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FACE TO FACE | EASTERN HORIZON 49

With students from Tri Ratna Student School Photos taken with organizing commitees of
Plum Village Retreat in Indonesia

programs for teenagers. That We all want to be the best parents 80 teachers, not including other
particular retreat was memorable we can be for our children, and to staff. Apart from the academic
because it made me realize the achieve this goal, we need practice. curriculum, what makes our school
power and effectiveness of mindful For me, Plum Village retreats have unique is the Buddhist values which
training. My husband also shared been a tremendous help. I have lost are taught and put into practice on a
with his group that ever since I count on how many I have attended, daily basis.
started attending Plum Village possibly 12-13 times, not only
retreats, I had complained less and Europe and Hong Kong, but also in For example, when we teach our
became calmer. the US. If you can’t go physically, students the Four Noble Truths, we
then attending online retreats is use them as lessons on “problem
Among the many valuable lessons I another option which you can do solving and decision makings”.
learned during my retreats was how from home. Check their website Suffering is a problem. In life,
to handle my emotions; how not www.plumvillage.org, for programs problems exist, and we need to find
to act at the moment anger arises offered globally. the cause of our problems. Once we
when someone “triggers” our ego. have determined the cause, we need
Our immediate response to anger You are an active Buddhist leader to know the solution, before finally,
often ends in regret. At the height in the local community. Can you solving the problem.
of our anger, we need to pause for share with us your activities
a moment, and take a deep breath and the impact they had on the To teach loving kindness and
before responding. Even though the community? compassion, we ask our children
anger may still be there, we are in a to practice eating vegetarian food
much calmer state and less likely to I am a believer that education can at school. We transformed our
react foolishly. change our fate. Through education, school canteen, which is equipped
the poor among us can have a better with a clean, stainless steel,
I have benefitted a lot from life. industrialized-open-kitchen, into a
mindfulness training. It has made meatless restaurant. We provide free
me a better mother. Before, my I am a committee member of the Tri breakfast and lunch to our teachers
son was a victim of my emotions. Ratna Buddhist School Foundation. and staff. We don’t sell bottled water
When I became impatient with him, It’s a non-profit organization to protect the environment. The
I would yell, and in process, I was staffed by volunteers. We run a school has water dispensers where
setting a terrible example for him Buddhist school - classes range students have access to free drinking
to follow. Children tend to imitate from kindergarten to high school - water where they only need to bring
what we adults do to them. with about 700 students. We have their own water bottles.