Meditation and Education

Dear Fellow Teachers,

We had a gathering with teachers and people involved with education today.  We had more than 100 people come.  It was an inspiration to hear the teachers share their experiences and how they are bring the practice into the classroom and how they are applying the practice to nourish themselves.  I have been involved with this Applied Ethics Initiative since last summer in France and throughout the US Tour; meeting with teachers in dharma discussion groups and making a presentation to them about the initiative.

I write now about the MedEd weekend program that we have regularly at Deer Park Monastery in the Spring and Fall.  I am proposing to the community to extend the weekend to include 3 more days for teachers and people in education, that from Tuesday to Sunday.  The teachers will arrive by lunch on Tuesday for their part of the retreat/training program and the students will join Friday afternoon like they do now. 

This is a new phase for our community and our tradition. This will eventually culminate to a training program for teachers and educators that is 6-7 days long as part of the Applied Ethics Initiative.  We are working with Standford people to have their involvement so as to somehow make this credit base and easier for teachers to ask for support from their administration. 

I need you all to help find the right week for this proposal so the monastics can start their year's retreat plan.  When can teachers and students free enough for this?  I stress enough because I know that we will not satisfy every body or every school system out there.  We just need to start and to keep the momentum steady.

The work that we have been doing in Deer Park with the MedEd weekend has been very helpful to introduce this to the monastic community.  I hope that we can all help bring this to this next level; especially now, when the teachers really need it most. 

Thay is so enthusiatic about this.  He shared with me during dinner tonight that he is very happy to see that our community is serving this segment of society and teachers and the people are so receptive to this endeavor.  He shared how lucky we are to have a clear path with concrete practices that bring about real transformation and healing and to also have a community to support us. 

I hope you are all well and not too busy with your service to the students.  Is it testing time?  I hope you have time to take a breathing break.  I wanted to add that a teacher shared this afternoon that she turns out the light once in awhile for the her students to stop and clear their minds before taking the test.  She reminds them not to worry about how they are going to do and to close their eyes and touch their calmness.  She then turns on the light and starts the testing.  I felt so much love from her to her students.  What a wonderful place and time that we live in.  It is so exciting to be alive now.

Take care and hope to hear from you,

Brother Phap Dung