This talk details becoming a novice monk at 16, forgetting chopsticks for a teacher’s meal, and learning mindfulness from gentle guidance. In 1966, a peace advocacy trip to North America led to sharing practices with Father Thomas Merton. Plum Village teachings emphasize mindfulness from the Buddha’s Anapanasati Sutra, with sixteen breathing exercises for easing tension and recognizing pain. Teachers practicing mindfulness positively transformed classroom environments, fostering familial atmospheres and rapid student progress. Retreats and mindful practices like telephone meditation enhance presence and peace. Regular mindfulness practices prevent tension buildup, transforming suffering into peace. Teaching compassionate listening and loving speech in classrooms fosters reconciliation and communication restoration. Practical mindfulness exercises integrated into education cultivate compassion and harmonious learning environments, viewing teachers as nurturing figures and peers as extended family.