and planets. One of which is very special to us. Earth. Our home. At first the Earth was lifeless and boiling hot, but in the depths of the oceans, something sparked a few chemicals built from those atoms that had been formed in the stars began to make copies of themselves. The beginning of life. Life was very simple for a long time, just single, tiny cells. But over time, life changed slowly at first. Each generation a little different from the last.

Like children, are a little different from their parents. And over millions of years, many, many small changes can lead to big changes. Life exploded into millions of brilliant and beautiful new forms, branching in many different directions, adapting to environments, evolving over time. We are related to every other living thing on the planet. Plants and fungi. Worms and insects. Fish. Amphibians. Reptiles. Mammals. Primates. Apes. Humans. You. Thinking. Feeling. Choosing. Caring. Dreaming. Wondering. You. Such simple ingredients. Such wondrous results. You're lucky to be here. If any one event in this chain had happened differently, then you might not have made it.

We are all a part of this story. We all belong to it. How incredible that we're able to look back and tell this story, to answer our questions about where we come from. To see the evidence all around us. The story is not yet complete. We don't know everything. But if we keep looking, we'll learn more. Maybe you can help.

Where do we come from?

Video length - 03.24

Published date - Feb 2025

Keystage(s) - 3 and 4

Join Maria and Jayne as they explore the key similarities and differences between Roman Catholic and Protestant branches of Christianity. Through a conversational format they discuss these denominations and their shared beliefs and unique practices, offering insights into the historical, theological, and cultural distinctions that shape their faiths.

The film delves into topics such as the structure of church leadership, styles of worship, sacraments, and the role of tradition versus scripture. It examines rituals like baptism and communion, contrasting Catholic beliefs in transubstantiation with Protestant symbolism. It also touches on theological concepts like salvation, confession, and the afterlife, presenting perspectives on purgatory, saints, and direct prayer.

The film highlights both common ground and diversity within Christianity, encouraging viewers to appreciate the richness of its traditions. Perfect for students and anyone interested in the history and practices of Christian faith.

Transcript

Understanding Denominations: Christianity

Hi. I'm a Christian and so am I. But we come from different denominations of Christianity. A denomination is a branch or group within a religion. I'm a Roman Catholic and I'm a Protestant. We both believe that Jesus is the Son of God, who died and rose again and then went to heaven. Jesus left his apostles, his messengers, to spread his teaching and made Peter their leader. And we believe that's when the Catholic Church started. The word Catholic comes from the Greek word katholikos, which means universal because the church was for everyone. But in the year 1054, the Great Schism happened. The church split into the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church, so called because it was based in Rome, and it became more and more powerful throughout Europe. Then in 1382, a professor at Oxford University, John Wycliffe, argued that it was time for the church to be reformed. But the Reformation Formation didn't really get going until 1517, when a German priest called Martin Luther started a protest against the Roman Catholics and the Protestant Church was born. Or the Protestant churches were born because there are different denominations within Protestantism, right? Yeah. In fact, I wouldn't usually call myself a Protestant. I'd call myself a Baptist, which is the Protestant denomination which I belong to. But there are also Methodists, Lutherans, Presbyterians, Quakers. There are lots of them. I get it. So what are the main differences between Roman Catholics and Protestants? Well, let's start with the church itself. The building, I mean, take a look. Roman Catholic churches usually have a lot of decoration and other stuff. The most common symbol we use is the crucifix. Jesus on the cross. It's a reminder of the sacrifice Jesus made for us when he was crucified. Protestant churches tend to be plainer. Our symbol is an empty cross. Sometimes called a Latin cross. It reminds us that Jesus rose from the dead.

A Roman Catholic church is led by a priest. Only men can be priests and they can't get married or have children. They usually wear a white dog collar and put on long robes called vestments during services. We tend to call our church leaders ministers or pastors because we believe in the priesthood of all believers, that the leader of the church is no different to the rest of us. Most Protestant denominations have male and female pastors. They can get married, and they don't usually wear dog collars or vestments, although some do. The priesthood is something special in the Roman Catholic Church, especially the Pope. We believe that the Apostle Peter was the first pope, and the blessing he was given by Jesus has been passed down from man to man until we get to the present day Pope who leads the church. It's called the apostolic succession. We don't have a single leader. There's the Archbishop of Canterbury in the Church of England. But other Protestant churches have their own leaders. The Roman Catholic Church's authority comes from the Bible and 2000 years of tradition. In Protestant churches, authority comes just from the Bible. We both believe in the Bible, which is a collection of 66 books written by different authors over about 1500 years. Reading the Bible and learning from it is really important to Protestants. The main focus of our services is a sermon, a talk given by the pastor to help explain the Bible's teachings. The Roman Catholic Bible has 73 books. The Protestants removed seven of them. Bible study is less important to us. We tend to concentrate on the sacraments, which are seven special ceremonies that were given the stamp of approval by Jesus. Baptism. Confirmation. Eucharist. Confession. Anointing of the sick, holy matrimony, and holy orders. Most Protestants would say there are only two sacraments Baptism and Holy Communion, but we do them differently. Baptism is a ritual wash symbolising the removal of sin and the start of a new life. Yeah, although we would say it's more than just a symbol, it's important that people get baptised so that they can become part of the church as soon as possible, whether they're babies or adults. We do it by sprinkling them with holy water from a big basin, like this, called a font. We have believers baptism, which means we only baptise people who can decide for themselves if that's what they want. Jesus was baptised in the river Jordan, so most Protestant churches will imitate that with baptism by full immersion, which means they go completely underwater in a baptismal pool or baptistry. Like this.

Celebrating the Eucharist, which we do during a service called mass, is central to Roman Catholic life. We're more likely to call it Holy Communion, the Lord's Supper, or breaking of the bread. It's when we share bread and wine to symbolise the body and blood of Jesus. He asked his followers to remember his death on the cross in this way. But again, we would say it's more than just a symbol. Roman Catholics believe that while the outward form of the bread and wine stays the same, their essence becomes the body and blood of Jesus who is there again at the mass. The belief is traditionally called transubstantiation. People usually come up to the front of the church to receive the bread and wine from the priest. Although wafers are often used instead of bread, in Protestant churches, it's more usual for everyone to stay in their seats and for the bread and wine to be passed along the rows. The bread is usually actual bread, but a lot of churches use red grape juice instead of wine. You don't believe the bread and wine changed in any way? No, mostly some Protestants believe that the bread and wine are changed in a spiritual way. That they are blessed by God and become holy. But we don't believe that they are Jesus's body and blood. One of the sacraments you don't have is confession. We sit with the priest and tell him our sins, the things we've done wrong, and he forgives us on behalf of God and gives us a penance, which is something we do to show that we're sorry. We usually give him prayers to say. We can go to our pastors for advice, but we pray directly to God for forgiveness. We can pray directly to God as well, but our priests act like go betweens for us.

You also pray to Mary, the mother of Jesus and the saints, don't you? That's right. Saints are people who lived really holy lives. People we can be sure are in heaven. And do the saints answer your prayers? No. It's still God who answers the prayers. It's a bit like asking a friend to pray for you, but a saint has the advantage of already being in heaven and closer to God. It's why we have pictures and statues of saints and the Virgin Mary, which you won't find in a Protestant church. We only pray to God. Our worship tends to be very traditional classical music and prayers from a book. Up until the 1960s. It was all in Latin. But since then our worship has been in the language of the worshippers. Although some churches still like to use the Latin Mass, Protestant worship has always been in the worshippers language, and we tend to have a more modern style of music. Many churches even have their own bands to lead the singing. The mass follows a written pattern called a liturgy, and it's been the same for centuries. Our worship is a bit looser, although our service will still have a structure with singing, prayers and a sermon. You don't use a prayer book? No. Although I should explain the Church of England here, which is a special case. It all started with Henry VIII, famous for having six wives. Exactly. Until the 1530s. England was a Roman Catholic country. But Henry VIII wanted to divorce his first wife and marry his mistress. The Pope said no. So Henry told the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer, to create a Church of England that wasn't under the pope's authority. This developed into a church with Protestant beliefs, but a lot of Catholic traditions. So many of them still use prayer books and more formal styles of worship. And they have priests. Yeah, but men and women can be Church of England priests and they can get married. Okay, so what happens when we die? Salvation. We're saved from hell and go to heaven to be with God. It's not quite that simple for Roman Catholics. We believe that salvation is a lifelong process. We're saved by our faith in God and the good works we do. Protestants believe that salvation is by faith alone. You've probably heard us talking about being born again, yeah? Well, we believe that once you've accepted Jesus as your Savior, that's it. You're going to heaven. It's a once in a lifetime thing, so you don't have to do any good works. We don't have to. But we believe that once a person is saved, the Holy Spirit will help them to become a better person. So they'll be doing good things for other people anyway. Roman Catholics believe that after death, really good people go straight to heaven and really bad people go straight to hell. But we also believe in a place called purgatory, which is where most people go to be purified of their sins before moving on to heaven. Protestants just believe in heaven and hell. We've got this life to get saved, and then we go to one or the other for eternity. But in the here and now, would you say we have more in common than differences? I don't know. What do you think?

Understanding Denominations: Christianity

Video length - 09.50

Published date - Jan 2025

Keystage(s) - 3 and 4

Join us on Luke’s journey in our short animated film I Believed in Father Christmas. As his Baptism approaches, Luke finds himself grappling with questions about his faith in Christianity, a central part of his identity that has always provided him with a sense of purpose and belonging. Through a series of reflective moments and poignant scenes, the film explores Luke’s internal struggle as he begins to question the beliefs he once held so strongly. The story delves into the complexities of faith, doubt, and personal growth, shedding light on the pressures Luke faces from both external expectations and his own evolving understanding of spirituality. As he navigates these challenging questions, Luke must come to terms with the shifting nature of his beliefs and their place in his life. Will he rediscover his faith, or will this journey lead him to redefine what faith means to him? This heartfelt narrative offers a powerful exploration of identity, belief, and the transformative process of self-discovery.

Transcript

I Believed in Father Christmas

Luke: My name is Luke. I'm 12. I'm into music and science, and I'm a Christian. Except, I'm not sure about that last bit anymore. I want to believe, like it's something I can make myself do. I don't want to lose it.

But it was the same with Father Christmas. I totally believed in Father Christmas, and I carried on believing in him long after all my friends stopped, long after I knew, really, deep down that he didn't exist. But I loved the idea of him - the magic and the mystery. I wanted to believe, so I did. But it couldn't last forever.

One year I asked my mum if Father Christmas was real. She didn't know what to do with her face. She smiled, but then realised I was afraid to hear the truth, and she looked so sad. I wasn't her little boy anymore.

Is that what this is? Am I just growing up? But it can't be that because Mum and Dad and everyone at church still believe in God and Jesus and miracles. They say that God must exist because who created the world and all the animals? But you can explain it with science.

We went to the zoo on a school trip, and Miss Wilson - our science teacher - gave us some questions to do. One was, "The human neck has seven bones. How many do you think a Giraffe has?" I thought, must be 50? 100? And then we found the answer: seven.

A giraffe has exactly the same number of neck bones as a human. Miss Wilson says it's because we evolved from the same fish or something. Mum and Dad said a giraffe has seven bones in its neck because that's the way God designed it. But I dunno. You can prove science, but you have to believe in God. Can you do both? Miss Wilson runs the Christian Union at school, so... maybe?

Sophie in my form won't say prayers in assembly because she's a Humanist. She says that we only have one life, and that it's up to us to make everyone's lives better now, because she doesn't believe in Heaven or Hell or God. She's an atheist. Is that what I am? Or an agnostic? Sophie says that's someone who can't make up their mind if there's a God or not.

And what about all the other kids in my form? Hamza and Ayesha are Muslims, Malathi's Hindu, Dilpreet's a Sikh. Who's right? Or maybe we're all right in different ways.

Dilpreet's great. Eurgh! His Gurdwara gives out food to homeless people and runs a clothes bank. I think they do more than our church!

But church is pretty much my life when I'm not at school. Sunday, I go to the family service in the morning and the worship service in the evening. Tuesday night it's house group, Thursday night it's band practice, Saturday it's youth club, and then it's Sunday again. Most of my friends are at church. I feel safe there.

But I've got my Baptism soon. I've got to stand up in front of everyone and say I believe in God and Jesus and everything. What would Mum and Dad say if I told them I didn't want to go through with it?

My name is Luke. I'm 12, I'm into music and science and... and I'm still working everything else out.

I Believed in Father Christmas

Video length - 03.52

Published date - Dec 2024

Keystage(s) - 3 and 4

Downloadable resources

Join us for Diwali (or Deepavali) for The Festival of Lights. Come inside a vibrant Mandir, where Hindus of all ages come together to celebrate one of the most cherished festivals in Hindu culture. Feel the spirit of Diwali, following families, children, and elders as they prepare offerings, light diyas, and share moments of reflection. People share what Diwali means to them, weaving a tapestry of personal meanings and traditions that reflect resilience, unity, and the victory of light over darkness.

The ancient story of the Ramayana is depicted with colourful illustrations, bringing to life the journey of Rama, his loyal brother Lakshmana, and devoted wife Sita. Together, they embark on a journey marked by courage, loyalty, and the ultimate triumph over the demon king Ravana. The visuals depict their trials and victories, culminating in the joyous return to Ayodhya and the lighting of countless lamps to celebrate good’s triumph over evil.

Through these interwoven narratives Diwali offers a heartfelt exploration of cultural identity, tradition, and spirituality, reminding viewers of the universal themes of hope and resilience celebrated during the festival Diwali.

Transcript

Diwali

Every autumn, Hindus like me celebrate the festival of Diwali or Deepavali, which means “row of lights”. It happens on the days surrounding the night of the new moon that marks the end of the Indian month Ashwin and the beginning of Kartik, which is also our New Year. It usually falls somewhere in October or November. We prepare for Diwali by cleaning and decorating our homes and the Mandir, and we buy new clothes to wear, and presents for our friends and family.

So every year we come to the temple because it's our second home. It's nice to celebrate Diwali together with friends and family.

I celebrate Diwali, or Deepavali as it's called in southern India and Sri Lanka, by coming to the temple and celebrating the festival with all of my friends, and just enjoying the serenity of the temple.

It's a time for relaxation, eating, cleaning the house, doing some thorough cleaning because it's a very auspicious time.

So you visit your parents, you visit your in-laws, and all get together to celebrate this as a family get-together.

I celebrate Diwali by me and my family coming to the temple to gather and meet other families who are also celebrating this festival.

It's really nice seeing everyone taking part in the temple festivals, and sharing food afterwards is always a highlight!

Diwali marks the end of the harvest and the beginning of the New Year in India. We celebrate the victory of good over evil, light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance. Diwali also commemorates an important event as told in a story called the Ramayana.

Long ago and far away in the land of Kosala, King Dasharatha ruled over his subjects from the city of Ayodhya. He was a good king, but he was getting old and looking forward to handing over his responsibilities to Prince Rama, the son of his first wife. But he had three wives and the youngest, Kaikeyi, had other ideas. Kaikeyi had once saved Dasharatha’s life, and in return, he'd promised to give her whatever she wanted, thinking that she would ask for jewels or expensive clothes. But Kaikeyi had waited for the right time to claim the king's promise, and now she gave him her demands: Prince Rama to be banished from the kingdom for 14 years, and her son crowned as king in his place. Dasharatha was horrified, but Kaikeyi was his wife, and a promise was a promise. Rama always obeyed his father, so he agreed to leave the kingdom and live alone in exile. But Rama's devoted wife Sita and his half-brother Lakshmana insisted on going with him. So together, they went to live in the Panchavati forest. After the palaces and gardens of Ayodhya, it seemed a terrible place: dark, forbidding, full of wild animals and dangerous demons. But Rama was an expert archer, and with his bow and arrows he protected Sita. They built a little cottage in a clearing, and lived on the fruit and vegetables that grew in the forest. Ravana, the demon king, lusted after Sita and was determined to make her his queen. And whatever Ravana wanted, he usually got. He had ten heads and all of them were ugly. He had 20 arms and carried a sharp, jagged and deadly weapon in each one. Even other demons were frightened of Ravana, but he had no hope of kidnapping Sita while she was under Rama's protection. So Ravana enlisted the help of a shape-shifter called Maricha.

One day, Sita looked out of the cottage window to see a beautiful golden deer crossing the forest clearing. She was afraid it would be killed by a wild beast, so she begged Rama to go out and bring the deer back to the cottage. Rama suspected a trap, so he told Lakshmana to look after Sita while he was gone, and rushed off after the deer. But a few minutes later they heard Rama's voice crying out for help. Sita was distraught, so Lakshmana told her to stay in the cottage where she'd be safe, grabbed his bow and ran out into the forest to find Rama. So far, Ravana’s plan was going perfectly. Maricha had transformed into a deer and drawn Rama out of the house. Then she doubled back to the cottage and imitated his voice, calling for help. Lakshmana had taken the bait and now the coast was clear. There was a knock on the cottage door, and Sita peeped out to see someone wearing a long orange robe. It was a holy man. So she opened the door and stepped out. But then the man threw back his hood and Sita screamed. All ten of Ravana’s faces were leering down at her. Rama and Lakshmana returned to find Sita gone,but Jatayu, the vulture, told them that he'd seen Ravana carrying Sita off to his fortress on the island of Lanka, which was protected by an army of demons and surrounded by a stormy sea. Hanuman, the monkey hero, went on a daring mission to the island to spy on Ravana. He found where Sita was being held prisoner, gave her Rama's ring and told her not to lose hope - a rescue would be coming soon. But Ravana’s demons caught Hanuman before he could get away and set light to his tail. Hanuman wriggled free and jumped from rooftop to rooftop, his tail setting fire to the fortress. The demons panicked, and while they rushed around with buckets of water, Hanuman put out his tail and made his escape from the island. Rama, Lakshmana and Hanuman's army of monkeys made their way to the shore and looked out across the sea. They were ready. The monkeys built a magic bridge of floating stones, and the army charged across it towards Ravana's fortress. The battle was fierce, but the demons soon fell back under Rama's attack. Ravana fought viciously, all 20 arms, whirling all 20 weapons and dealing death in every direction. Rama aimed his bow and loosed an arrow. It pierced Ravana's heart and killed him instantly. Rama rushed to be with Sita, and together with Lakshmana and the triumphant army, they travelled back to the kingdom of Kosala. The 14 year exile was over and people lit the streets with lamps to welcome Rama back to Ayodhya. Their rightful king was home.

So Diwali is when Rama and Sita returned to their hometown Ayodhya from their 14 years of exile. So it's kind of like a celebration of joy and togetherness, and it's kind of celebrating them coming back to us.

It's because the village or kingdom where Rama and Sita lived - they really missed Rama and Sita when they were sent to the forest for 14 years, so they lit lamps to guide their way because they really wanted their dear Rama and Sita back.

So lighting diyas is a symbolic event. It's about lighting the way for Rama and Sita and remembering what they told us in their moral acts, but also to light the way forward in our lives as well, and ward off all evil.

We also put diyas in our windows and doorways to welcome the Goddess Lakshmi into our homes.

We worship Goddess Lakshmi during Diwali because she's the goddess of wealth and prosperity, so we worship her.

And particularly in this time of year, we like to look towards her, and pray for her as well, as she brings love, light and prosperity to families.

Lakshmi is usually shown wearing a red sari which is a lucky colour in India. She'll be standing in a lotus flower which symbolises purity, and there are often showers of gold coins falling from her hands to represent good fortune, which we ask her to bless us with for the coming year. At home and in the mandir, we do Lakshmi Puja - when we make offerings and say prayers to Lakshmi. And she's also linked to the story of the Ramayana because we believe that Sita was Lakshmi in human form.

A rangoli pattern is a design that's created with coloured rice powder, and it's really nice to have those in front of your houses or temples as they welcome God into your home, and it shows how much love you have for God.

It's done typically in the mornings. The house-members will clean the front of the house to kind of ward away all evil and dirt, and create a nice rangoli pattern to welcome guests, and also welcome love, light and prosperity to their house.

Celebrations continue long into the night with lots of good food, and fireworks!

Fireworks are often used for celebration, which once again ties into the fact that Diwali is like a big celebration of the light in our lives.

Diwali means having new beginnings for me. As I get to come to temple and I get to spend time with people, and that means that I get to have, like, that light that illuminates the darkness. I think for us, it changes every year, but the one thing that stays the same is kind of togetherness. So we always meet up with friends and family wear our traditional Indian clothes, eat some nice Indian food, and just have a good time.

Diwali for me means good overcoming evil, light coming into darkness. We have a beautiful prayer called asato ma sadgamaya tamaso ma jyotirgamaya - lead me from darkness into light.

Deepavali for me means giving myself and my family a fresh start. And this is shown through lighting the lamps and getting rid of the darkness, and also coming together at the temple with my friends and family.

It's just very fun - lighting of the sparklers, and lighting the diyas and everything together.

I think it's just such a celebration of love and light and joy. I think it's really enjoyable.

Diwali

Video length - 10.46

Published date - Oct 2024

Keystage(s) - 3 and 4

In this film we explore Jewish perspectives on climate change through the lens of religious teachings and ethics. Judaism emphasises the concept of Tikkun Olam—the responsibility to repair and care for the world. The Jewish faith teaches that humans are stewards of God’s creation, tasked with preserving the environment for future generations. Jewish commitment to sustainability is an important value and the avoidance of waste (Bal Tashchit), and the moral obligation to act in ways that reduce harm to the planet is integral to the religion. Through these core values, the Jewish tradition calls for proactive efforts to combat climate change, emphasising both individual responsibility and collective action to protect the Earth for all living beings.

By linking spiritual values with environmental activism Climate Change: Judaism shows how faith can inspire a greener, more sustainable future.

Transcript

Climate Change: Judaism

Rabbi Mark Goldsmith: Jewish teachings start with the idea that humanity has a responsibility to nature and to the environment around us. Our foundation story has the idea of a human being being created and then being given responsibility for the animals, for the birds, for the trees, for all the nature around them. The idea being that they're not simply a user of nature, they're a steward of nature. What we mean is that I am responsible for something. It's a little bit like you're looking after somebody at school who's new doesn't know what to do. You steward them through the day, help them to know what to do. And it's a little bit like that with nature. We steward it, we look after it, we consider it to be our responsibility.

So our Jewish teachings then continue from there. One of them that I feel is incredibly strong is the idea of bal taschit. This is the concept that as a person, you shouldn't destroy things. And that could be destroying fruit trees. And in fact, when it comes up in the Torah, that's exactly what the idea of bal taschit is about. It's set at the time of war, when you would have thought that destroying the enemy's fruit trees would be a really good idea, because then what are they going to eat? But you're not meant to do that because those fruit trees are a legacy for all humanity. Another big Jewish concept is tikkun olam, which asks the question, what are we here for? Literally, what are we here for as human beings? And we have a concept in Judaism that we are partners with God in the repair of the world, that the world was not left absolutely perfect. Instead, there were parts of the world that don't function too well, and we know that we experience it in our lives, whether it be through illness, whether it be through degradation of the environment around us. So what's our job? Le tikkun from which comes the word tikkun, which means to repair olam, the world, the universe. So what can we do to do that? And we all know that some of the choices that we make, the choice perhaps to walk to school or walk to work or take the bus rather than put another car on the road with all its emissions, will help to repair the world. The choice to be an environmental scientist and come up with great discoveries as to how we can make a difference to the future, that is, tikkun olam. But honestly, it can be as little as this package. Now, I'm not going to throw it away into a regular bin. I'll take it home and put it in the recycling. That's a little bit of tikkun olum.

In the Torah. In the book of Leviticus, there is a wonderful idea. The idea is, number one, that every seven days you need to have a day of rest. But it's not just for you as a person. That's the Shabbat we call it, or the Sabbath. You also don't do new creative work. You don't use much of the Earth's resources. You reduce the impact you have on the world, and you do that by choice. But then came the idea that every seven years we should let the lands do the same. In the ancient land of Israel. Every seven years the land wouldn't be farmed for a year. Just whatever grew naturally would be picked. But we wouldn't exploit the land. And what that enabled the land to do was for the earth to begin to recover, for the soil to recover, to be more productive for the future, because it had had the chance to rest in the current state of Israel. There were quite a few farms which still do this practice called the Shmita year. You don't plow, you don't use all the intensive techniques you would normally use to get the most out of the land, and you just pick what naturally grows there, and that's that. And then the following year you go back to your regular techniques of agriculture or whatever you need. In Judaism, there is a key prayer that every Jew is meant to say twice a day. It's called the Shema, and for us it's a declaration of one God, but especially that that one God therefore means there's a unity in all of creation, that everything is one. Everything impacts on each other. And in the Shema, in its second paragraph, it says that if you don't behave well, then the rains may not come. And we used to think, well, it doesn't really work like that, does it? But now we know there's really some truth in that, the way that humanity. And I'm not just talking about Jews. I'm talking about all of us. Behave and treat. Our planet does make a difference to the weather that we experience, and we can make a change for the positive. So eco synagogue is part of eco Judaism, and that's the idea that Judaism in our day, has got to be really responsive to the crisis of climate change, to making a difference. We do it because we want to encourage all Jews to be better environmental citizens looking after our planet better.

We're about to reach the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, and on Rosh Hashanah there is a tradition called tashlich, which is where you go to a local water source and you throw bread on the water, and the bread is meant to represent your sins, the things you've done during the year that you really regret, that you want to change for the next year and behave better. So a brilliant organization called Repair the Sea came up with an idea to unite Jewish communities all around the world, and they call it Reverse Tashlich. Why not, instead of putting something into the water, we clean up the water. They call it repair the sea, because it doesn't matter if it's a tiny brook or it's a big river, or if it's the seaside itself. Everything flows into the sea and we know our seas are becoming more and more polluted. So what we're going to do as a synagogue is we're going to a local water source in a park, which we know eventually flows into a river, and that river flows into the sea. And we're going to clean it up. And through cleaning it up as we come to celebrate the Jewish New Year. We are trying to make the world that little bit better. Our Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah tradition, has the idea that it is ha-yom harat olam the day on which the earth was conceived as if it's the earth birthday. So what better birthday present to give to the world than to clean up a local river.

Volunteer 1: We're here today in Watling Park, cleaning up the Silk Stream, which feeds into the River Thames ultimately and part of Thames 21 initiative to, you know, just to clean up the waterways. But here today, representing eco Judaism as part of our core ethos, really, of being responsible communities and caring for our environment. We want to repair the world not just through good deeds, but through environmental action, to really get our community to think more about it.

Volunteer 2: So I feel this is a lot more meaningful than throwing breadcrumbs into the stream. It's so satisfying being able to clean up a park where I live is so important because it makes me feel home, and it also makes me appreciate the nature around me.

Volunteer 3: It feels so special to be involved in something like Reverse Tashlich today with the members of the community on such a beautiful day. It makes me feel that I'm doing something good not just for myself, not just for the members of my community, but for the wider community as well. Also, it focuses me on how much rubbish we as humans throw away, how much we pollute this beautiful, wonderful planet, and particularly this beautiful park.

Volunteer 1: It's really wonderful to be here today. It's just a lovely community activity, something to do with like minded people really feel like you're making a positive impact on the local environment and just it's very healing as an individual as well as actually for the place that we're cleaning up. So it was so great to be here today, and there were some young people in the park and they saw what we were doing, and they immediately wanted to help and took some of the litter tools and helped us clean the park.

Volunteer 3: It is really important for the Jewish tradition, for Jewish faith to care about the environment. There are lots of laws and commandments starting from the Torah by taking care of the world around us. My favourite one is the Midrash from the book of Ecclesiastes Rabbah, and that Midrash talks about God taking Adam by hand and taking him through the Garden of Eden. Beautiful place. And he shows him different beautiful trees, beautiful plants, and says, look how beautiful this place is. Look after it. Do not destroy it, because if you do, there will be no one else to repay it.

Climate Change: Judaism

Video length - 10.02

Published date - Sep 2024

Keystage(s) - 3 and 4

Meet Brother Matthew, he is a Carmelite Friar. Check out the daily routine of his life as friar. We’ll see his commitment to a life of prayer, contemplation, and service. Carmelite friar’s spend their time doing early morning prayers, time spent in quiet reflection, communal meals, and work dedicated to both spiritual and practical tasks. The friars balance their contemplative practices with efforts to help the community, embodying their deep devotion to their faith and spiritual discipline.

Transcript

Brother Matthew: Hello, I'm brother Matthew, I'm a Carmelite friar here in the UK, and that means I live in a community with other friars. So a friar is a man who is drawn to serve God and to live according to a certain set of rules in the Roman Catholic Church. A priory is just a word we use to describe the place where friars live. So the word friar comes from the Latin word frater, which means brother. And I think overall that describes perfectly how we relate to one another in the community. Monks and friars are quite different. Monks live in monasteries and generally you'll find monasteries out in the countryside a long way away from towns and cities, whereas friars, you'll find our prior is in the middle of towns, in the middle of cities. And for us that's really important, not only because we rely on the generosity of others, but because of our ministry we really see ourselves as ministering in the midst of the people, sharing our experiences of God, but also being there so people can share their experiences with us.

So different priors do have different timetables, but here in Aylesford I get up at 6:30 usually. So normally when I wake up I just go and have a shower straightaway, and once I'm dressed, I'll go down to our community kitchen and make a cup of tea. I'll usually then come back up to my room with my cup of tea and do my first prayers of the day, which we call the Office of Readings. And really, we can do it at any time. But I like to do it first thing because it really sets me up for the day.

As a Carmelite, we wear this habit and it helps us to be identified as Carmelite. So the Carmelite habit is made up of a brown tunic, a brown scapular which is like the apron at the front and the back, the hood, which we call the capuche. And then it's tied together at the waist with a leather belt. On special occasions or big events, will also wear a white cloak over the top. And here in the UK, the Carmelites have also got another name which is the White Friars, and that comes from that white cloak. I think for me, as I put the habit on, it reminds me that I am doing something different and that I am called to do something different. On those occasions where I do walk down the street to get some funny looks, but then you realise sometimes you forget why, and then you look down and realise that you're not wearing the latest trend. So we wouldn't wear our habit all the time, but we would usually wear it when we are together and praying. So morning prayer, evening prayer, mass. And I think it's one of those great symbols of something that unites us as brothers together, but also in our ministry and serving in the church together. Morning prayer here at Aylesford is at at 8 a.m., and it's the first opportunity we have together as a community to gather in the chapel and the chapel is just another word, another place of worship. Is it usually a little bit smaller than the church. And morning prayer here at Aylesford is open to everybody, not just the friars.

Friars: Oh God come to our aid. Oh Lord make haste to help us.

Brother Matthew: And it consists of a hymn, some psalms, a short reading from Scripture, and then some intercessions, some prayers. Now, as brothers, we all have different ministries, and some are called to serve as priests, and some are called to serve in different ways. But really what's most important for us is that we are brothers. We are all that family together. So all friars are men and we live in communities of men. That integral part of being a friar. I suppose the female equivalent of a friar is a sister or a nun.

Brother Matthew: And the Carmelite Order takes its name from Mount Carmel in the northwest of the Holy Land. It's a mountain and around the 13th century. So in the 1200s, a group of men, we think maybe pilgrims or crusaders returning home, settled on Mount Carmel to live a life of prayer. And they settled near a place called the Well of Elijah. And they really took the spirit of Elijah as their role model. So Elijah was a prophet in the Old Testament, and he spent a lot of time in silence alone with God, discovering that relationship with God, but also going out and ministering and being a prophet to the people as well, taking what he learned from that silence to the people.

So morning prayer is usually half an hour. So around 8:30 we'll leave the chapel and go to our ministries, go to our work. It could be meeting those that have come to visit us, celebrating mass, giving retreats or just meeting people. But overall, they're just ways in which we serve the community and we serve the church and we serve God. I'm studying at the moment, so my work would generally be reading for essays, writing essays, or I might have a class that day.

All friars take vows, and vows are promises that we make to God. I haven't made the vow of silence, but as a Carmelite friar, I've made a vow of poverty, chastity, and obedience. The vow of poverty means that I don't own anything. Before I joined, I had a car. I had a job. I was earning money. I had a laptop and things. When I joined and made my vow of poverty, I gave up those things. It doesn't mean I threw them away. It just means that what I now have, I share with my brothers. Overall, I think it's just been really conscious of not using the word mine. I've made the vow of chastity, which means I will always be single. I'll never have a partner. I'll never get married. Now, the vow of chastity doesn't mean that I can't love. But it means that I'm called to love everybody equally. The vow of obedience is a promise to do as I'm told to do as I'm asked by the brother who's been chosen in my community to be in charge, obedient to the brother who is in charge of all the friars in the country, and obedient to the friar, the brother who has been chosen to represent us in the world. I also vow to be obedient to the church and most importantly, to be obedient to the will of God. It's living a life that allows me to be really fulfilled, trusting that those who have responsibility over me have my best interests at heart. The vows don't just come from anywhere. We find them in the Bible, and we find them specifically in the life of Jesus. And so we try to imitate that life in really concrete ways.

So at midday, we gather together for mass, and mass is a celebration of who we are as Catholics, gathering together to celebrate this great gift that we have, where God becomes present to us in the bread and wine. Jesus says in the Bible, this is my body, this is my blood. And the mass we really celebrate those words as God becomes truly present to us. Another word for Mass is Eucharist, and Eucharist is a word that just means thanksgiving. And it's a time for us to give thanks to God in the way that Jesus showed us during his life. And here at Aylesford, when we have school groups or visitors, mass is open to everybody. Everybody is welcome to that community to remember that God is at the centre. And after mass is always a great opportunity then to chat to those people that have joined us as we go back out into our world.

At 1:00, we join together in our big dining room and we have a meal together. We have lunch together. Most of our meals are quite simple. That vow of poverty again, of not having always what we want, but just what we need. Living by our means. Living simply. After lunch we go into midday prayer. But it's not really a midday it's at 2:00 after midday prayers, which are about 15 minutes. We would return to our work and our ministries, so around 2:30 there's usually one brother on duty, so they would hear confessions of people visiting or give tours around the grounds of groups, give talks, reflections.

The process to become a friar is a long one. It takes around 5 to 7 years and we call that period initial formation. There are set stages of formation, but overall it's a constant process of speaking to others, listening to others, praying and trying to work out what God is asking of us and we call this discernment. It begins with what we would call a pre-novitiate. So that someone who is going to be a novice and it's a time of openness, discernment, where someone will come and live alongside the community and live in the style of a friar. After that period of time, they may ask to become a novice, to move into what we call the novitiate. And it's not just that person asking the community, but also the community deciding amongst themselves is this person a good fit? The novitiate then is a really intense year of prayer, where we live the life of a Carmelite friar, learning more about the tradition and the history, but also our role within the church and building that relationship with God. At the end of the novitiate, the year of being a novice. And if you still feel called to live this way of life, you would ask the community if you could take these vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. We call this Simple Profession, and that's the stage of formation that I'm in right now. Most friars like myself will go through a course of philosophy and theology, and it's so we're really equipped to answer those questions that people will ask us. At 6:30, the community will gather again for evening prayer.

Evening prayer will be around 15 minutes, but we go up to 7:00 and spend an extra 15 minutes in silence together. It's not the same as sitting in silence on your own. There's something really different about sitting in silence with other people. We work together. We laugh together. We talk together. But also we listen together and we pray together. After that silent time, we go up to the community kitchen and we will have supper together. Some will make sandwiches or eat the leftovers from lunch. After that, we're sort of free. Then we might watch TV in the TV room or sometimes we'll just sit around the kitchen table and chat. Living in a religious community is just like living in a family. You have those moments together, but moments on your own. But you know that in whatever you're doing, you are supported. It's not always easy, though, and they say that you can choose your friends, but you can't choose your family. And sometimes community life is a bit like that. I think it's the way of life that allows me to be exactly who I am. This is a way of life that isn't very fast, and it doesn't ask us to go after the next big thing, but it's just been able to stop and think just one thing. Yes, this is good and I'm happy. I wonder how many people can say that about their lives and about their work, but also it's just the freedom to be completely comfortable with who I am.

A Day in the Life of a Carmelite Friar

Video length - 12.06

Published date - Sep 2024

Keystage(s) - 3 and 4

Two people from different backgrounds meet in a busy city. They each face their own problems and deal with society’s judgments, but they form an unexpected friendship. The film shows how, despite their differences, they share many things in common. Through strong acting and a touching story, “Human Me Human You” conveys a powerful message about empathy, connection, and our common desire to be understood.

Human Me Human You

Video length - 06.14

Published date - Jul 2024

Keystage(s) - 3 and 4

One Life, Live it Well, featuring Alice Roberts, explores the humanist approach to living a fulfilling life. Comparing our lives to a piece of string, with a beginning and an end, this short animation emphasises the ways non-religious people might shape what lies in between and find happiness and meaning in their lives. Highlighting the arts, science, health, relationships, and human rights as the ingredients of a good life, it explores the importance humanists place on freedom, responsibility, and connections, and how they believe we might live life to the fullest and leave something behind after we are gone.

https://understandinghumanism.org.uk/