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Start your mindfulness journey here
Experience how mindfulness can transform your life in this 6-week group course based on the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh.
The Art of Zen was formerly the “Be Calm Be Happy” course.
Weekly 2-hour sessions for 6 weeks.
Pricing from £30 to £200 – aiming to make the course as inclusive as possible.
Standard ticket £130.
The course offers a deeper understanding of mindfulness and how it can support many aspects of your daily life.
The wisdom of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh teaches us to find a sense of peace within ourselves, and serenity in the face of suffering. In a supportive community of like-minded people we experience developing more kindness and compassion.
Week by week we introduce and explore new ways of bringing mindfulness into our day, not only in meditation, but also in how we eat, behave, speak to ourselves and others, and take care of ourselves.
Mindfulness encourages a sense of wellbeing moment by moment, as well as being aware of what is happening in the present moment without reacting to it.
Introducing the teachings of mindfulness from Thich Nhat Hanh that will be our foundation for the course (and beyond).
We begin our Zen practice with the fundamental aspect of slowing down and stopping, to see what is really happening in the here and now.
We become more aware of the brain’s tendency towards negativity and how this has come about.
We recognise the conditions of Zen already available to us
We can understand communicating more mindfully using deep listening and loving speech.
We practise this for ourselves and others through the powerful practice of Loving Kindness meditation
We bring mindfulness to our daily sensory experiences and recognise the impact of our choices to contribute to our sense of wellbeing.
We recognise our interconnectedness and the interdependence with all things, developing and cultivating our compassion.
We explore the ethical teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh, and how we can integrate them into our daily lives.
We explore the ethical teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh, and how we can integrate them into our daily lives.
What can support us going forward with our practice?
Throughout the course, the Course Leaders support you in finding ways to bring mindfulness more fully into your life. We encourage you to look honestly at how you currently operate and be willing to make adjustments to help you live a more authentic life. We assist you to look at making incremental, sustainable changes to your day. This allows you to make time and space for mindfulness and meditation.
Alongside the weekly 2-hour group session, we support you to apply mindfulness regularly, through formal and informal exercises practised in each session.
Our Course Leaders are experienced practitioners immersed in the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh with a deep aspiration to share these teachings with others.
All leaders regularly attend Sangha (group practice) and retreats, understanding the importance of having a network of support in their practice. Together they bring a broad range of experiences with backgrounds including teaching, creative arts, health, business and much more.
I’d never practised mindfulness with a group before and the experience of sharing a couple of hours a week was powerful and positive to the way I approached the coming week.
The course is a gift – it made a shift in my attitude towards stress and helped me to achieve a routine incorporating meditation and focus on living in the present.
I find mindfulness and meditation practices less intimidating and am now able to draw on a range of practices throughout the day … I have noticed an improved sense of calm, perspective, and gratitude
I enjoyed the emphasis on self-care. I also liked the clear guidance and instructions and the wonderful way the course led us through the teachings. I feel more in control of how I approach my life situations.
To book your place on a course please select a course date at the top of this page.
This rate helps us to sustain the course.
For students and participants on a low income that cannot afford the standard rate.
For those with no income, one or two supported places will be available.
Plum Village UK is a not for profit charity based in the UK, dedicated to sharing the practice of mindfulness and mindful living in the Plum Village tradition.
The pricing range enables us to cover marketing and admin costs and ensure the continuation of the courses into the future.
If you cancel your booking at least 14 days before the start of the course we will refund your course fee. After this time, no refunds will be possible.
If you have any questions please contact us via mindfulness-courses@plumvillage.uk
Yes! We welcome newcomers to mindfulness as well as anyone wishing to bring mindfulness more fully into their daily life. The course helps participants gain an overview of the key teachings and how they support each other. It gives you the confidence to participate in further group activities (Sanghas, retreats, Days of Mindfulness) offered by Plum Village UK.
The course is open to all those over the age of 18
This is a live course. For the safety of all participants we do not record sessions, or any part of a session. Please check the six consecutive dates of a course before booking to ensure you are available for all of them.
It is ideal if you can make all the sessions, as this way you will gain a solid foundation in mindfulness practice. If you have to miss a class and know ahead of time, do let your Course Leader know. Please refer to the handouts to see what you have missed.
This is a UK-based event. If you are joining us from outside the UK, you may wish to use a timezone converter to check your timezone works with the course timings.
Mindful Moment
People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle. But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air, but to walk on earth. Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don’t even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, the black, curious eyes of a child—our own two eyes. All is a miracle.
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