Seeds of Peace with Thich Nhat Hanh

October 11, 2024

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Meditation for Children and the Work of Thich Nhat Hanh

Thich Nhat Hanh handed away in January 2022, however I used to be lucky to attend an educators’ retreat with him and his monastics in 2012 which led me to share ‘Seed of Peace with Thich Nhat Hanh’.

This weblog describes a life-changing expertise once I met the Zen Grasp of meditation.

On the time of this retreat, within the West, the main focus had been on adults studying meditation. However this retreat for educators, therapists and professionals targeted on serving to them to share conscious expertise with younger folks. On the time it was seen as pioneering. Thankfully, it’s turning into extra commonplace in houses and colleges all through the world.

I share my takeaways from that retreat – each private {and professional}. And I intend to carry seeds of hope and peace to you and your kids, together with sensible steps and helpful sources which will assist you in your journey.

Seeds of Peace

The retreat attendees have been (at first) focussed on studying particular methods that could possibly be applied into their courses. The topic of difficult behaviour in younger folks was a key matter.

However the expertise was a lot greater than information or studying new expertise. It turned clear for a lot of, that this retreat would provide the potential of a life-changing expertise. Thay, and the Buddhist nuns and monks who work with him, launched easy strategies that each one directed us to the identical ‘North Star’ – to seek out peace inside.

It turned clear that to share this ‘North Star’ of peace may solely occur if adults related to their inside supply of private mindfulness, peace and pleasure first.

Maybe you already know the way a lot tougher it’s to carry peace right into a classroom or a house in case you are ateacher or guardian who’s feeling overwhelmed with work or private stress? And maybe you’ve noticed how younger folks sense the stress of these others round them after which react to it?

To show meditation and provide kids peace, we first apply and hook up with our personal internal, useful resource.

Watering Our Seeds of Peace

I used to be fascinated to study a lot extra on this retreat. I had practised meditation commonly for years and had change into uncertain that I’d study one thing new. However I felt the numerous advantages from the easy steps we have been proven to entry our internal peace. This concerned:

Conscious consuming and noble silence
Singing songs of mindfulness for kids
Physique rest
Conscious strolling

The primary Dharma speak that Thay gave was “Having fun with our Time Collectively”. He drew 3 circles.

The primary circle was to symbolize the grownup. The 2nd related to household and the third represented work. By this he helped us perceive how we should first deal with ourselves in order that we’re sturdy sufficient to assist our household after which our work.

If I select solely to assist household and work, I undergo.

I’m step one.

All through the retreat, we practised a number of mindfulness actions as listed above – and the impact on me was wonderful.

Seed of Peace – Conscious Consuming

At first, I discovered it actually difficult to eat mindfully. The meals was delivered in by self-service so conscious consuming began from the second I crammed my plate.

I observed that every day I discovered my proportions turning into smaller as I recognised the indicators from my physique telling me what I actually wanted and once I was full.

We might sit down at tables with each the nuns, monks and different retreat attendees. Initially I felt embarrassed sitting at a desk with strangers but not speaking to one another as we practised conscious consuming in silence. I used my consciousness to acknowledge this sense and settle for it as I saved returning to the meals I used to be consuming.

I discovered that I used to be greedy my knife and fork while chewing, so I selected to put them down till I completed a mouthful. Then I observed how the meals felt in my mouth – the totally different flavours of watercress and the moisture of cucumber.

Along with smaller proportions of meals, I began to get pleasure from consuming mindfully. I discovered myself taking a second to look at my meals earlier than I began consuming simply to be interested in what was on my plate. The totally different colors, shapes, textures – it was lovely.

As I ate, I’d take into consideration all of the power that created this meals. The power of the weather: the solar, rain, wind and earth that helped it to develop. I used to be curious in regards to the power of those that had harvested this meals and ready it from there to my plate.

On the final day, I sat at breakfast and with my arms in Namaste (prayer place), eyes closed and feeling gratitude for the meals I needed to eat. My eyes full of tears, and a fantastic rush of power flowed by me. I felt blessed and a deep sense of peace to be in that second, taking good care of myself.

Conscious consuming with Kids

After this expertise, I recognised how adults fear about what and the way a lot kids eat. It may possibly carry stress to a household meal or college meal time that would provide a unique expertise if we took the time to offer kids the selection of conscious consuming.

As a substitute of making an attempt to hurry kids by their meals (as we fear about boredom, meals going chilly, portions they eat) – maybe we may faucet into kids’s internal Zen Grasp?

We may introduce the chance for them to apply some mindfulness earlier than consuming. Listed below are just a few sensible recommendations.

If you happen to can’t do that ever day, attempt to goal for as soon as every week and construct from there.

Dwelling apply

Contain them within the preparation of meals. Mindfully chat in regards to the power that was used to create this meals, the odor and sound because it cooks.
As they lay the desk, invited a conscious chat about totally different textures and flavours and why they get pleasure from these and the way it makes their our bodies really feel?
Focus in on the sense of contact, odor and sound as they lay the desk – wiping it clear, laying forks and knives down.
If you’re having meat at dinner, invite them to really feel gratitude by saying ‘thanks’ to the animal that gave its life so they may eat and be wholesome.
Invite them to be interested in how the meals on the plate appears – the colors and shapes and the way it’s organized.
Once they take a conscious, invite them to shut their eyes and hear, really feel the meals they’re consuming and see what occurs.
And basically, you apply alongside them and be interested in watering your private internal seed of peace increasing with each conscious second as you eat collectively.

Conscious Consuming: Meals Contemplations

(An excerpt from the e book ‘Planting the Seeds’ – Training Mindfulness with Kids)

This meals is the reward of the entire universe: The earth, the sky, the rain, and the solar.
We thank the individuals who have made this meals, particularly the farmers, the folks on the market and the cooks.
We solely placed on our plate as a lot meals as we will eat.
We need to chew the meals slowly in order that we will get pleasure from it.
This meals provides us power to apply being extra loving and understanding.
We eat this meals with the intention to be wholesome and comfortable, and to like one another as a household.

College lunchtime – Conscious Consuming Apply

If you want to study extra about conscious consuming practices for colleges, please join with us (under) and we’ll share a conscious consuming apply that may be integrated into college lunchtimes.

Conscious Consuming data

We’ll be releasing extra data in our subsequent weblog put up in regards to the totally different methods shared on this retreat. Please subscribe to our mailing record or observe us on social media to be saved knowledgeable.

If you happen to want to study extra about serving to kids study meditation please take a look at our Linked Children Program.