Practicing mindfulness and Engaged Buddhism in the tradition of
Zen Master Thích Nhất Hạnh

A most important part of sangha building is to flow with the sangha as one river, and not to behave as a drop of water outside of the river.
– Thich Nhat Hanh

We are a global online community, diverse and inclusive, welcoming all people and all parts of all people. Our sangha offers meetings each week at different times, so people from different time zones can find one that fits.

Who We Are → our lineage, our practice, and what Engaged Buddhism means to us.

Ready to join us?To join, please submit a short request below — a few words about yourself and your interest in practicing with a sangha in the Plum Village tradition. We ask this to keep our community focused on genuine practice, not commercial interest, and this information is never shared.Once reviewed, you'll be added to our mailing list (via Google Groups — no Google account needed) and start receiving invitations to our meetings, held on Zoom.

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Who we are.

World Interbeing Sangha is a global online community practicing mindfulness and Engaged Buddhism in the Plum Village tradition of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh.We are a diverse and inclusive community that welcomes all people and all parts of all people.Our sangha offers [several meetings each week](link to Our Meetings) at different times, so people from different time zones can find one that fits.

Our Lineage

Plum Village in France is the first monastic practice center founded by Thich Nhat Hanh in the West. It's where he developed the light, gentle style of mindfulness practice now familiar around the world.While mindfulness is often seen as a stress-relief technique, Thich Nhat Hanh taught it as a way of life — something applied not just to sitting, but to walking, eating, speaking, listening, and working.

The Five Mindfulness Trainings

The Plum Village tradition uses the Five Mindfulness Trainings — a concrete expression of Buddhist teachings that brings an ethical and spiritual dimension to how we live and decide. They're a compass, not a rulebook.

Why Community

Applying mindfulness to daily life isn't always easy. With the support of a spiritual community — a Sangha — the challenge lightens, and it becomes possible to transform suffering and cultivate joy. We build that community together, across time zones, bringing what we practice into the wider world.

Engaged Buddhism

Thich Nhat Hanh's teaching didn't stop at personal practice. Amid the devastation of the Vietnam War, he and his colleagues found a way to actively help those most in need without losing their own spiritual grounding — a practice engaged with the challenges of the world, where personal growth and service to others go hand in hand.

Our Meetings.

Most meetings last one hour and include sitting meditation, a dharma reading, video, or audio, and mindful sharing. View our calendar to see meeting times in your own time zone.Not yet a member? Submit a request to join — once you're part of the sangha, you're welcome at any meeting below.Everyone is welcome across our meetings — our affinity groups, marked with 🌱 below, are spaces for those who share a particular identity or experience to practice together.

Sunday 1st Sangha

Sundays at 8:30am MT (US)

Open to all sangha members — no affinity or special interest focus, just practice together.

Sunday 2nd Sangha

Sundays at 9:00pm ET (US)

Open to all sangha members — no affinity or special interest focus, just practice together.

🌱LGBTQIA2S+ Affinity Group

Sundays monthly on the 1st Sunday only at 10:30am MT (US)

Anyone who self-identifies as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Non-Binary, Two-Spirit, Queer, Intersex, etc., is welcome to join us.
Learn more →

🌱 Mindful Parenting Affinity Group

Sundays monthly on the 2nd Sunday only at 3:30pm CET/CEST (Warsaw)

Parents of all ages and stages – parents of young children, parents of teens, parents of grown children, stepparents, grandparents, adoptive parents…everyone who parents is welcome to join us.
Learn more →

🌱 BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) Affinity Group

Twice a month on the 1st Tuesday at 11:00am Eastern time and on the 3rd Sunday at 12:00pm ET (US)

Anyone who self-identifies as a BIPOC individual is welcome to join us.
Learn more →

🌱 Bodhi Bodies Affinity Group

Sundays monthly on the 4th Sunday only at 9:30am ET (US)

Anyone who self-identifies as someone who lives with chronic physical challenges (e.g., chronic illness, chronic pain) and/or physical disabilities is welcome to join us.
Learn more →

Mindful Activism Group

Sundays monthly on the 4th Sunday only at 11:30am ET (US)

This group is for those who are activists or who are interested in conscious activism in the Plum Village engaged Buddhist tradition. We focus on the process of bringing about conscious activism rather than one specific area of activism.

Monday Sangha

Mondays at 5:00pm PT (US)

(On the first Monday of every even-numbered month, we extend our meeting time to 90 minutes to recite The 5 Mindfulness Trainings.)

Wednesday Sangha

Wednesdays at 1:00pm MT (US)

(On the third Wednesday of every odd-numbered month, we extend our meeting time to 90 minutes to recite the Mindfulness Trainings — alternating between The 5 Mindfulness Trainings and The 14 Mindfulness Trainings of the Order of Interbeing from one occurrence to the next.)

Friday 1st Sangha

Fridays at 7:00pm IST (Kolkata)

Open to all sangha members — no affinity or special interest focus, just practice together.

Friday 2nd Sangha

Fridays at 9:00pm CET/CEST (Warsaw)

(On the third Friday of every month, we extend our meeting time to 90 minutes to recite the Mindfulness Trainings — alternating between The 5 Mindfulness Trainings and The 14 Mindfulness Trainings of the Order of Interbeing from one occurrence to the next.)

Saturday Sangha

Saturdays at 7:30am CET/CEST (Rome)

(The Saturday before the Winter and Summer Solstice and Spring and Fall Equinox, we informally recite The 14 Mindfulness Trainings of the Order of Interbeing).

Interbeing Study Group

Saturdays at 8:00am MT (US)

The focus is on Thich Nhat Hanh’s teaching of Interbeing, which is the fundamental interconnectedness of all things.

Racial & Intersectional Justice Study Group

Saturdays monthly on the 4th Saturday only at 9:00am MT (US)

The focus is on bringing forth racial & intersectional justice in ways that are interwoven with our mindfulness practice.

🌱 Shining Minds Affinity Group

Saturdays bimonthly on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays only at 11:00am ET (US)

Anyone who self-identifies as being neurodivergent and/or as having a mental health challenge is welcome to join us.
Learn more →

Ecodharma Study Group

Saturdays monthly on the 2nd Saturday only at 10:00am MT (US)

The focus on the environment and the climate crisis in the context of our mindfulness practice. Everyone is welcome.

Lotus Pond Meeting

Saturdays monthly on the 2nd Saturday only at 5:00pm CET/CEST (Barcelona)

This is a space dedicated to art in all its forms as a part of our mindfulness practice. Creators and enjoyers of art are equally welcome.

New Member Orientation Meeting

Saturdays monthly on the 1st Sunday only at 3:00pm CET/CEST (Warsaw)

For those who've recently joined WIS.

Affinity Groups.

Spaces for sangha members who share a particular identity or experience to practice together. Everyone is welcome to explore any group below.Jump to→
• BIPOC
• Bodhi Bodies
• LGBTQIA2S+ (Rainbow)
• Mindful Parenting
• Shining Minds

Black, Indigenous, and People of Color Group.

Our sangha’s BIPOC Group is a place for those of our sangha siblings who self-identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color—BIPOC for short—to come together.Many BIPOC individuals and communities have had lifelong experiences of being invisible, excluded, and misperceived. Many BIPOC continue to experience harms of emotional, physical, and spiritual natures, both unintended and intended. For these reasons, those who are BIPOC may have a need for cultural sanctuary so that they can feel safer during Dharma sharing.We welcome all BIPOC individuals to join our BIPOC Group.Meetings. We meet online twice monthly on the 1st Tuesday at 11:00 Eastern time and on the 3rd Sunday at 12:00 pm Eastern Time (US).Intention of Gathering. The intention of this group is:•To gather together to practice flower freshness. Thay says to practice being a fresh flower so that you and those around you can be happier. Right now, we may not be fresh, we may be covered in soot.
To gather together in a safe, non-white space and share deeply our suffering and joy without worrying about over explaining oneself in order to not offend anybody. Not everyone is able to hold the weight of our stories and our own self-doubt; we may need a support group.
•To leave a little lighter so as to be fresh flowers for our white or non-white loved ones, circles, and community.
•To decolonize our minds a little at a time.
 
Guidelines:•Reverence and Respect. We treat all beings with reverence and respect. Mindfulness is as mindfulness does. In this tradition, the way to measure someone’s spirituality isn’t by their intellectual wisdom but how they walk, how they close a door, how gently they treat themselves and other human beings.
•Tenderness and Compassion. These are essential in how we practice.↑ Back to top of page

Bodhi Bodies Group.

Our sangha’s Bodhi Bodies Group is a place for those of our sangha siblings who live with chronic physical challenges (e.g., chronic illness, chronic pain) and/or physical disabilities.We come together in Bodhi Bodies with the intention of creating a safe, non-judgmental, non-stigmatizing sangha space – free of unsolicited advice – where we can nourish joy and other wholesome seeds in ourselves.Bodhi Bodies is an affinity group. Affinity groups are for people with shared traits, experiences, or circumstances. These groups help us practice with particular conditions in our lives with the intention to nourish ourselves and to understand and transform suffering. We welcome all people with physical health challenges and/or physical disabilities to join our Bodhi Bodies Group. If you are not already a member of World Interbeing Sangha, please see our Practice With Us page to join our sangha and then participate in our Bodhi Bodies Group.Meetings. We meet online monthly on the fourth Sunday from 7:30 am to 8:30 am Mountain Time (US). We strive to make our sessions as accessible as possible, and if you need a particular accommodation, please reach out to us.Our Format:•20 minutes of mindfulness in the Plum Village tradition (unguided),
•20 minutes for introductions and the dharma reading or video, then
•20 minutes for dharma sharing↑ Back to top of page

LGBTQIA2S+ (Rainbow) Group.

We are a monthly LGBTQIA2S+ Group for folks who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Non-Binary, Two-Spirit, Queer, Intersex, etc. We gather together to practice mindfulness in the Plum Village tradition in a friendly, nonjudgmental, supportive LGBTQ+ group.We welcome all folks who identify as members of the LGBTQ+ community to join our group. If you are not already a member of the World Interbeing Sangha, please see our Practice With Us page to join our sangha so that you can participate in our LGBTQ+ Group.Meetings. We meet online monthly on the first Sunday, from 10:30 to 11:30 am Mountain Time (US).We rotate facilitators, and we include a variety of dharma materials in our sessions. Our format is similar to the other World Interbeing Sangha sessions: 20 minutes of meditation, then 20 minutes for introductions and the dharma reading, and 20 minutes for dharma sharings. During dharma sharings, we focus on listening deeply and sharing from the heart. And what is said in dharma sharings stays in dharma sharings. There is no cost nor any expectation of “dana” for these sessions. We strive to make our sessions as accessible as possible, and if you need a particular accommodation, please reach out to us.↑ Back to top of page

Mindful Parenting Group.

“The most precious inheritance that parents can give their children is their own happiness.” – Thich Nhat HahnOur sangha’s Mindful Parenting Group is a place for parents who wish to look deeply into parenting as a practice of mindfulness. Our group welcomes parents of all ages and stages – parents of young children, parents of teens, parents of grown children, stepparents, grandparents, adoptive parents…everyone who parents is welcome!Our Meetings. We meet online monthly on the second Sunday of each month from 3:30 to 4:30 pm Central European Time (Warsaw). We strive to make our sessions as accessible as possible. If you need a particular accommodation, please reach out to us.Our Intention:We come together with the intention of creating a nourishing, non-judgmental space for parents. As parents, we know that awareness of our own suffering is necessary in order to transform the suffering of ourselves, our children, and our ancestors. In this space, we seek to support one another in transforming suffering, living deeply and mindfully within the everyday of family life, and nourishing joy in ourselves and others. Mindful Parenting is an affinity group. Affinity groups are for people with shared traits, experiences, or circumstances. These groups help us practice with particular conditions in our lives with the intention to nourish ourselves and to understand and transform suffering. If you are not already a member of the World Interbeing Sangha, please see our Practice With Us page to join our sangha and then participate in our Mindful Parenting Group.Our Format:•20 minutes of meditation in the Plum Village tradition (sometimes guided)•20 minutes for introductions and reading, watching or listening to dharma texts, books or talks•20 minutes for dharma sharing↑ Back to top of page

Shining Minds Group.

(neurodivergence/mental health challenges)

Our sangha’s Shining Minds Group is a place for those of our sangha siblings who self-identify with the following two groups of people that sometimes overlap:1. Neurodivergent people – Our brains process things differently from the “norm” in society. We might identify as autistic or have a specific diagnosis, such as ADHD, sensory processing disorder, dyslexia, C-PTSD, OCD, bipolar disorder, Tourette’s Syndrome, epilepsy, learning disability, traumatic brain injury, (history of) stroke, etc. Some people who are neurodivergent do not have a specific diagnosis, but just feel they are “wired differently” from neurotypical people.2. People with a mental health challenge – Our physical, psychological, and emotional states of being may be affected regularly by a condition that could be transient or longstanding. We might have a diagnosis or history of anxiety, major depression, persistent depression, bipolar disorder, postpartum depression, PTSD, PMDD, OCD, DID, seasonal affective disorder, bulimia, anorexia, panic disorder, personality disorder, phobia, binge eating, addiction, etc.Neurodivergent people and people with mental health challenges tend to have experienced both stigmatization and ableism (i.e., discrimination against people with disabilities, including neurological and mental health disabilities). We may have interacted with well-meaning family members or friends who wanted to “fix” us. We may have received negative messages about neurodiversity and mental health challenges from news media, social media, films, books, etc.Shining Minds is an affinity group. Affinity groups are for people with shared traits, experiences, or circumstances. These groups help us practice with particular conditions in our lives with the intention to nourish ourselves and to understand and transform suffering. We welcome all neurodivergent people and people with mental health challenges to join our Shining Minds Group.Meetings. We meet online bimonthly on the first and third Saturdays from 9:00 am to 10:00 am Mountain Time (US). We strive to make our sessions as accessible as possible, and if you need a particular accommodation, please reach out to us.Intentions in Gathering:•Our main focus is on the practice of mindfulness in the Plum Village tradition.
•We come together in Shining Minds with the intention of creating a safe, non-judgmental, non-stigmatizing sangha space for neurodivergent people and people with mental health challenges.
•An important focus of our practice is to water the seeds of joy, both in ourselves and others, in this space.
•We place great emphasis on body-centered and heart-centered practices in the Plum Village tradition.
•We come together to create a space that builds on our strengths and is free of a focus on “fixing” ourselves or one another.
•We create a space that is free of unsolicited advice.
•We create a space in which we can be true to ourselves, letting go of “masks” and efforts to try to appear “normal” or neurotypical.
Points of Clarity:Shining Minds practices
•mindfulness together to support our lives. Our practices can be helpful, and more might be needed.
•During dharma sharing, we focus on listening deeply and sharing from the heart.
•We do not give advice to one another, even after the meeting sessions or through the chat box.
•Shining Minds is neither a psychotherapy group nor a self-help group.
•Shining Minds does not have the capacity to handle a mental health crisis. Please seek professional or additional help in such a case.
•We do not share with people outside of sangha what is discussed in dharma sharing (the only exception is if someone shares intentions to harm self or others during dharma sharing).Our format:•15 minutes of mindfulness in the Plum Village tradition (e.g., walking mindfully,
drinking tea mindfully, etc.) or self-care practices (e.g., journaling) or mindful movements (guided), then
•15 minutes for introductions and the dharma reading or video, then
•30 minutes for dharma sharing↑ Back to top of page

Member's guide.

Everything you need to know as a member of World Interbeing Sangha — whether you just joined or have been practicing with us for years.

Becoming a Member to Get Meeting Access

Once your request to join has been reviewed, we add you directly to our private Google Group. If your email is linked to a Google account, you'll be added right away — no action needed. If it isn't, Google will send you an invitation to accept before you're added; if that's you, check your inbox (and spam folder) for it after your request is approved.No Google account is required to be part of the group — it works entirely by email, with any provider (Gmail, ProtonMail, and others all work fine). Only Care Taking Council members can see your email address, and it's a read-only list — though you're welcome to reply to any message, which goes straight to the sender's inbox.Meeting invitations, including each meeting's Zoom link, go out separately ahead of each meeting — so don't worry if you don't see one right away. In the meantime, you can always check meeting days and times on our Calendar.If you're not sure whether you've been added, or don't see an invitation you were expecting, contact us and we'll check for you.

Dharma Sharing

In each of our meetings, we set aside time for Dharma sharing — a chance for any member to speak about their happiness and difficulties in the practice.Before your first meeting, please take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with the Dharma Sharing guidelines in the Plum Village tradition. If you'd rather watch than read, this short video by Brother Peace introduces the essence of Dharma sharing in just a few minutes.

Our Practice Guide

Chants, gathas, and guided meditations we draw on in our meetings and daily practice all live on our Practice Guide — organized by category, so it's easy to find what you're looking for any time you need it.

The Mindfulness Trainings

Our tradition uses the Five Mindfulness Trainings as an ethical and spiritual compass for daily life. Some members go on to formally receive the trainings, and some also study the Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings of the Order of Interbeing — a deeper commitment for those pursuing ordination in the Order.

Our Forum

As a member, you're welcome to join our WIS Forum, where we explore the Dharma together and share about mindful living day to day. This is separate from the Google mailing list and is it's own website and/or app.Please sign up with the same email you used to join the community.The Forum has space for all members for more informal sharing, as well as dedicated spaces for each of our affinity groups, open to anyone who self-identifies with that group.The forum sidebar has convenient access to our Zoom room and other quick links.

The Care Taking Council

The Care Taking Council (CTC) manages the details of maintaining our sangha, including helping address any issues that arise. Decisions are made by consensus, in a mindful way that reflects our practice in the Plum Village tradition.If you have a question, concern, or something you'd like the CTC to discuss, you're welcome to reach out — post a message to "CTC" on the WIS Forum, or use our contact form.The CTC doesn't have a fixed number of seats or a standing application process. New members are invited when the Council feels it would serve the sangha well — sometimes to bring more diverse perspectives, sometimes because someone is already contributing so much that formally joining just makes sense. Decisions to invite someone are made by unanimous agreement among current members.If you're interested in serving, we look for active involvement in WIS for at least a year, regular meeting attendance, availability to coordinate with the CTC by email and online meetings, and a commitment to open-mindedness, deep listening, and loving, honest speech.

New Member Orientation

We hold a new member orientation on the first Sunday of every month, 3pm CET (Warsaw time). All members are warmly invited, whether you're brand new or simply curious. Check our Calendar for the time in your own time zone.

Questions, Thoughts, or Feedback

We'd love to hear from you — anytime, not just when you're new. Reach out by replying to your welcome email (better yet, save the address to your address book), posting on the WIS Forum (message "CTC" directly), or using our contact form.We grow as a sangha through the input of members at every stage of the journey.

Sangha Practice Guide.

Jump to→
• Core Practices
• Extended Practices
• Resources

Core Practices

What we practice together in WIS meetings.

Jump to→
• Sitting Meditation
• Walking Meditation
• Morning Chant
• Evening Chant
• Candle Gatha
• Bowing to the Three Jewels
• Sharing the Merit
• Dharma Sharing
• Five Mindfulness Trainings
• Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings↑ Back to top of page

Sitting Meditation

There's an art to sitting in such a way that we can feel relaxed, at peace and at ease. In the Plum Village Tradition, we sit just to enjoy sitting. There is nowhere to go and nothing to do. We can just enjoy sitting there, following our breathing, enjoying being alive.Gatha (can be used with sitting or walking meditation):
I have arrived,
I am home
In the here,
In the now.
I am solid,
I am free.
In the ultimate
I dwell.You might also try the 16 Exercises of Mindful Breathing (see Extended Practices) alongside your sitting practice.Guided meditations for sitting practice are available on the Plum Village app, and on YouTube — search "There Is Only Sitting," "Sitting with the Buddha," or similar guided meditations by Thich Nhat Hanh and Plum Village teachers. See also: How to Meditate from the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation.↑ Back to top of section

Walking Meditation

Walking meditation is a practice of walking together and being present with each step. We walk with freedom and solidity, no longer in a hurry, allowing our body and mind to be calm.Gatha and song:
The mind can go in a thousand directions.
But on this beautiful path, I walk in peace.
With each step, a gentle wind blows.
With each step, a flower blooms.First we stand, solid as a mountain, and we notice how we are lifting one foot in the air, and then the contact between the sole of our foot and the floor or ground. We continue with deep focus on the lifting and placing and contact of our feet, until we feel we can add the rhythm of breathing to our walking meditation. Breathing in, taking two or three or four steps. Breathing out, taking two or three or four steps.Variation for home practice: try stopping every time you notice a thought arising in your mind, and starting again once your attention has returned to your body.See also: Walking Meditation on the Plum Village website.↑ Back to top of section

Morning Chant

The Dharma body is bringing morning light.
In concentration, our hearts are at peace,
a half-smile is born upon our lips.
This is a new day. We vow to go through it in mindfulness.
The sun of wisdom has now risen, shining in every direction.
Noble Sangha, diligently bring your minds into meditation.(Call and response 3X)
Namo Shakyamunaye Buddhaya
SANGHA: Namo Shakyamunaye BuddhayaPlumline maintains a rich songbook/chanting book here.↑ Back to top of section

Evening Chant

With posture upright and stable
We are seated at the foot of
The Bodhi treeBody, speech and mind are one
In stillness. There is no more thought
Of right and wrong.Our mind and body dwell in perfect mindfulness
We rediscover our original nature
Leaving the shore
Of illusion behindNoble sangha diligently
Bring our minds into meditation:(Call and response 3X)
Namo Shakyamunaye Buddhaya
SANGHA: Namo Shakyamunaye BuddhayaPlumline maintains a rich songbook/chanting book here.↑ Back to top of section

Candle Gatha

Respectful of countless Buddhas, we calmly light this candle, brightening the face of the Earth.The Plumvillage website has a nice Mindfulness Verses for Daily Living page, the Plum Village app has an extensive collection of gathas, and Present Moment, Wonderful Moment, with 79 of the gathas Thich Nhat Hanh practiced with and shared is available at Parallax Press.↑ Back to top of section

Bowing to the Three Jewels

We take refuge in the Buddha — the awakened heart and mind in ourselves and all beings (small bell – bow).We take refuge in the dharma — the path of understanding and love (small bell – bow).We take refuge in the Sangha — the beloved community that supports us on the path (small bell – bow).↑ Back to top of section

Sharing the Merit

We dedicate the merit of this practice to all beings throughout space and time. We offer gratitude to those who have supported us along the path. Silently or aloud, we send loving-kindness to those who may be in our hearts. May these and all beings find transformation of all suffering.Dear Sangha, please chant after me:
May the merit of our practice
Benefit all beings
And bring peace.↑ Back to top of section

Dharma Sharing

Dharma sharing is a time when any member can speak about their happiness and difficulties in the practice — an opportunity to benefit from each other's insights and experience. By practicing deep listening while others are speaking, we help create a safe, calm, and receptive space.Whatever is shared during Dharma sharing is confidential. We refrain from political discussion, in the spirit of cultivating openness, non-discrimination, and non-attachment to views.Please see our Member Guide for the full Dharma Sharing guidelines and an introductory video.↑ Back to top of section

Five Mindfulness Trainings

The Five Mindfulness Trainings have their root in the Five Precepts offered by the Buddha. They've been expanded and updated to bring mindfulness into every area of life — not hard and fast rules, but a path to cultivate actions of body, speech, and mind that create a more healthy and compassionate world.Read the full Five Mindfulness Trainings on the Plum Village website.↑ Back to top of section

Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings

Core lay and monastic members of the Order of Interbeing formally practice the Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings — the tradition's version of the Bodhisattva vows — though the wider community is welcome to practice them without formal commitment.Read the full Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings on the Plum Village website.↑ Back to top of section

Extended Practices

Practices to explore and deepen your path beyond our meetings.

Jump to→
• Beginning Anew
• Working Meditation
• Deep/Total Relaxation
• Loving-Kindness Meditation
• Three Earth Touchings
• 16 Exercises of Mindful Breathing
• Eating Practice
• Movement
• Songs
• Practicing with Children
• Mindful Screen TimeThe Plum Village website also maintains an extended practices page on their website.↑ Back to top of page

Beginning Anew

With great respect, we turn towards The Conqueror of Afflictions, offering heartfelt words of repentance. We have lived in forgetfulness for so long. As we have not had the opportunity to encounter the Dharma, our habit energies have led us into suffering. We have made many mistakes out of unskillfulness. We have been blinded by our askew perceptions for a long time.In us are seeds of killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, and lies. Our everyday deeds and words can do damage.All of these unskillful actions are obstacles to our peace and joy. May we begin anew. (🔔)We see that we have been thoughtless, straying from the path of mindfulness.We have stored up afflictions and ignorance, which brought about much sorrow and resentment. There have been times we are weary of life, full of worries and anxiety.With no understanding of others, we become angry and resentful.First we try to reason, and then we blame.Every day the suffering increases, making the rift greater. There are days that we do not want to speak or to even look at each other, thereby creating longstanding internal formations.Now we turn to the Three Jewels. Sincerely recognizing our mistakes, we bow our heads. (🔔)We know so well that in our consciousness are buried all the wholesome seeds; seeds of love and understanding, and seeds of peace and joy. But because we do not know how to water them, the wholesome seeds do not sprout in abundance.We continue to allow sorrow to overwhelm us until there is no light in our lives.When we chase after a distant happiness, life becomes but a shadow of reality.Our mind is occupied by the past or worried about the future.We cannot let go of our anger, and we consider of no value the precious gifts of life that are already in our hands, thereby trampling on real happiness.As month follows month, we are sinking in sorrow.So now in the precious presence of the Buddha, fragrant with sandalwood incense, we recognize our errors and begin anew. (🔔)With all our hearts we go for refuge, turning to the Buddhas in the Ten Directions and all of the Bodhisattvas, noble disciples, and self-achieved Buddhas. Sincerely we recognize our misdeeds and our wrong judgments.Please pour the clear nectar onto the roots of our afflictions to extinguish them.Please bring the raft of the true teachings to carry us over the ocean of sorrow.We vow to live an awakened life, to learn the teachings authentically transmitted, and to practice smiling and mindful breathing.Diligently, we cultivate mindfulness in every moment. (🔔)We come back to the wonderful present and to strengthen our understanding and love. We vow to train ourselves in meditation, practicing to look and understand deeply to see the true nature of all phenomena, and so to be free of the bonds of birth and death.We learn to speak lovingly, to be affectionate, taking care of others whether it is early morning or late afternoon, bringing the source of joy to many places, helping to alleviate sorrows, and repaying the deep gratitude to the kindness of parents, teachers, and friends.With deep faith we light up the incense of our heart. We ask the Lord of Compassion to be our protector on the wonderful path of practice.We vow to practice diligently, realizing the highest attainment of the path. (🔔🔔)
↑ Back to top of section

Working Meditation

Even outside of any dedicated task, we can practice "working meditation" while washing dishes, sweeping, cooking, cleaning, or any everyday task — focusing our attention on our movements, and where possible, coordinating them with our breath.↑ Back to top of section

Deep / Total Relaxation

It is possible to practice mindful walking and sitting in a way that we can rest and restore ourselves. We can also take time to completely stop, lie down, and practice a deep guided relaxation, or "body scan." In Plum Village centers, guided lying-down relaxations of 30 minutes or more are offered in the meditation halls, following our breathing and relaxing our muscles, allowing the body to truly rest.On the Plum Village app, look for "Deep Relaxation" under Meditations. Guided versions are also available on YouTube and Insight Timer by Sister Chan Khong, Sister Jewel, Brother Phap Linh, Sister Dang Nghiem, and others.↑ Back to top of section

Loving-Kindness Meditation

by Thich Nhat HanhMay I be peaceful, happy, and light in body and spirit.
May she be peaceful, happy, and light in body and spirit.
May he be peaceful, happy, and light in body and spirit.
May they be peaceful, happy, and light in body and spirit.May I be safe and free from injury.
May she be safe and free from injury.
May he be safe and free from injury.
May they be safe and free from injury.May I be free from anger, afflictions, fear, and anxiety.
May she be free from anger, afflictions, fear, and anxiety.
May he be free from anger, afflictions, fear, and anxiety.
May they be free from anger, afflictions, fear, and anxiety.May I learn to look at myself with the eyes of understanding and love.
May I learn to look at her with the eyes of understanding and love.
May I learn to look at him with the eyes of understanding and love.
May I learn to look at them with the eyes of understanding and love.May I be able to recognize and touch the seeds of joy and happiness in myself.
May I be able to recognize and touch the seeds of joy and happiness in her.
May I be able to recognize and touch the seeds of joy and happiness in him.
May I be able to recognize and touch the seeds of joy and happiness in them.May I learn to identify and see the sources of anger, craving, and delusion in myself.
May I learn to identify and see the sources of anger, craving, and delusion in her.
May I learn to identify and see the sources of anger, craving, and delusion in him.
May I learn to identify and see the sources of anger, craving, and delusion in them.May I know how to nourish the seeds of joy in myself every day.
May I know how to nourish the seeds of joy in her every day.
May I know how to nourish the seeds of joy in him every day.
May I know how to nourish the seeds of joy in them every day.May I be able to live fresh, solid, and free.
May she be able to live fresh, solid, and free.
May he be able to live fresh, solid, and free.
May they be able to live fresh, solid, and free.May I be free from attachment and aversion, but not be indifferent.
May she be free from attachment and aversion, but not be indifferent.
May he be free from attachment and aversion, but not be indifferent.
May they be free from attachment and aversion, but not be indifferent.↑ Back to top of section

Three Earth Touchings

(Abridged — see also the full Three Earth Touchings on the Plum Village website, and "Touching the Earth: Three Earth Touchings" by Sister Chan Duc on the Plum Village app under Guided Meditations → Plum Village Essentials.)⓵ — Touching the Earth, I connect with ancestors and descendants of both my spiritual and my blood families. [🔔bell, touch Earth]My spiritual ancestors include the Buddha, the bodhisattvas, the noble Sangha of Buddha's disciples, and my own spiritual teachers still alive or already passed away. They have woken up in me my resource of understanding and compassion. Aware that my practice of the mindfulness trainings is not always perfect, and that I am not always as understanding and compassionate as I would like to be, I open my heart and accept all my spiritual ancestors and descendants.In the same way, I see all of my ancestors on my mother's side and my father's side of the family. I accept all their good qualities and their virtuous actions.I do not have a separate self. All exist as part of a wonderful stream of life which is constantly moving.[3 breaths & 🔔bell, then stand up]⓶ — Touching the Earth, I connect with all people and all species that are alive at this moment in this world with me. [🔔bell, touch Earth]I am one with the wonderful pattern of life that radiates out in all directions. I see the close connection between myself and others, how we share happiness and suffering. I am one with those who were born disabled or who have become disabled because of war, accident, or illness. I am one with those who are caught in a situation of war or oppression. I am one with those who find no happiness in family life, who have no roots and no peace of mind, who are hungry for understanding and love, and who are looking for something beautiful, wholesome, and true to embrace and to believe in. I am the caterpillar or the ant that the bird is looking for to eat, and I am also the bird that is looking for the caterpillar or the ant. I am the forest that is being cut down. I am the rivers and the air that are being polluted, and I am also the person who cuts down the forest and pollutes the rivers and the air. I see myself in all species, and I see all species in me.I am someone who has enough peace, joy, and freedom and is able to offer fearlessness and joy to living beings around themselves. Living beings help me to live my life in a meaningful way, with true peace and happiness. I see them all in me, and I see myself in all of them.[3 breaths & 🔔bell, then stand up]⓷ — Touching the Earth, I let go of my idea that I am this body and my lifespan is limited. [🔔bell, touch Earth]I see that this body, made up of the four elements, is not really me and I am not limited by this body. I am part of a stream of life of spiritual and blood ancestors that for thousands of years has been flowing into the present and flows on for thousands of years into the future. I am one with the ancestors. I am one with all people and all species, whether they are peaceful and fearless, or suffering and afraid. The disintegration of this body does not touch me, just as when the plum blossom falls it does not mean the end of the plum tree. I see myself as a wave on the surface of the ocean. My nature is the ocean water. I see myself in all the other waves and see all the other waves in me. The appearance and disappearance of the form of the wave does not affect the ocean. Even in this moment, I see how I exist elsewhere than in this body. Seventy or eighty years is not my life span. My life span, like the lifespan of a leaf or of a Buddha, is limitless. I have gone beyond the idea that I am a body that is separated in space and time from all other forms of life.[3 breaths & 🔔bell, then stand up]↑ Back to top of section

16 Exercises of Mindful Breathing

Beginning with: "Breathing in, I know I am breathing in. Breathing out, I know I am breathing out." See also: Discourse on the Full Awareness of Breathing.Breathing in a long breath, I know I am breathing in a long breath.
Breathing out a long breath, I know I am breathing out a long breath.Breathing in a short breath, I know I am breathing in a short breath.
Breathing out a short breath, I know I am breathing out a short breath.Breathing in, I am aware of my whole body.
Breathing out, I am aware of my whole body.Breathing in, I calm my whole body.
Breathing out, I calm my whole body.Breathing in, I feel joyful.
Breathing out, I feel joyful.Breathing in, I feel happy.
Breathing out, I feel happy.Breathing in, I am aware of my mental formations.
Breathing out, I am aware of my mental formations.Breathing in, I calm my mental formations.
Breathing out, I calm my mental formations.Breathing in, I am aware of my mind.
Breathing out, I am aware of my mind.Breathing in, I make my mind happy.
Breathing out, I make my mind happy.Breathing in, I concentrate my mind.
Breathing out, I concentrate my mind.Breathing in, I liberate my mind.
Breathing out, I liberate my mind.Breathing in, I observe the impermanent nature of all dharmas.
Breathing out, I observe the impermanent nature of all dharmas.Breathing in, I observe the disappearance of desire.
Breathing out, I observe the disappearance of desire.Breathing in, I observe the no-birth, no-death nature of all phenomena.
Breathing out, I observe the no-birth, no-death nature of all phenomena.Breathing in, I observe letting go.
Breathing out, I observe letting go.↑ Back to top of section

Eating Practice

Five Contemplations Before Eating:This food is a gift of the earth, the sky, numerous living beings, and much hard and loving work.
May we eat with mindfulness and gratitude so as to be worthy to receive this food.
May we recognize and transform unwholesome mental formations, especially our greed, and learn to eat with moderation.
May we keep our compassion alive by eating in such a way that reduces the suffering of living beings, stops contributing to climate change, and heals and preserves our precious planet.
We accept this food so that we may nurture our brotherhood and sisterhood, build our Sangha, and nourish our ideal of serving all living beings.Eating Meditation: see The Art of Mindful Living on the Plum Village website for tips on mindful eating, and the "Eating Meditation" video with Sister Dang Nghiem. The Plum Village app also has an "Eating Meditation" collection of guided meditations.↑ Back to top of section

Movement

To learn more: search "10 Mindful Movements," "Qi Gong Exercises with Brother Phap Dung," "Plum Village 10 Minute Daily Routine," or "Why Do We Practice Qigong?" on the Plum Village app.↑ Back to top of section

Songs

Breathing In, Breathing Out:
Breathing in, breathing out
Breathing in, breathing out
I am blooming as a flower.
I am fresh as the dew.
I am solid as a mountain.
I am firm as the Earth.
I am free.
Breathing in, breathing out
Breathing in, breathing out
I am water reflecting
What is real, what is true.
And I feel there is space
Deep inside of me.
I am free, I am free, I am free.I Like the Roses:
I like the roses, I like the daffodils,
I like the mountains, I like the rolling hills,
I like the twinkling stars when the sun goes down
Doo ba dee, doo ba dee, doo...
I like the rabbits, I like the squirrels too,
I like the bluebirds, I like the roaming moose,
I like all animals, all animals like me
Doo ba dee, doo ba dee, doo...I Love Nature (by Joe Reilly):
I love nature
Nature is cool
The forest is my classroom
The earth is my school
Trees are my teachers
Animals are my friends
And on this school all life dependsSee also: Mindfulness Songs of Practice or Plumline's songbook.↑ Back to top of section

Practicing with Children

Mindfulness songs are one of the simplest ways to practice with children — see the songs above, all of which have hand gestures that children enjoy.Plum Village published a book and CD of mindfulness practices for children called "Planting Seeds." Additional songs children tend to enjoy on YouTube include "The Lovingkindness Song," "I Am Free," and "Walking Meditation Song."Guided practices for children available on YouTube include Snack Meditation, Deep Relaxation for Children, Pebble Meditation, Hugging Meditation, and Dealing with Strong Emotions.One simple practice: listen to "Breathing In, Breathing Out" together, then draw — in sand or on paper — a mountain, a flower, water, and "space" (usually the sky).Parallax Press has a Children's Library with books by Thich Nhat Hanh and the monastics. The Plum Village app also has a "Guided Meditations for Children" section.↑ Back to top of section

Mindful Screen Time

In everyday life, we might benefit from limiting our screen time outside of our Zoom meetings — for example, using screen time limits built into your computer or phone.Telephone / Video Call Gatha
Words can travel thousands of miles.
May my words create mutual understanding and love.
May they be as beautiful as gems,
as lovely as flowers.The Plum Village app has guided meditations to help us be more aware while using screens — "Device Meditation" and "Looking Deeply into the Phone" by Brother Phap Luu, both under Guided Meditations → Short Meditations.↑ Back to top of section

Practice Resources

Ways to start and deepen your practice beyond WIS.

Jump to→
• Courses
• Podcasts
• Apps & Collections
• Websites
• Books↑ Back to top of page

Courses

Essentials of Mindful Living: a free self-paced online course introducing mindfulness practices, taught by the monastics from Deer Park Monastery.Zen and the Art of Saving the Planet: a 7-week in-depth online learning journey to nurture insight, compassion, community, and mindful action in service of the Earth.↑ Back to top of section

Podcasts

The Way Out Is In: co-hosted by Brother Phap Huu, Thich Nhat Hanh's personal attendant for 17 years and abbot of Plum Village's Upper Hamlet, and Jo Confino, exploring how we transcend fear and anger to engage the world with love and compassion.Meet the Monastics: conversations with monks and nuns about their journey to monastic life, hosted by Brother Minh An.Dharma Talks from Plum Village — on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.Going As a River: Plum Village UK's podcast.TNH Audio: over 4,000 Dharma talks by Thich Nhat Hanh, with descriptions, downloadable audio, podcast app support, and video where available.↑ Back to top of section

Apps & Collections

Plum Village App: guided meditations, relaxations, and other practices from Thich Nhat Hanh and the monastic community. Available on your app store.Living Gems: a searchable collection of Thich Nhat Hanh's teachings.↑ Back to top of section

Books

Recommended first book: The Miracle of MindfulnessAlso:
No Mud, No Lotus
The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching
The Art of Living
Peace Is Every Step
ReconciliationMore detailed guides:
Thich Nhat Hanh Books — Official Guide
Thich Nhat Hanh Books for Beginners
Thich Nhat Hanh Books for Healing Strong Emotions
Thich Nhat Hanh Advanced Practice Key Books↑ Back to top of section

Contact Us.

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