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KT GDPT
The breathing room is a sacred space in every family to practice mindfulness, to return to the present moment through the sound of a small bell calling us back to our true self. When there is tension, all members sign an agreement to keep silence, turn off machines, so that the practitioner can find peace and solidity. Two main Dharma doors are introduced:
- The cake in the fridge—when parents argue, the child takes three mindful breaths and gently asks, “Is there cake in the fridge, Mom?” as a call for help, prompting the parents to stop, prepare cake, tea, or coffee together, creating an atmosphere of peace.
- In case of conflict between husband and wife, the third person (the child) helps redirect the tension with the question about the cake, then the whole family enters the breathing room, breathes and invites the bell, restoring harmony.
The Dharma door of shining light has existed since the time of the Buddha, practiced through the ceremony of Invitation for Admonition at the end of the three-month rains retreat, when each monk and nun humbly bows to one another and asks for their shortcomings to be illuminated. Each person in Plum Village needs to be shone upon by at least six trusted people, laying the foundation for responsibility and humility in the Sangha. The practice of inviting shining light is also encouraged in blood families and lay Buddhist communities:
- recognizing strengths before sharing shortcomings
- receiving shining light with love, without pride
- transforming the family into a living work of art, where parents and children together practice right speech, loving speech, and nurture positive seeds.