By simply following our natural breath, we rest easily in the stillness and comfort of the present moment.
A guided meditation of about 20–25 minutes.
Many participants have shared:

“I felt such ease and safety.”
“I could concentrate naturally!”
Chairs are available for those who need them.

In our daily lives, we are often hurrying toward somewhere.

In this practice, we restore peace by touching the ground with each step, arriving fully in the here and now.

A meditation that engages all five senses — savoring food with full awareness.

Through the experience of interbeing and touching the wonders of life, a natural sense of joy and gratitude arises.

A practice of gently looking into our true selves and expressing our genuine feelings in words.

The insights shared by others can help us feel freer and remind us of our natural capacity for love and respect.

Practicing together with a mindful community deepens our concentration and joy.

Through collective awareness, we can touch peace, connection, and the blossoming of happiness and wisdom within.

Thich Nhat Hanh (1926–2022) was a Vietnamese Zen master, poet, and peace and human rights activist.

Through his deep insight and poetic sensibility, he brought mindfulness and peaceful living to people around the world.

Known as “the Father of Mindfulness,” he developed the modern mindfulness movement. His meditation guides became bestsellers in the United States and inspired mindfulness-based programs worldwide.

He was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for his lifelong dedication to nonviolence, peace, and humanitarian efforts.

His teachings have been adopted by the United Nations, the World Bank, Google, and other global organizations.

Harvard School of Public Health established the Thich Nhat Hanh Center for Mindfulness, and his teachings continue to be studied at Columbia University and Stanford University’s Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE).

His student Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn, founder of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), is among the many who have carried his legacy forward.

In Japan, NHK produced a two-part documentary series about him and his community, which continues to be rebroadcast.

In 2015, he received the Pacem in Terris Peace and Freedom Award. He authored many books that continue to inspire people around the world.

In his message of condolence upon Thich Nhat Hanh’s passing, His Holiness the Dalai Lama wrote:

“In his peaceful opposition to the Vietnam War, his support for Martin Luther King Jr., and above all his lifelong dedication to sharing not only how mindfulness and compassion nurture inner peace, but also how the cultivation of peace of mind by individuals contributes to genuine world peace, the Venerable lived a truly meaningful life.

I have no doubt that the best way we can pay tribute to him is to continue his work to promote peace in the world.”

— His Holiness the Dalai Lama

Kanako Jizan Nishida facilitates monthly mindfulness practice sessions — both online and in person — in the Thich Nhat Hanh tradition through the Heart of Kamakura, Yokohama & Tokyo Sangha, and looks forward to welcoming and practicing with you.

She encountered Thich Nhat Hanh’s teachings around 2009 and began studying intensively with him at Plum Village from 2012, deepening her understanding of the Manifestation/Consciousness-Only teachings and the essence of mindfulness practice. She treasures those years of study and practice with her teacher as one of the greatest gifts of her life.

Lay-ordained into the Order of Interbeing in 2017, she works as a counselor and translator. Together with Sister Trai Nghiem, she co-translated Thich Nhat Hanh’s book How to Love into Japanese, which will be reissued in a new edition next spring.

Her greatest joy is spending time on retreat at Plum Village monasteries around the world — including those in France, Germany, Thailand, the U.S., Australia, and Vietnam. Later this month, she will once again join the Winter Retreat at her beloved Plum Village New Hamlet.

This Mindful Morning is part of Mindful City Kamakura Week, a co-creative event exploring “Spirituality in Nature.”
Through mindfulness practice in Kamakura’s rich natural and cultural settings, we will explore spirituality rooted in place and contribute to the cultivation of inner richness.

As part of our ongoing activities, we see the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha as expressions of oneself, nature, and connection, working toward a sustainable Mindful Planet.