We invite you to spend a few minutes experiencing our peace meditation, inspired by monk, author, and peace activist Thich Nhat Hanh. The Vietnamese Buddhist Zen master worked tirelessly for peace, especially during the Vietnam War. In 1967, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. nominated him for a Nobel Peace Prize. Thich Nhat Hanh argues that unless and until individuals are peaceful within themselves, they cannot work for peace among nations. Note: This feature has audio.
Thich Nhat Hanh was born in central Vietnam in the mid-1920s and at age
16 became a monk. During the Vietnam War, he and many of his fellow
monks became actively engaged in helping war victims and speaking out for
peace. In 1966, he was invited to the U.S., where he met with hundreds of groups
and individuals, including Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara, Martin
Luther King Jr., Thomas Merton, and Daniel Berrigan. In 1967, Dr. King
nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize. As a result of his outspokenness,
Thich Nhat Hanh was unable to return to Vietnam, and requested and received
asylum in France. In 1982, he founded Plum Village, a monastic retreat
community near Bordeaux, where he resides when not on tour. He has written
more than a dozen books, including "Being Peace," "Living Buddha, Living
Christ," and "The Miracle of Mindfulness."