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KT GDPT
The “breathing room” is an essential spiritual space in every modern family, even if it is just a few square meters with a small table, a vase of flowers, and a bell. When entering, gently close the door, offer a bow to the Buddha with a fresh flower—a symbol of the World-Honored One—then sit down and invite the bell following the gatha for the three karmas to be purified. Three sounds of the bell correspond to nine mindful breaths: breathing in with a calm mind, breathing out with a gentle smile. All family members must maintain silence when someone is practicing in the breathing room to preserve the territory of peace and harmony.
When feeling angry or sad, mindful steps returning to the breathing room help to take care of the anger and protect the tender hearts of children from lasting emotional wounds. Each morning, spend 2–3 minutes: bow to the flower, invite the bell, and take three breaths; before going to bed, bow to the Buddha three times and practice with the bell. Pebble meditation is a simple method to nourish mindfulness; each person keeps eight pebbles—representing the Noble Eightfold Path—but only needs four to practice the meditation on “flower, mountain, still water, space”:
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- fresh flower
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- solid mountain
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- still, reflecting water
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- vast space
Breathing in, recognize yourself as the corresponding pebble; breathing out, feel the quality of that element.
Buddhist families and youth leaders are encouraged to quickly establish a breathing room, practice walking meditation around the house for 5–10 minutes each day, and use the Dharma doors of “breaking the triangle” and “watering flowers” to reconcile conflicts and take care of the good seeds in each other. This not only brings peace to the home but also helps youth leaders fulfill their mission of building happiness for many families through the practice of mindfulness and loving-kindness.