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Join this transformative online course, bringing to life the teachings in Thich Nhat Hanh’s book Zen and the Art of Saving the Planet (ZASP).
Registration open: This course will run from 1st March – 19th April 2026 in English.
Further ways to get involved:
We’d love you to join us on the course, and there are also other ways you can connect, support and learn more:
- Watch our free online event from January 21st 2026.
- Help to spread the word with these downloadable graphics.
- Sign up for our email list to receive further news & updates.
- For Spanish speakers, more information here – para los hispanohablantes, más información aquí.
Why Take this Course?
Do you have a deep sense of care for the Earth, and want to find ways to bring mindfulness to your climate response? This online journey harnesses the wisdom of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh to teach us how to face challenging feelings and create a sense of freedom and possibility. It is designed to empower the human resilience we need to face our current situation. It will offer the chance to:
- Balance personal wellbeing with climate action
- Begin to master difficult emotions and develop inner resilience
- Join a grounded purpose-driven community of changemakers
- Train in deep listening and compassionate communication
- Nourish a profound relationship with the Earth
- Turn your climate concern and anxiety into sustainable action
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What Does the Course Offer?
New Teaching Videos
Professionally filmed short-form teachings from Plum Village monastic and lay teachers
Talks from Thich Nhat Hanh
Specially curated archive footage of teachings on engaged Buddhism and the environment
Daily Zen Practices
New guided meditations and other mindfulness exercises to incorporate into daily life
Live events
Learn together with Plum Village monastics and lay teachers
Small Group Sharings
Four group sessions to share insights and absorb the learning with others
Bespoke Interactive Platform
To connect with each other and feel a sense of community
We have entered a period unseen before in human history that requires all hands and all hearts on deck. Whether you’re a climate activist, a scientist, a parent, an outdoor enthusiast, or someone who simply doesn’t know where to begin, this course will help you respond to the current crisis from a more grounded, thoughtful, connected, and effective position
Christiana Figueres, UNFCCC Chair of the Paris Climate Agreement
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What Will You Learn?
Week 1
Embracing the Pain
Become able to ground ourselves in our breath and body, to create the stability and clarity needed to handle the difficulty of our situation.
Week 2
Cutting Through Illusion
Learn to move beyond a human-centric view of the world, to break out of our separation and touch a greater wonder and mystery in life.
Week 3
Living with Courage
Face our deepest fears about our death and the possible destruction of our civilization to have the peace and energy to respond to big challenges.
Week 4
Learning to Rest
A chance to rest & restore, and to reflect on course learnings up until this point.
Week 5
Brave Dialogue
Discover strategies for listening and speaking to help us in the challenging dialogues needed to heal relationships and address the climate crisis.
Week 6
Mastering Mind & Habits
Explore how Buddhist psychology and self-compassion can help us take care of fear, anxiety, and despair, transform our habits, and identify our deep aspirations.
Week 7
Action Dimension
Identify and nurture the power of community to support us beyond this course and feel empowered to walk in the company of bodhisattvas.
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Meet your Teachers
Sister Peace, Brother Pháp Dung, Christiana Figueres, Dr. Larry Ward
Sister Chân Đức, Brother Pháp Hữu, Sister Từ Nghiêm, Anh Tran (Nho)
Brother Pháp Xả, Sister Lăng Nghiêm, Sister True Dedication, John Bell
Sister Trai Nghiêm, Felipe Viveros, Sister Tuệ Nghiêm, Sister Chân Không
Sister Định Nghiêm, Brother Pháp Linh, Sister Lực Nghiêm
After being in climate justice movements for many years, I’ve found myself stuck in a routine way of thinking and taking action. My time with you all has been a breakthrough, a start of a new journey.
Isabelle, USA
I had burned out and now I see that taking care of me is the first thing to do, to serve with my true self for humanity
Donna, Chile
My biggest takeaway from the course has been that I have all the tools necessary to heal myself. I can connect to mindfulness and the earth whenever I need. My life has become slower, more meaningful, and colourful since engaging with this course.
Cait, South Africa
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What are the Practicalities of the Course?
- To take this course, we recommend you take a minimum of 3 hours per week (including live events), and ideally allow 5-7 hours a week to complete all elements of the course.
- There are 4 live events (plus one optional live relaxation), which you can access via Zoom.
- Opening Event – 1st March, 19:30-20:30 CET
- Q&A Event – 15th March, 19:30-2030 CET
- Deep Relaxation (optional) – 29th March, 19:30-20:30 CEST
- Workshop – 5th April, 19:30-21:00 CEST
- Closing Event – 19th April, 19:30-20:30 CEST
- We also encourage you to join a small sharing group to follow the course with and exchange insights. These groups will meet 4 times, and you will likely be invited to choose either Fridays or Saturdays, with meeting times adapted to different time zones.
- 6th/7th March
- 20th/21st March
- 10th/11th April
- 24th/25th April
Use your tears to put out the fires scorching the Earth, and your breath to redirect the waters of your heart towards wellness, justice and harmony.
Dr. Larry Ward, Senior Plum Village Dharma teacher
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Pricing
Our aim is to make the course financially accessible whilst covering the costs involved in producing and running the course and, if possible, supporting the international Plum Village monastic community.
Standard Rate | $300
This rate helps us sustain the course, the creators and community that is offering it.
Discount Rate | $200
For students and people on a lower income that are unable to afford the standard rate.
Scholarships | $0 – $60
For those in need of financial assistance, and who also identify as: a young person (35 and under) and / or Black, Indigenous, Person of Colour (BIPOC) and / or from the Global South and / or living with a disability.
Sponsor Rate | $600
This option helps sustain the course and enables us to offer more scholarships.
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Register
The next English-speaking cohort of this course will be offered 1st March – 19th April 2026. Registration is now open. If you would like to be among the first to hear about any further course news, please sign up for updates.
For Spanish speakers: We plan to offer a Spanish cohort of the ZASP course again in late 2026. If you’d like to stay updated about this please enter your details here. You can also read about the course in Spanish here.
Para los hispanohablantes: Tenemos previsto volver a ofrecer una edición en español del curso ZASP a finales de 2026. Si desea mantenerse informado, introduzca aquí sus datos. También puede leer más sobre el curso en español aquí.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Below are a few of our most asked questions. For other questions, please search in our knowledge base: zaspfaq.plumvillage.org
Will the live events be recorded?
Yes, live events on Sundays will be recorded. If the live event is not at a convenient time for you, you can watch the recording, which will be posted on the platform within approximately 24 hours following the live event. Please note: the sharing groups on Fridays / Saturdays will not be recorded.
What can I expect after I apply for a scholarship?
After you apply for a scholarship, you will receive an email confirming the reception of your application. Our team will review your application. If approved, you will receive a further email which contains a unique scholarship coupon. You can use this coupon when you finish registration. Read the step-by-step guide of claiming the coupon here.
How do I use my scholarship coupon?
You can log in the registration page and enter your coupon code (under ‘Order Overview’ in the ‘Coupon field’) and click ‘Apply Coupon’. You will see the updated price afterwards. Click ‘Continue’ to finish your course registration. You can find the step-by-step instruction here.
What is the refund policy?
The intention of this course is to offer a transformative and healing online learning journey, helping people to cultivate insight, compassion, and resilience. This course has been created with much hard and loving work. To help us sustain the course and the community that is offering it, the refund policy is as follows:
- Within six weeks before the course start date – 100% of the full fee may be refunded. An admin fee of €30.00 will be charged.*
- Within one week before the course start date – 50% of the full fee may be refunded. An admin fee of €30.00 will be charged.*
- Within two weeks after the course start date – financial refunds no longer possible, however you will be able to transfer your place to future courses if you experience personal circumstances which mean you can no longer participate on your originally chosen course dates.
- Two weeks after the course start date – Refunds or transfers no longer eligible.
*The admin fee is waived for scholarship recipients.
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