A Poem
fatigue. There is hate fatigue. There is competition
fatigue. There is unrealistic expectations fatigue.
Our society is actually pushing these on a younger
generation, on us, on everybody.
The school has to be a space to de-stress. The
school needs to find a bigger purpose than just
teaching, solving math, science, and language
problems. The school needs to add one more
challenge: to solve the real problems of their students—and of their educators. To be a place where
they can de-stress, where they can come and be
themselves, where they can cry, and where they
can actually share their challenges.
If we cannot do this, education is becoming a
big problem. We can already see the cost of suffering. As Bhante Buddharakkita and Brother Pháp
Dung said, it is vital that we understand where
these sufferings are coming from.
Lobsang Phuntsok is the founder of Jhamtse
Gatsal Children’s Community in Lumla, India. Today, Jhamtse Gatsal (the garden of love and compassion) has more than a hundred children in its
care. Lobsang’s story is beautifully told in the
Emmy Award winning documentary Tashi and The
Monk.
Venerable Bhante Buddharakkita is the founder
and abbot of the Uganda Buddhist Center in Uganda. He is a visiting professor at Union Theological
Seminary in New York City and holds an honorary doctorate in Buddhist studies from Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University (MCU), Thailand.
Brother Pháp Dung is a senior Dharma teacher in
the Plum Village tradition. Born in Vietnam and
having first trained as an architect, Brother Pháp
Dung helped to establish Deer Park Monastery and
other US centers and has led mindfulness retreats
in many countries, including Uganda and India.
An extended version of this article is available at
mindfulnessbell.org. You can watch the full webinar at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPf7O3tJS-g
Orlaith (Orla) O’Sullivan, True Garden of the Nectar
of Immortality (pronouns she/her), is the international coordinator of Wake Up Schools. She is passionate
about building happy communities. She helps families,
schools, community groups, and businesses to explore
ethical and joyful paths of well-being.